John 9 ~ Sent!

 

 

John 9:1-34

  

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 

4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

6 Having said these things, He spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). 

So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” 

He kept saying, “I am the man.” 

10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 

11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 

12 They said to him, “Where is he?” 

He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” 

He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 

20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 

25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 

26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” 

28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 

30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 

34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

The Clock Tower in both photos would surprise even Dallasites going by Park Cities Baptist. This is a beautiful, large, fruitful and Godly Church. But who would fathom the SIZE of this Clock???

Yesterday's Post is about how we feel regarding the Words of the Lord, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Edward and I are native Dallasites, my great-great-grandparents came to Texas after the Civil War in a covered wagon train. Celina, Tennessee moved to Celina, Texas. And down the road, about 24 miles, Edward's great-great-grandparents were farming in McKinney, Texas.  Then they all moved to the big city with the 1 centimeter phone book c. 1920. And we have memories of Park Cities Baptist even though our families went to St. Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church since 1956, when St. Michael's was the largest Episcopal Church in the USA.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow, Park Cities Baptist Church is part of my extended family's life. My godmother, Marilyn McIver went to Park Cities Baptist when this was a wee Church powerfully beginning to grow. My mother and Marilyn were the best of friends since first grade. And I ran into Marilyn in the huge city of Dallas at least twice a week.  We went to the same Prayer Group, for over a decade during my young mother years, and if we didn't run into each other, Marilyn would laugh and say I missed you at the luncheon. Or the grocery store. Looking back, it was a miracle of the Lord.  And because I knew Marilyn so well, I knew of what she learned there and taught in Sunday School or in her young days, taught VBS.  I'd say PCB was like a cousin Church. You'd pass this Church with our family, speak of Marilyn. Stop at a couple of traffic lights, turn South and head to St. Michael's. 

And then, Edward's neighbor and pal since he was 4 years old, who had a real train horn and dated Brook Shield's at his Ivy League College, came home to settle down in Dallas. His parents expected him to follow in his childhood home and he decided this Church was too beautiful not to go and see this. His first visit he found he was standing up, still, and asking to join this Church.  He was telling us this at an Old Neighbor Party. Why'd you do this? Well, they were screaming and yelling and extremely passionate about... The Truth.  Why be milk toast about The Truth.  And that one visit changed the rest of his life.  And everyone wanted to know more about this, at the party.

Talking about Parties ... if you look at the man standing by the Church clock, you will see a water tower.  When we were teenagers, this water tower damn near flooded and killed the family living next door to the water tower, in the middle of the night.  The home was destroyed. This made the news for a few weeks. Come to find out, the water tower did not rupture, it was blown apart. In the late 1970s, this was gigantic news. And we all wondered. Flash forward, a group of young adults, people with children are at a party and a man stands up and laughs and laughs to confessing he had an actual elephant rifle and decided to fire it one night.  The room didn't laugh. And one person spoke up and said the injured family was his dear family friend.  Another person knew the victims had been examined to find if they had sabotaged the water tower, the people who had been hospitalized and lost most of their possessions.  The man who had done the shots said all's well that ends well.  And we came to find out, the teenager, now man, who shot, was booked and faced a trial.  Because it being the late 1990s, he fully expected the quiet disapproval of the crowd.  He had spoken of urban legends.  The story unfolded again and found the family had suffered loss in many directs that had affected their lives.  The booking, and finding of guilt, had set this back on the right path.

In case you are wondering about the statute of limitations … if one willfully destroys property belonging to the Government, there is no statute of limitations.  For example, the election ballots, boxes and counting the votes or handling absentee ballots in any way shape or form. 

How would this true set of events correlate to John 9?

When we see how the authorities react in John 9 to a miracle. When we see Luke 4, Jesus speaks of the Widow of Zarephath, the people of Nazareth want to throw Jesus from a cliff.

This isn't just the time of a Prophet being harassed, like prophets are. This is a time of blindness. 

John 9:35-41

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him 

He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 

36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 

37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.” 

38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him. 

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 

40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” 

41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day;

 night is coming, 

when no one can work. 

Blindness

The man who confessed to a room with more than 60 people. 

And fully expected quiet disapproval. 

We can take the time to lament what would happen now.  But we would miss a serious point to make.  Isaiah 7. Jesus Christ is born with God's Full Intention. His Full Plan.  Jesus arrives in a time of Spiritual Blindness. It is expected the parents of the blind man, and those who see the questioning inquisition, would only offer quiet disapproval.  The Romans boldly went past the signs posted, we find in archaeology, warning foreigners of the holiness of the Temple. Pilate confiscated Temple funds to pay for the aqueducts Romans considered necessity.  Quiet disapproval with a scuffle. 

