November 10 - Lazarus, Come Out

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?" So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go." John 11:30-44  

If only you had been here…. That’s the human nature. Blame our problems on others. This is YOUR fault. If you had come when we called you…. Whatever the illness that Lazarus had, it was beyond the home remedies that Martha and Mary might have applied. Lazarus died anyway. But Martha and Mary knew that Jesus could have healed their brother. They had seen and heard about Him healing others—the blind, lame, lepers, and otherwise sick people. Why hadn’t He come in time to heal Lazarus? Did He really not care enough about their brother—His friend? Distraught, confused and disappointed they cried out to their Savior…WHY?

Four days in the grave were enough to certify death. If it had only been a couple of days, the officials would have said he was only unconscious—but four days proved that the person was truly dead. Where have you laid him? Jesus was deeply moved—so much so that He actually cried. Then Jesus prayed to the Father. Thank you for hearing me. How often do we thank God for merely “hearing” our prayers? We plead for His mercy when we, our family or friends are sick or in need of His special touch. Let’s remember to Thank Him—that those hearing our prayers may believe, too—just as Jesus prayed. The Father heard the Son. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb. God answered Jesus’ prayer and command with the resurrection of His good friend Lazarus. The Father allowed this so that Jesus could be glorified—given honor. Jesus instructed those nearby to unbind Lazarus and let him go. When we have been set free from bondage of sin, deceit or discouragement do we hear Jesus saying “unbind” her or him? When Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb—and he did! Now he was alive.  

The Bible doesn’t give us an account of the immediate reaction to Lazarus’ resurrection. I imagine a scene like this. Lazarus stumbling and awkwardly allowing others to remove his bindings, dumbfounded to have come back to life—awestruck—grateful that he could rejoin his family and friends for a time. In the crowd of mourners, some likely paid to mourn as was the custom at that time, were speechless, they were so amazed. Others, including the disciples, were cheering, slapping each other on the back. Martha and Mary ran to Lazarus, hugging him, and then turning to Jesus, hugging Him. Jesus, in His usual humility moved to the sidelines, watching the crowd. Everyone gathered around Lazarus lifting him up and parading him back to his home. What had started as a day of mourning became a day of joyous celebration—with a feast around the table of Lazarus and his sisters—with everyone praising Jesus. 

Smile—join in this celebration. Lazarus once was dead—and now he is alive again. When we smile, our mood actually changes according to a recent study at the University of Michigan. So choose to have more joy in your life—smile and give Jesus the glory. He was likely smiling after Lazarus came out of the tomb. 

Heavenly Father—Thank you for hearing our prayers, for your mercy in Lazarus’ life and in our lives. Guide us that we would make good choices and rely on you to set us free from the bondage of sin, illness, discouragement and even death.

Happy Birthday, Joeske!

Shalom Shabbat

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 9 - Never Die

So when Jesus came, He found that he (Lazarus) had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off; and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world." When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you." And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him. John 11:17-29 

These red letter words are important words. Jesus said…"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" He’s asking you the same thing He asked Martha…Do you believe that He is the resurrection and the life? He is the one who gives eternal life. So many people are afraid to die…but they are not clamoring to get into church and meet Jesus so that they can live forever. What is wrong with this picture—how do people get to Jesus…and how does He get to them? I’ve known about Jesus since I was at least four years old—I have memories of Sunday School that go back that far, but I was in college before I really knew Him and “accepted” Jesus as my personal savior, as thus was “born again.”

 

We shouldn’t be afraid to die. Heaven is going to be a wonderful place…and those of us who know Jesus are promised that we will go to be with Him one day. Jesus said to one of the thieves crucified with Him, “today you will be with me in Paradise.” Since God’s timing and our timing are not the same, it could be that we will actually get to go to Heaven the day we die…or else “sleep” and wait until Jesus returns for us. Either way we don’t have to be afraid to die. The hard part if for those left behind after their loved ones have gone one ahead of them. There are lots of books and stories about people going to heaven and returning to tell others how wonderful heaven is going to be. Those who don’t know Jesus as their Savior are the ones that need to be afraid to die. They will be judged, found guilty of their sins, and will be cast into the eternal damnation—the Lake of Fire. If you don’t believe me read Revelation 20:11-15. I personally look forward to a feast in Heaven with Jesus—and eternity with Him. Feast on Jesus’ red letter words—savor them and believe. 

