While we were reading John Chapter Nine the Lord made some connections to some of our own experiences, which gave a different twist or view of this classic Bible teaching on the healing power of Jesus.
Any scripture references are in blue and the RSV (Revised Standard Version of the Bible) was used.
Personal comments spoken during the Bible study are in brackets and brown type. This entire Bible study was received prophetically, as indicated by all black type.On August 2, 2015 – Dave and Cynthia Simmons while reading John Chapter 9
Jn 9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth.
Jn 9:2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jn 9:3 Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.
Indeed. And why did they connect sin to a malady?
In other words, my children, often when one sees a malady, they think that someone has done wrong.
They said, “Who sinned, the child that was born with a malady, or the parents, so that they might suffer?”
But Jesus turned it, and said, that it had to do instead with creating an opportunity for the works of God to be made manifest.
For how would the works of God be made manifest unless one had a malady to bring before the Lord?
How could God show his miracles unless miracles were necessary?
Why would a miracle be necessary if there were no maladies?
If all were born without spot or blemish?
Would that those who have a malady, sought he who is able to heal a malady.
Jn 9:15 The Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."
And this also, my son, is an example of using something physical as a transporter of a blessing.
As you place oil upon the heads of those who seek a blessing.
In this case, the Lord Jesus used a bit of clay from the ground, mixed with his spit, which is him giving of himself, because in him is the blessing.
(Cynthia: We’re reading John 9 and got down to verse 15, …
"He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”And the Lord spoke to us about how he sometimes uses something we have physically, in our world, to bring forth a blessing and this is an example of it.
For those who are afraid to have oil put on their head, yeah know, look:
What if the guy who was blind was afraid to have the clay put on his eyes?
Then he never would have received his healing and the blessing of sight.)
Jn 9:16 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?" There was a division among them.
And notice how those who have no blessing, and have no blessing in their hands, have no experience with blessings, immediately want to curse a blessing!
They immediately want to throw cold water on it:
‘Well, this guy doesn’t keep the Sabbath, how can he get a blessing!?’
You could say that of anyone who receives a blessing:
‘Well, they’re not doing what we think is right!’ ‘So, therefore, that’s not a blessing!’
The guy is standing right in front of them and yesterday he was sitting with a cup, trying to get money from people, because of his malady of being blind!
And those who pitied him, and gave him money, now no longer have that obligation because Jesus healed him!
But instead of them praising God, that a man among them is no longer a dependant on the mercy of others, but can now do things himself because of his healing, what do they do?
They threw stones!
They said, “How can a sinner do these signs?” "He doesn’t keep the Sabbath!" "He doesn’t’ come to our ‘group meetings!"
In other words, instead of recognizing that the blessing of God went forth, they threw stones, not only at the man who received the blessing, but also the man who delivered it.
Jn 9:18 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,
Jn 9:19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
And here is another example of unbelief.
It was common knowledge that this man was blind and that he begged from everyone and they saw him daily, but they would not believe that this was the man, unless they went to his parents and questioned them! Unbelievable!
Jn 9:20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
Jn 9:21 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."
Jn 9:22 His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.
And here is another example of agreements made in the dark, by those who live in the dark, yet claim that they are in the light.
The parents of the blind man were afraid to make any hint that Jesus was the Christ, because why?
Because an agreement had been made, that anyone who would give any credit to Jesus actually being the Christ, would be excluded from their club!
Would be put out of their Synagogue, or their group!
Isn’t that sad?
When someone has a testimony of a blessing, and is not even allowed to share how he received the blessing, or he would be: shunned, excluded, kicked out, or told that he was:
NO LONGER A MEMBER ~ Why!?
Because he got a blessing!
Because he received a healing!
Because Jesus had mercy on him, and that’s the reason the Pharisees want to exclude him!
Because he got a blessing!?
Because it would prove that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God!?
Oh, we can’t have any belief in Jesus! We’ve agreed to condemn him! That’s our agreement! We’re sticking to it!
That’s the power of the mob spirit.
It’s so strong, that although his parents knew who healed him, were told who healed him…
For why wouldn’t they have been told? It’s their son!
