John 10 - The Blind Man and The Lost Sheep

 

I’ve been reading through John 10 recently. I find it such an interesting chapter, especially because it’s clearly talking about the man healed of blindness in John 9, but few commentators say anything about this.

What did the blind man have to do to meet Christ? What did he have to do to earn it? Nothing. He sat there with his problem and Jesus came and rescued him… Then the religious people were bent on making him their disciples instead of Jesus’s disciple. In John 10 Jesus spends a great deal of time explaining why this happened to the pharisees.

A couple interesting things stuck out to me here…

• The pharisees weren’t interested really in going out and finding lost sheep. They had the attitude that sheep would come to them.

• The blind man instantly followed Jesus, and knew something wasn’t right about how the Pharisees were doing things. He didn’t join them but rather went back out on the street. How many people are genuine followers of Jesus but they don’t fit the church mold and have decided to stay on the streets?

• Jesus chose the blind man, but it was the blind man’s choice to stand up to the Pharisees. Jesus almost always initiates - our decision is what we’ll do with that… and this unlikely witness was the strongest one in the gospel against the pharisees!

• Jesus made his entire ministry about the One. The one person, the one woman, the one blind man… He treated everyone individually and “calls them by name”. The Pharisees thought in general and were making decisions for the crowd, often worrying what the crowd thought.

Today Was a Struggle

 

Today was a struggle to wake up, to get showered, get moving. It was a struggle preaching and a struggle driving. I went back after our message, to a smaller congregation that didn’t seem to have much interest, and just slept. I woke up even more tired than I had been previously.

 

In ministry terms I accomplished almost nothing today. But I sat with my family, I talked with God, and I rested - all things that actually are victories of some sort. I need to make sure they are victories in themselves - not just if they lead to a stronger ministry.

 

I feel so weak, like I’m no longer able to support the insane growth the ministry has had. But was that ever my job to do? So what if I can’t do it all? All I can do is give what I have to God, and right now that’s not much. And besides, the worst thing that can happen isn’t the ministry dying. The worst thing that can happen is if the ministry gets built on Carla and I’s strength, and leads people toward us instead of toward Christ. 

 

My verse for the year: Stand in the presence of the Lord and wait for Him to act. Psalm 37:7

 

I think I’ll just have to take that literally.

 

What Needs to be Crucified

 

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25

 

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires… Strong words! We have put to death our flesh and just live for Christ.

 

What am I supposed to listen to and what am I supposed to crucify? The more tired I become the more difficult it is to answer questions like this. The Godly and ungodly mix together in a haze of confusion for me. I think that I am trying to solve things once and for all but things aren’t like that. Am I supposed to rest of spend time with my family? Am I supposed to do work or train others to do it? Am I supposed to spend time with my family or spend time with God, or spend time with his people? How about this one - why do I spend so much time worried about doing the right thing, and kicking myself if I don’t? Maybe that is the desire that needs to be crucified.

 

Christ died so I don’t have to be perfect. Christ died so I don’t actually need to have all the answers. Instead of wallowing in my imperfection and indecision I can cling to His perfection and the knowledge that He’ll love me even if I make the wrong decisions.