Todays readings.. Numbers 36, Proverbs 27, John 9&10.

“FOR JUDGEMENT I CAME INTO THIS WORLD”

John records some of the most thought challenging sayings of Jesus – more than the other gospel writers. Consider the conversation of Jesus with the man, whose blindness he healed: (he had been born blind so what a healing that was!) The man had declared, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”

In response Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”[ch. 9 v.39]

It is clear that Jesus is talking about spiritual blindness – and our world today abounds with this blindness. What a blessing to be among those who “see”! Do we fully appreciate this?

“Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.”[v.40,41]

We can apply this principle to today’s world: we think of those who say,”we see” about everything that exists – that it all evolved! For all such – their “guilt remains” and the “judgement” that Jesus brought “into this world”- they will be condemned because they deny the wonders of the works of God in creation.

Jesus will very soon come again “into this world” and, among other things, condemn it for its’ blindness’. What “guilt” it will have to acknowledge! We note what the man who was born blind declared! “If anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.” [v.31]

Let us make sure that we are worshippers of God and we are doing his will – as Jesus, above all, did! And then when Jesus returns, what Jesus said to Nathanael (as we read in John ch. 1) will be true for us too! Jesus said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” At that time, “for judgement” Jesus will return “into this world.” And how evident and awesome will be that “judgement.”