And yet, and yet, and yet, this is the

 precipice of change.   Why? 

Jesus Christ is Lord

Why? 

What does the Dead Sea Scroll tell us of Jesus?

THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST

The blind receive their sight and the lame walk,

 lepers are cleansed 

and the deaf hear, 

and the dead are raised up, 

and the poor have good news preached to them

These miracles are told scattered here and there through Isaiah. Matthew, Disciple of Jesus, tells us they are pulled together and displayed clearly. A cataclysm of miracles. 

Seen with the extreme power of God Himself.

4 We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day;

 night is coming, 

when no one can work. 

1 Corinthians 16:13

 

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

1 Corinthians 15:58

 

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

knowing that in the Lord 

your labor is not in vain.

Ephesians 6:11

 

Put on the whole armor of God, 

that you may be able to stand 

against the schemes of the devil.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, 

but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, 

that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, 

what is good

 and acceptable 

and perfect.

Philippians 1:27

 

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, 

so that whether I come and see you or am absent, 

I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, 

with one mind 

striving side by side

 for the faith of the gospel

John 16:33

 

I have said these things to you, 

that in me you may have peace. 

In the world you will have tribulation. 

But take heart; I have overcome the world. 

Titus 2:14

He gave Himself 

for us 

to redeem us 

from all lawlessness 

and to purify for Himself 

a people for His own possession, 

zealous for good deeds

Abba, Father,

Know the Scriptures,

Know the Power of God.

And we will believe in the One He has Sent.

Surely, He took on our infirmities 

and carried our sorrows; 

yet, we considered Him stricken by God, 

struck down and afflicted.  

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

 He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace 

was upon Him, 

and by His stripes 

we are healed. 

Each Day we are Blessed 

to ask for more

More Heaven on earth.

Gently, we hand You our Cares

knowing Your Hands hold

this so well.

Tenderly.

And we are Loved and Filled.

We give thanks for

Your Sacrifice

to bring those unworthy

to be adopted into Your Family.

Knowing we are not perfect,

have weakness,

flaws 

and sins.

And draw near to you with confidence

in Jesus Christ

according to Your Will

Your Word

Your Steadfast Love

and Your Promises in Jesus.

Dwell in us

and help us to be Pleasing to You

Dwell in those we Love and Honor

and help us to seek You first

and we will end well in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:33

Seek first the kingdom of God 

and 

His righteousness, 

and 

all these things will be added to you.

Thank You, Father,

for Your Blessing 

and prayers said for me,

I've been on 7 medications for

middle ear infection in 14 days.

Sinus and allergy infection.

This is about 7 medications than

I've been on for 8 years.

Father,

Bless,

Protect

and Establish

Park Cities Baptist

in the Beauty 

Your Love

Shines forth from this Church.

We Pray this, always, in 
Jesus Christ.

Bless the Churches

Believing Your Word

and Bringing

Forth Your

Love

Encouragement

and 

Faith.

Thank You

for Jesus Christ. 

Thank You.

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

Acts 1:1-14 ~ All these with one accord

 

Acts 1:1-14

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. 

3 He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

9 And when He had said these things, 

as they were looking on, 

He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, 

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? 

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, 

will come in the same way as you saw Him go into Heaven.”

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore, and turn back, 

that your sins may be blotted out, 

that times of refreshing may come

 from the presence of the Lord, 

and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus

As we journey with the Word of the Lord in our walk with Jesus Christ, we will have our yesterdays and today's and tomorrows in our thoughts reading His Word. I have not always loved the Ascension. And now I certainly do. Because I was at lunch with two decades of friendship, with older ladies, and they explained the Ascension is the Lord making sure we don't worry about what happened to the missing Jesus and His Body. We will not ponder and have concern over the Living Body of Jesus. The Lord did not want us to have this question or concern. 

My Sophomore College year: 

Our Canterbury Priest encouraged me to take Egyptian History with a Professor friend. Who opened up the class by saying the Ascension was a myth because all Pharaohs ascended. He went on to say this is the slave culture of Jews to want to leap ahead of their slavery owners. Interesting, because Jeremiah Chapter 16 speaks of Jews saying they are from the south, but were never, ever slaves in Egypt. Nope. Nada. Jeremiah records the waywardness before the Babylonians would destroy and enslave Judea. Their attitude wanted history to change and to write their own history. Leaving God.  And I raised my hand because my Priest and this Professor were friends, been referred to the class, to ask how the cultural generations would pick this up again. And was lambasted up one side and down the next.

