Pastor Terry Goerz,Redeemer Lutheran Church
Jesus healed a man who was born blind. The church officials of the day refused to believe that Jesus could have done this, since in their eyes Jesus was a sinner. He was healing on the Sabbath, the holy day, when no work was to be done.
The blind man testified he was born blind and Jesus put some mud on his eyes, told him to go wash, and he could see.
They refused to believe. They called his parents who testified that he was born blind and now he could see, but they did not know how.
They called the blind man again who again testified that Jesus had restored his sight. They still refused to believe, Jesus was a sinner, and God does not use sinners to heal.
The man born blind not only had his physical sight restored, but he had his spiritual sight restored as he worshiped Jesus as the Son of Man, that is the long promised Messiah who was to save the world.
Jesus concluded this account saying in John 9:39, For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.
When we read this account from scripture we may feel what dummies. Couldnt they see the obvious? Sadly, this same blindness is all around us today. God creates us as spiritual beings, knit together in the womb, yet multitudes of babies are murdered in the womb.
It is now legally possible to take your own life, or anothers, through the euthanasia legislation. Homosexuality, described as an abomination to God, is now celebrated as an alternative life style. Marriage, which is described in scripture as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, is ignored with same sex marriage becoming common.
It seems our society today suffers from the same blindness that the church officials of Jesuss day suffered from. We think, as a society, we are so advanced, so smart, so enlightened. Yet the word of God seems to be screaming what dummies.
The real problem, though, is not connected to mankinds natural intelligence. As a result of the fall of man in the garden of Eden we are all born in sin and conceived in iniquity. We are naturally alienated enemies of God and destined for an eternity separated from God in a torturous place called hell; unless we have our spiritual eyes opened. Without God working in our lives, mankind cannot see and understand what is obvious.
As Jesus said earlier, For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.
Paul tells us the same thing in 1 Corinthians 1:18,19 for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.
Fortunately for mankind we have a God who is full of mercy and grace. It is His desire that all mankind be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. This is the message of reconciliation that has been committed to all Christians.
2 Corinthians 5: 1921: That God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting mens sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christs ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christs behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
While there may be some value in rallying and lobbying against the blindness that is so obvious in our society, the real answer is to apply the balm that opens their eyes. God made Jesus to be sin for us. Jesus has paid the penalty for the sin of the whole world, past, present and future.
We who serve our Lord should be acting as Christs ambassadors and telling all those around us that God wants to be reconciled to them, that forgiveness and life eternal are a free gift available to all who will believe.
God will use that message in those whom He has called and chosen to open their eyes to the truth. One by one God will use us as He snatches the lost from the fire.
Blessings!
Link:
Inspiration - We are all Christ's ambassadors | - South Peace News
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