John 9:13–34 - 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 “We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32 “Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out.
What does today’s passage say?
In today's passage, onlookers dragged a newly sighted man before the religious authorities. The Pharisees quickly split into opposing camps over Jesus' actions. Half of them exploded in outrage because Jesus had broken their strict Sabbath guidelines, while others scratched their heads - after all, no ordinary lawbreaker could open blind eyes (vv. 13-17). Skeptical of the whole story, the leaders hauled in the man's parents. Though they vouched for their son's previous condition, they tiptoed around any mention of Jesus. Getting mixed up with this controversial miracle-worker might cost them their place in the Jewish community (vv. 18-23). Frustrated by the healed man's unwavering support of Jesus during a second round of questions, the religious elite lost their composure. Their rage boiled over, and they kicked him out of their synagogue (vv. 24-34).
How can I apply John 9:13-34 to my life?
What would it take for you to change your most deeply held beliefs? When we cling too tightly to assumptions and traditions, it becomes almost impossible to recognize truth - even if that truth stands right in front of us performing miracles. The religious leaders in this passage faced an astonishing situation. Jesus restored sight to a man born blind, an act of power only God could accomplish. Yet these leaders' preconceived ideas about proper Sabbath observance blinded them to the obvious activity of God in their midst. Not only did they miss seeing God at work, but they also attacked and insulted the man healed through Jesus' compassion. The account serves as a warning for modern believers about the danger of prioritizing rules, rituals, interpretations and other "religious baggage" over a real, vibrant walk with Christ. Letting traditions obscure or twist biblical truth can slowly close our minds without us even realizing it. When our systems of belief prevent us from acknowledging God's clear direction and work in the world and in the church, it is time for prayerful self-examination and wise counsel from other Christians. Here are some basic principles from this passage that we should apply to our lives:
1. Recognize the Danger of Rigid Traditions (vv. 13-17): The Pharisees became so tangled in their religious rules about the Sabbath that they missed God's amazing work through Jesus. Our own set of religious traditions and deep-seated beliefs can build up walls, brick by brick, until we cannot see God's movement around us. These mental strongholds take root over years - or even generations - blocking our spiritual vision just as surely as physical blindness blocks natural sight. I have seen good people completely miss God's work because it did not fit their predetermined package of acceptable divine action. Like a child who refuses to eat something new because it looks different, we often push away fresh expressions of God's power when they fall outside our comfort zone. The problem multiplies when we start judging the spiritual experiences of others through our narrow lens of "proper" Christian behavior. Some believers have spent years building elaborate systems of dos and don'ts, turning faith into a rigid checklist rather than a living relationship with Jesus Christ. God's truth must always guide us, but His truth is bigger than our traditions. Think about it - the same Pharisees who knew Scripture backward and forward still failed to recognize their Messiah standing right in front of them. Breaking free requires honest self-evaluation and willingness to admit we might have added our own rules to God's perfect plan. When we encounter something new, our first step should be measuring it against Scripture, not tradition. This balance of openness and biblical wisdom helps us avoid the Pharisees' tragic mistake (Mark 7:6-8; Colossians 2:8; Matthew 15:3).
Food for Thought: What religious traditions or practices in your life might be blocking you from seeing God's work? How can you balance respecting good traditions while staying open to God's fresh work in your life?
2. Acknowledge Clear Evidence of God's Work (vv. 18-23): The healed man's parents faced intense pressure from religious authorities but could not deny the obvious miracle in their son's life. Some evidence of God's work stands so clear and strong that no amount of arguments can explain it away. When God acts in powerful ways, people often try to find natural explanations or dismiss supernatural events as coincidence. Many individuals have watched God transform a drug addict into a committed believer, restore a broken marriage that seemed beyond repair, or bring physical healing that doctors cannot explain - yet they still search for alternate explanations. Fear of what others might think or say can push us into denying what we know to be true, just as the blind man's parents stepped back from fully supporting their son. Modern believers face similar pressures in workplaces, schools, and social circles where acknowledging God's work might bring criticism or rejection. The scientific age has trained many people to dismiss anything they cannot measure or explain through natural causes. Yet God continues to work in ways that defy human explanation, leaving clear evidence of His presence and power. When we witness undeniable proof of God's activity, we must choose between speaking truth or staying silent. Bowing to social pressure might feel safer, but it robs others of hearing powerful testimony about God's work. The transformed lives, answered prayers, and miraculous interventions around us demand honest acknowledgment, even when facing skepticism or opposition (Acts 4:19-20; Daniel 3:16-18; Philippians 1:27-28).
