John 9 8 to 17

8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

Key Observation:
The Pharisees were more concerned about breaking the Sabbath than giving a man sight.

Devotion:
Legalism pervaded the culture; notice how the neighbors inquired about the man, ascertaining that Jesus had done this on the Sabbath. So concerned were they with this breaking of the Law, that they went to the Pharisees. But even among the Pharisees there was sharp division. Evidently some were able to look beyond the Sabbath to what actually Jesus was doing, for they thought the miracles bespoke of someone come from God.

No man comes to me except the Father draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day. We cannot come to God on our own; grace is required to show the blind what they cannot see. Some whom God was calling were evidently in the mix; the others were “just like your fathers, always resisting the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 7:51) I do believe the grace of God is resistible, for the Scripture thus says. Many warnings does Jesus give to warn men of their wickedness. “If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” (John 8:24) “I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?” (John 8:45) On the day of the last judgment, God, completely righteous, will be able to judge men because they would not believe the Son, neither the message of the Son.

I notice the blind man has not come all the way; perhaps what he saw he was unable to synthesize as yet, and he merely states that he thinks Jesus to be a prophet. Also possible is the interpretation that the man was unwilling to confess the Messiah before the Pharisees. Even confessing Jesus to be a prophet was enough to get the man thrown out of the synagogue, because later the man indeed confesses, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” In any case, Jesus reveals himself as the Son of man, the Messiah, and the man chooses to believe.

I Know Whom I Have Believed

1. I know not why God's wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

2. I know not how this saving faith
To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His Word
Wrought peace within my heart.

3. I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus thro' the Word,
Creating faith in Him.

4. I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I'll walk the vale with Him,
Or meet Him in the air.

Chorus:
But 'I know whom I have believed,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I've committed
Unto Him against that day.'

Lyrics: Daniel Webster Whittle
Music: James McGranahan