Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind by Spitting in His Eyes

We gather here today with open hearts and minds to grow in faith and truth in every

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Bible bites In starting faith one bite at a time With every burst we find our way

To live our lives in his light and shine.

Welcome to Bible Bites, where we work to inspire faith.

one bite at a time.

I'm your host, Randy Black.

The story of Jesus' healing of a man born blind that we see in the Gospel of John, chapter nine, verses one through twelve,

is a powerful testimony of Christ's ability to bring both physical and spiritual sight.

This miraculous event not only reveals Jesus' compassion and divine power,

but also challenges us to consider how we perceive God's work in our own lives.

Through this scripture,

We're going to explore the significance of this healing event and what it means to live with spiritual clarity.

As we do each and every week on the show, let's open up with a word of prayer.

Heavenly Father.

Thank you for your word that guides us and transforms us.

As we study the healing of the manborn blind, open our eyes to see your truth

And work in our lives.

Help us to recognize your power and purpose, even in our struggles.

May your Holy Spirit lead us into a deeper understanding of your love and of your grace.

In the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus, we pray.

Amen.

I think it's a very important thing to do.

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth, and his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned this man or his parents?

that he would be born blind.

Jesus answered, It was neither that this man sinned nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

We must carry out the works of him who sent me as long as it is day.

Night is

When he had said this, he spit on the ground and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes, and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Saloon.

Which is translated sent.

So he left him washed and came back seeing.

So the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar

were saying, is this not the one who used to sit and beg?

Others were saying, this is he.

Still others were saying, no, but he is like him.

The man himself kept saying, I am the one.

So they were saying to him, How then were your eyes opened?

He answered, The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me,

Go to Siloam and wash.

So I went and washed, and I received sight.

And they said to him, Where is he?

He said, I do not know

Jesus' encounter with the blind man begins with a question from the disciples about the cause of his blindness.

Their question reflects a common belief of the time that suffering was directly tied to sin.

Jesus, however, refutes this assumption, stating that the man's condition was an opportunity for the works of God to be displayed

This shifts the focus from blame to purpose, teaching us to view challenges as a platform for God's glory.

In verses 4 and 5, Jesus emphasizes the urgency of his mission, describing himself as the light of the world

This metaphor not only underscores his role in dispelling spiritual darkness, but also connects the physical restoration of the blind man's sight.

By healing him, Jesus demonstrates that he is the source of both physical and spiritual illumination

The method Jesus uses to heal the man, spitting on the ground, making mud, and applying it to his eyes, is both unusual.

And deeply symbolic.

The act recalls God's creation of humanity from the dust of the earth.

We see that in Genesis 2, verse 7.

Jesus commanded him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, which means sent, further reinforcing this theme of obedience and of faith.

The man's willingness to follow Jesus' instructions leads to his miraculous healing

When the man returns with his sight restored, his neighbors and others who knew him are divided in their reactions

Some doubt the miracle, while others struggle to reconcile the transformation with their previous perceptions of the man.

This highlights how the works of God can challenge our own understanding and provoke questions that lead to deeper exploration of faith

This man's simple yet profound testimony, the man who has called Jesus made mud and spread it on my eyes, and I receive sight

That underscores the power of personal experience with Christ.

His story invites us to consider how we too can share our encounters with Jesus

To inspire faith in others.

We have four key takeaways from this passage of scripture.

The first is about or looks at God's sovereignty and suffering

Challenges in life are not always a result of sin, but can serve as opportunities to display God's glory.

Jesus reframed the disciples' questioning about the blind man's condition by focusing on God's purpose rather than assigning blame.

This teaches us the view that to view difficulties as divine opportunities.

Where God's power and goodness can shine through.

When we face struggles

It is crucial to seek God's perspective and trust that He can use our circumstances for His glory.

Such a mindset transforms suffering from a source of despair to

into a chance to experience God's grace and strength.

Our second takeaway is the the idea that of Jesus as the light of the world.

Christ brings both physical and spiritual sight, illuminating the path to salvation

His statement, while I am in the world, I am the light of the world, reminds us of his role in dispelling darkness and revealing truth.

Just as he restored the blind man's sight, Jesus desires to open our spiritual eyes to see his purpose and his love.

His light exposes sin and guides us toward a life of righteousness.

Embracing Jesus as the light means allowing him to lead us.

transform our understanding and illuminate the areas of our lives that need his healing touch

Our third takeaway looks at the idea of faith and obedience.

The blind man's healing required him to trust and act on Jesus' instructions

demonstrating the importance of faith in action.

Obeying Jesus by washing in the pool of Siloam, even though the method seemed unconventional, was a pivotal moment in the man's journey

This reminds us that faith often involves stepping out of our comfort zones and trusting God's guidance, even when it defies logic

Obedience to God's word is an essential expression of our faith, and it positions us to experience his miraculous work in our lives.

Without action, faith remains incomplete and ineffective.

And our last takeaway is the concept of the personal testimony

Sharing our experience with Jesus can be a powerful way to witness to others.

The healed man's testimony was simple yet impactful

I was blind, and now I see.

His personal encounter with Jesus became a source of curiosity and faith for those around him.

Similarly, other stories of transformation can inspire others to seek Christ and trust in his power

We do not need elaborate or eloquent words.

Authenticity and sincerity resonate the most.

By sharing how Jesus has worked in our lives, we become vessels through which his glory is revealed and his message is spread

The disciples' question about the blind man's condition reflects a human tendency to seek reasons for suffering.

How often do we focus on assigning blame rather than seeking God's purpose?

This passage challenges us to reframe our perspective.

Viewing difficulties as opportunities for God's power to be revealed to us.

