Seeing and Believing

Soon I will speak at an interesting event that is held every six months or so. It is a challenging assignment. The gathering includes my hospice co-workers and the families of those who have passed away in the past year or so who our hospice team cared for. The memorial service is meant to help bring together those who are grieving and to connect them with others who are in a similar place. It is also an opportunity to share the gospel. While dozens could be there it is usually a small, diverse gathering. What makes them diverse is not their skin color or address. It is the fact that some of them have a personal relationship with Jesus and some do not. That makes all the difference in how one approaches a message from God's Word and how one grieves. While we transition from John 8 to John 9, we find some who still do not believe and at least one who saw the light.

As chapter 8 concludes, Jesus continues to speak strongly about who he is and what those "religious" people of his day must do to know God and have eternal life. He again states that he came from God and was sent by God (John 8:42). As if his audience did not have enough issues with Jesus already, he is now saying that they are carrying out the desire of their father, the devil (44). He returns to the important matter of truth and the fact that there is no truth in their father – the father of lies. Jesus knows all and he knew that they could not hear his truth because of their hard hearts (47). We think that sharing the good news today can be frustrating because of how people are. Imagine how our Lord must have felt.

The children of the devil turned it around by asking if Jesus was a demon-possessed Samaritan (48). Jesus did not even dignify them by addressing being a Samaritan, though he did show love to those outcasts. What he did say, however, was brilliant. I am not possessed by a demon, but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death (49-51).

Jesus obviously was not possessed by a demon. His children cannot be either. He always sought to honor his Father. People of faith should also make it our goal to honor God. This is done not only by how we act but how we think. Jesus thought correctly that those who opposed him were dishonoring him. The Father glorified the Son but Jesus did not seek his own glory (54). It is human nature to seek our own glory. That is something we have to battle. It was not an issue with Jesus. Even as he was now very possibly thinking about his own death, Jesus made an important claim. Whoever obeys my word will never see death. He is again equating himself with God by putting his words on the same level as the Old Testament. Do not worry. Know that he did not mean that we must perfectly and constantly obey his word (though we should strive to). Believing his claims and following him and his teachings result in eternal life. Physical death cannot be prevented, but separation from God can be, when we know him by faith.

When those Jews pointed out that even Abraham died, Jesus goes on to explain who he is. He used another "I am" statement. This one could not be mistaken as far as the meaning. I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I am (58)! Jesus' statement of eternal self-existence harkened back to Exodus 3:14 when God told Moses who he was. They could not back up the stones fast enough. The charge was blasphemy. Jesus knew he would die on a cross, not by stoning. So, he disappeared from their sight (59). When one is fully God, one can do such a thing! It is impossible to stone one who cannot be seen.

Speaking of sight, John next records Jesus obviously being somewhere else. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth (9:1). Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be blind? Here was an adult who had never seen a thing. The disciples must not have known that he was born blind or probably would not have asked if his parents had sinned or if the man had. They assumed that his blindness was a curse because of sin. I have come across people who think that the ailment they or a loved one have was God's judgment. Jesus made clear that sin was not the reason the man was born blind. He also tipped his hand as to what would happen next. Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (3-5). The man may have been in the dark but soon the light of the world would make him see and believe.

Not only did the man with the mud treatment look like the blind beggar, he was indeed him. I am the man (8-9). Jesus was about to be stoned for what he taught. Now he changed locations and did not need to say much. The blind beggar's testimony was incredible. The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So, I went and washed, and then I could see (11). Some asked where "this man" was now. He did not know. He just knew that once he was blind but now, he could see. Soon the Pharisees would arrive to look into the matter. No doubt by now they knew exactly what "man they call Jesus" was responsible. The God who cares had been there. Instead of all the questions, they would have been better off listening to and believing the words of Jesus. That applies to people today as well. Instead, they walk in darkness and unbelief.