1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Let us pray. And he answered and said, whether he 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: be a sinner or no, I know not one thing. 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: I know that whereas I was blind, now I see 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: John nine twenty five. Jesus, As you move in my life, 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: I understand that there are people who are bent on 6 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: trying to hold me to my past condition. However, because 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: it is you who has healed me and transformed me, 8 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: I will stand boldly and proclaim your truth, even if 9 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: it means I may be thrown out of certain circles 10 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 1: and relationships. I declare that you came so that the 11 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:50,200 Speaker 1: blind can see and receive new life, so that those 12 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 1: who are focused on traditions will be silenced because you 13 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: value faith than a humble in contrite, heart before pride, 14 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: and thank you for opening my eyes, Jesus. Thank you 15 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: for taking the time to sit and talk with me 16 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,759 Speaker 1: when I felt so thrown out and abandoned by those 17 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 1: close to me. Through your power, Jesus, I now walk 18 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: with a new vision and a new outlook on life. 19 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: I once was blind, but now I see. Then I 20 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: have you to thank for Lord in Jesus name. Amen, 21 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: Listening to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. 22 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: Continue hearing from the Lord by listening to today's Bible 23 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: in a Year, brought to you by Bible in a 24 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: Year dot. 25 00:01:49,960 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 2: Com Blind at Birth. 26 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 3: In our last story, Jesus defended a woman caught in 27 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 3: adultery from being stoned to death. She was drug out 28 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 3: into the public half naked for all to shame her. 29 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 3: Yet Jesus stood up to the religious leaders and proclaimed 30 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 3: that whoever was without sin could throw the first stone. 31 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 3: Since none of them had a rebuttal for Jesus, they 32 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 3: left and the woman was forgiven. Now we see Jesus 33 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 3: exposing the wicked hearts of the religious elite by giving 34 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 3: sight to a blind man. This young man would be 35 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 3: caught in the crossfires of the legalistic Pharisees and the 36 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 3: compassionate Christ. Inspired by the Gospels. 37 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 4: Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Bible in 38 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 4: a Year podcast. Once again, this is Jack Graham. In 39 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 4: our previous episode, we heard how Jesus frustrated the plans 40 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 4: of religious leaders who wanted to trap him with a 41 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 4: choice to either follow the law of the Letter of 42 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 4: the Law or simply ignore what was written in the 43 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 4: Law of Moses. Instead of playing their game, he challenged 44 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 4: them to evaluate their own sinfulness, and he exposed their 45 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,079 Speaker 4: sin and then extended grace and forgiveness to a woman 46 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 4: caught in the act of adultery. Today we'll hear how 47 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 4: Jesus lovingly corrects the misconceptions of the disciples who seek 48 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 4: to understand why a young man was born blind. And 49 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 4: we'll see once again how the legalists attempt to trap Jesus, 50 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 4: but in doing so, they exposed their own heartlessness and 51 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 4: lack of love and compassion for people in need. Let's 52 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 4: listen now to the reading of God's word. 53 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 3: The town of Capernium was bustling with life. Vendors set 54 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 3: up their shops in the marketplace streets. Men and women 55 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 3: went to and from their homes with their children. Jesus 56 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 3: looked at them with fatherly affection. Though not all of 57 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: them knew him, he knew all of them by name. 58 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 3: He knew their fears, dreams, and personalities. It was his 59 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 3: absolute joy to serve them and ultimately die for them. 60 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: As Jesus and his disciples were passing through the streets, 61 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 3: they passed by a man who had been blind from birth. 62 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 3: He sat on a blanket on the side of the road, 63 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 3: holding out his hands for any form of kindness from strangers. 64 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 3: The disciples looked at the man with concern. Teacher, who 65 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 3: sinned to make this man born blind? Was it him 66 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 3: or his parents? Jesus stopped walking and turned to them. 67 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 3: He was upset at their question, for it revealed a 68 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 3: poor understanding of God's character. Neither he or his parents 69 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 3: have done anything wrong, Jesus answered. He turned to the 70 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 3: blind man and knelt down to him. This man is 71 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: blind so that God's compassion might be displayed, he said. 72 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 3: Jesus picked up some dirt beside the man and spat 73 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 3: in it. He began to form clay out of the 74 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,239 Speaker 3: spit in dust. As he was doing this, he spoke 75 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 3: to the disciples. 