March 5 Toss the Truth

John 9:30-34 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from; yet, he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.  
 
DARKNESS will not overcome the Light. Oh, it appears darkness’ loud voice silenced the light here. The sounds against Jesus in our world seem to be louder than the Lord’s Truth. Yes, a limited view of today or a particular circumstance can cause us to believe evil is winning. But we must keep our eyes toward the Light. This is what the once blind man does here. He is a good discipleship model. With faith, passion and hope, the man tried to teach the Jews. But they had heard enough. They did not want to hear Jesus’ new disciple teach them. It is easy to see why the Jews are ignorant of Jesus. They didn’t want to know him. Their only purpose was to accuse him.
   Where else could healing’s transforming power originate but from YWH – the eternal God? The Pharisee Nicodemus confessed this in his midnight conversation with Jesus: John 3:2b “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Then the Light affirmed Nicodemus’ faith: John 3:3 “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Although the newly sighted, transformed child of God had not yet seen Jesus in the flesh, he now saw God’s kingdom come. This simple man, uneducated in the Jews’ religious system, taught clearly of Jesus’ divine home. “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Afraid of the man’s clear confession, the Jews removed him from the temple. They threw away the faith, so they could hold fast to their fears and self-belief.
   Then the Jews accuse the man of being steeped in sin at birth. Were the Jews also not steeped in sin here? Sin is too blind to see itself. To see our need for healing, the Light must reveal to each of us, “I am a sinner.” Hear David’s confession and prayer in Psalms 51:4 & 7 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge…7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.   
   The educated Jews should have learned their Scriptures. I hope the seeing man is a model for us to see and speak of the Light, who has come from heaven to redeem us into his healing life everlasting.
 
Prayer: I have sinned, Lord God. Cleanse me. Free me from any darkness and draw me into your glorious light. Amen.