Today’s reflection dwells on the theme: Jesus – the light of hopeless cases. How do we define a hopeless case? I would simple define a hopeless case as such which has no expectation of being salvaged. We can also say that it is something beyond salvaging; something lost that cannot be redeemed. But what makes a case hopeless?
There are many things responsible of creating a hopeless situation. One of such reasons is when there has never been a solution to a problem or dilemma, and there seems to be no possibility of a solution now or in the nearest future. Another reason maybe that a case has gone so bad that it may not/cannot be corrected. All efforts to solve the situation meets a dead end; some would say it has gone beyond repairs; beyond redemption. But there are still other reasons for seemingly hopeless cases which we would revisit later in our reflection.
Before we present how Jesus salvages hopeless cases, we would briefly read from Psalm 36 to see why some persons are caught up in hopelessness. (Click below for Psalm 36)
21 Day Lighting Experience – Psalm 36 (GNT)
Human Wickedness
Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts; they reject God and do not have reverence for him. 2 Because they think so highly of themselves, they think that God will not discover their sin and condemn it. 3 Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good. 4 They make evil plans as they lie in bed; nothing they do is good, and they never reject anything evil.
The Goodness of God
5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens; your faithfulness extends to the skies. 6 Your righteousness is towering like the mountains; your justice is like the depths of the sea. People and animals are in your care. 7 How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find[b] protection under the shadow of your wings. 8 We feast on the abundant food you provide; you let us drink from the river of your goodness. 9 You are the source of all life, and because of your light we see the light. 10 Continue to love those who know you and to do good to those who are righteous. 11 Do not let proud people attack me or the wicked make me run away. 12 See where evil people have fallen. There they lie, unable to rise.
Sin is the disease of the soul that eats up ones life. When sin speaks to the heart and cast darkness upon it, prides takes control and man begins to fall from grace. As verses 2 and 3 says; “Because they think so highly of themselves… Their speech is wicked and full of lies; they no longer do what is wise and good.” And at the end in verse 13, the psalmist explains that where evil people have fallen, there they lie, unable to rise. They lie in hopelessness. Do the evil people have hope?
Salvation comes from God, and he shows mercy to whomever he wills; so that his name would be glorified! This is what Jesus teaches us today. No one is beyond redemption; no one is beyond the mercy and grace of God, only if we avail ourselves to receiving it.
Click below to read the full text of John chapter 9
21 Day Lighting Experience – John Chapter 9
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?” 3 Jesus answered, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents' sins. He is blind so that God's power might be seen at work in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.” 6 After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man's eyes 7 and told him, “Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam.” (This name means “Sent.”) So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing. 8 His neighbors, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, “Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “He is the one,” but others said, “No he isn't; he just looks like him.” So the man himself said, “I am the man.” 10 “How is it that you can now see?” they asked him. 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don't know,” he answered.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 Then they took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and cured him of his blindness was a Sabbath. 15 The Pharisees, then, asked the man again how he had received his sight. He told them, “He put some mud on my eyes; I washed my face, and now I can see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “The man who did this cannot be from God, for he does not obey the Sabbath law.” Others, however, said, “How could a man who is a sinner perform such miracles as these?” And there was a division among them. 17 So the Pharisees asked the man once more, “You say he cured you of your blindness—well, what do you say about him?” “He is a prophet,” the man answered. 18 The Jewish authorities, however, were not willing to believe that he had been blind and could now see, until they called his parents 19 and asked them, “Is this your son? You say that he was born blind; how is it, then, that he can now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. 21 But we do not know how it is that he is now able to see, nor do we know who cured him of his blindness. Ask him; he is old enough, and he can answer for himself!” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had already agreed that anyone who said he believed that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough; ask him!” 24 A second time they called back the man who had been born blind, and said to him, “Promise before God that you will tell the truth! We know that this man who cured you is a sinner.” 25 “I do not know if he is a sinner or not,” the man replied. “One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I see.” 26 “What did he do to you?” they asked. “How did he cure you of your blindness?” 27 “I have already told you,” he answered, “and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you, too, would like to be his disciples?” 28 They insulted him and said, “You are that fellow's disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for that fellow, however, we do not even know where he comes from!” 30 The man answered, “What a strange thing that is! You do not know where he comes from, but he cured me of my blindness! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners; he does listen to people who respect him and do what he wants them to do. 32 Since the beginning of the world nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a person born blind. 33 Unless this man came from God, he would not be able to do a thing.” 34 They answered, “You were born and brought up in sin—and you are trying to teach us?” And they expelled him from the synagogue.
Spiritual Blindness
35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Tell me who he is, sir, so that I can believe in him!” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have already seen him, and he is the one who is talking with you now.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” the man said, and knelt down before Jesus. 39 Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge, so that the blind should see and those who see should become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were there with him heard him say this and asked him, “Surely you don't mean that we are blind, too?” 41 Jesus answered, “If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still guilty.”
Yesterday we read about the law and God’s mercy over judgement. We read how the Pharisees, the Israelites, and even us… yes, you and me, we try to judge and/or justify the actions of people. This is a burden of the human heart, especially a proud heart. Today, the disciples are interested in whose sins is responsible for the man’s blindness, but Jesus is concerned about the power of God that can be experienced in the man’s life. This is a point to note! We should focus more on how God can turn around hopeless situations and glorify his name, rather channeling our energy on a faultfinding mission.
We reflected on the reason and spirit of the law on Day… and on God’s mercy triumphs over judgement on day… and today we are still bound by the problems of the law. John’s gospel reveals to us the true situations going on in the country. When the authorities see the truth they try to either be politically correct or out rightly evade the true situation by presenting some laws to justify their position. And who is fooling who, as they continue to create more hopelessness in the land. We see cases that are evident with irrevocable and concrete proof, but the authorities desire to circumvent situations by requesting for more investigations and kangaroo trials. Are our authorities different from the Pharisees who cast their heart in darkness and refuse to let the light of truth shine in their lives?
Jesus – the light of hopeless cases.
A hopeless case, a man born blind, a miracle that has never been performed before is treated lightly and brushed aside for proof that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were obviously on a faultfinding mission. They were not interested in the truth. This is a warning to us; when we are on a faultfinding mission, we may become blind to the truth. What are your intentions when you assess/judge your partner, children or friend? Do you assess them from a biased mindset? Do your open your heart to the truth? Do you allow yourself to be spiritually blind?
It is obvious that one problem Jesus had with the Jewish authorities is that he performed miracles on the Sabbath. For the Jews, performing miracles was like a trade, a business, an occupation, and like a physician. Therefore, Jesus would have just been performing his trade on the Sabbath, which was against the law. The Jewish authorities didn’t regard Jesus as a prophet or a man of God. They looked down on him and saw him as a commoner, and even an imposter. Though they were awed by his teachings, they refused to accept his messages. Though the testimonies of the miracles where overwhelming, the hearts of the Jewish authorities were filled with darkness, pride, malice, jealousy and contempt. Hence, they tried not to regard his miracles, how and when he performed them. Instead, they sought for faultfinding quests, created traps and made engaged in unnecessary and biased inquisitions.
They created more hopeless situation for themselves and others. They refused to see and receive the goodness of God and refused others to assessing the goodness of God. Hence, they threaten to expel from the synagogue whoever regarded Jesus as the Messiah. Verses 22 and 34. Even today, do our authorities subdue the truth and threaten to punish those who seek the truth or speak it? Leaders who wallow in the dark do everything possible to see that others wallow in the dark with them. Moreover, this is the hopelessness in the world. Is there hope to get out of such dilemma?
I haven’t forgotten. Our theme today is: Jesus – the light of hopeless cases. We earlier listed reasons for possible hopeless situations. With Jesus the light of hopeless cases, there seem to be no reason for us to have hopeless cases any longer. We need Jesus to shed his light into our lives and clear the blindness, the darkness of sin, the frustration of the lost, the hope of the lonely, the health of the sick, the light of our journey and mercy for our souls. Jesus, our messiah! Jesus has come to bring us salvation, whether we know it or not. The blind man didn’t know Jesus but still received the compassion and healing, this is so because it is to the glory of God.
The big question I would ask is, for people who totally reject Jesus, who reject his light and desperately seek darkness, is there hope for them? For those who desire evil and every vice their heart can conceive, is there any hope for them? Is there case not hopeless? The good news remains that Jesus is the light of the hopeless, and we pray that Jesus would walk along their part someday, so that God would be glorified in their lives too.
Join us tomorrow, 10th February for Lighting Experience – Day 10
Speechlesswaters
PS
Why should Jesus work on the Sabbath? Why can’t he wait till the next day or any other day to heal this man? Jesus said he is the Light for the world, anywhere he sees darkness he brings the light. So has your case been tagged, a hopeless case? Why not call on Jesus today. Jesus works everyday, every time so that God’s name would be glorified! Pray that God would be glorified in your situation and in your life. Amen!