76 00:04:59,040 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 2: Night is coming. 77 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 3: In that time nobody will be able to do the 78 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 3: will of God. But for now it is day, and 79 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 3: we must use that time to help others. As long 80 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,200 Speaker 3: as I am in the world, I will be a 81 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 3: light for all. Jesus finished molding the clay in his hands. 82 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 3: He took it and spread it across the man's eyes. 83 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 3: Jesus helped the man to his feet and whispered, go 84 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,479 Speaker 3: and wash your eyes at the pool of Siloam. So 85 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 3: the man went a few yards east and began washing 86 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 3: the mud out of his eyes. As he was wiping 87 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 3: his face, light emerged from the darkness. The all consuming 88 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 3: blackness was replaced with marvelous colors and shapes. The man 89 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 3: was healed from his blindness. The man passed right by 90 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 3: Jesus and walked away, since he did not know the 91 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 3: sight of him from before. As he was walking the 92 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,559 Speaker 3: city streets taking in all the new images, people began 93 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 3: to notice him. Isn't that the blind beggar, they asked themselves. No, 94 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 3: it can't be, they replied. The man heard them and said, 95 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 3: you are right. I was the blind beggar that sat 96 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 3: by the road. The people were astonished. How were your 97 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 3: eyes opened? 98 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 4: They asked. 99 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 3: The man replied, the man called Jesus made mud and 100 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 3: anointed my eyes with it. He asked me to wash 101 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 3: it off by the pool, and then my eyes were 102 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 3: given sight. Where is Jesus? They asked, How would I know? 103 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:20,279 Speaker 3: The man replied, I did not see him before my 104 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 3: sight was given to me. Some of the skeptics brought 105 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 3: the man to the Pharisees, who had made themselves the 106 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 3: enemies of Jesus. The man stood before them wondering why 107 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 3: he was being judged for being healed. However, it was 108 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,239 Speaker 3: the Sabbath, and the religious leaders had made many laws 109 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 3: preventing people from doing any sort of work good or 110 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,640 Speaker 3: bad that day. The Pharisees lifted their noses high and asked, 111 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:46,239 Speaker 3: how did you come by your new sight? The man sighed, 112 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,479 Speaker 3: as I have said before, Jesus put mud in my 113 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 3: eyes and asked me to wash them off. When I did, 114 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 3: my sight was given to me. The Pharisees scoffed. They 115 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 3: argued amongst themselves whether Jesus had done anything good at 116 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 3: all since he healed a man on the Sabbath. They 117 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:05,960 Speaker 3: turned to the man and asked, what do you think 118 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 3: about Jesus? Is he a sinner or a savior? I 119 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: believe he could be a prophet, the man said, without thinking. 120 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 3: This answer displeased the Pharisees. They did not want to 121 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 3: believe Jesus would do something so kind. They wanted to 122 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 3: villainize him, so they brought up the man's parents to 123 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 3: validate that he was indeed born blind. Was your son 124 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 3: in fact born blind? They asked the parents. Both the 125 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 3: mother and the father feared the Pharisees. They did not 126 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 3: want to answer, since they were known to throw disagreeing 127 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 3: people out of the synagogues. Our son is of age, 128 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 3: they said, you may ask him yourself. So the Pharisees 129 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 3: asked the young man again what he believed about Jesus. 130 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 3: The man paused for a moment and considered the question. 131 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 3: He closed his eyes to remove distraction. A single tear 132 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 3: fell from his face as he smiled. He looked up 133 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 3: to the Pharisees and said, all I know is that 134 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 3: I was born blind, but now I can see. The 135 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 3: Pharisees shook in their seats. What did he do to you? 136 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 3: They yelled, how did he open your eyes? The young 137 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:16,240 Speaker 3: man was beginning to grow tired of their questions, He 138 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 3: answered and said to them, why do you keep asking me? 139 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 3: I have told you what he did. Do you ask 140 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 3: me because you want to be like him or become 141 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 3: his disciples. The Pharisees stood to their feet and scoffed. 142 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 3: Of course not, they exclaimed, we are disciples of Moses. 143 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 3: Only Jesus is a stranger. The man shook his head. 144 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: This is outrageous, he replied. You say he is a stranger, 145 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 3: yet he opened my eyes. You and I both know 146 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 3: that God does not do this sort of thing through 147 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 3: evil men. Never have you or I ever heard of 148 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,439 Speaker 3: a mere man opening the eyes of someone born blind. 