The Need to Stand Firm

Lesson #158

With this lesson we will cover the fourth section of chapter 9, which is defined by John 9:18 – 23. In the last lesson we saw blindness and hatred exhibited; blindness to a miracle and hatred toward Jesus. “Now the Jewish religious leaders refused to believe that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned the parents of the man who had become able to see” (John 9:18 NET). A surface reading simply tells us that the Jews wanted parent verification that this man was born blind and had now gained his sight, but a deeper reading reveals that in the face of a miracle the Jews choose to not believe that a miracle had occurred and secondly, hatred toward Jesus causes blindness to what he does as being from God. If the heart is not right, then it is an easy step to reject what is clearly before them.

“They asked the parents, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”” (John 9:19 NET). They ask the parents two questions: first, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind?” and second, “Then how does he now see?”. How do the parents respond?

“So his parents replied, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.” (John 9:20 – 21 NET). They were willing to answer only the first question. They verify that he is indeed their son who was born blind and who now sees, but what they don’t say is important. For the parents to pass by such a miracle without giving glory to God causes one to pause and wonder why they didn’t. Their silence shows their ingratitude for such a marvelous gift; a silence birthed from fear of the Jews restrains them and results in an opportunity for an important witness of what God has done to be missed. However, their witness is not entirely missing because they give their son an opportunity to speak, but in so doing they try to avoid possible persecution from the Jews and are not much better than one who simply denies Christ.

John now tells us what we expected: “(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)” (John 9:22 ESV). Fear of retribution causes these parents to deny Jesus Christ by their silence. Consider the reports coming out of the middle east where terrorists go from house to house looking for Christians. It is an interesting study to see how people respond and the consequences. The western view tends to be to deny Jesus to stay alive so you can continue to serve him. We don’t seem to understand that denial is a disgrace to God, loss of your most powerful witness and that God is building his church on the blood of his children. Because of our embrace of comfort and safety we have little or no understanding of what it really means to be a Biblical Christian. We are a western, cultural Christianity with the salvation of many in question (See Matthew 7:21 – 23 for a fearful assessment.)

Because of this fear of retribution, “. . . his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”” (John 9:23 ESV). The focus is back to the man who gained his sight with the Jews asking him again to describe the restoration process. We will look at how this unfolds in the next lesson. 

Prayer

Father, as I search the New Testament I see no true church that does not experience persecution. We must therefore ask why the Western Church has not. Is it because we have become a cultural church and are so much like the world that we do not chafe them over their sin? Are we a Laodicea type church that makes the Lord sick? Does our adherence to safety and comfort hinder us from walking in holiness and righteousness and taking a stand with Jesus and pay the cost? Father, I fear the day when ISIS knocks on the doors of our homes and churches because I fear they may find only a remnant willing to stand with the Lord at the possible cost of losing everything, even their lives.