Food for Thought: What clear evidence of God's work in your life have you been hesitant to share with others? How does fear of others' opinions affect your willingness to tell people about what God has done?
3. Stand Firm in Your Faith When Questioned About Jesus (vv. 24-34): The healed man stood strong in his testimony about Jesus despite intense pressure and mockery from religious leaders. Standing up for faith in Jesus takes raw courage in today's world. People lose jobs over biblical values. Students face daily mockery for bringing Bibles to school. Coworkers exchange knowing glances when someone mentions prayer at lunch. The pressure comes at us from every direction - social media attacks, classroom discussions, family gatherings, workplace conversations. Our culture has mastered the art of making believers feel small and backward. Yet God gives ordinary people extraordinary courage to speak truth about Jesus. The blind man in this story had no special training or education. He just told what happened: Jesus changed his life. That same simple approach works today. Each believer has a unique story of what Jesus has done. Some have found freedom from destructive habits. Others have discovered peace in the middle of crisis. Many have experienced forgiveness that seemed impossible. These personal stories of transformation carry more weight than any theological argument. Standing firm does not mean picking fights or responding with anger. It means staying steady when others try to shake your faith. Speaking up often comes with a price tag - lost opportunities, broken friendships, damaged reputations, family tension. But God provides special strength for those moments when His people choose truth over comfort. Your testimony about Jesus might open the door for someone else to believe. The story of this blind man's courage still impacts readers thousands of years later. Clear, honest words about faith in Jesus hold power that time cannot dim (Acts 4:18-20; 2 Timothy 1:7-8; 1 Peter 3:14-16).
Food for Thought: What makes you most nervous about speaking up for Jesus when others question your faith? How has standing firm in your beliefs about Jesus affected your relationships with family, friends, or coworkers?
The religious leaders responded to the healed blind man by digging in their heels. Seeing Jesus’ work clearly went against their traditions. Their response was angry, aimed at protecting long-held beliefs from God's unexpected work. Today, evidence of God still bursts through in ways that challenge our views. When God intervenes, some explain it away. Fear closes our ears to anything outside our view of proper Christianity. Other times, we deny God's miracles to avoid criticism. We want a safe, reasonable faith. This kind of fear almost cost the healed man his miracle. His parents distanced themselves, leaving their son alone with the scorn of the Pharisees. But this man found courage beyond his upbringing. His simple words held power - "I was blind but now I see! " Clear evidence won over ingrained refusal to see. Modern believers should walk in his footsteps when pressure follows the unexpected work of God. His example still calls out, showing the light of Jesus in troubled times. We too must break free from fear of what others may say or think when God moves in unforeseen ways. What Jesus did back then, He still does today. What Jesus asked of believers then, He still asks today. Stand firm in faith. Tell others simply, "This is what He did for me." God meets us there with special strength. The written story of the man born blind continues changing lives even now. So can yours.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I pray that You would open my spiritual eyes to see where rigid traditions or deep-seated assumptions might be stopping me from recognizing Your work in my life. Show me the places where I have built walls of expectation that limit how I think You should act. I pray that You would give me wisdom to measure everything against Your Word rather than human traditions. Help me notice and acknowledge the clear evidence of Your work around me, even when it does not fit my preconceptions.
I pray that You would give me courage like the healed blind man to speak up about what You have done in my life, regardless of criticism or opposition. Break down my fear of what others might think when I share my faith in Jesus.
I pray that You would strengthen my resolve to stand firm when others question or mock my beliefs. Give me the boldness to tell my story of how Jesus has changed me. Help me stay focused on Your truth rather than people's opinions. Guard my heart against compromising my testimony to gain acceptance. I pray that You would use my faithful witness to draw others to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
I pray these things in the most precious name of Jesus, Amen.
John 9:25 - He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
With His Blessings,
Pastor Corby
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