Hello, my wonderful young friends! Today I want to share with you the amazing story of Jesus Heals the Blind Man, a powerful demonstration of God's love and miraculous healing power. This remarkable event is found in John 9:1-41 and shows us how Jesus brings both physical and spiritual sight to those in darkness.

Harold be Thy Name

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Bluey: Easter

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Jesus performed many miracles during His time on earth, but this healing is special because it teaches us important lessons about faith, spiritual blindness, and standing up for truth. As we follow the journey of a man born blind who encounters Jesus and receives not only physical sight but also spiritual understanding, we'll discover how Jesus can open our eyes to see the world and ourselves in brand new ways. Let's dive into this exciting story together!

Jesus Heals the Blind Man In John 9

Chapter 1: A Man Born Blind

Jesus and His disciples were walking through Jerusalem when they saw a man who had been blind since birth. Instead of passing by, they stopped. The disciples had a question: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (John 9:2).

In those days, many people believed that suffering and disabilities were always punishment for someone's sin. The disciples wanted to know who was to blame for this man's blindness – was it his own sin or his parents'?

Jesus gave an unexpected answer: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3). This was a revolutionary idea! Jesus was teaching that the man's blindness wasn't a punishment for sin but an opportunity for God's power to be revealed.

Jesus then said something important: "As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world" (John 9:4-5). With these words about being the "light of the world," Jesus was preparing to demonstrate exactly what He meant.

Chapter 2: The Unusual Healing

What Jesus did next was unusual. "After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes" (John 9:6). Imagine having mud made with spit placed on your eyes! It probably wasn't what the blind man expected when someone offered to help him.

Then Jesus gave him specific instructions: "Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam" (John 9:7). The Bible tells us that Siloam means "Sent." The blind man had to trust Jesus enough to walk through the city with mud on his eyes to find this pool.

This required tremendous faith. He couldn't see where he was going and probably needed help finding his way to the Pool of Siloam. Yet he followed Jesus's instructions exactly.

"So the man went and washed, and came home seeing" (John 9:7). Just like that, a man who had never seen anything in his entire life could suddenly see everything! Colors, faces, buildings, the sky – a whole new world opened up to him. His obedience to Jesus's unusual instructions resulted in a miracle that changed his life forever.

Chapter 3: The Neighbors' Reaction

News of the miracle spread quickly through the neighborhood. The man's neighbors and others who knew him as a beggar were astonished. Some couldn't believe it was the same person: "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" (John 9:8).

Some said it was definitely him. Others said, "No, he just looks like him." But the healed man kept insisting, "I am the man!" They asked him, "How then were your eyes opened?" (John 9:9-10).

He explained the simple facts: "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" (John 9:11). He didn't understand everything about Jesus yet, referring to Him simply as "the man they call Jesus," but he knew exactly what had happened to him.

When they asked where Jesus was, the healed man answered, "I don't know" (John 9:12). The miracle had happened, but the healed man and Jesus hadn't formally met yet. Their encounter wasn't finished – it was just beginning.

Chapter 4: The Pharisees Investigate

The neighbors brought the healed man to the Pharisees, the religious leaders. "Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath" (John 9:14). This detail is important because according to strict Sabbath rules, healing was considered work, and work was forbidden on the Sabbath.

Some Pharisees immediately objected: "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath" (John 9:16). They were more concerned about their rules than the amazing miracle that had transformed a man's life.

However, others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" (John 9:16). They were divided in their opinions about Jesus.

They turned to the healed man and asked, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man didn't hesitate: "He is a prophet" (John 9:17). His understanding of Jesus was growing. First, he called Jesus "the man"; now he recognized Him as a prophet. His spiritual eyes were beginning to open along with his physical ones.

Chapter 5: The Parents' Fear

The Pharisees still doubted the miracle, so they called the man's parents. They asked three questions: "Is this your son? Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" (John 9:19).

The parents confirmed two facts: "We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind" (John 9:20). But for the third question, they dodged responsibility: "But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself" (John 9:21).

Why this cautious response? The Bible explains: "His 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" (John 9:22). Being "put out of the synagogue" meant being excluded from the religious and social community – a serious punishment.

Fear kept the parents from standing up for the truth. Unlike their son, they weren't ready to face the consequences of being associated with Jesus and the miracle He had performed.

Chapter 6: Standing Firm in the Truth

The Pharisees called the healed man a second time, saying, "Give glory to God by telling the truth. We know this man is a sinner" (John 9:24). They wanted him to deny Jesus's involvement or agree that Jesus was a sinner.

The man refused to speculate about what he didn't know, but stood firmly on what he did know: "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (John 9:25). This simple testimony is powerful – he focused on the undeniable change in his life.

