The sixth Sign... part 2...

I mentioned that there would be a purpose given to all of this, and we're going to see that purpose right now.  More than that, we're going to see that purpose explained clearly and thoroughly (even though in few words) directly from the mouth of Christ.  And just as before, pay attention to the One as He speaks...

"'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' Jesus answered.  'This came about so that God's works might be displayed in him.'"

John 9:3, HCSB

Once more, Christ speaks over something, and then something amazing is discovered about this man and his blindness... it was supposed to be this way!  This man, as Jesus says, did not sin to earn his blindness, but rather was always going to be born this way, and for the sole purpose of having Christ heal him. 

Further, as the common belief at the time that was handed down from the teachers and the Pharisees was that such afflictions were either the result of the individual's sin or the sins of that person's parents, for Christ to dismiss this possibility gives us insight into how we should view such things.  The belief that they held about this man and his blindness was driven completely through nonsense and propaganda, all meant to control behavior.  Basically, if you're a good person, nothing bad will happen to you.  However, if you're not a good person, bad things will happen to you and your family.  Worse than that, if you say you're a good person, but bad things happen to you, then you're a liar, and that makes you the worst.

I'm gonna go ahead and say no to all of that malarkey.  I know plenty of people who go through difficult things, yet are wonderful people.  I also know people who are not wonderful, and they never seem to have any problems at all.  Pay attention now, because this point is a biggie: the rewards and treasures of this world are meaningless, and if that is what people cling to, then that is what they will have. 

To put it another way, imagine walking out to the nearest person asking for change on a highway.  You see him standing there, and he has the sign that indicates he wants money, and he is crippled, on crutches, missing a lower limb.  For whatever reason, you decide to roll down your window, and you motion for him to come over.  Then, just as he nears you, you look up and ask what sins he committed to have God make him homeless and handicapped.  That would make you a Pharisee, friend.  Granted, he may have made poor decisions that landed him on a path with a downward trend, and perhaps he is in need of a good mentor or coach, which he may never have had.  Perhaps his family has always lived this way, and he knows no different... but that does not give anyone the right to assume that he is being punished from Heaven for sins he or his family committed.

We'll get into the actual healing next, but for now please recognize that we are all sinners.  This one man, nameless and seemingly unimportant to the world for most of his life as a blind man, was that same beggar, and he received more than he thought possible.  He also is an encouragement to us to push forward, never taking our eyes off of Christ!

God bless you all!!!