Jesus' declaration that He is the light of the world invites us to consider areas

of our own lives where we need his illumination.

Are there places where we are spiritually blind, unable to see God's uh hand at work?

This scripture encourages us to seek Jesus as the source of clarity and of truth.

The blind man's obedience to Jesus' unusual instructions demonstrates the importance of trust, even when God's methods seem unconventional

How willing are we to step out in faith, trusting that God's ways are higher than ours?

His healing reminds us that faith requires action.

The reaction of the neighbors and bystanders show how transformative encounters with Jesus can challenge others

Do our lives reflect Christ's work in such a way that it it prompts others to ask questions?

This passage of Scripture calls us to live boldly, sharing our testimony to point others toward Jesus

Finally, the simplicity of the blind man's testimony reminds us that we don't need elaborate words to share our faith

Our personal experience with Jesus is a powerful tool for inspiring belief in others

As we do each and every week as we finish our study of the scripture, let's close it with a prayer.

Lord.

We thank you for your Son, Jesus, being the light of the world, for bringing clarity and healing to our lives.

Help us to trust in you fully

Even when your ways are beyond our understanding.

Open our eyes to see your work and our struggles, and give us the boldness to share our testimonies with others

May our lives reflect your power and bring glory to your name.

In the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus, we pray.

Amen.

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with the other members of the audience to lift that up to the Lord in prayer.

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I want to continue with some prayer requests that we've had for a while now, and I want to continue with them.

Both my dad as he is preparing this week to start

his actual radiation treatments for the cancer that is in his body.

Uh we're hoping six weeks.

Uh that's worth they're hoping that in six weeks they'll be able to to know whether it's working and what m further steps we'll need at that point

Um, but we want to remember him.

Remember my mother, my mom, as she as she works through this with him and helps keep him positive and motivated and on track with everything.

uh and most of all that they would they both would return to to service for the Lord and worshiping with others weekly uh as as they have done in the past but haven't for some time.

Or continue to remember family friend Greg.

Greg's still still dealing with the issues of the cancer he may have.

So we want to continue to lift him up that God can touch him.

Uh continue to remember me as we go through further.

Uh blood work this this week looked pretty good.

Uh the the the the diabetes looks to be in control with the medicine I'm on.

However, there's looks to be some other issues going on potentially with

um with my kidneys um that could be related to the diabetes.

So remember me.

I would appreciate it tremendously.

I've already handed it over to the to the Lord and told him it's in his hands.

The the the more prayers that could come in, the more voices that lift up to the Lord.

Uh, I don't think it's gonna hurt.

Uh and then finally a new request this week.

Uh

A gentleman who, as a ch as a youngster, uh was was pretty instrumental in in my growth as a as a youngster uh in in the way of the Lord.

Um

I w he wasn't there when uh when I was saved, but uh he and his wife who were my teachers in what we call junior church.

It was a church service.

that took place upstairs uh at the church when the regular service was going on on Sunday mornings.

Um he and his wife were instrumental.

in building that foundation that ultimately led to me accepting Jesus as my Savior.

His name's Tim Kaletka.

And Tim is sick.

He has some illness going on.

What that is, I'm not really sure.

He wasn't

He didn't share that part, but he did he did hope for prayers.

So if we can, please lift him up in prayer.

Uh he's a good Christian man.

Uh like I said, he was an extreme

extremely big influence on me as a youngster.

Like I said he wasn't there when I got saved, but he he and his wife did come and and did see myself uh and my brother uh when we were baptized um because of the close relationship that we had with them.

But I want to lift him up.

So let's close out with one more prayer, raising up the requests we have to the Lord, and then we'll talk about our next episode.

Heavenly Father, again, we thank you for this chance to come together and learn from your word.

You

provide us the guidance and the path to take.

You presented this to me as a means to share things as I study and learn on my own so that other individuals may grow in your word as I am trying to do.

We lift up the requests we have today, just as we do each week.

I want you to please touch my father, my mother.

Help my father to heal.

Help my mother to

Work in the situation to help him and touch them and continue to bless them in life as you have and work on them to get them to head back into service and to worship with others each week.

We remember Greg as he goes through this process, you can touch him and heal him.

Um we know Greg's mother was saved, and I'm not sure Greg's position where he's at.

Um, but hopefully, you know, if he's not saved that you can touch him and and his wife and and help steer them toward you uh if that's what we need.

Remember me, Lord, as I continue to go through with these health issues that you can touch me and help me to heal.

And then also remember Tim.

the very influential individual in my life growing up, uh learning your word as a youngster and ultimately leading, helping to lead me toward your son as my savior.

Also remember any unsproken requests that the members of our audience may have.

You know all the needs that we have, and we trust you

to answer those needs with whatever plan fits into your will, with whatever answer you provide.

We work each week to share your word

With the hope that ultimately someone may hear this show and may hear your word, and they accept your son Jesus as their Savior.

And that they then would be able to spend eternity in heaven with you and with Jesus and all of the saved.

We ask these things in the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus.

Amen.

Our next episode will look at miracle number 27 in our series.

So we're getting close to the end.

There are 37 total.

We're getting close to the end of this.

But we're going to look at Jesus healing a boy with an unclean spirit.

And that is in three of the Gospels.

So you can look at that, uh, read it ahead of time if you choose.

Matthew chapter 17, verses 14 to 20

It's in Mark chapter 9, verses 14 to 29, and Luke chapter 9, verses 37 to 43.

Join us on this next episode we have of Bible Bites, where we work to inspire faith one bite at a time.

Bible bites, Bible bites, inspiring faith one bite at a time with every first

We find our way to live our lives in his life and shine.

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