John 9:24

New International Version (NIV)

A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

For Meditation

Many people have different opinions of who Jesus is. Some say He was a good man. Some claim He was a philosopher. Others say He was a prophet. The Pharisees insisted that Jesus was not from God, because He healed the man born blind on the Sabbath (Jn. 9:16). Therefore, they claimed that Jesus “is a sinner”, and they asked the man to affirm it (24). Interesting conversation; but did their claim change anything about Jesus?

It reminds me of a conversation with a colleague some time ago. He claimed, per an internet article, that Michele Obama and Serena Williams are transvestites. And, he believed it! He held their physical features up in support of his claim. The amazing thing is that he had statistics to back his proposition. However, none of my friend’s claims can make Michele and Serena men. It’s simple. They are two accomplished women and their enemies can’t take it! It was the same with the Pharisees and Jesus.

1. What was their problem?
2. What do you do when somebody comes on the scene whose life makes your claim to righteousness look like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6)?
3. What do you do when the masses turn up everywhere the person goes; when they hang on every word He utters as fresh water is to a thirsty person in the desert; when they sit for hours under His message without feeling hungry; when the lame walk at His command, the deaf and mute hear and speak, the blind receive their sight, the leprous are cleansed, and the dead raised?
4. Extraordinary, isn’t it? But how could you bring yourself to believe He is the ultimate Teacher, when your social position is threatened? How could you believe He is the one your nation is expecting for their deliverance? Do you see the problem of our friends, the Pharisees? Is that not the same today?
5. The eternal truth is that Jesus is the Son of God and Creator of all that seen and unseen (Heb. 1:2-3; Col. 1:17). He is in fact, God incarnate (Phil. 2:5-11; Titus 2:11). He’s Lord and Savior (2 Pt. 1:11, 2:20, 3:2, 18). Jesus stated emphatically that He is“the way, the truth and the life [and that] No one comes to the Father except through me (Jn. 14: 6).” So, what do you do about it?

I pray you will accept that these are eternal truths that no one can change. Either we believe and be saved (Acts 2:38-39), or we don’t and face His wrath (Rm. 1:18-20).

May we submit ourselves to God’s testimony about His Son, Jesus Christ, and be saved (1 Jn. 5:9-10); and may we never rely on our human works to save us, but only on His “grace through faith” (Eph. 2:8-9).

What we think about Jesus cannot change who He is, and how we think we can enter heaven cannot change the fact that He is the only way (Jn. 3:3; 14:6; Acts 4:12).

Shalom