U
&In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths&

"And They Cast Him Out"

[ Back to Article Titles Page ]  [ Back to Home Page ]

Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:5.  These were the words that the Lord spoke just before He spat upon the ground and made clay to place upon the eyes of a man who had been blind since his birth.  Then He told the man to, "Go, wash in the pool Siloam, which means, Sent." found in John 9:7.  This verse goes on to tell us that, "He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."  Here we have a man who like us all was born blind, but through the love and compassion of Jesus Christ was made to see.  This man had changed and when his neighbors and those that knew him saw him, they could hardly recognize him.  "The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?  Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he."  John 9:8-9.  And then, the door of opportunity to witness opened up to him as those around him began to ask him what had made the change, "Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?"  John 9:10.  This man must have been reading Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.",  for, "He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight."  John 9:11. 

Now, in those days, much like in our day, there was a group of holy rollers, spiritual leaders as it were, who didn't believe in the power of Jesus, and they began to interrogate this man.  "Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.  He said unto them, He put clay upon my eyes, and I washed and do see."  John 9:15.  Then these holy rollers tried to interrogate the man's parents (found in verses 18-23) and in verse 23 the parents concluded their answer with, "Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him."  Trying to make the man deny the power and authority of Christ, "Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner."  John 9:24.  Being not ashamed of what Christ had done for him, "He answered and said, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see."  John 9:25.  After much more interrogation and trying to manipulate this man we read, "They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dust thou teach us?  And they cast him out." 

Cast out of the church.  Why?  Because Jesus Christ had made him to see and he refused to deny Him.  Verses 35-38 is a most beautiful portrait of a soul being born into the family of God and one that cannot and must not be denied.  "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?  He answered and said, Who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?  And Jesus said unto Him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talketh with thee.  And he said, Lord, I believe, And he worshipped Him."

Now, those holy rollers who cast that man out of the synagogue, had they only known the truth themselves would not have do so.  Likewise, there are men today who are so mislead that they would reject a man who was totally dependant upon Jesus Christ for salvation.  They too live in a fantasy world of, "Do this and don't do that and you can be saved."  In this fantasy world, we have countless men and women who are trusting in doing the right things and not doing the wrong things and hoping that in the end they will be counted righteous enough to enter into the Kingdom of God.  There are those who, even though they believe in Jesus, will have you to believe that you must work for your salvation.  Now, work is fine and I know for certain that when Jesus Christ comes into the heart and life of an individual, that person will have a desire to be used of God, but to say that work of any sort is required of an individual is to deny the power of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made upon that cross at Calvary.  The equation is (Jesus Christ + Absolutely Nothing).  Anything more and anything less = LOST.  What is the work of God?  Glad you asked, for my Bible, which is the basis for all belief says, "Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."  John 6:28-29.

There are sixty-six (66) books in the Bible and all of them are just full of doctrine which is most useful in our living and growing, but some people tend to focus upon this doctrine and that doctrine and they lose track of the most important doctrine which is the heart and theme of the whole Word of God.  That doctrine is "Believe".  In all those sixty-six (66) books there are two (2) verses that will most sufficiently guide a man through his life and growth with the Lord.  Without a doubt, if a man will, with all his heart strive for these two verses, he cannot go wrong and this includes his salvation.  These two (2) verses say, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6  Lord, help us to accomplish these two small verses that though we don't understand it all we may look to You for our guidance and help us to always witness to those around us that it was Jesus Christ and Him alone that made the change in our hearts and lives.  And Lord, if they cast us out of the synagogues and the churches, let us hold true to the witness You have given us that we may be able to win others to Christ without compromising as the blind man in the book of John and chapter 9.  Lord, let us always acknowledge You for these great things You do for and through us for we are all so very unworthy.