Able to Save
John 9:1–34
He saw a man blind from birth. John 9:1
This is the gospel. It is the truth of God concerning the hopeless state of the lost and of the power of God to save such as he wills to save. God’s purposes are not frustrated by either the hatred of men or the sin of the lost.
Let me apply these truths in this way. First, if you are a Christian and have been witnessing to another person concerning Christ, you can be encouraged by knowing that God will never be frustrated by human sin. There may be much in the situation to frustrate you. You may seem to get nowhere. In fact, in a given witnessing situation, there may be more to frustrate you than in any other situation in life. Still, God is not frustrated, and you should not be either. Instead, you should be encouraged by knowing that if God is working, nothing will hinder that working. If the light of God is shining, his light will make seeds grow. So, be bold! Witness boldly and expect God to bring forth his harvest!
Second, if you are one who has not yet believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, you too can take heart by seeing what he did in the life of the man who had been born blind. Think of what Jesus Christ did for him. For one thing, the story tells us that he saw him, that is, that he took notice of him. The blind man could not see Jesus, but Jesus saw the blind man; and that was the important thing after all. Moreover, when he saw him, he saw him as a man who needed his help. Jesus alone saw him in this way. The disciples looked at the man and saw him as a sinner. “Who sinned,” they asked, “this man or his parents?” (v. 2). The passersby looked at him as a beggar. “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” (v. 8). The Pharisees saw him as a tool, for they wanted to maneuver him to trap Jesus. But Jesus—well, Jesus saw him as a man who needed help and he saved him.
Moreover, Jesus took him in when all others had cast him out. His family had cast him out. His neighbors had no use for him. Even his pastors rejected him. Eventually, because of the excommunication, the nation had no room for him either. No family, neighbors, pastors, nation! Who was left? Only Jesus! It was Jesus who sought him out and received him when no one else would receive him or even rejoice in his healing.
Are you one whom this world has cast out? Do you feel alone and rejected? Come to Jesus! Jesus is the One who is altogether lovely. Let Jesus be yours. Say, “O Lord Jesus, I want you to be my Savior.”
Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865
Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.