Today's Christian lesson is on receiving sight where once there was complete darkness. Receiving wisdom in areas where there was no knowledge.
Beloved, the act of fully accepting Jesus into one's life is a radical act. You can see things all around you that you could not once see. It is literally opening one's eyes to things erstwhile hidden to you; receiving knowledge you did not have before. The meaning of the story is both literal and symbolic, and I can relate to it from personal experience. While I grew up going to a Christian school singing the Lord's prayer every day, I didn't have a saving relationship with the Lord. I paid lip service to the songs I sung at school, but at the same time didn't read the Bible or go to Church. Off I went to college and religion became a non-issue for me. I immersed myself in Computer Science and for the first thirty five (35) years of my life lead a very secular life. Then in 2007 something changed. My brother Gary, who is now very close to me, urged me to go to Church. I went to Church after many years of not going. Pastor Kerry Baumann was teaching that Sunday and his message shook me to the core. I went back next Sunday and the next and the next. I started attending his ALIVE Bible Study sessions that he would hold at his home twice a week. In 2009 I was Baptized, and during that year read the Bible cover to cover 10 times. I could suddenly "see" things all around me which I was previously completely blind to. While I had led a relatively pure and sinless life prior to this, there was a large chunk of Divine knowledge I was missing. It was akin to "seeing" for the first time. My eyes opened and I could see things all around me that previously I was completely blind to. "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.” Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” John 9:1-12
Every person who genuinely comes to faith and eagerly wants to know the Lord receives knowledge and insight which was previously hidden from Him or Her. Imagine if I can compare my pre-2007 life and post-2007 life with being blind vs. seeing, how much more will our sight (knowledge) be when we are in Heaven with the Lord? We will see fully that which even today we see partially.
"Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." 1 Corinthians 13:8-12
Another lesson tomorrow, on one who once persecuted the Church, whose eyes were really opened by an encounter with Jesus, and a lesson on Monday on what the Bible says about believers being tested and judged by non-believers.
Beloved, the act of fully accepting Jesus into one's life is a radical act. You can see things all around you that you could not once see. It is literally opening one's eyes to things erstwhile hidden to you; receiving knowledge you did not have before. The meaning of the story is both literal and symbolic, and I can relate to it from personal experience. While I grew up going to a Christian school singing the Lord's prayer every day, I didn't have a saving relationship with the Lord. I paid lip service to the songs I sung at school, but at the same time didn't read the Bible or go to Church. Off I went to college and religion became a non-issue for me. I immersed myself in Computer Science and for the first thirty five (35) years of my life lead a very secular life. Then in 2007 something changed. My brother Gary, who is now very close to me, urged me to go to Church. I went to Church after many years of not going. Pastor Kerry Baumann was teaching that Sunday and his message shook me to the core. I went back next Sunday and the next and the next. I started attending his ALIVE Bible Study sessions that he would hold at his home twice a week. In 2009 I was Baptized, and during that year read the Bible cover to cover 10 times. I could suddenly "see" things all around me which I was previously completely blind to. While I had led a relatively pure and sinless life prior to this, there was a large chunk of Divine knowledge I was missing. It was akin to "seeing" for the first time. My eyes opened and I could see things all around me that previously I was completely blind to. "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.” Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” John 9:1-12
Every person who genuinely comes to faith and eagerly wants to know the Lord receives knowledge and insight which was previously hidden from Him or Her. Imagine if I can compare my pre-2007 life and post-2007 life with being blind vs. seeing, how much more will our sight (knowledge) be when we are in Heaven with the Lord? We will see fully that which even today we see partially.
"Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." 1 Corinthians 13:8-12
Another lesson tomorrow, on one who once persecuted the Church, whose eyes were really opened by an encounter with Jesus, and a lesson on Monday on what the Bible says about believers being tested and judged by non-believers.
RSS Feed