I have always loved the response of the blind man whom JESUS healed when the Pharisees continued to question him about how he was healed. They just could not accept that JESUS healed by the power and authority of God, because then they would have to acknowledge that He was Who He said He was! They questioned the man and his parents. Here, in John 9:24-34, we see this response that I love as they questioned him for the second time, and just could not accept his answer!
24 So the second time they summoned the man who had been born blind, and said to him, Now give God the glory (praise). This Fellow we know is only a sinner (a wicked person).
25 Then he answered, I do not know whether He is a sinner and wicked or not. But one thing I do know, that whereas I was blind before, now I see.
26 So they said to him, What did He [actually] do to you? How did He open your eyes?
27 He answered, I already told you and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Can it be that you wish to become His disciples also?
28 And they stormed at him [they jeered, they sneered, they reviled him] and retorted, You are His disciple yourself, but we are the disciples of Moses.
29 We know for certain that God spoke with Moses, but as for this Fellow, we know nothing about where He hails from.
30 The man replied, Well, this is astonishing! Here a Man has opened my eyes, and yet you do not know where He comes from. [That is amazing!]
31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and a worshiper of Him and does His will, He listens to him.
32 Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.
33 If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything like this.
34 They retorted, You were wholly born in sin [from head to foot]; and do you [presume to] teach us? So they cast him out [threw him clear outside the synagogue].
The underlined parts are my favorites! "Can it be that YOU want to be His disciples?" Can you imagine the looks on their faces when he asked this? I can! PRICELESS! Then when he said "this is astonishing", I can imagine them ALMOST questioning themselves! I KNOW that our merciful God of Grace was giving them these opportunities to believe so that eventually many of them would! The Word of God is so full and powerful and fascinating! AND, we have the Teacher Himself living IN us to show us, line upon line, what it REALLY means, and how to act on it in faith! I hope that YOU love the Word of God and that you spend time in the Word every day! It is through KNOWING the Word of God that we are set free, and maintain that freedom (John 8:32)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong UNITED with "Freedom Is Here":
Shalom in Him!
