The Daily Fountain Devotional Monday, March 14, 2022
Monday, March 14,2022
TOPIC: STAND FOR JESUS
TEXT: John 9:18-41
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" 20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind.
21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.
23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." 25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?" 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.
32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." 37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
The Daily Fountain Devotional Monday, March 14, 2022
INTRODUCTION TEXT
The Pharisees had a deep-rooted hatred for Jesus because His way of life exposed their oppressive and hypocritical exercise of authority over the people. When Jesus healed the blind man, the Pharisees tried to discredit the miracle. They called on the man and his parents to upturn the truth. Their resort to cross-examination was an effort to find some contradictions in the man's testimony. The man was eventually thrown out of their Synagogue for his boldness. When Jesus found him outside, it became an opportunity for him to truly find Jesus in his own life.
Many have been thrown out of churches and homes for standing for Jesus; It is encouraging to note that some have returned to become genuine cornerstones of their churches and homes. Persecutions will come when you follow Jesus. You may lose jobs and friends; and even your life. But no one can take away your faith and the joy of knowing Jesus (Matt. 10:16-26). Take heart, be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16.33).
Prayer: O Lord, grant me grace to stand firm for you in all situations. Amen.