Suddenly he was blind and now he sees! Wouldn’t they’ve been told who did it? (Dave: Absolutely.)
But they did not have the freedom to disclose the truth of the blessing, because of the agreements that were made among the Pharisees.
And does not this sound very much like your friends? (Dave: Yes, it does.)
Your quote “friends” who chose to exclude, rather than show any proof or evidence of blessings that have gone forth, sad, this is very sad.
It happened then and it happens now.
Because the flesh was the flesh then and the flesh is the flesh now.
Jn 9:4 We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.
And Jesus included the disciple in the gift of healing when he said,
“We must work the works of him who sent me, in John 9:4.
Jesus did not say that only he must work the works of God, but no, he was inclusive and said, “WE” “We must work the works of God!”
He extended the works of God to his followers, to his beloved, to those who have his Spirit, the Spirit of God! Because it is through the Spirit of God that blessings go forth!
Jn 9:22 His parents said this because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if any one should confess him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.
Jn 9:23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age, ask him."
So, here is another example of how the synagogue has become a place where you’re not even encouraged to confess what actually happened. So, the synagogue has now become a place of fear, (Dave: Yes.) because of what?
Because of: agreements made, by those involved. Wrong agreements.
Is it wrong to instill fear in others?
Is it wrong to promise exclusion, if you confess the truth!? (Dave: Yes, definitely that’s wrong.)
So the synagogue becomes a place that what? That you can’t confess the truth or you will be excluded.
A place where you have to: fear confessing the truth, because you might be excluded.
And the same thing that happened then, happens today on the websites, where they make agreements: that if you say anything positive about having a healing, or where someone received a blessing, you could possibly be excluded from the group.
Oh what a wacky world they live in!
Jn 9:24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, "Give God the praise; we know that this man is a sinner."
Jn 9:25 He answered, "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see."
And I say unto you my children: If the Lord your God counsels you to put your hand upon a person and ask for a blessing, then pray that a blessing will go forth and pray that the blessing will be so immense that, that person will have no question that he has received a blessing and a healing. That there be no question!
For I say unto you my children: Blessings have gone forth!
And blessings will continue to go forth! And it is good to live by faith! (Dave: Yes!)
Faith in the God of Gods!
Faith in the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ and his blood that brings forth healing, for those who have a need for it!
For indeed, the Lord your God uses your ministry to extend his blessing.
And if a blessing has gone forth, than there should be no fear in saying that this person is listening to the Holy Spirit of God, and to the Lord God of Hosts!
This person is trusting God, when he prays for somebody to receive healing.
Because, this person received a blessing when he went and prayed with him!
And then this person received a blessing when he went and prayed with him!
And also this person received a blessing when he went and prayed with him!
And who is the him? Well, in this case it’s Jesus!
But Jesus said, “We.” “We must do the works of God!” Jesus was inclusive.
And who wouldn’t want to receive a blessing, if they had a need for a blessing!?
And if a blessing comes through Dave Simmons, or Tod Burros or Cynthia Simmons, or John Branzell, or Jan Hilton, or Dan Cooper, than why fear to say, that a blessing went forth when you prayed with this one, or that one, or the other one!?
As this person said, when they received a blessing: "Whether he is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see." John 9:25
Jn 9:26 They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
Jn 9:27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you too want to become his disciples?"
Jn 9:28 And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
And here is the accusation! Always with the accusation! “You are his disciple!”
Someone received a blessing and said they received the blessing, that’s all that happened!
A man was blind. Instead of giving him money, the Lord Jesus gave him a little bit of mud and spit and told him to wash, and a healing went forth from the Lord Jesus Christ to a man who suffered the discomfort of blindness.
How awkward is that? Every time you need to go to use the bathroom, a blind man would need someone to show him where it was.
Every time he needed to go anywhere, he’d need someone to lead him.
A blind man is at the mercy of those around him, (Dave: Yes.) and instead of having the ability to be joyful at his blessing, at what he received at the hand of Jesus, they turn around and curse him, and say, “You’re a disciple of this man!” in an accusatory way!
Was there any indication that this blind man was following Jesus, was listening to Jesus, knew anything about Jesus? NO! (Dave: No.)
