March 3 Know the Light

John 9:17-23 Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” 20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
 
SEVERAL times the gospels record the Jewish authorities asked Jesus for a sign to convince them he was the Messiah. Here’s one reason Jesus refused them. Their hard hearts rejected the truth. They refused to believe what they saw. And they rejected Jesus’ and others’ testimonies of the Lord’s magnificent work on earth. It seems they were afraid to believe, “Jesus is Lord.”
   The devil uses fear to block the Light. Fear marks all false religions, holding people captive to precise actions and meaningless “works”. Fear, too, kept these Jews from looking past the stringent “do’s and don’ts of the law to see God’s grace and salvation in the Light. Jesus had come to open their eyes to God’s remarkable grace; yet, they fearfully held to the law’s restrictions, blind to the law’s promises. The Light stood among them, but the fearful Jews could not see.
   This is the world’s way. Governments throughout time have sought to silence God’s people with threats, imprisonment and death. Our own U.S. culture induces Christians to silence, convincing us to be afraid of their threats.  
   Sin is afraid of God. The devil knows he is condemned to an eternal lake of fire. He will do all he can to imprison mankind in those same chains. Fear is his unbreakable lock until the Light says, “Be healed. Be saved. Be new. I have come to seek and save. You are new in me. Believe. I am the truth. Fear not. I am with you always.” The Jews’ attacks on the man and his parents is their attempt to keep the Light outside the temple and away their lives. Sadly, they would remain outside of God’s Kingdom. See their loss: Titus 3:3-4 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
   Be sure and bold against the fearful culture. See the Light. Put aside your fears. Live in God’s kindness, love and mercy.
 
Prayer: Lord, you are my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? You, Lord are the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? (From Psalm 27:1) In Jesus’ name, amen.