DAY 9 // John 9:1-7, 39-41 // "Are We Blind Too?" // Pastor Joel Silva

John 9:1-7, 39-41
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

What an interesting moment in Jesus’ ministry! I wish I had time to get into the nitty gritty---the mud & dirt, and saliva spitting part of this story! When thinking of how I would connect this with fasting, I knew immediately where to go! This whole passage is about spiritual insight, and boy have I had spiritual insight in these past few days of fasting!

The story begins with a strange but understandable question. Jesus’ disciples must have had a 1,000 questions to ask him, just like I imagine I would! Why did you make whales? Why are there thousands of species of frogs? I have 1,000 more where that came from! One of the common beliefs of Jesus’ day was that the parents of those born with infirmities had sinned; thus, such infirmities were a punishment for their sin. Jesus answers them with a revelation that they were not expecting. Neither! This happened so that God’s works might be revealed in Him! Wow, what an answer!

In essence, this is a story about physical and spiritual sight. Jesus heals the man born blind and uses this healing to reveal to us that there is a far worse blindness that exists--spiritual blindness! The Pharisees get all upset because he healed on the Sabbath--a day where “work” is prohibited. What they FAIL to see is that his healing reveals that he is a man with authority over the physical realm. This should have made them say, “Who is this man that heals?” But they don’t. They miss it. They prove to be spiritually blind, and they catch on to the ‘lesson’ Jesus is teaching them. They realize that they are being told they are spiritually blind and seem offended.

Friends, we are all born spiritually blind. We need Jesus to show up in our lives and heal us from our blindness. Then, we need to press into spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting to continue to receive spiritual insight. More than ever in these last days I have received visions, dreams, nudges from the Holy Spirit to encourage. I have also had more clarity in my calling work. Today, I pray for you the words of Paul: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:18-20)

Prayer Focus: Pray for our PHILIPPINES Churches - for protection and new churches.