A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIX

"I, the previously blind man, made it clear to the Religious Leaders what I believe about the Man who healed me.... They do not seem to know where He comes from... And they think He is a sinner.... But I know where He comes from.... I know that God only listens to those who do His will.... And the Man who has healed me must, therefore, have come from God.... Otherwise He could not have healed me.... Why are these Religious Leaders so reluctant to accept the truth about this Man?... They can see that I am no longer blind... They must, therefore, know that a miracle has happened.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the previously blind man is convinced the Man who healed him has come from God....

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIX

The previously blind man makes it very clear that whoever the Man is who had healed him He cannot be a sinner as you can read in John 9:30-33

The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don' t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."

The previously blind man recognises that these Religious Leaders do not have insight into who the Man is who has healed him and he is not afraid to share the truth with them even though they are the Religious Leaders and he is of no importance, at least in their eyes.

 

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVIII

"I, the previously blind man, listened to the Religious Leaders' response to my question to them... They thought I am a disciples of the Man who has healed me.... To be honest, that is not the case but I would like to be a disciple of Him... They then told me that they are disciples of Moses....They told me as well that God spoke to Moses... I know that to be true.... But I know that God speaks to the Man who healed me...As for the Religious Leaders, they do not seem to know where the Man who healed me has come from... But I know He has come from God."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn how the Religious Leaders respond to the question of the previously blind man....

 

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVIII

The Religious Leaders are furious at the previously blind man that he dares to ask them a question if they might be interested in becoming disciples of the Man who had healed him as you can read in John 9:28-29

Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this Fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this Fellow, we don't even know where He comes from."

The Religious Leaders make it very clear to the previously blind mand that they are not disciples of the Man who had healed him....

 

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                           A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVII

"I, the previously blind man, was once again asked questions by the Religious Leaders... I had already told them that the Man who had healed me had made mud from soil... Had put the mud on my eyes... And He had told me to go to the Pool of Siloam to was myself.... It was very clear to me that they did not want to listen to me... Why then did they want to hear it again?... I decided to ask these Religious Leaders if they, in fact, wanted to become disciples of this Man....Why else would they keep on asking me questions about Him?... Questions I could not answer because I had only met the Man briefly....And He had only told me to wash myself in the Pool of Siloam.... So I have very limited knowledge of Him....One thing I do know though.... The Man must be a Prophet....Is it possible that He is even more than a Prophet?... If I ever meet Him again I must ask Him.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the previously blind man begins to question the Religious Leaders....

 

               ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVII

The previously blind man does not answer the questions of the Religious Leaders but has a question for them as you can read in John 9:27

He answered, "I have already told you and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?"

The previously blind mand decides to ask the Religious Leaders why they are so interested in the Man who has healed him

                 

 

                                A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                              A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVI

"I, the previously blind man, am still surrounded by Religious Leaders... This has never happened in my life... When I was blind they totally ignored me... But today they seem to have a keen interest in me.... It seems, though, their interest is more related to the Person who healed me... They keep on asking me questions about Him... I have already answered a number of their questions... I have already explained to them that He put mud on my eyes... And that He told me to wash my eyes at the Pool of Siloam.... Their further questions do not really make sense to me... They wanted to know more details.... Why would they want to know more details?... Will that help them to believe me?"... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the Religious Leaders continue to question the previously blind man about his healing....

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                           A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XVI

These suspicious Religious Leaders keep on questioning the previously blind man as you can read in John 9:26

Then they asked him, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?"

It seems the Religious Leaders want to know the method the Man used who healed the previously blind man but their motives are unclear as to why they are so interested in knowing these specific details about his healing.

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         HANDFUL OF MUD PART XV

"I, the previously blind man, have been told by the Religious Leaders that the Man who had healed me must be a sinner... No doubt, they believed this because He healed me on the Sabbath... They want me to agree with them... But how can I agree with them?... I have already told them I believe that this Man is a Prophet.... How can I say of Him that He is a sinner?.... Of course, I cannot say that of Him....But I am certain of one thing.... I was blind but now I see....No one can make me say anything else.... For I know what has happened to me.... I know that when I woke up this morning I was still blind.... But a miracle has happened... I can now see!!"... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the previously blind man knows one thing: he can see....

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XV

However, the questioning by the Religious Leaders has the opposite effect for it awakens in the previously blind man an ability to speak with great clarity as you can read in John 9:25

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.

