A living testimony

The power of words

Some people can reject the gospel, but they cannot deny testimony or experience. Therefore, it is very important to have a living proof. There was a blind man by nature, but he was healed by meeting Jesus. It is written in the Bible like this.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. ⁸His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” ¹⁰“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. ¹¹He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” ¹²“Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. ¹⁵Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. ¹⁷Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened. ”The man replied, “He is a prophet.” ¹⁸They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹“Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” ²⁰“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” ²²His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”²⁴A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” “(John 9: 1-25)

The blind man healed by Jesus. He says, ” I know only one thing. I was blind, but now I can see it.” This is a very strong testimony.

John Newton also had a life-changing experience. He was involved in the black slave trade and treated blacks badly, but a turning point came. The ship he was on was hit by a storm, the hull was damaged, seawater flowed in from the damaged hull, and he was in danger of capsizing. Even life is in jeopardy. He prayed seriously to God for the first time in his life. The desperate situation lasted for a long time, but his prayers were answered, the strong winds gradually weakened, and the inundation subsided. He was saved from the danger of sinking. Later, he repented of his conscience and withdrew from the black slave trade. And he became a minister to serve the God who rescued him.

John Newton was impressed by the amazing grace of God in his life and thanked God for writing the lyrics using his experience (a living testimony). He wrote the lyrics by combining his experience with John 9:25. That is the very famous “Amazing Grace” in hymns. Grace is God’s love that is poured into those who do not deserve the blessing.

It is no exaggeration to say that Amazing Grace is the most famous song in hymns. The song was written by Rev. John Newton in 18th century England.

The best lyrics in English are as follows.

Amazing grace!
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now I am found
Was blind, but now I see.　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

John Newton (1725–1807)

His experience is reflected in the lyrics of Amazing Grace. “A man who was treating black people like himself was saved. He was once lost before God, but now he is found by God. He once saw nothing, he didn’t know God , but now he can see, he knows God. “

Many miracles are recorded in the Bible, but the healing of the blind never appears in the Old Testament. Healing the blind is the work of the Savior, the work of the New Testament.

¹⁶He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4: 16-21).

This can be interpreted in a double sense. The actual eyes are opened and visible. And the spiritual eyes of sinners, who are spiritually blind by nature, are opened and they believe in Jesus and are saved. We originally belonged to the darkness. The eyes were closed by the devil. However, Jesus, the light, moved us from darkness to light and was able to escape the rule of the devil.

Looking at the blind, the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the result of this illness?” (Verse 2). Jesus replies, ” Because the work of God appears to this man ” (verse 3).

We may wonder why such problems occur in our lives, our families, and our surroundings. God’s answer is, “Because the work of God will occur and the glory of God will appear.” This is a hopeful word.

Jesus said . We must do the work of the one who sent me during the day. The night will come when no one can work (verse 4). There is light now. Because the Trinity God is working. But the night will come when no one can work. This is approaching. When the devil rules the world, the terrifying world where the Antichrist controls the world will come. The night is coming. This is prophesied in the Bible. But now it’s daytime. In the presence of light we must do the work of evangelization.

Jesus is the Healer. Jesus can heal our illness and solve our problems. There are many problems in life. why? The question arises. But in many cases, it is because the work of God occurs and the glory of God appears.

The Pharisees asked the healed blind man, “How did you come to look?” He answers. ” He smeared my eyes and I washed them. I can see them now. ” (Verse 15)

But they didn’t try to believe. He tells them persistently. “I don’t know much. But I know only one thing. I was blind, but now I can see. ” (Verse 25)

We also need such a clear testimony. No, we already have a testimony. The story of how Jesus actually changed our life is compelling. Each Christian has a living proof. This is important. It is also a great experience that the prayers were answered. Having such an experience strengthens our faith. “Lord, give us a living testimony.”

¹⁸I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength. (Ephesians 1: 18,19)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

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The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

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