Prayer for today—Jesus, like Martha, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, our Messiah. I eagerly await Your return.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 8 - Lazarus is Dead

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." But when Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. "But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." This He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep." The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, so that we may die with Him." John 11:1-16 

Fallen asleep in this passage, as Jesus explains, literally mean to die. Lazarus is dead. The disciples were confused thinking that Jesus meant that Lazarus was only resting…but not so, he was dead. No chance of just waking him up. The idea of “fallen asleep” is also written about in several other passages in the Bible. One, written by Paul long after Jesus death, that should bring comfort to Christians at the loss of a loved one or to explain the rapture is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Jesus didn’t want His friends Martha and Mary to grieve. He wanted them to rejoice as God the Father glorified His Son, Himself, through the resurrection of Lazarus.  

What do you think of when you hear the word “glorified” or even “glory?” Mostly we think of glory as being something that will happen in heaven with angels singing around the throne of God—but it does happen here on earth in some churches on Sunday—God receives glory in true worship. It is that kind of awesome respect and adoration that makes you want to fall on your knees. It’s an adoration that is not just what the Wise Men did when they brought gifts to Baby Jesus—but it is ours today when we give ourselves completely to focusing on God as…well, GOD. As omnipotent, omnipresent divine creator, sustainer, merciful judge, compassionate healer, light of the world and ruler of all Heaven and Earth, He is worthy of our praise and honor every day, not just on Sunday. Don’t stumble around in the darkness—see the light—He is Jesus. These red letter words that He spoke to His disciples, He is speaking to us. Feast on His words. Go with Him and allow Him to shine His truth in your life that you would bring Him glory. And as in 1 Thessalonians—have hope, for one day Jesus will return for us—to meet us in the air. What a glorious day that will be! 

Pray—Dear Jesus, be glorified in my life today. Let your light shine in me and through me that others would be drawn to You, that You would receive even more glory and honor.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 7 – For Which of the Good Works Would They Stone Him?

The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I SAID, YOU ARE GODS'? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true." And many believed in Him there. John 10:31-42 

The “Law” sometimes referred to all of the Old Testament. Here Jesus is quoting Psalm 82 (particularly verse 6, underlined). God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. How long will you judge unjustly And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, "You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High. Nevertheless you will die like men And fall like any one of the princes." Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is You who possesses all the nations.  Psalm 82:1-8.

 

He has told the Jews once again that He is the Son of God—that God the Father is His Father. He challenges them to at least believe the works He has done so that they can know that God the Father sent Him and that He is in agreement with Him. The Jews are still blinded—worse than that…they want to kill Jesus. But once again Jesus “eludes” them. He stealthy slips away unseen—vanishes from their sight. Talk about blind. You can almost hear them saying to each other…Where did he go? Where indeed! This wasn’t the first time that He disappeared from their sight.

 

For what work would they have stoned Him? Healing the blind or the lame men, feeding the five thousand, or maybe walking on water? Jews put such merit in doing works—but that was not the real root of the problem here. They thought that Jesus was considering Himself equal with God and that was blasphemy. Pure and simple. Jesus red letter words put His truth right out there—but these Jews were still blind to the truth.  

Dear Jesus—Help us not to be blind—but help us to see You and Your Truth—and to encourage others, including Jews, that their eyes would be opened, too. That they would be able to say, like I do…I once was blind, but now I see.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 6 – No One Can Snatch Us Away

A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words (Jesus claim that He was the good shepherd, that He would lay down His life for His sheep, and that His Father gave Him authority). Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?" Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?" At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." John 10:19-30

The Feast of Dedication is the feast that we know as the Festival of Lights or Hanukkah in December (December 9-16, 2012). It celebrates the miracle that oil in the temple lamps didn’t go out for eight days when there was only one day’s supply of oil available. That was in 165 BC when the temple was reopened and rededicated after it had been desecrated in 168 BC by the Syrian ruler Antiochus Epiphanes. This is not a festival that was commanded by God…and it is not even written about in the Old Testament or any part of the Bible. It is a story that is part of the First and Second Maccabees, apocryphal books. It is not a festival that requires attendance at a Jewish synagogue. 

At this Feast of Dedication Jesus tells the Jews who were questioning Him point blank—“I told you, and you do not believe….” Yet they still did not believe Him—didn’t believe IN Him! The section of verses before this says that He has other sheep that are not of this fold (Jewish) and He must bring them, too. He was referring to the Gentiles. His sheep, including the Gentiles, hear His voice and follow. He is promising to give them eternal life—no one can snatch them out of God's hand. What a comforting promise—no one can take us away from our God and thus from our Lord and Savior, Jesus. We can turn our back on Jesus—but He won’t let anyone take us away from Him—and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). He is telling us—if we hear His voice and respond then we will have eternal life—with Him forever! Do you hear His voice? There is an old hymn that says…Jesus is calling softly and tenderly, calling for sinners to come home. Home is to be with Jesus—and that will someday be in Heaven for those who respond to His call. 

