December 24, 2024
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Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Advent 2024 – Day 24 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Year of Growing Opposition
Read Sections 4.34 through 4.37 (pages 95-99)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
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Jesus answered. The fact is. Before Abraham was born “I AM”. And there it is straight from Jesus breath. He was God in flesh!! Great verse to point out to those that are stuck in cults. The man born blind and healed. The disciples were convinced that this man’s blindness was caused by either his sin or his parents sin. But who are we to blame a disability on a specific sin committed by a specific person. It is certainly beyond man’s ability or authority. Why did Jesus use clay to heal this man? Read a lot of different views but none that really stick out. Four times in this chapter the man was asked how have you been healed. They should’ve been asking who.!! His parents fearing being an excommunicated from the synagogue, passed the buck back onto the son, but the son being so overwhelmed by being healed of blindness from birth not fearing being excommunicated speaks right from his heart. How could a sinner have the power from God to heal my blindness as the religious leaders turn the picture on him and say he was born in sin. Well, we’re all born in sin, but this man did not die in his sins for he was not only healed physically, but spiritually, believing in Jesus.
The Life of Jesus 4.19 – 4.37
Advent day 24
Jesus and the Jewish leaders continue their debate over just Who Jesus is and Who is empowering Him. They attribute far too much capacity to what an evil/demon possessed person could do or even how they would be. Clearly Jesus has power, as well as in His person, that can only be explained as divine. The Pharisees are interpreting Jesus statements from a finite perspective, when Jesus comes from eternity and defines and expresses things in reference to that. It is when He says that He is the I AM that His point is clear and they get it. These same issues come up in the blind man that is healed. I love how boldly he proclaims that I don’t know what kind of man He is, all I know is I was blind and now I see. The proof is in the pudding. And He is right to say that only someone who comes from God can do such things. It is amazing that the Jewish leaders don’t agree with the man’s logic. To me it shows how hard hearted and closed minded they were to any argument that supports Jesus claims. But the man born blind comes to faith and thereby now sees physically and spiritually. The Pharisees remain blind because they say that they can see.
Love the man born blind telling it like it is. The irony of a blind man healed and people questioning if he’s the same man, telling him not to believe his own eyes! Simplest conclusion: I was blind but now I see. Jesus is who He says He is. “I AM.”
Agreed!