Next Wednesday at Canterbury College Station, our Happy Priest, smilingly, asked me how the class went. Not so good, and I gave our Priest the conversation --- HELD IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS.  End of Smiling Priest, who told me to give the class another go and things would go better. 

I said the deadline for drop add is approaching. I determined this would improve. Next class...Oh, fires of hell, it did not improve. And I ran for the drop add building. Outta that. But, perhaps, that is what made me remember so well about Pharaohs ascending. 

(I was told later, the Professor actually was a strong Christian and I should have stayed. Well.)

Know the Scriptures

Know the Power of God

The Ascension is a Victory of

Jesus Christ

for us 

ALL

Scriptures say knowledge and wisdom aren't necessarily happiness. 

Is it a sad thing to know about ascension being an idea in the ancient world?  Yes, it was.  The idea felt besmirched. And this is only a half thought, really.  The Lord did not ignore the excitement and wonder the mercy, works and life of Jesus, with His Sacrifice, had stirred when Jesus said He was bringing a new Heaven and a new earth.  Rome was on fire to know more about Jesus, certainly just a few years after Jesus had Ascended to Heaven.

Titus 3:7-8

Having been justified by His grace, 

we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 

This saying is trustworthy. 

And I want you to emphasize these things, 

so that those who have believed God 

will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. 

These things are excellent and profitable for the people.

Mark is written, by Mark, and asked for by the Disciple Peter. These are the miracles the first century Romans wanted to know more about Jesus and His Power. Love. Mercy.

It would be a Roman god of Olympus standard operating procedure to ignore what frail mankind could want.  Puny.  This is not the exact nature of Jesus, God has sent us. 

Hebrews 1 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of  His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His Power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

If the recent Egyptian Cleopatra and Mark Antony era 30 BC, world, was interested in Pharaoh ascending as a god, while everyone knew, mostly, these Emperor gods were more the admiration and respect of earthly power, why wouldn't God Himself allow His Son the 

Victory?

The Almighty, Ancient of Days, would consider what we would call, now, pop culture to bring His Wonderful Son Glory with understanding of the Love God has to save the world in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 8

I say this not as a command,

 but to prove by the earnestness of others 

that Your Love also is genuine. 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore, and turn back, 

that your sins may be blotted out, 

that times of refreshing may come

 from the presence of the Lord, 

and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, 

but perfect love casts out fear. 

For fear has to do with punishment, 

and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Titus 2:14

He gave Himself for us

 to redeem us from all lawlessness 

and to purify for Himself 

a people for His own possession, 

zealous for good deeds

DO ALL THE GOOD

THE LORD
HAS SET 

BEFORE 

YOU

TO 

DO

Easter worldwide

.

Holding her stones dear.  The Church. Your Church.  The worldwide Christian Church.

Paris closes for Easter Weekend. The Restaurants and shops close. And here is the schedule printed in years past:

Abba, Father,

Know the Scriptures,

Know the Power of God.

And we will believe in the One He has Sent.

Surely, He took on our infirmities 

and carried our sorrows; 

yet, we considered Him stricken by God, 

struck down and afflicted.  

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

 He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace 

was upon Him, 

and by His stripes 

we are healed. 

Each Day we are Blessed 

to ask for more

More Heaven on earth.

Gently, we hand You our Cares

knowing Your Hands hold

this so well.

Tenderly.

And we are Loved and Filled.

We give thanks for

Your Sacrifice

to bring those unworthy

to be adopted into Your Family.

Knowing we are not perfect,

have weakness,

flaws 

and sins.

And draw near to you with confidence

in Jesus Christ

according to Your Will

Your Word

Your Steadfast Love

and Your Promises in Jesus.

Dwell in us

and help us to be Pleasing to You

Dwell in those we Love and Honor

and help us to seek You first

and we will end well in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:33

Seek first the kingdom of God 

and 

His righteousness, 

and 

all these things will be added to you.

Please pray for me

I've been on 7 medications for

middle ear infection in 14 days.

Sinus and allergy infection.

This is about 7 medications than

I've been on for 8 years.

These last few weeks,

we had Covid,

critical care in the Hospital for

Edward for a ruptured part,

both had norovirus for Christmas,

and now middle ear infection.

Thank You, Father,

for my full expectation

for healing and good health.

Thank You

for Jesus Christ. 

Thank You.

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus