Introduction
Jesus returns to Galilee and continues to train His apostles and prepare the next group of disciples who He will soon send out on their first mission trip. But there is another feast, the Feast of Dedication, or Lights [which is today’s Hanukkah]. This is not an Old Testament feast, but a new one added several years before Jesus comes on the scene. This was in honor of the miracle that took place when God supernaturally provided light in the lamps when there was not enough oil to keep them burning when the temple was taken back during the Jewish Maccabees’ revolt under the leadership of Judas Maccabees. [This is why Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world” in Jn.8:12.] What will happen on this next trip to Jerusalem? Who will Jesus meet and what trap will the religious leaders set for Him? Read on!
Reading [You can read as much as you can, depending on your availability]
John 9:1-41
Meditating [Use these questions to start your thinking]
- What would it be like to be blind from birth? As a blind person, what would it be like to hear this conversation near you?
- Trace the progression of the blind man receiving sight through the following verses Jn.9:1, Jn.9:11, Jn.9:17, Jn.9:27, Jn.9:33, Jn.9:38
- Trace the progression of the Pharisees becoming blind through Jn.9:15, Jn.9:16, Jn.9:24, Jn.9:28-29, Jn.9:34, Jn.9:39
- What lessons can we learn from this story?
- What other questions do you still have?
Sharing: Text ONE of your answers to the questions above to your team. Each team should post a sharing from a team member in the comments below.
As Jesus is on His way to the Feast of Lights with a multitude of disciples, they pass by a man who they later find out was blind from birth. It was the belief at that time that if someone was suffering, it was because they or someone close to them had sinned. This is still a commonly-held belief throughout the world. In fact, some Christian churches taught the cultural belief that suffering was a bad thing and being poor was a curse. Poverty and suffering were things to run from, protect yourself against and make sure you went through as little as possible. The belief was that all poverty and suffering were due to the poor choices one makes in life and the fault of one’s own inability to get motivated and go to work. It is still hard for me to shake this humanistic teaching. It is true that we all experience suffering and poverty because of bad choices we have made, but there are other reasons why God lets us go through suffering. If you have not been there yet, you will be. Trust me. It is part of the human experience.
I can understand suffering for bad choices, but what about when you suffer innocently? What then? Why do good people suffer through hard times that are not deserved? Why are babies born blind? Why do innocent children suffer at the hands of abusive parents? Jesus answers these questions in this passage, but be warned — it may seriously change your viewpoint and cause you to wrestle with the justice issues in your own life.
The disciples questioned Jesus, “‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” (John 9:2). They knew sin caused suffering in peoples’ lives. What is shocking is Jesus’ response to their question by saying, “‘[n]either this man nor his parents sinned’” (John 9:3). Sometimes people suffer for reasons other than poor choices and the sin of others. Jesus says this man was born blind just “‘so that the work of God might be displayed in his life’” (John 9:3). In other words, this thirty-some-year-old man was born blind so that, on this day, Jesus could walk by and declare Himself to be the Light of the World and open his eyes to the glory of the Father. It is so hard to get my mind around this concept, that God would allow someone to suffer so that He might be glorified. I am so me-centred that I think the world revolves around me, my family and my friends. I struggle to understand how a good God would allow evil and suffering to exist. The problem is not God’s; the problem is mine. I think God exists for me when, in reality, I exist for Him. He is the centre and not me. What is happening in our world will ultimately bring Him honour and glory, because it is all about Him and not about me. I so want it to be about me, but the truth is that no matter how much I try to make it about me, it is still about Him. He alone sits enthroned on high (Psa. 113:5).
My world says that poor people are cursed and that poverty is something to avoid at all costs. And yet my Jesus says blessed are the poor (Luke 6:20) and that all those who will live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer (2 Tim. 3:12). Poverty and suffering come into our lives so that God will ultimately get the glory as He saves the day. How could He be the Saviour that He is if we did not need Him to save the day? Poverty and suffering come into the life of the disciple because they are tools in the hand of the Father to conform me into the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29). Another leadership lesson is to be careful about judging why someone is suffering. It could be that they have not sinned, made a bad choice or failed to look ahead — it may just be that they suffer so that God will get the glory when He delivers them from their suffering.
These are tough truths, I know. I find it so hard to accept that the world does not revolve around me and that I am not in control of my environment. I cannot eliminate all the suffering of those around me. If I could eliminate world hunger and world suffering, I would do it in a moment. I hate to see people suffer. I wish I could just take the suffering from them. But I know that God has a purpose for the suffering we go through. It is to make us more like Jesus. Spend some time today talking with someone about suffering and poverty. Ask God to open your eyes to His plans and His ways. Be careful to not sit in the seat of judgment. God is the only one who sees all and knows all. He alone can judge what is just and unjust.
HAPPY EARTH DAY y’alls! #optoutside 🌎 ⭐️
What would it be like to be blind from birth? As a blind person, what would it be like to hear this conversation near you? –> I think if I were blind from birth, I would not have much, if any, motivation to live. It is such a crippling disability (an important one in my opinion) to not have then having to live with it not knowing how the world looks like ever, it’s just so disheartening to see that. To hear this conversation near me, I would be lifted up. I would be doubtful at first but if I knew it was Jesus who was speaking, I would stand firm on His promises. I wasn’t blind because of my parents’ sin but like Kevin said, it’s so that God’s glory is shown through me and that He takes all the credit.
I pray that when suffering comes, I would latch onto Jesus and trust that His glory will be shone through it all.
What would it be like to be blind from birth? As a blind person, what would it be like to hear this conversation near you?
I think being blind from birth is so sad but I think it would be worse to lose your sight later in life. Once you have something and you lose it, you tend to miss it more. Anyways, if I was blind and I heard this conversation I would be very angry and discouraged. It is not my fault to be blind but in those days and even in Asia, people think it’s because the blind is at fault. They think it’s because of his sin that made him blind but this guy got it from birth. I know I’m Asia they believe it is reincarnation or past life. However, Jesus turned it around and said it was God work being displayed in Him. What a glimpse of hope and vision in Him. Jesus used it as a moment to not talk about being physically blind but also spiritually comparing the Pharisees calling them blind too.
Why does God allow suffering is a tough question. In today’s reading, we see God’s work would display His power, healing, love, and ultimately Himself. Through His work, He sheds lights on people and reveals what’s inside their hearts. When the blind man was healed he shared his story and the essentially the gospel, but some still refuse to believe. It may be hard to accept that God allows suffering. What is worse is if we refuse to see the blessing or healing beyond the suffering and miss seeing the truth entirely.