Scripture
40Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
Observation
Jesus has just healed a blind man by making mud with His spit and putting the mud on the man's eyes. After the man went to wash off the mud (it was not an instantaneous healing) he could see. After this miracle, the man agitates the Pharisees when they question him and they throw him out of the synagogue. Jesus gets involved again and Jesus criticizes them for claiming to see but in reality being blind.
Application
This pinged me because it is something I have been thinking a lot of lately - specifically my tendency to make excuses.
It may sound crazy but I have this weird thinking that if I work hard doing good things then I earn the "right" then to do something "bad". Or, in other words, the "right" things are things which I really don't want to do but I do them because they are the "right" things, and the "bad" things are things which I want to do. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Paul describes as the struggle between the spirt and the flesh.
Jesus clearly states in this scripture that I am guilty (and a sinner) because of this. I am not blind. I know Jesus. Yet despite this claim, the flesh seems to win the struggle more often than not.
Although I am guilty, should I feel guilty? No! The struggle between the spirit and the flesh will never end while I am here on earth. And although I can get better at it, the flesh will always end up winning. Because of this - because of sin - which I cannot fix of my own power is exactly why Jesus was crucified for me. He is my Lord and savior.
Prayer
Jesus, you are my Lord and savior!
40Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
Observation
Jesus has just healed a blind man by making mud with His spit and putting the mud on the man's eyes. After the man went to wash off the mud (it was not an instantaneous healing) he could see. After this miracle, the man agitates the Pharisees when they question him and they throw him out of the synagogue. Jesus gets involved again and Jesus criticizes them for claiming to see but in reality being blind.
Application
This pinged me because it is something I have been thinking a lot of lately - specifically my tendency to make excuses.
It may sound crazy but I have this weird thinking that if I work hard doing good things then I earn the "right" then to do something "bad". Or, in other words, the "right" things are things which I really don't want to do but I do them because they are the "right" things, and the "bad" things are things which I want to do. Unfortunately, this is exactly what Paul describes as the struggle between the spirt and the flesh.
Jesus clearly states in this scripture that I am guilty (and a sinner) because of this. I am not blind. I know Jesus. Yet despite this claim, the flesh seems to win the struggle more often than not.
Although I am guilty, should I feel guilty? No! The struggle between the spirit and the flesh will never end while I am here on earth. And although I can get better at it, the flesh will always end up winning. Because of this - because of sin - which I cannot fix of my own power is exactly why Jesus was crucified for me. He is my Lord and savior.
Prayer
Jesus, you are my Lord and savior!