149 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 3: Yet here I stand before you. If Jesus was not 150 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 3: of God, I would not be here. You are a 151 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 3: mud born hell. The Pharisees yelled. They called for the 152 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 3: temple guards to seize him, and the man was cast 153 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 3: out from the courts. The young man was tossed out 154 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 3: of the synagogue into the stone streets. He slowly raised 155 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 3: to his feet and brushed the dust off his clothes. 156 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 3: He was happy to have sight, yet sad at what 157 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 3: he had seen. Even his own parents would not defend him. 158 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 3: He walked to the old curb where he used to 159 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 3: sit and beg. He watched the people pass by him, 160 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 3: wondering if all people looked different. Of course, he did 161 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,319 Speaker 3: not know, since he had been born blind. As he 162 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 3: let his mind wander, a stranger set beside him. He 163 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 3: looked at the young man with a warm smile. In fact, 164 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 3: it was probably the first smile he had seen in 165 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 3: his life. Do you believe in the Son of God? 166 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 3: The stranger asked, I wonder who he is. I would 167 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 3: like to believe in him. The young man answered. The 168 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 3: stranger nodded, you have seen him. It is he who 169 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,480 Speaker 3: is speaking to you. The young man turned his head 170 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 3: quickly and observed the stranger's face. It was him, Jesus, 171 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 3: the man who had healed his blindness, the one and 172 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 3: only begotten son of God Lord I believe. And the 173 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: young man fell at Jesus's feet and worshiped him. Jesus 174 00:10:17,200 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 3: propped him up and embraced him. I have come that 175 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,439 Speaker 3: those who are blind might see, Jesus said, and those 176 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 3: that can see will become blind. Some of the Pharisees 177 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,840 Speaker 3: passed by as Jesus spoke these words. They were riled 178 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: up by his statement and interrupted, saying, are we the 179 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 3: blind ones? They asked. Jesus did not answer for a moment. 180 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 3: He could see the concern lying behind their tough exterior. 181 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 3: If you were blind, you would not feel the inner 182 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: guilt you are feeling right now. But since you feel 183 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 3: the need to tell me of your sight, your blindness 184 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,240 Speaker 3: obviously remains. 185 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 4: Today's scripture begins in the public marks, just as our 186 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 4: last episode did. This time, Jesus was with his disciples 187 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,720 Speaker 4: walking through the streets on the Sabbath. They come upon 188 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 4: a young man who has been blind since birth. Seeing him, 189 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 4: the disciples pose a question to Jesus. But their question 190 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 4: is different from the Pharisees. They are seeking to understand 191 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 4: and to find wisdom, not to trap the teacher, but 192 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 4: to truly understand why this man was in his condition. 193 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 4: They asked who's sin to cause this man to be 194 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 4: born blind? Because this was the prevailing idea of the time, 195 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 4: sickness and disability happened as a direct result of some 196 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 4: sin or wrongdoing, as punishment from God for bad behavior. 197 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 4: The question of these men was sincere, but it revealed 198 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 4: a deep understanding of the true loving nature of God. 199 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 4: So Jesus gently corrected them, saying his parents had done 200 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 4: nothing wrong. He didn't mean that they were without sin, 201 00:11:56,559 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 4: of course, only that the blindness this man's blindness was 202 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 4: not a result of punishment for anyone's sins. In fact, 203 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 4: difficult as it was for this man, his blindness had 204 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 4: a purpose to show God's power and his compassion. The 205 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 4: truth is, we often can't answer the why question, why 206 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 4: something is happening, why something bad happens to bad people 207 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 4: or good people. We can understand, maybe why bad things 208 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 4: happen to bad people, But why does it happen to 209 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 4: so called innocent people? When we face a why question 210 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 4: something that we cannot answer, we should really begin to 211 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 4: ask the what question, God, What are you doing in 212 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 4: this situation? What is your purpose? What is your plan? 213 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 4: Jesus then spat on some dirt and rubbed it in 214 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 4: the man's eyes and told him to go wash in 215 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 4: the pool of Saloam. For the first time ever, this 216 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 4: man could see the world around him, a world that 217 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,920 Speaker 4: up to that point had been filled only with darkness. 218 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 4: Just think how incredible, how amazing this would be to 219 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 4: see for the very first time, a whole new world. 