September 16 Seeing Jesus

Luke 6:6-12 On another Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
 
WE continue from the previous lesson as we ask again, “How could the Pharisees be so blind to not see God’s grace?” Instead of celebrating Jesus’ healing power, they “began to discuss what they might do to Jesus.” Ultimately, we know that their “doing” led to them killing the Healer!
    Other questions we can ask here include: How could these men who held God’s law in high esteem plot against the One who made people well? What was on their minds that they were so adamant to keep Jesus’ grace on the shelf? What caused them to contrive Jesu’s healing as sin instead of a life-filling miracle? Jesus answers these questions with one of his teachings in another Jesus vs. Pharisees. When Jesus’ disciples had told their Lord the Pharisees were offended at his teachings, he responded in Matthew 15:13-14 “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”  
    Sin was blinding the Pharisees’ eyes as it blinds all of us. Although they longed for the Messiah to come, he was different than they expected. They were blind to the true Lord, and became blind leaders. Remember, Jesus said his mission was to Luke 4:18(b) “proclaim…recovery of sight for the blind” He had released a man oppressed with disease to help all see the prophesied Messiah stood in their presence. Jesus was fulfilling all the law spoken about him. But still the sin-blinded Pharisees could not see God’s grace has come in person to lead them “in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”  (Psalm 23:3b)
    How about you? Maybe you want to see his love, but you close your eyes at his righteousness – his commands and true teachings. Perhaps you are concerned that fully seeing Jesus, you must change some things that keep you blind to his grace. Are you willing to open your eyes to the true Savior? Are you willing to lead others to him? Perhaps you can pray the words of this song, “Open Our Eyes, Lord”. (author unknown)
 
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him
And say that we love Him.
 
Open our ears Lord
And help us to listen,
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus.
 
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him
And say that we love Him.
 
Open our ears Lord
And help us to listen,
Open our eyes Lord
We want to see Jesus.
 
Prayer: Yes, open my eyes, Lord. In faith, I pray I will clearly see you to follow you on your righteous path. In your name I pray, amen.