5/22/11 John 9:13- 16

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”
But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

Thoughts: False expectations can blind us.  The Pharisees were called "blind guides" by Jesus (Mt. 15:14; 23:16,24) because they were supposed to lead the people but they were stuck in their ideology so that they could not hear the Spirit speaking in the Word of God.  Some Christians hold onto their ideology so tightly that they lose their balance and ability to hear God's simple, clear Word.  The Pharisees had complicated God's Word with their tradition.  Reformation and renewal often happen when the Church gets back to basics.  Yesterday some said that they knew the day and hour that Jesus was coming back (something Jesus said no one can know- Mt. 24:36).  Their expectations were not met.  Some of their group may lose faith.  Humanists and unbelivers will scoff more and become more blind themselves (2 Pt 3:2-4; Jude 1:18).  The Lord's Day is a day of rest, but also a day of healing and hope.  The Day of the Lord is the end of this world, but also the beginning of healing and hope.

Prayer: May I be open to hear your Word speaking to my life through your Spirit, Lord.