Title: Jesus as Light / John 9:1-12
Light is the most valuable remedy God has given, it is a source of energy, and it is beneficial for making our bones and teeth healthy by making vitamin D.
When the sunlight is inside the house, the atmosphere is bright and cheerful, and it prevents various infectious diseases.
Jesus showed signs to show that he is such a precious light, and it is a miracle of healing the blind.
What we see is a tiny fraction of the spectrum of light (electromagnetic radiation).
Even if you have a healthy visual structure, you can only see a very small fraction. You don't see 5% of the total light spectrum.
Among the things we cannot see, gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, infrared rays, radar, broadcast wave bands, and AC circuits have tremendous and important functions.
Jesus, who is greater than this light, revealed with this sign that he is the true light of mankind.
1. I gave glory to God.
This sign was not a mere miracle of healing, but a sign of the glory of God.
For us, the idea of causality and retribution is a common notion. So, just as there is no effect without a cause, I think that when a person goes wrong, it is the result of that person's good and evil.
Here Jesus said that although some of the causes of disease are due to sin, he also said that disease can occur without sin. Sometimes he said that your sins were forgiven when he healed your disease, but today he is saying that this is to show what God is doing through this.
Then I will tell you about the relationship between disease and sin.
① In case of crime
Jesus spoke of diseases caused by sin in only two places. After healing the sick by the lake of Bethesda, he warned them, “Sin no more” (5:14)
He also healed the paralytic and said, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:5, Mark 2:5, Luke 5:23)
This is Jesus' acknowledgment of the relationship between disease and sin. That's why James 5:15,16 says,
“The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. If you have committed any sins, they will be forgiven you. Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is very powerful. ” he said.
If you have a disease, you should examine yourself and ask for help.
②If you come under the influence of a ghost
Jesus often cast out demons while healing the sick. In many cases, it was due to demons that torment humans.
Matthew 15:22 A Canaanite woman pleaded for her daughter's illness, saying, "My daughter is terribly demon-possessed."
Luke 11:14 says, “Jesus cast out a mute demon, and the mute spoke.”
Unclean ghosts still torment people today. However, we already have the authority to cast out demons.
③ In case of your own mistake
There are cases where people do not take good care of their health due to mistakes due to lack of it, which leads to diseases.
④ For the glory of God
As in the case of the text, sickness comes purely for the glory of God. Regardless of human will, God's sovereignty unilaterally gives disease.
In this way, there can be several causes of the disease. But the work of healing depends on God's power. It will be an opportunity to discover its meaning when we illuminate all the problems that occur to humans in our relationship with God.
In this passage, Jesus said, "It is still daytime, and the work of him who sent me must be done; and when night comes, nothing can be done."
God's work is directly related to the glory of God. Let us not hesitate to do God's work for His glory in the world. At night, no one can work. Jesus also said that the time would come when nothing could be done by his death on the cross.
Like the Lord, who took the opportunity to do God's work through healing of diseases, I hope that we too will go out into the world to evangelize and pray, fulfill God's work, and become a church that does more work than any other church.
2. He healed the blind man.
The work of healing took place when God's power and human trust intersect.
Here Jesus is a doctor who heals the sick, and the patient was healed by trusting and obedience to the doctor.
Today, I hope that the grace that God wants to give will happen when God's power and our faith intersect.
Those who were blind from birth fell into despair and disappointment and had no choice but to blame their fate for the rest of their lives.
But he met the Lord who did the work of God. And I completely obeyed his words and saw the light.
3. He forgave his sins.
As Jesus said to the patient today, “Go to Siloam and wash”, I washed in Siloam and I was able to see.
Siloam, along with Bethesda, is one of two pools in Jerusalem. Siloam is an artificial pond built to the south of Jerusalem in the time of Hezekiah's time to ensure sufficient water for Jerusalem when it was attacked by enemies.
According to 2 Chronicles 32:30, a 530m-long rock wall was drilled to supply water to a spring called Gihon.
The water of Siloam provided fresh living water to Jerusalem more than any other spring.
Siloam represents Jesus. Jesus is Siloam. We said to go to Siloam and wash, so we went and washed. If we come to Jesus who became Siloam, our sins can be washed away. Hallelujah!
In Genesis 49:10, Shiloh already hinted at the coming Messiah, but according to the meaning of the name, the Gospel of John says that the Lord in Shiloh is spiritual Siloam, and that anyone will find spiritual peace from the Lord.
Anyone who comes to Jesus will be washed away from their sins, be cleansed, and be healed of spiritual blindness.
How can a blind man go to the pool of Siloam and wash before he can be healed? But this man went and washed and obeyed. Obedience to the word of the Lord can lead to complete forgiveness.
It is like Elisha telling Naaman, who had leprosy, to wash in the Jordan River seven times. There was grace for those who obeyed.
Today, we pray that we may come to the Lord who is spiritual Siloam and be washed from our sins by being immersed in Him.
Just as landowners in the south have the right to sunlight when erecting their buildings to prevent them from interfering with the direct rays of the sun that residents in the north are receiving.
All mankind has the right to receive the light of Jesus Christ.
May all of you go out into the world and become witnesses of Jesus Christ, the Light.