The previously blind man is sure of one thing: he can see.

 

                                 

 

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIV

"I, the previously blind man, had already shared with the Religious Leaders what Jesus had done for me... But they obviously were not happy with what I had said to them.... For they called me to them again.... They wanted me to give glory to God... I felt I had already done so by telling them about my healing through Jesus... They then told me they were convinced Jesus was a sinner...I suppose, they want me to to agree with them... But how can I?... Jesus had healed me."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn how the Religious Leaders view Jesus....

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                             A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIV 

Not being satisfied with the answer of the previously blind man, the Religious Leaders speak to him another time as you can read in John 9:24

A second time they summoned the man who had been born blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this Man is a sinner."

These religious leaders want the previously blind man to agree with them that Jesus is a sinner because He has not followed the rules with regard the Sabbath. Their hearts are so hardened that they cannot receive the simple testimony of the man that once he was blind but now he can see because of what Jesus has done for him.

                    

                                A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIII

"I, the previously blind man, was once again asked  by the Religious Leaders who had healed me.... I had already told them that the Man who had healed me had put mud on my eyes and had told me to go to the Pool of Siloam to wash my eyes... They did not seem to believe me.... This time they asked me what I had to say about the Man... To be honest, there was not much I could say about Him... I had only met Him that morning... And He had not said anything to me about Himself.... He had just made some mud from the soil and had placed it on my eyes.... The only time He spoke to me was when He had told me to go to the Pool of Siloam to wash myself.... It looks to me that He at least must be a Prophet."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the previously blind man believes Jesus must at least be a Prophet....

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XIII

Going back to the story of the man born blind, the Religious Leaders turn again to the now healed man and ask him for his opinion about the One who has healed him as you can read in John 9:17

Finlly they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about Him? It was your eyes He opened." The man replied, "He is a Prophet."

The previously blind man declares that He must be a Prophet. The Religious Leaders are clearly blind to the truth about Jesus, even though they are supposed to know and are supposed to be the ones to help the previously blind man understand who has healed him. Instead, it is the previously blind man who gives them further insight into Jesus. Not having the knowledge of Scripture as the Religious Leaders have, he is already at a place of understanding where he recognises Jesus as a Prophet. Jesus is indeed a Prophet but He is so much more as this man will soon find out.

 

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XII

"I, Jesus, am the Creator... And as the Creator, I am the Lord of the Sabbath... The Religious Leaders of My day did not understand who I was.... That is why they never approved of My activities.... They should have recognised Me... But most of them never did... They claimed to know the Scriptures.... But they proved they did not.... Otherwise they would have known I can perform miracles at any day of the week I choose to do them, including the Sabbath... Their Traditions blinded them to the truth that I was the Messiah they had been waiting for even though I performed all the miracles the Messiah was to perform."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath....

 

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                             A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XII

Matthew gives us some insight into why Jesus is performing miracles on the Sabbath when he writes in Matthew 12:8

For the Son of Man (Jesus) is the Lord of the Sabbath.

Jesus as the Lord of the Sabbath is not bound by the religious rules of men, even if these men are the Religious Leaders of His day. And these men are so bound up by their religious rules and regulations that they are not able to recognise that this miracle of the man born blind has been performed by a Man sent by God. This whole event leaves these Religious Leaders totally confused.

                                A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XI

"I, Jesus, had been invited by one of the Pharisees to his home... I went there and had a meal with him... Many other Religious Leaders were present... There was a man suffering from dropsy as well... I asked the Religious Leaders a question about this man.... Did they think it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath... The reason I asked that question was because it was the Sabbath Day... They did not say anything.... I knew what they thought.... They did not approve of Me healing this man on that day.... But I did.... For I knew I was there to perform this miracle... No doubt, the Religious Leaders were very upset with me.... But the healed man was so very happy... I could see it in his eyes."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that on one of the Sabbath Days Jesus went for a meal to the home of a Pharisee....

                                  

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                           A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XI

On yet another Sabbath Day Jesus was invited to the home of a Religious Leader as you can read in Luke 14:1-4

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, He was being carefully watched. There in front of Him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and the experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, He healed him and sent him away.

This time the healing took place at the home of a Pharisee rather than a synagogue. Hoever here too Jesus is being criticized for healing on the Sabbath.