When they asked again how Jesus healed him, the man became bold: "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?" (John 9:27). This was a courageous response to the intimidating leaders!

The Pharisees were furious and insulted him: "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses!" (John 9:28). The conflict was intensifying, but the healed man continued to stand firm in what he knew to be true.

Chapter 7: Spiritual Insight Grows

The healed man's spiritual understanding continued to grow as he defended Jesus to the Pharisees. He used remarkable logic: "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 person who does his will… If this man were not from God, he could do nothing" (John 9:30-33).

This once-blind beggar was now teaching the religious leaders! His boldness and insight showed that his spiritual eyes were wide open, while the Pharisees, who could physically see, remained spiritually blind.

The Pharisees couldn't refute his argument, so they resorted to insults: "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" (John 9:34). Then "they threw him out" (John 9:34), which likely meant expulsion from the synagogue – the very thing his parents had feared.

For standing up for the truth about Jesus, the man lost his place in the religious community. But this rejection would lead to an even more important encounter with Jesus.

Chapter 8: True Seeing and True Blindness

Jesus heard that the man had been thrown out, and He went to find him. When Jesus found him, He asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (John 9:35). "Son of Man" was a title for the Messiah.

The man answered, "Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him" (John 9:36). He was ready to believe; he just needed to know who the Messiah was.

Jesus replied, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you" (John 9:37). The man immediately declared, "Lord, I believe," and worshiped Jesus (John 9:38). His journey was complete – from physical healing to full spiritual understanding and faith.

Jesus then explained the deeper meaning of this miracle: "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind" (John 9:39). Some Pharisees nearby asked, "What? Are we blind too?" Jesus responded, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains" (John 9:41).

The real blindness Jesus came to heal wasn't just physical but spiritual. Those who admitted their need could receive sight, but those who claimed to already see everything correctly remained in darkness.

What Can We Learn from This Story?

1. God can use difficulties for His glory - The man's blindness became an opportunity for God's power to be displayed. Our challenges can also become platforms for God to work in amazing ways.
2. Sometimes obedience requires faith before seeing results - The blind man had to obey Jesus's unusual instructions before he received his sight. Often we need to follow God's direction even when we don't understand it.
3. Personal experience of Jesus gives us courage to stand firm - The healed man could confidently defend Jesus because he had experienced Jesus's power personally. Our own experiences with Jesus give us confidence to stand for truth.
4. Physical sight doesn't guarantee spiritual understanding - The Pharisees could see physically but were spiritually blind, while the healed man gained both physical and spiritual sight. We need to ask Jesus to open our spiritual eyes.
5. Jesus seeks those rejected by others - When the man was thrown out of the synagogue, Jesus sought him out. Jesus still seeks those who are rejected and offers them a place in His family.

Fun Activities for Kids

1. Blindfold Trust Walk
   Have children take turns being blindfolded while a partner guides them through a simple obstacle course using only verbal directions. Afterward, discuss how the blind man had to trust Jesus's instructions even though he couldn't see where he was going. Talk about how we sometimes need to trust God's directions even when we can't see the outcome.
2. Mud and Wash Sensory Activity
   Create a sensory experience by letting children feel homemade "mud" (like playdough or actual mud if you're brave!), then wash their hands in a bowl of water. As they experience the contrast between dirty and clean, muddy and clear, discuss how Jesus brings clarity to our lives, helping us see things we couldn't see before.
3. Standing for Truth Role Play
   Act out the story with children playing different roles (the blind man, Pharisees, parents, Jesus). Focus especially on the scene where the healed man stands up to the Pharisees. Afterward, discuss situations where children might need courage to tell the truth about Jesus or stand up for what's right, even when others disagree.
4. Before and After Sight Drawing
   Fold a paper in half. On one side, children draw what they imagine it would be like to be blind (perhaps using dark colors or textures). On the other side, they draw the colorful, detailed world the man might have seen after Jesus healed him. Discuss the joy of seeing for the first time and how Jesus brings new perspective to our lives.
5. Light of the World Candle Craft
   Create simple paper lanterns or decorate candle holders (for LED tea lights) with the words "Jesus is the Light of the World." Talk about how Jesus described Himself as the light of the world just before healing the blind man, and discuss ways Jesus brings light into dark situations.

If you enjoyed learning about "Jesus Heals the Blind Man," I think you'll also love the story of "Jesus Calms the Storm" from Mark 4:35-41! In this exciting story, Jesus and His disciples face a terrible storm on the Sea of Galilee. When the terrified disciples wake Jesus from His sleep, He simply speaks to the wind and waves, and they obey Him immediately! Check it out next time for another wonderful Bible adventure showing Jesus's amazing power.