March 6 “So I May Believe”

John 9:35-36 Jesus heard that they had thrown out the healed man, and when Jesus found the man, Jesus said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
 
LET’S remember that the man whom Jesus had healed of blindness did not know Jesus’ appearance. Jesus then introduces himself in a way to help us know how to introduce Jesus to those who don’t know him.
   As Jesus often does with his teachings, he begins with a question, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” An important step in evangelism is to first know what the other person knows and believes. We are prone to tell people, “You need to believe in Jesus. You need to repent and be saved.” Yes, I know those words are necessary, but usually they are to come later. It’s always good to help people come to the palce whre they ask you, “What must I do to be saved?” (see Acts 16:30.)
   With different words, that is what the healed man asked Jesus. His question, “Who is he, sir?” indicated he was ready to hear about the Son of Man. He then affirmed this with, “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”  The unknowing man is ready to know Jesus. The once blind man is now ready to gain the spiritual eyes to see the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, Savior of the World.
   This is Jesus mission and purpose for the healing.  Go back to the reason the man was born bind: John 9:3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” The work of God is twofold in the man: physical sight and spiritual sight. Indeed, the glory of God has come over this man to demonstrate God’s grace, love and mercy.
   See, too, this also reminds us of God’s sovereignty. The man did not wake up that morning expecting his earthly and eternal life would be transformed. Yet, it was God’s declaring will for this to be. The Son of God went to the man. The Spirit of God changed his eyes and his heart. The Father is glorified as he welcomes another child into his eternal home. I pray we can be God’s evangelists, his story tellers to help people ask, “What must I do to be saved?”
   Psalms 105:1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
 
Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to love you and to love my neighbor to tell what you have done. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.