Bible Truths
- God doesn’t do things the way we would. (Week 10)
- God cares about us. (Week 27)
- Nothing is impossible with God.
Bible Verse
I will give you back your health and heal your wounds,” says the Lord. . . .
Jeremiah 30:17 A NLT
Focus
Compassion was one of our themes from last week. In his ministry Jesus often showed compassion for those around him. He showed compassion for the groups that were often overlooked like children, women, the poor and outsiders. This week we will see another example compassion.
Day 1
Select at least one of the following:
- From the Action Bible read Faith at First Sight pages 644-646.
OR - Read John 9:1-34 NLT.
Day 2
Each day we are going to look at how different people responded to the blind man. Today we are going to look at how Jesus and his disciples responded to the blind man.
1As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.
John 9:1-6NLT
- How did the disciples respond to the blind man?
- How did Jesus respond to the blind man?
- At that time many people believed disabilities like blindness and even sickness was a result of sin. Why did Jesus say the man was blind?
- Jesus refers to himself as the light of the world. What do you think that means?
Day 3
Today we are going to look at reaction of the blind man’s neighbors.
8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”
But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”
10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?”
11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!”
12 “Where is he now?” they asked.
“I don’t know,” he replied.
13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”
John 9:8-15 NLT
- How did the blind man’s neighbor’s respond?
- Why do you think the neighbor’s doubted it was the same person?
- The man’s neighbors are upset because Jesus healed him on the Sabbath (their day of worship). It was against their rules to do any kind of work on a Sabbath. The Pharisees were the religious teachers. They were the ones who made the rules. We will talk more about them tomorrow.
- Do you see any difference between the way Jesus responded to the man and the way his neighbors and the Pharisees did?
Day 4
Today we are going to look at the Pharisees reaction. The Pharisees were religious leaders and teachers.
15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
John 9:15-17 NLT
- How did the Pharisees respond to the man?
- Why did Pharisees believe Jesus couldn’t heal someone?
The Pharisees were more concerned about keeping their rule of not working on the Sabbath than showing compassion to someone in need. The Pharisees didn’t understand that God makes the rules and isn’t limited by what they could understand.
Day 5
Today we are going to look at how the blind man responds to Jesus.
6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
John 9:6-7 NLT
13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!”
John 9:13-15 NLT
5 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”
37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
John 9:35-38 NLT
- How did they blind man react Jesus told him to go wash his eyes?
- Do you think it was hard for him to obey Jesus?
- Who did the man say healed him?
- Why do you think the man worshiped Jesus?
We may not be blind like the man in our lesson. However, we are all sick from sin. Sin separates us from God. It makes us spiritually blind. Just like the blind man we needed our spiritual eyes open to see God. Jesus came to show us the way. He came to give us life. Have you accepted His gift of life? Would you like to?
If you have already accepted God’s gift of life. He wants us to show compassion to those around us. That is why our church supports The Mission, pack shoe box gifts each year, and other ministries.