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. 

5/19/11 John 9:10-12

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
¹¹ He replied, “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.”
¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.

(Pool of Siloam re-discovered 2004; Photos Biblepalces.com Charles Lee Feiberg)

Thoughts: Three things are important here, and they have to do with how God often works even today.
1) Jesus said to do something that would help; 2) The man obeyed; 3) The actual presence of Christ was unseen.  We do not always see God's presence, but we see God's hand.  Our duty is to listen and obey. 

Prayer;  Help me to hear your voice and obey, O Lord. 

John Calvin Abridged:Isaiah (8:6) said, "They despise the waters of Siloam that flow softly. Jesus was rebuking the Jews for not being able to see the power of God at work.

5/19/11 John 9:6- 9

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.
⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

(Pool of Siloam, Bibleplaces.com Todd Bolen)

Thoughts: Jesus spit- made a salve and put it on the man's eyes.  Jesus was not opposed to salves, or potions or medicine that we know of.  But in a time in which medicine and knowledge were weak, Jesus helped beyond what humans could dream to do.  One missionary long ago told me of a South American tribe that had a missionary for many years, but would not respond to the gospel.  One day the missionary read this passage and hundreds came to Christ.  The tribes witchdoctors were called "spitters" because they would spit and heal people.  When they read this, they said aloud, "Jesus is the Chief Spitter!"  The missionary said he didn't know for sure why Jesus spit to heal this man, but maybe it was to reach that tribe with the love of God.  Jesus heals- not only with spittle, but most of all with His Good News.

Prayer:  Strengthen me with your love and grace, O Lord. 

John Calvin Abridged: Jesus appears to heal the eyes in an absurd way.  For he anoints them with clay blocking even more vision.  The blind man, by faith in the simple word of God, is fully convinced of Christ's healing he hastens to go to the place commanded and washes. As God the Father made us from clay, so Christ heals with clay.