As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:1-3)
One of the wonders of reading the Bible is that you’ll come across something that maybe you’ve come across before, but this time, it sticks out. It sits before you, revealing some truth that was hidden the first time you read it. Such was my experience when I came across this passage in John in my daily morning Bible reading time. I’ve been plowing through the Gospels lately, and Jesus doing miracles is nothing new. Even him healing the blind is nothing new as the Bible records he did this several times.
But this one stuck with me because of the question that the disciples asked Jesus before he healed the blind man: why was he blind in the first place? The question the disciples asked reveal that they understood and acknowledged that the reason that imperfection, pain and disability exist in the world is because of sin. Everything God made was good (Genesis 1:31). However, sin corrupted everything He had made (Romans 5:12-14).
Without question, sin was the reason the man was born blind. But now the question was: Who sinned, causing his blindness? Him or his parents? The idea that death, punishment and pain came to certain people because of their sinful acts was one of the preeminent Jewish theological beliefs in Jesus’ day. You can see this in the disciples’ questioning here, and also in the book of Luke where Jesus addresses a crowd about a recent tragedy: “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?” (Luke 13:4)
So, the question is asked: Who sinned more to cause this man to be blind? I was curious because I was like the man, suffering with a life-changing disability from birth. What would Jesus say in response to this question?
His answer must have startled the disciples. Nobody did anything to cause this man to be blind. Not him. Not his parents. Instead, God allowed this to happen (that is, He did not MAKE the man blind, but instead allowed this disability to happen). Why? For what possible purpose could God allow this frustrating disability to take place in this man’s life?
So that God might be glorified.
Huh.
Yes, of course. That’s so simple. The Bible is full of events, acts and people whose lives all point to God. After Jesus heals this blind man, he goes off and becomes a believer and worships Jesus (John 9:38). Through his testimony, he challenges the Pharisees who investigate the healing. Through his healing, people are left with uncomfortable questions that they need to answer. Is Jesus who he says he is and do I want to worship him?
A few chapters down in John, this same thing happens again. This time, it isn’t a blind man, but rather a man named Lazarus who dies after being sick. When Jesus receives word that Lazarus is sick, he tells the disciples, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)
Lazarus does die, but true to Jesus’ words comes back to life after Jesus raises him from the dead. Once again, the Pharisees and the Jews and the witnesses have to deal with the questions that are being presented by this miraculous occurrence. God is being glorified through all of this.
After reading these chapters, I’m forced to ask myself some tough questions, too. I know I am where I am because God has placed me here and allowed me to be here, but am I glorifying Him where I am? Am I allowing myself to be used by God to point others in His direction? While I may or may not receive the miraculous healing that the blind man did, how can I use my disability to the best of my ability so that God is glorified?
What about you? How can God be glorified through your life?
To God be the glory, forever and ever.
Amen.
– Matt
blindGenesisglorifygloryGodJesusJohnRomanssin
To God Be the Glory
April 7, 2011
Calvary
Comments Off on To God Be the Glory
Matt
As [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:1-3)
One of the wonders of reading the Bible is that you’ll come across something that maybe you’ve come across before, but this time, it sticks out. It sits before you, revealing some truth that was hidden the first time you read it. Such was my experience when I came across this passage in John in my daily morning Bible reading time. I’ve been plowing through the Gospels lately, and Jesus doing miracles is nothing new. Even him healing the blind is nothing new as the Bible records he did this several times.
But this one stuck with me because of the question that the disciples asked Jesus before he healed the blind man: why was he blind in the first place? The question the disciples asked reveal that they understood and acknowledged that the reason that imperfection, pain and disability exist in the world is because of sin. Everything God made was good (Genesis 1:31). However, sin corrupted everything He had made (Romans 5:12-14).
Without question, sin was the reason the man was born blind. But now the question was: Who sinned, causing his blindness? Him or his parents? The idea that death, punishment and pain came to certain people because of their sinful acts was one of the preeminent Jewish theological beliefs in Jesus’ day. You can see this in the disciples’ questioning here, and also in the book of Luke where Jesus addresses a crowd about a recent tragedy: “Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them – do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?” (Luke 13:4)
So, the question is asked: Who sinned more to cause this man to be blind? I was curious because I was like the man, suffering with a life-changing disability from birth. What would Jesus say in response to this question?
His answer must have startled the disciples. Nobody did anything to cause this man to be blind. Not him. Not his parents. Instead, God allowed this to happen (that is, He did not MAKE the man blind, but instead allowed this disability to happen). Why? For what possible purpose could God allow this frustrating disability to take place in this man’s life?
So that God might be glorified.
Huh.
Yes, of course. That’s so simple. The Bible is full of events, acts and people whose lives all point to God. After Jesus heals this blind man, he goes off and becomes a believer and worships Jesus (John 9:38). Through his testimony, he challenges the Pharisees who investigate the healing. Through his healing, people are left with uncomfortable questions that they need to answer. Is Jesus who he says he is and do I want to worship him?
A few chapters down in John, this same thing happens again. This time, it isn’t a blind man, but rather a man named Lazarus who dies after being sick. When Jesus receives word that Lazarus is sick, he tells the disciples, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 11:4)
Lazarus does die, but true to Jesus’ words comes back to life after Jesus raises him from the dead. Once again, the Pharisees and the Jews and the witnesses have to deal with the questions that are being presented by this miraculous occurrence. God is being glorified through all of this.
After reading these chapters, I’m forced to ask myself some tough questions, too. I know I am where I am because God has placed me here and allowed me to be here, but am I glorifying Him where I am? Am I allowing myself to be used by God to point others in His direction? While I may or may not receive the miraculous healing that the blind man did, how can I use my disability to the best of my ability so that God is glorified?
What about you? How can God be glorified through your life?
To God be the glory, forever and ever.
Amen.
– Matt
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