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Topic: At Easter, A Convincing Sign
[DCLM Daily Manna 12 April 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: John 9:13-38
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples.
29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
KEY VERSE: “He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25).
MESSAGE:
An infidel lecturer in a mining town in the north of England gave an address in which he thought he had demolished all the arguments for the Bible, Christ and Christianity. He concluded by saying: “Now I hope I have succeeded in explaining to you that the existence of Jesus Christ is a myth”.
As he finished speaking, a miner, who had entered in his grimy clothes, stood up and said, “Sir, I’m only a working man, and I don’t know what you mean by the word ‘myth’. But can you explain me? Three years ago I had a miserable home; I neglected my wife and children; I cursed and swore; I drank up all my wages.
“Then someone came along and showed me the love of God and of His Son, Jesus Christ. And now all is different. We have a happy home; I love my wife and children; I feel better in every way; and I have given up the drink. A new power has taken possession of me since Christ came into my life. Sir, (and his face was all aglow), can you explain me?” The lecturer had no explanation.
The man in our text was not an intellectual nor was he a religious scholar, but his narration of the change that had taken place in his life far outweighed all the efforts of the religious Pharisees to trivialise and condemn the miracle power of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees kept interrogating the man on whom a convincing miracle had been performed.
Nothing of this sort can be found in the entire Old Testament relating to the restoration of sight to the blind. This is a clear evidence that Christ was the Messiah. Yet, the religious fanatics kept their unnecessary investigation going in hopes of finding some loopholes. And when it became impossible to disprove this great miracle, they eventually expelled him from their synagogue.
The miraculous healing of the blind man was undeniable, no matter how much the religious Pharisees tried to deny it. Convincing testimonies like this provide the strongest evidence to prove the authenticity of Christ and the Christian faith. It validates the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter, and confirs hope of a blissful eternity on all who believe.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Jesus is the answer to all of life’s questions.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Acts 11-12
