Witness Protection
Opening Prayer
Lord, seek me out from the crowds as You sought this man out.
Read John 9:35–41
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psa. 23:4).
Imagine wandering despondently through the busy streets of a place where you once belonged but now feel like a stranger. No one wants to know you, nor cares about the alienation practiced upon you.
All around is the anonymous sound of lives—and of life—passing you by. Then, suddenly, a familiar voice addresses you directly; you turn to see a friendly face, and suddenly you don’t feel so alone.
That describes the experience of the man Jesus healed of blindness. To be huhthrown out of the temple on account of his association with Jesus (John 9:34) is ipso facto to be alienated from his community. Jesus, however, takes the trouble to seek him out (35) and to welcome him into a new community—the community of disciples who have embraced Jesus as Messiah and Lord (36–38). The designation “Son of Man” (35) is a reference to the figure of Daniel 7:13—a figure widely identified with the promised Messiah in Jesus’ day. Having already acknowledged Jesus as a prophet (John 9:17) and the agent of God (John 9:33), the man now understands the full revelation that Jesus is none other than the Messiah (38). Introduced into the account initially as an obtuse outsider, the healed man now sees and knows the great truths that this Gospel was written to tell (John 20:31). His is an example for readers to follow.
The Pharisees have judged both the man and Jesus unjustly; Jesus now reverses their judgments and pronounces the unjust judges as the blind ones (41), thus revealing himself as the true judge appointed by God (39). The rejection of Jesus by his accusers belies their claim to be able to see; theirs is an example for John’s readers to avoid at all costs.
Apply
Worship is the only appropriate response to the revelation of who
Jesus is and what God has done through him. Offer your worship to Father, Son and Holy Spirit now.
Closing prayer
Lord, like this healed man, I renounce the favor of those around me
for the favor of the God who created me.
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