When Jesus says “I and the Father are one” He is saying that they are in unity, not that they are one person. Their nature and actions are the same. We can strive to be like Jesus, but we can never be God—or any god. We are merely humans and there is only ONE GOD. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24. Some people believe that one day when they go to heaven that they will be a god of their own universe.  Go ahead and search the scriptures—that is not what it says. 

  Dear Jesus—Please give us insight into Your word that we would understand what You are telling people in Biblical times—and today. Guide our heart, soul, mind, and strength as we hear Your voice.

REMEMBER to VOTE - today!

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 5 – The Shepherd – Good and Great

This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father." John 10:6-18

Jesus refers to Himself as the door—the door to the sheepfold—guarding, providing for, and protecting the sheep. He also declares again that He is the shepherd—but not just any shepherd, He is the good shepherd—one who is willing to sacrifice His life for His sheep. He is like the shepherd in Isaiah 40:11, Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes. What a perfect combination with the shepherd of Psalm 23. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4) What more could we ask for? Jesus is providing and caring for us. He IS our shepherd and He has already laid down His life for us. By doing that He was being obedient to His father, our Heavenly Father. Obedience is such a key in Jesus’ life…and should be in our own lives. Think about how much you want your children to be obedient to you. How you spend so much time teaching them to listen to you—to heed your words. Especially to listen and obey when they hear words like “Stop,” “move,” or just “listen.” Do this…don’t do that. I read recently and it reinforced something I had heard years ago: children’s personalities are formed by the time they are five years old—the things that they’ve learned are part of their psyche and can’t be easily changed. So be careful what you teach those little toddlers and pre-schoolers. Are you being a good example for them? Have you or are you helping them develop Christ-like character traits or Biblical Virtues?   

Dear Jesus—show me character traits that are like Yours and help me to develop those in my children and grandchildren. You are not only the good shepherd—You are the Great Shepherd that is written about in Hebrews 13:20-21: Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 4 – Shepherd or Coach

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. John 10:1-6 

Jesus was talking to people who understood shepherding sheep. Those who didn’t understand were not agricultural based. Likewise today not many people understand shepherding so Jesus would have to find another analogy to use…maybe one like a football coach. Train your team to play a good game of football just as they would put their whole heart into seeking Jesus—as if they were in the end line ready for a touchdown. Encouraging other players to do their best on the field—to fight defensively for the ball and to move offensively to the goal. 

Back to the sheep. Shepherds corralled their sheep at night to keep them safe from wolves, bears or wild cats. There are cougars in Israel—we saw a wild one at Qumran. So the shepherd in Jesus time, like those of today, build a fence and along with other shepherds in the area they put their sheep inside. The gate may actually be a person who guards the opening to the enclosure so that the sheep don’t escape during the night. The shepherds would take turns staying awake for several hours to guard the sheep. In the morning as the shepherds are ready to take their sheep out to pasture, they call them by name, and the sheep knowing their own shepherd’s voice, follow him out of the sheep fold or enclosure. How can we apply this scripture to our lives? Simply, that Jesus is our shepherd and those who believe in Him recognize His voice and follow Him. Just like the shepherd in Psalm 23, Jesus takes care of His flock. He guards His flock day and night—providing green pastures and still waters so that we have “food” and a safe supply of drinking water. No climbing down into “wadies” where a flash flood of water could carry us away. Like sheep we need to have a shepherd—and Jesus is our main shepherd. He assigns some of His shepherding tasks to others, like our pastor, Sunday School teacher, or Bible Study leader. Some of the shepherding needs to be done by us—you might think of it as mentoring. We all need to be mentored and to mentor others. Who is coaching you…and who are you coaching? 

Jesus—You are the greatest coach and shepherd. Thank you for providing just the right “food” and safe water. Help us to coach those around us—to encourage them to listen closely for Your voice and to follow You to the goal.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 3 – Shalom Shabbot

Jesus heard that they had put him (the blind man He healed) out (of the synagogue), and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?" Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you." And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, "We are not blind too, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains."  John 9:35-41

Since Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath, it is possible that it was still the Sabbath when He spoke to him again. He may have greeted the man with Shalom. Then with these red letter words, Jesus asked the man He had healed, "Do you believe?" Jesus didn’t very often ask people if they believed in Him. Here was a man that had been put out of the synagogue for standing up for what Jesus had done for Him, for bolding talking to the Pharisees about his comprehension of Jesus’ compassions and healing—that Jesus was from God or He wouldn’t have been able to do such a miracle as restoring his sight. He said, “I once was blind, but now I see.” This man who was blind from birth and now could see was seeking to believe—so this encounter with Jesus provided that opportunity to believe and worship. How do we encounter and worship Jesus today? If He walked up to us on the street, would we fall at His feet and praise Him? Think about it—what would you do if you personally encountered Jesus? What do you do as you encounter Him as you read your Bible? Do you stop what you are reading and just praise Him? Like the Pharisees do you ask, am I blind, too? Open your eyes, your heart and your mind to Jesus’ truth. Feast on His words and encounter Him in a new and refreshing way—with your whole heart, mind and strength.  