The only indication is that Jesus had mercy on him and gave him a little bit of spit and a little bit of clay and gave him an instruction: “Go wash and you will have your sight.” (Dave: Oh man.)
And maybe because he had the audacity to do what Jesus told him to do, he went and washed, that made him a disciple!
He received his sight at Jesus’ hand and so that made him a disciple!
And the strange thing is, that it’s an accusation!
Because a man received a healing gift!
Jesus happened to pass by and see that he was blind and he was begging.
He received a healing gift and quote/unquote: “He’s a disciple now!” (Dave: Oh, man!)
And he’s supposed to, ya know, speak on Jesus now…. No! The man spoke on what he knew!
“I don’t know whether this guys a sinner or not, I don’t know anything of him, I’m blind, I didn’t see the guy, I didn’t see him coming.’
But the good thing here is that he listened! (Dave: Yeah!)
Jesus said, “Go wash in this certain place” and what did he do?
He probably had to have somebody take him there, obviously, because he couldn’t see. (Dave: Yeah)
He especially couldn’t see with spit and mud all over his eyes, but he got somebody to take him to this certain thing, where Jesus told him to wash, Siloam, where Jesus told him to wash.
He washed there and he received his sight!
And what was the only thing that he did, was he got someone to take him there and he actually did what Jesus told him to do!
And because of that little tiny effort of faith, he received a great blessing!
For the rest of his days, he would be blessed, because he did what? He believed enough to go to the one place where Jesus told him to go and he washed and he received his sight!
Would that those who are in need of a blessing, had the tiniest bit of belief that they’d actually accept something where they were told: there’s a blessing in it!
If you were told, say if you lose sleep, or if you don’t have comfort, or if you have negative thoughts because of what you experienced in a cult, and someone says to you,
“Well, the Lord Jesus told me that if anybody comes to me and they’re suffering and they want to have an oil blessing and prayer, that God might relieve them of some of their stresses, or some of their maladies, or some of the discomfort that they feel as a result of being in a cult that was oppressive, but isn’t it sad, that there are many that have malady, upon malady, (Dave: Yes.) and they still are not able to say,
“Okay, ya know, Jesus said if any suffers, if any are sick, to have oil poured on their head and prayer received and they’ll receive a blessing … I’m gonna do it! I’m gonna be like that blind guy, who went to that certain place and washed and got a blessing! I’m gonna take a chance!”
Wouldn’t that those who had maladies, who had dysfunction, who had pain, sorrow, or suffering, had the tiniest bit of faith to say,
“Yes! Put some oil on my head, I need a blessing.”
That would be a blessing! To them and maybe those who pray with them! Because it’s good to see a blessing! (Dave: Yes) But not with the Pharisees!
Ask yourself: “Do you act more like a Pharisee, or do you act more like the man who got the blessing?”
The man who was willing to ask somebody to take him to the certain place that Jesus told him to go to get the blessing!
Jn 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
And this shows, those who receive blessings are those who are seeking God. (Dave: Right)
God listens to him!
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him!
God listens to him!
He who is able to see blessings from God go forth, are those who have the ear of God!
It is a proof!
When blessings go forth, when you seek God, then in deed you ARE listening to God! (Dave: Right.)
But more importantly, God is listening to you!
And blessings are going forth!
Evidences of comfort have gone forth!
Evidences that you can see!
Tangible evidence that, “God listened to ME!”
God listened to them, and a blessing happened! Wow!
Jn 9:32 Never since the world began has it been heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind.
Jn 9:33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
Jn 9:34 They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out.
And I say unto you, “It is the same language then, as it is now.”
The man who received a healing said, “No one has ever heard of this blessing going forth before! And suddenly it goes forth!”
And yet they questioned if this man, if the man, Jesus, was “from God!”
When miracles went forth from him, where ever he went!
Whatever city he went to, it said, “A hundred met with him, and all that had diseases were healed!”
(Reference:)
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.
Jas 5:14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
Ecc 8:5 He who obeys a command will meet no harm, and the mind of a wise man will know the time and way.
