To save and not to judge

Jesus healed a man born blind.

The Pharisees, legalistic-religious rulers at that time, didn’t believe in His miracles. They questioned the man to describe how he was healed, and invited his parents to testify whether he is their son who was born blind.

The man testified before the Pharisees how he was healed by a man, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.”

The Pharisees was still hardened in their heart and didn’t believe in his testimony. They threw the man out of the premise.

Just outside, Jesus met the man again, and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The blind man who didn’t recognize him said, “Who is he sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus replied, “You have now seen him; in fact he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.

Not long after, Jesus raised a dead man, named Lazarus.

The news got out that Martha’s brother was dead. Jesus came to their dwelling place. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him halfway and said, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord, “she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

At the entrance of the tomb, Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” Then He said, “Lazarus, come out!”

The dead man came out, with his hands and feet still wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

I want us to think about what Jesus said in the following chapter of John:

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But, if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

“When a man believes in me, he does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me, he sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. As for the person who hears my words, but does not keep them, I do not judge for him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it.”

“There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Bibliography
- excerpt from John 9, 11, & 12 (NIV)