John 9:26-34

John 9:26-34 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

The Pharisees understood the meaning behind the man's words when they called him back to give an additional explanation for his supposed healing at the hands of Jesus. No man could restore sight to the blind unless God had sent him; however, because of the hardness of their hearts, the religious leaders rejected this man's joyful report, and they threw him out of the temple. These men had a second chance to listen and to believe; yet rather than hear the voice of God in this testimony, rather than listen, they got mad and said, How dare you lecture us! Self-serving and rebellious people experience difficulty accepting the transforming and miraculous acts attributed to Jesus. Lukewarm or half-hearted believers who see the contrast between their lives and the passion of new converts to Christ often explain away, belittle, and outright reject the testimony of those who fully surrender to Christ as Lord of their lives. They do not want to listen when one who used to live as they now live begins to preach the good news and to grow in the image of God, full of grace and mercy, committed to the Father's purposes and plans for their lives. Christians sometimes find that even their relatives and close friends ostracize them, break off relationships, or even hate them for no other reason than their newfound faith. Jesus said,

All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

(Matthew 10:22) Jesus also said, I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. (John 13:16) Christ learned obedience through his sufferings; we do likewise.

We need not go to a Moslem country to find persecution. New believers in the United States who abandon decadent ways of living often face ridicule and scorn for simply saying God wants us to turn from evil and seek good or the Bible says we should take up the cross and follow Jesus. A firm decision for Christ sets people apart; convicts the hearts of others; and makes the compromising and wandering sheep of God's pastures feel disconsolate and often angry. Dear brothers and sisters, we pray the breakfasts challenge us all. With that in mind, we close today's meal with some verses from 1 Peter that spoke to our hearts. Look at the action words, the verbs, and how many times the word you appears. What is the Holy Spirit's call to us today? Surely, we don't respond as the Pharisees, as if God were lecturing us. As we write to you, we are proud of your confidence and persevering faith in spite of the vicissitudes of daily life. For months now, we have experienced our own struggles, even the breakfasts have been sporadic as we contend with health issues for Mom and problems in our extended family; yet in everything by faith and by the gift of grace, we can say, Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. And [we]

rejoice, though now for a little while [we] may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that [our] faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

(2 Corinthians 2:14 & 1 Peter 1:6)

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. . . Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. . . Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. . . Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. . . But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. (See 1 Peter 1:13-2:11)

Announcement: TONIGHT, April 13th at 7:00 p.m. OUR HOME CHURCH: EVERGREEN FOUR SQUARECHURCH sharing in a SPECIAL WORSHIP NIGHT at LIFESPRING FOURSQUARE CHURCH (10106 36th Street East, Edgewood). Our youngest son, Daniel Bursch, is the Associate Pastor and worship leader at Lifespring and you will enjoy this time of gospel music and fellowship. Hope to see you there. They meet at the N. Hill Adventist Church, just off E. Meridian Ave. on 36th St. E. in Edgewood.