(Mt 4:24, Mt 8:16, Mt 12:15, Mt 14:14, Mt 15:30, Mt 19:2, Mt 21:14, Mk 1:34, Mk 3:10, Mk 6:13, Lk 4:40, Lk 5:15, Lk 6:19)
“Five hundred met with Jesus, and any who were sick, left healed!”
And yet, the Pharisees, would turn around and say, “This man is a sinner.” When he did many mighty works in their midst, that none of them could do.
By mere fact that he was being questioned, by the quote/unquote: “acceptable” group…
Why was it that the Pharisees had any right to question what happened at all, except that they made rules, in the dark, that they expected others to adhere to.
And the rule was, “If anyone says anything good about Jesus, or who wanted to try to insinuate that he had a blessing, well, they would be excluded: cast out of the synagogue, that was the threat, that’s what happened.
And the reason they did it was because Jesus had blessings, and extended blessings, and blessings were so apparent that every body was talking about them, and they felt threatened.
And yet they questioned whether Jesus did anything, even though it was right before them, the blessing that went forth from him!
And how did the Pharisees react? They answered, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us!” And they cast him out.
They cast out someone who received a blessing! For merely admitting that he had a blessing!
They cast you out my son! (Dave: Yup!) Of Michael Montoya’s xcobu Yahoo group because you answered his question!
He said he had questions about your ministry and you shared with him what your ministry is and suddenly you’re: NO LONGER A MEMBER!
Because you answered his question, you got cast out!
There are many parallels between what happened to you and what happened to this man who got a blessing.
The Pharisees: being cast out is something they like to do.
Jn 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?"
Jn 9:36 He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"
Jn 9:37 Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who speaks to you."
And Jesus revealed himself to the blind man!
The blind man said, “Who is he, that I may believe!” and Jesus said, “It is I who speak to you!”
For he had not seen who had put the clay on his eyes! (Dave: Right)
But he was so thankful that he did receive a blessing, that he said, “Lord, I believe!”
Jn 9:38 He said, "Lord, I believe"; and he worshiped him.
This is the work of God, that you believe him whom he has sent! The scripture says.
(Reference:)
Jn 6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
This is all that is expected of a believer! That they actually believe!
This is a work of God, that you even can believe!
Believe in him whom he has sent!
Believe in Jesus, who extends blessings to those who needs them!
So, wouldn’t one who received a tangible blessing, that is so mighty, that it took someone who was in complete darkness, who now has the ability to see! Who can now become productive! Wouldn’t he believe, who received such a mighty blessing?
But how many times, did Jesus give a healing, and although ten left and were healed, only one came back, (Dave: Yeah) and found who extended the blessing.
(Reference:)
Lk 17:11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.
Lk 17:12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance
Lk 17:13 and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."
Lk 17:14 When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.
Lk 17:15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
Lk 17:16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.
Lk 17:17 Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
Lk 17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"
Lk 17:19 And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."
And extended their gratefulness.
How many times have blessings gone forth among you, and no one turns around and says anything!? (Dave: Lots of times.) They remain in fear, (Dave: Yup) and the status quo, “Well, we don’t want to be kicked out of the xcobu group, that’s where we like to be, that’s where we’re happy!”
And yet, blessings have gone forth, and no one says, “I received a blessing.”
But this man, he said, “I believe.”
Jn 9:39 Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind."
Jn 9:40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard this, and they said to him, "Are we also blind?"
Jn 9:41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.
Those who see a blessing, who experienced a blessing, who have been able to notice that their souls were lifted up and blessed, who turn around and deny the blessing, their guilt remains. (Dave: man!)
Which is why, every time you said to those who were accusing you, wrongly accusing you, dirtying your ministry that brought them comfort and brought them blessing, year after year, month after month, week after week, day after day, and yet they turned and said negative things, negative testimonies, called your ministry, “oatmeal” “mush” “they’re mushy” instead of recognizing the blessing that went forth.
They did not recognize the blessing that went forth. And every time that you said, “Not guilty!” Their guilt increased. Why? Because they did receive a blessing and yet they denied it. And they denied the power of God that came forth from your ministry and blessed them.
(Cynthia: Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,” your guilt remains John 9:41 (Dave: man!)