DCLM Search the Scripture 2nd March 2025 – The Light of the World
ADULT STS LESSON 151_ THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
MEMORY VERSE: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5).
TEXT: John 9:1-41
The Lord Jesus continues His journey after the treasury discourse having divinely escaped the
murderous attempt on His life at the temple. This was by the spiritually proud and conceited Jews
who felt that their ancestral link with Abraham was enough to qualify them as God’s children. Along
the way, Jesus saw a man that was born blind. The disciples wanted to know who was responsible
for the man’s predicament, saying, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born
blind?” (verse 2).
While stating that neither the man nor his parents had sinned, He used the
opportunity to restate His mission on earth: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is
day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the
world” (verses 4,5). Having cleared the disciples’ mind regarding the man’s problem, He went
further to demonstrate His omnipotence by healing the blind man. This goes to show that “…with
God all things are possible”.
Christ Jesus has the power to heal all kinds of diseases and deformities. As He restored the man’s sight, He still gives spiritual and physical sight to all who come to Him. He also used the occasion of healing of the blind man to further warn the Jews of the consequences of their sins. He made it clear that if they do not believe in Him as the Saviour, they would be damned. Their damnation is inescapable (Romans 13:2).
CHRIST’S COMMITMENT TO HUMANITIES’ TOTAL WELFARE (John 9:1-7; Luke 4:18,19; Isaiah
53:4,5; Jeremiah 32:27; Matthew 4:23-25; 9:35)
“And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth” (John 9:1). The chapter
focuses on one of the many miracles of Jesus the healing of the man that was born blind, which
comes handy as a monumental testimony to God’s unchanging power. It also stands as an
problems, incurable diseases, knotty family issues, assuring proof that long-standing
insurmountable mountains, mysterious and negative circumstances, congenital health
complications and all other situations over which people generally give up in despair can be cured
when Jesus steps in.
The Scripture declares, “Behold I am the LORD, the GOD of all flesh, is there
anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). None should ever feel that their situation is so bad that
there is no hope of a miracle. God is still in the business of healing and deliverance. Jesus still cares
even when we experience inexplicable problems or pains in life. Our confession should rather be:
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched
out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jeremiah 32:17).
The physiological problems of
humanity and other related needs are opportunities for God to manifest His power and show that
things that are impossible with humans are possible with God. Therefore, every perplexing situation
should be brought to the Lord for He alone “knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20). It is common
knowledge among the disciples that sin brings terrible consequences. Sin drove Adam and Eve out
of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24). It made the children of Israel go into captivity. But in the
case of this man who was blind, Jesus established a different cause. “Jesus answered, Neither hath
this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John
9:3). DCLM Search the Scripture 2nd March 2025
Taking the case in our study as an example, sicknesses and diseases that defy medical
solution provide the Lord with an opportunity to demonstrate His authority over all the problems
that plague humanity. Therefore, sick believers should first, put their faith in God for healing
(Jeremiah 17:14). Second, believers should pray and expect the miraculous intervention of God
since He promised to answer our prayers, whatever the request, insomuch as they are according to
His will. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you” (John 15:7).
However, as the sick seek healing, they should examine themselves for the
presence of any sin and make their confession, where necessary, before they pray for healing
(Psalm 139:23,24; James 5:14-16). Having cleared the issue of sin as not being responsible for the
man’s blindness, the Lord says, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).
The Lord talks about the works that God the Father has
sent Him to do: preaching, teaching and healing (Matthew 9:35). He therefore, made clay of spittle
and anointed the eyes of the man with it, telling him to: “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (verse 7).
The man went and did as the Lord had said, and he came back seeing. The zeal that the Lord
demonstrated here is a great lesson for all.
Believers should be prompt to serve the Lord whether it
is convenient or not (2 Timothy 4:2). They should demonstrate uncommon zeal as Christians in
fulfilling this three-fold ministry, which Christ has handed over to us, with the promise that we
would do greater works. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do
shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John
14:12).
