Part 8 - Seeing God In Action.

One day as He was walking along, Jesus "saw a man who was blind from birth." His disciples also saw the man, and immediately they asked Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind ?" "Neither" Jesus answered. What He was saying was that this man's physical disability was not in any way the direct result of a particular sinful action either on his part or on that of his parents. Of course there is such a thing as a permanently damaging effect in a person's life that is brought about by his own wrong actions (do not blame God for that), but the idea that every physical disability derives from some particular act of sin is nonsense.

Jesus went on to give the truly important reason for this man's blindness: "that the works of God should be revealed in him (John 9: 3). Jesus was saying that this man is blind so that you can see how God goes about His business. You are going to see God at work; you are going to see God in action. Considering that the Lord Jesus has promised to send us in the same way that the Father sent Him (John 20: 21), you and I ought to learn something from this story. It shows us how Jesus, as God, will go about His business in us, revealing the works of God.

How should we define "the works of God" ? Quite obviously, the work of God is God Himself at work. If it is not God Himself doing the work, it is not a work of God. This is exactly what Jesus allowed the world to see in His own life on earth. Through the record of that life in the scriptures, He is telling us this: "As I live through My Father and the world sees My Father at work in Me, so also those who enter into a living and vital faith relationship with Me will allow the world to see Me at work in them." Therefore, in watching Jesus interact with the blind man in John 9, we will see God in action.

What do we see first ? "When He had said these things, He spat on the ground." Here we see the disciples waiting and watching to see God in action, and Jesus spits. From His spit on the ground, Jesus then made clay, anointed the blind man's eyes with it, and told him to go and wash it off. "So he went and washed, and came back seeing." Who healed the blind man ? God did, through Jesus ! In the totality of His humanity, He was available to the Father, just as we should be to Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "I always do those things that please Him." He was telling us, "If My Father wants to preach through My lips, I am available for Him to do so. If My Father wants to raise a man from the dead, I will give the commanding word. If My Father wants to walk on water, My feet are at His disposal. Oh, and by the way, if My Father wants to spit, I spit." Jesus was simply being a Man in true normality, inhabited by His Father. He had given His Father total right of way to do as He pleased in His life. How marvelous !

When was the Lord Jesus being filled the most with the Holy Spirit ? It was at all times, whether preaching or spitting. He was available to the Father day and night - preach or spit. How available are you to Christ ?

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Acts 10: 38.

Come back next week to learn more about real spirituality !