The Apostle’s Pay

Posted on by korgrocker

“Or is it only Barnabas and I who have to work to support ourselves? What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who ploughs and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.”
1 Corinthians 9:6-10 NLT

Paul is setting out a strict and comprehensive defence of what he believes is the right of a worker in the Kingdom of God. Paul used three secular professions to emphasise his point. He argued, Is the role of an apostle different to that of a soldier, farmer and shepherd? After all, a job of work was performed by all of them, and there are many other examples. Paul even quotes something Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 25:4, about muzzling an ox while it was threshing out the grain. There is a general principle that applies to work, whether by animals or humans, and that is the expectation that work is rewarded. In our modern societies, workers are paid with wages earned by applying their expertise to a task associated with their employer, who pays them in return from the profits of the employer’s business. At a more basic level, the reward can come from eating some of the fruits of the worker’s labour, perhaps to supplement some other form of payment. 

There was a time when Jesus chose seventy-two disciples and sent them out in pairs to prepare the way for His upcoming visit. They were to go out in the expectation that they would be rewarded for their labours. Jesus said to them, “Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveller’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road” (Luke 10:4). Let us stop and pause for a moment. Was what Jesus saying a bit foolish? Should the disciples have been prepared just in case there was no hospitality offered to them? But in Luke 10:7, Jesus provided more details, “Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay“. Jesus went on to say, “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’” (Luke 10:8-11). Finally Jesus ” … said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me”” (Luke 10:16). These seventy-two disciples had a God-given mandate and they proceeded to work it out faithfully, because we read in the next verse, “When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!””

The principle here is one that so many churches over the ages have ignored, and that is the right of a worker in God’s kingdom to be rewarded for their ministry. There has been much confusion over how this should be applied, and even today, there is an expectation that the ministers and pastors leading a congregation should be paid by someone other than themselves. The Old Testament established the principle of tithing, the practice of giving ten per cent, and the priests and Levites were provided for through instructions given by Moses. In the New Testament, tithing is not explicitly mentioned, but Paul reminded the Corinthian church of the importance of giving in his second letter. 2 Corinthians 9:7, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully””. ‭‭Such “offerings” were commonplace in Paul’s day, and are collected even today in our churches.

So, we pilgrims ask ourselves the question – are we and the congregation of which we are a part, providing for our ministers and pastors? Paul expected the Corinthians congregation to meet his needs, but I expect they didn’t because otherwise he wouldn’t have needed to bring up the subject. But the principle is that workers in God’s Kingdom are to be rewarded for all they do for His people. 

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your willing servants who tirelessly work for the benefit of our congregations and fellowships. They devote their lives to preaching, teaching, comforting, and many other tasks, all the while helping Your people journey towards their ultimate home. We pray for our leaders, and ask that You bless them and encourage them in their labours, day by day. Amen.

Ordinary Folk

Posted on by korgrocker

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NLT

With whom do we identify in our societies? With those who live in big luxury houses in our suburbs, or those who rent a house or flat from the local council? With those who work in a “white collar” job in an office, or as a “blue collar” worker in a factory? Do we still separate people in our minds into “working class” or “professional class”, “middle class” or “upper class”? In these enlightened days we tend to avoid classifying people for fear of offending them, but distinctions still apply below the radar. TV programmes such as “Downton Abbey” highlight the distinction between the wealthy aristocracy “upstairs” and the working class servants “downstairs” in years gone by. Well, it appears that the Corinthian church had a congregation drawn from the “downstairs” demographic because Paul wrote, “few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy” when they became believers in Christ. These were ordinary folk, and in many churches and fellowships today we will find them well represented. Nothing wrong with that of course, and there may be a good reason for churches to be populated from the less well off in society. Those who have much are less likely to realise that they need God for their salvation. They believe that by their own efforts they have added to their wealth and have no need for any form of religion. A few years ago I found myself walking around the more affluent area of a Central Scotland town with a local pastor and we prayed much, lamenting that there was no-one from this area represented in the local church. They had their neatly manicured lawns and flower beds resplendent with colour. They had luxury cars sitting in their driveways, and money oozed from every brick of their big, architect-designed, houses. In Paul’s eyes, these would have been those who thought they were “wise” by human standards. But a short distance away was a housing estate made up of what has come to be called “social housing”, populated by people who had little, who often struggled to make ends meet, and who lacked the education and employment that would have elevated them into the same league as the “have’s” just down the road. But such people were represented well in the local church, and Paul would possibly have referred to them as those the “world considers foolish”. These were the people who were “powerless” and Paul said that God would use them to “shame those who think they are wise”.

Perhaps in Paul’s days the same principle between the “have’s” and the “have-nots” applied, with those puffed up with their human wisdom looking down on those who were at the lower ends of society, the slaves and servants, considered of little relative value and therefore expendable. But Paul emphasised the fact that God uses those the world despises to do His work. There is a tendency of the earthly wise to have an overblown sense of their own worth, and in their pride and arrogance they have no time for the things of God. They instead adopt a critical view of Christians, remembering that it was Karl Marx who disdainfully referred to “religion” as being the “opiate of the masses”, implying that it was only ordinary people, who made up the “masses”, who would benefit from a belief in God. 

