I Know This

Scripture: John 9:24-34  (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. (John 9:24-34 NLT)

Round 2: The Pharisees had grilled the man who had been born blind, but could now suddenly see clearly. Then they had called the man’s parents in and grilled them as well. The parents didn’t answer because they were afraid they’d be thrown out of the synagogue and lose all their friends. So the Pharisees go at the healed man once again. “Jesus couldn’t have done this because he’s a sinner! He worked on the Sabbath!” The man’s reply should be a line in a movie! It’s one of the coolest comebacks in human language! “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

The Christian world is full doctrines and theories (all “Scriptural” of course!), about what God can and can’t do and will and won’t do. And about which day is the Lord’s Day, and what kind of baptism is acceptable, and what form of church government is biblical. And about whether Jesus is God’s Son, the Savior of the World or whether he isn’t. And about who’s in and who’s out.

But I Know This: The person who has experienced God’s reality and truth is never at the mercy of the person who has a theory of why it isn’t real, isn’t scriptural, or won’t work!

Prayer:

Father, May we experience truth and not just theorize and theologize about it! Amen.