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So Easter is literally just around the corner I don’t know how many sleeps it is but
it is definitely on the horizon. I wonder what it means to you ?
Now then a Question – how many here this morning when someone asks you
‘How are you? will almost always say ‘ I’m fine?’
It something we have probably all done even if we have been unwell. You might
ask what has that to do with the reading we just heard so let’s have a look at the
reading.
So at the end of the last chapter Jesus has just escaped being stoned and as he
travels on he see a blind man (blind from Birth no less) and his disciples pose the
question:
Who sinned the man or his parents?
Echoes of that well known phrase; ‘the sins of the father’. Jesus gives an odd
answer thinking of the culture of the times , a time when everything seemed to be
down to sin and therefore required a sacrifice in the presence of the priests. He
says neither this man was born blind so that God can show his power by curing
him. Seems a bit mean of God .
He then says , come on let’s get on with God’s work , when it gets dark no one
can work. While I’m here I am the light of the world.
Jesus is the Light by which we are all able to do things that are good because as
it says in Psalm 139 even the dark is as light to you .
So he sets about his work – he makes a spit and soil paste (not the nicest thing )
and spreads it on the man’s eyes , then tells him to go and wash it off.
I wonder what the man was thinking ? I mean to spit on someone is surely a
mark of disrespect and it can’t have felt wonderful.
However the man goes and washes it off and – Wow now he can see.
So the first question is why did the man do what Jesus said ? I can only presume
he had heard about this itinerant preacher and teacher who healed and thought
why not give it a try – in other words he had faith in what Jesus had done and
trusted him.
Of course it could be that he thought it ‘s no great deal –what have I got to lose .
So now the man can see again and what does everyone say ‘ This looks like that
guy who used to sit and beg but it can’t be and he says no It IS me I am that man
.
The reaction was almost, yeah, of course you are – we weren’t born yesterday so
how did it happen.
The man tells them what Jesus did so they want to know where Jesus is .
Now we stopped the reading there but if you read on there is a whole load of
trying to prove it – the Pharisees were summoned , even his parents weresummoned . They side stepped the question and said ask him yourself he’ old
enough to speak for himself.
A simple act becomes one of great discussion . the man knows it’s true he knows
who Jesus is but the powerbase of the day doesn’t want to know .
So let us ask ourselves how much do we believe who Jesus is ? are we willing to
put ourselves up for what he can do or are we like so many in the world and
indeed in Christianity who want proof.
We have just sung ‘ I believe in Jesus’ with that great chorus – I believe he’s here
now standing in our midst , hear with the power to heal now and the grace to
forgive’
Today that same miraculous thing that Jesus did for the blind man is available to
us so going back to my original question .
When Jesus asks us are we OK? Are we going to say yeah I’m fine as we always
do or are we going to be brave enough to do what the blind man did and let
Jesus get on and heal us.
When I say heal. we don’t have to have flu, Covid or a broken arm , the healing
Jesus gives is complete the outer physical , the mind and the spirit . What the
learned call ‘Holistic’.
Remember too the crippled man who was brought by his friends to Jesus – we
can do the same even if they are not here in person .
We don’t have to be the most holy person on the block either , if our faith is weak
we can still come ,and once Jesus heals us it will grow just like the Blind man as
he kept telling everyone – This man can do these things Believe me !!!
So when prayer for healing and indeed healing is offered why wouldn’t we take it
up ? A glib question and one I once answered with I’m not a good enough
Christian but a friend who is a retired priest told me it doesn’t depend on you
why not go for it , you’ve nothing to lose and I’m glad I did .
So the question is What do you( or someone you know) need Jesus to Heal and
what are you waiting for ? We are going to have some of the healing prayer team
now available to take that journey, that leap of faith with us .
So did we truly believe it when we sang.
– I believe he’s here now standing in our midst , hear with the power to heal now
and the grace to forgive’
Bring your needs to Jesus through the Holy spirit and the members of the prayer
team. He is here and will heal you