- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 17,518
1 September 2007
John 9 v 24-34
So for the second time, they called the man who had been blind. They said, "You should give God the glory by telling the truth. We know that this man is a sinner."
He answered, "I don't know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see."
They asked, "What did he do to you? How did he make you see again?"
He answered, "I already told you, and you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his followers, too?"
Then they insulted him and said, "You are his follower, but we are followers of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don't even know where this man comes from."
The man answered, "This is a very strange thing. You don't know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We all know that God does not listen to sinners, but he listens to anyone who worships and obeys him. Nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
They answered, "You were born full of sin! Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out.
As you read this how are you feeling? Some of you might be feeling very busy and frantic with everything around you always changing, with this Word on the Web email being one amongst too many to deal with. Some of you might be feeling fed up, with nothing changing and this Word on the Web email being the only one arriving apart from irrelevant junk.
In today's passage the man appears to be very patient in answering all of the questions thrown in his direction. He knew that he could now see and this miracle that Jesus performed led him to stand firm in the face of their insults and questioning. He was an ordinary man challenging the stability of their understanding and threatening change.
Whichever way you look at it, change is exciting and often frightening. As Mario Andretti said, "If everything seems under control, then you're just not going fast enough".
As God says in Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11 '"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." '
Thank you Lord that you are unchanging in Your love for us throughout the changes of life. Amen.
Written by Sarah Beston
John 9 v 24-34
So for the second time, they called the man who had been blind. They said, "You should give God the glory by telling the truth. We know that this man is a sinner."
He answered, "I don't know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see."
They asked, "What did he do to you? How did he make you see again?"
He answered, "I already told you, and you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his followers, too?"
Then they insulted him and said, "You are his follower, but we are followers of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses, but we don't even know where this man comes from."
The man answered, "This is a very strange thing. You don't know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We all know that God does not listen to sinners, but he listens to anyone who worships and obeys him. Nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
They answered, "You were born full of sin! Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out.
As you read this how are you feeling? Some of you might be feeling very busy and frantic with everything around you always changing, with this Word on the Web email being one amongst too many to deal with. Some of you might be feeling fed up, with nothing changing and this Word on the Web email being the only one arriving apart from irrelevant junk.
In today's passage the man appears to be very patient in answering all of the questions thrown in his direction. He knew that he could now see and this miracle that Jesus performed led him to stand firm in the face of their insults and questioning. He was an ordinary man challenging the stability of their understanding and threatening change.
Whichever way you look at it, change is exciting and often frightening. As Mario Andretti said, "If everything seems under control, then you're just not going fast enough".
As God says in Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11 '"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." '
Thank you Lord that you are unchanging in Your love for us throughout the changes of life. Amen.
Written by Sarah Beston