220 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 4: It opened to this man. And when those who knew 221 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,080 Speaker 4: him saw this man, they were incredulous. How could this 222 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 4: man born blind, who begged in the streets so long 223 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 4: now see? But he insisted, yes, it was him, A 224 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 4: man called Jesus cured his blindness. He had never had 225 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 4: a chance to see Jesus, though, so he could not 226 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 4: point him out to anyone. This man's story was so 227 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 4: amazing that they took him before the Pharisees, who, rather 228 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 4: than praise God for the healing of a man in need, 229 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 4: immediately began to find fault the man had been healed 230 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 4: on the Sabbath, and in their limited vision of God, 231 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 4: they believed that this was somehow against God's law. The 232 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 4: Pharisees could not agree, however, if this man named Jesus 233 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 4: was good or a sinner. So they asked the beggar 234 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 4: what he thought, and he told them he believed Jesus 235 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 4: was a prophet. This didn't help matters. They still weren't satisfied, 236 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 4: so they asked the man's parents if he was truly 237 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 4: born blind. The parents refused to get involved, for what 238 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 4: reason we don't know. But in this moment, the blind 239 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,840 Speaker 4: man found himself standing alone, being questioned by these religious authorities. 240 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,560 Speaker 4: What was meant to be a joyous day for him 241 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 4: has somehow now become a battle, a burden because of 242 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 4: the lack of insight and compassion of the legalists. But 243 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 4: he stayed with his story because he knew it was true, 244 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 4: saying that all he knew was once he was blind, 245 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 4: and now he could see. What a powerful testimony, and 246 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 4: it was Jesus who gave him his sight. So the 247 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 4: Pharisees angrily sent him away, refusing to believe in Jesus 248 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 4: or this man who to them was nothing but a 249 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 4: worthless sinner. Jesus then shows up. He spoke to the 250 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 4: man who did not know him yet, since he had 251 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 4: never seen his healer. Jesus asked him a simple question, 252 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 4: do you believe in the Son of Man? We hear 253 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 4: the man's respond of eagerness to believe, as he asked, 254 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 4: where is this man that I might believe in him? 255 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 4: And Jesus reveals himself to the man, whose response found 256 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 4: in John nine thirty eight, reflects perfectly what our response 257 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 4: should be to Jesus, and he said, Lord, I believe, 258 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 4: and he worshiped him. When we believe in Jesus, we 259 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 4: bow before him and give our lives to him. When 260 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 4: Jesus opens our blind eyes, our response is to say, yes, Lord, 261 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 4: I believe and I worship you. As for the religious crowd, 262 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 4: Jesus spoke to them saying that they were not blind 263 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 4: to their own sin. They knew it very clearly. Their 264 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 4: blindness was spiritual, a blindness that, though they failed to 265 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 4: realize it, Jesus was and is the only one who 266 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 4: can heal. Dear God, thank you for today's scripture and 267 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 4: the power of Jesus to open our eyes that we 268 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,520 Speaker 4: may see you. Thank you that you came to this 269 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 4: earth to heal our spiritual blindness because you are the 270 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 4: light of the world. In Jesus' name. Amen, thank you 271 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 4: for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm 272 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 4: Jack Graham of Dallas, Texas. You can download the Prey 273 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 4: dot com app and make prayer and Bible study the 274 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 4: priority of your life. And if you enjoyed this podcast, 275 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 4: tell someone about it, pass it on. Let others know 276 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 4: because it is our desire to get God's word to 277 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 4: as many people as possible, as fast as possible. And 278 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:33,920 Speaker 4: if you want to know more about what it means 279 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 4: to be a Christ's follower, what it means to be 280 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 4: a disciple of Jesus, then go to Jack Graham dot 281 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 4: org Jack Graham dot org and we have many resources 282 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 4: that are available for you there. Go to Jack Graham 283 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 4: dot org or Prestonwood dot org for information. God bless you. 284 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative health 285 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 2: care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality. 286 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,359 Speaker 5: Welcome to the Prey News podcast, where hope is our 287 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 5: only bias. Each day we'll unpack the most prominent stories 288 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 5: happening in the news and offer a Christian perspective. We 289 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 5: won't shy away from the hard topics, and we won't 290 00:17:19,960 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 5: dilute the hopeful message of Christ. This is more than 291 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 5: a daily brief on the news. It's a way to 292 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:30,199 Speaker 5: be informed and transformed. Listen to Prey News on the 293 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 5: iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.