Dear Jesus, I pray that You would open my eyes to Your truth and Your way, just as you opened the eyes of that blind man. I praise You for You are worthy of praise, honor, and glory.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 2 – Healing on the Sabbath

Read John 9:1-34

As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, "Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?" Others were saying, "This is he," still others were saying, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the one." So they were saying to him, "How then were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash'; so I went away and washed, and I received sight." They said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know." They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, "He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see." Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, "This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." But others were saying, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?" And he said, "He is a prophet." The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?" His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." So a 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." He then answered, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." So they said to him, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?" He answered them, "I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?" They reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from." The man answered and said to them, "Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?" So they put him out. John 9:1-34

 The Jews were thorough in their interrogation of this blind man—they even asked his parents about him. It was evident that he had been blind and was healed…and it was Jesus who had healed him. Illness was associated with sin—but since this man had been blind since birth, the question was “who sinned, the man or his parents?” Jesus answered the question that neither the man nor his parents sinned—but that the blindness was evident so that God could be glorified in this healing. Do people associate illness and sin today? Some diseases are directly associated with sinful acts, such as venereal diseases with adultery. But congenital blindness of a person can be from a variety of causes like rubella, genetic disorders, infections or parasites, not associated with sinful acts. The real problem here was not why the man was blind, but that Jesus had made mud, thus “working,” on the Sabbath and in healing this man, breaking the fourth commandment, Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8. Do we keep the Sabbath day “holy” and not do any work? (See Exodus 20:8-11) What is the Sabbath day to you? Saturday, the seventh day of the week…or Sunday, when you attend church?  

The Jews put the healed man out—out of the synagogue. They ostracized him for believing that Jesus was from God. Verse 22 tells us “for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.”  That is he would be excommunicated from worship and fellowship with fellow Jews. His family would consider him disloyal and disown him. At that time a Jewish believer in Christ could face imprisonment. The same thing happens today—family and religious persecution—if a Jew believes in Jesus. I recently read an interesting news article about a 108 year old Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri who died in 2006 in Jerusalem leaving a note to be opened a year after his death. The note revealed that he believed had encountered the Messiah and He was Jesus. They couldn’t ostracize this rabbi since he was dead, but some people, including his 80 year old son, also a rabbi, believe that the note is a forgery. The Jews are still waiting for their Messiah.  

Jesus – You are the Light of the world and the Healer. Please reveal Yourself as the Messiah to the Jews around the world. In Your miraculous compassion continue to bless and guide us all that we would know Your healing touch physically and spiritually. Feed us.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

November 1 - Glorify I AM

Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. John 8:54-59 

Glorify. I like the definition that the Blue Letter Bible gives “glorify”… to cause the dignity and worth of some person or thing to become manifest and acknowledged. That is what the Heavenly Father is doing for Jesus. Drawing people’s attention to Jesus. Those Jews didn’t seem to “see” Jesus for who He was and is. The Son of God and the Messiah. Do we see the truth? Do we give dignity to the very name of Jesus? 

Then Jesus goes on to tell the Jews that He is the “I AM” that existed before Abraham. When God made a covenant with Abraham He said, And He said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it." Genesis 15:7. God declared that He is the Lord. When He spoke to Moses from the burning bush, before He sent Moses to rescue the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, Moses asked what name for God he should tell the Hebrew people sent him. God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Exodus 3:14. I AM. God is saying that He existed always and forever. That thought—forever—is beyond our comprehension. Being the finite beings that we are it is difficult to think beyond our lifetime…our recorded history…except to fantasize about the future, like “Star Wars” or “Hunger Games.” I AM. Does it offend you that Jesus is claiming to be God? It offended the Jews with whom He was speaking. It would be better to be offended and really think about Jesus than to just obliviously go to hell for ignoring Him. Who IS Jesus to you? 

Dear Jesus—I acknowledge You as my Savior, as God and creator of the universe. You were before time existed…and You will be after time ends…even past the time of our imaginations. Thank you for having a plan for our lives.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for doxazō (Strong's 1392)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012. 30 Oct 2012. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm? strongs=G1392 >