CONFRONTATION BY THE JEWS AND CONFIRMATION OF THE BLIND MAN’S HEALING (John 9:8-
34; 8:33-41)
The Pharisees accused Jesus of violating the rabbinical rules of the Sabbath, though His act had
always been in perfect harmony with the spirit and letter of the Mosaic Law (Luke 6:6-11; John 5:9;
7:23). The Lord healed on the Sabbath day to demonstrate the triumph of grace over the law and to
remind us that He was indeed the Lord of the Sabbath. The Pharisees, who held tenaciously to the
letters of the law, “were filled with madness… because [He had] made a man every whit whole on
the Sabbath”, and in their blindness accused Him of desecrating the Sabbath. Indeed, they had
omitted the weightier matters of the law while trying to keep the tradition of elders. “Therefore said
some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others
said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them” (John
9:16). (DCLM Search the Scripture 2nd March 2025)
Believers should be composed and courageous when faced with confrontation from
sceptics. It should be borne in mind that God, in His wisdom, sometimes allows dissenting voices
to defeat enemies of the gospel. He often takes the wise in their craftiness in order to fulfil His plan
and purpose. He has often turned enemies of the gospel into facilitators of the same message they
opposed. He has also turned avowed persecutors of His people into strong preachers of the word of
God.
To this fact, Paul the apostle testified: “Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: But they had heard
only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
And they glorified God in me” (Galatians 1:21-24). Even in Jesus’ day, there were men like Joseph,
Gamaliel and Nicodemus, who were useful tools for the gospel. Threats, hatred and plans of those
who may occupy positions of authority against God’s people will all fizzle into nothingness when
God decides to turn their ploys and sinister schemes into His instruments for blessing and victory
of His elect.
The blind man who was healed by Jesus was cast out of the temple by the Pharisees.
His excommunication did not affect his conviction and faith in Jesus in any way. His courage
sharply contradicted the cowardice of his parents who preferred to be anonymous on the
miraculous act of Christ.
Two reasons could be advanced for their cowardly act: one, the fear of
man and, two, the fear of excommunication from the synagogue. They felt that if they swam against
the tide of opinion, particularly of the religious leaders, they could be sent out of the synagogue. As
believers, we are to have the “The “faith of our Lord Jesus”, not the fear of man as, fear of man
bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25). The loss of
privilege, parental or spouse’s affection or friendly love should not make us deny Jesus because,
“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which
is in heaven.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which
is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32,33). We should not be afraid or hesitate to leave an assembly where
the truth is not taught.
CONVERSION OF THE BLIND MAN (John 9:35-41; Matthew 8:3; 21:31; Luke 7:47; 15:2; 23:43)
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou
believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And
Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I
believe.
And he worshipped him” (John 9:35-38). When the Pharisees saw that they could not make
the man deny the Lord, they cast him out. Jesus sought him when He knew he had been cast out to
show that believers who are suffering similar persecutions should be encouraged by fellow
believers through visitation, counselling and prayers. Such victims of persecution should know that
when their parents forsake them, “then the LORD will take [them] up” (Psalm 27:10). Besides, those
who have been in the Lord should seek out young converts who are persecuted, and teach them on
the supremacy of eternal benefit over physical blessing. Christ knows all that we are passing
through individually.
He is our Helper in time of trouble. “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my
helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:6). After the Lord found the man,
He revealed Himself to him as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. The man believed and
worshipped Him.
Here then is a pattern for believers and preachers of all ages. The Lord, in doing
the Father’s work, healed and preached salvation to the man, who accepted and believed on the
Son of God. This means that while we are concerned with the physical condition of the sick, we
should not neglect their salvation as part of the works of the Father, which Christ has extended to
us through the Great Commission.
Secondly, our emphasis should not be on the physical, temporal
things to the neglect of the spiritual needs of the people. Healing is a temporal blessing while
salvation has eternal value. In an apparent reference to the Jews who had seen His work and would
not believe Him, the Lord said, “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not
might see; and that they which see might be made blind” (John 9:39).
This is a denunciation of the
wilfully ignorant Jews. He had come to save them. They “heard his words” and saw “his miracles”,
yet they rejected Him. Therefore, their sins remained (Isaiah 6:9,10). To remain wilfully ignorant is to
court the judgment of God. But sinners and backsliders still have the opportunity to receive the
salvation of the Lord if they will repent of their sins and receive Christ as Saviour and Lord. For the
Lord is “good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon [Him]”
(Psalm 86:5).
Questions for review:
1. What is the consequence of manifesting unbelief in Jesus?
2. How should a believer respond to sicknesses that defy medical solutions?
3. Why were the parents of the blind afraid to identify with Christ?
4. What do we learn from the way Jesus was zealous about the work of the Father?
5. How should a believer react to confrontations that emanate from sharing testimonies with
unbelievers?
6. Why do people find it difficult to come out of their dead religion in spite of the revealed truth in
the Scripture?
7. How can sinners and backsliders come out of their ignorance in order to avoid the coming divine
judgment?
DCLM Search the Scripture 2nd March 2025
