Miracles

Today’s reading:  John 9

At the beginning of John chapter 9, Jesus healed a man who had been blind since birth.  The remainder of the chapter works through the reactions of different groups.

  • The disciples initially assumed the blind man’s handicap was a result of his, or his parents’, sinful actions; after Jesus’ corrected their theology, the Bible does not record any further reaction from the disciples.
  • The blind man’s neighbors were divided over whether this was really the blind man who could now see, when they confirmed it was him, they questioned how it happened, who did it, and where Jesus was.
  • The Pharisees wanted to know how it happened, concluded Jesus wasn’t from God because he healed on the Sabbath, turned to the man’s parents to corroborate his story, then insulted the man when he pointed to back to Jesus.
  • The blind man’s parents, when questioned by the Pharisees’, sent the religious leaders back to the man for answers, as they were afraid of being kicked out of the synagogue.
  • The blind man himself combated the Pharisees’ conclusion that Jesus wasn’t from God; then after Jesus’ confirmed he was the Messiah, the blind man quickly began to worship him.

When I think about the various groups’ reactions above, I think it reveals a lot about their hearts.

  • The disciples were trying to learn everything they could to become more like Jesus.
  • The blind man’s neighbors were skeptical/cautiously optimistic; they wanted to believe, but needed a few more details to make sure it was wise.
  • The Pharisees’ hearts were hard towards God; nothing Jesus could have done would have changed their minds.
  • The blind man’s parents were selfish/scared about what others would think (I choose to believe the parents eventually got out from under the Pharisees’ influence and believed, as the evidence was too compelling).
  • The blind man quickly put his trust in Jesus and whole-heartedly worshipped him.
When you think about various groups’ reactions, do you identify with any of them?  Are you like the disciples and trying to become more like Jesus every day?  Are you skeptical and want more answers? I trust (and hope) that because you are reading this blog, your heart isn’t hard toward God.

 

I believe God still does miracles, but why?  I think Jesus’ response to the disciples in verse 3 gives us insight.

 

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him (John 9:1-3).

While the individual recipients of all Jesus’ miracles were/are benefited in some way, the purpose of miracles were/are to authenticate Jesus’ identity as God’s son, to influence peoples’ belief/trust in him, and to show God’s love.

 

Today if you find yourself in the Pharisees’, Parents’ or Neighbors’ category, I encourage you to lean in and open your heart to Jesus.  You will not be disappointed.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:3-5).