“Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” –John 9:25
The life and ministry of Jesus impacted many people in the communities through which he traveled. Many people were impacted by Jesus’ teachings. Several people were blessed by his willingness to speak the wonderful and peaceful words of forgiveness. And others were impacted by Jesus willingness to use his power to heal the sick.
John records a story that reminds us all of the great compassion and work that Jesus performed on earth. In John chapter 9, Jesus and his disciples run across a man who has been blind from birth. The disciples wonder if his blindness is because of sin, but Jesus changes the topic to show his power over both sin and physical illness. He heals the man.
Later the Pharisees begin to question the man. They wonder how he was healed and by whom. The Pharisees were troubled because Jesus performed this miracle on the Sabbath. They begin to debate the merits of the miracle and whether or not Jesus was a “sinner” because he would work on the Sabbath.
The man, who had been blind, did not want to be caught in the debate with the Pharisees. He ended their debate by sharing his story. He boldly spoke of his encounter with Jesus. He told them, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” (John 9:25)
This encounter in John’s gospel reminds us that we have a story to tell. This blind man was not a trained religious teacher. He was not a disciple of any religious leader, but he had a story to share. When asked about Jesus he shared what he knew. We too have encountered God at work in our lives. It is our story. When we are willing to share, like the man born blind, we can impact the lives of others by telling the things we know.
Rev. Keith King, Online Campus Pastor