Paul put things into context when he wrote, “When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”(Romans 9:21). All human beings are created by God with a similar appearance – two arms, two legs etc. – and all from the same lump of “clay”. As Jesus told in the parable of the talents, we are each given different gifts and opportunities, and no-one is better than anyone else. The people in the Corinthian church were a gifted people, because they were initially chosen by God and He used them, despised by the world as they were, to “to bring to nothing what the world considers important“. In the context of eternity, a short life span on 70 or so years is but the blink of an eye, and the message of the Cross, no matter how foolish it appears, becomes the most important account that human beings will ever need to hear. Death is a great leveller, because at that point all the wealth, education, and belongings will be left behind, souls traveling on into what for many will become a distressing experience. 

Jesus founded a movement that shook up the world in the First Century and it all started with ordinary folk. A few fishermen were the first called by Jesus, and we know what the “have’s” thought of them from Acts 4:13, “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognised them as men who had been with Jesus“. Ordinary men transformed by the wisdom of God. Men not puffed up by their knowledge, but instead in love with Jesus, determined to follow Him regardless of the consequences. With God in their lives they went on to establish the early church, and today there are estimated to be 2.4 billion Christians on our planet. A phenomenal number of people and far beyond anything that could have been established by human wisdom.

Today, we pilgrims are “ordinary folk” who are sold out for Jesus. We may have all the human knowledge and wisdom in the world, but along with Paul we have made this a secondary factor in our lives. Instead, we promote what the world considers foolishness, the message of the Cross of Christ, wisdom indeed.

Dear Father God. You have upended the priorities in society and we are accordingly re-orientated. Your message of hope is now ours to share and we ask for Your help in leading us to the right people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Peace and Forgiveness

Posted on by korgrocker

“Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.””
John 20:21-23 NLT

Once again Jesus said “Peace be with you”. In a world that had seen the disciples’ bumpy ride following Jesus in His ministry, the chaos was continuing in their souls. They had seen the miracles, the dead raised, Jesus walking on water. They had received training for the future in Jesus’ University of Kingdom Life. They had experienced the abuse from the Jewish leaders. They had even gone out themselves, healing the sick and preaching the good news about the Kingdom of God. And now, following a couple of days of grieving for their crucified Leader, entombed and graveyard dead, He was now standing with them, alive and well, in a locked room. And He said “Peace …”. They needed a shed load of that, for sure.

Jesus then said to them, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” The disciples commissioned, sent out to continue Jesus’ mission. The handing on of the Kingdom baton, charged with the message of hope for an otherwise dying race of people. Then Jesus breathed on them. This wasn’t just a febrile puff. It was a full throated blast of air from the bottom of Jesus’ lungs, emulating what was to come on the Day of Pentecost, where the disciples would indeed “Receive the Holy Spirit”. The connection was that on their own, and in their own strength, they would be unable to carry out their mission. They would need the Holy Spirit without doubt, empowering them and working through them each and every day. 

Jesus continued, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven”. Does that mean that Jesus was giving the disciples the authority to forgive sins? That can’t be true of course, because only God can forgive sins. There seems to be a problem with the translation, according to Greek scholars, and a better translation might be, “If sins have already been forgiven, then they are forgiven. If they have already been retained then they are not forgiven”. Perhaps another of the Bible’s foibles that needs further scrutiny, which is why we need to read the Scriptures often and in depth, prayerfully asking God to reveal the meaning of His Word.

Peace and forgiveness are both features of God’s Kingdom living. We pilgrims can experience both on our journey to Glory.

Dear Father God. Living in Your Kingdom here on earth provides a foretaste of what is to come, and we are so grateful. Amen.

Masters and Slaves

Posted on by korgrocker

“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.”
John 15:15-17 NLT

In Jesus’ day, slaves were commonplace. The richer members of His society usually had one or more slaves doing the menial jobs in a household, even to the extent of bringing up the master’s children. A slave was considered the owner’s personal property, and essentially had no rights. They could even be killed with impunity by their owners. The word “slave” can also be translated “servant” – in the Amplified version of John 15:15 we read, “I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father”. ‭‭But slave or servant, we get the picture of Jesus, the Master, and His disciples, who were His servants doing a three year apprenticeship, learning all about God and His Kingdom. And rather than have notes to refer to when they needed a prompting, they had the Holy Spirit within them. “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you” (John 14:17). In Acts 4:13 we read about how effective the Holy Spirit’s presence was in their lives, “The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognised them as men who had been with Jesus“.

Paul started his Roman epistle with “This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News”. Peter started his second epistle with, “This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour”. The first Apostles were totally sold out to their Master, Jesus Christ. They had no agenda of their own, other than to do His will. Whatever it took. Regardless of the consequences.

Jesus, though, at the end of their apprenticeship, regarded His disciples as His friends and no longer as slaves or servants. Because He had told them everything that His Father had asked Him to tell, the disciples had finished the course. And now they were appointed to go and produce “lasting fruit”. By extension, we too are commissioned to “go” and produce lasting fruit. Fruit in our lives and also in the lives of others. Peter and John were recognised by the Jewish leaders “as men who had been with Jesus”. Would we pilgrims receive the same recognition? But whatever, we cannot claim to be Jesus’ disciples unless we too could put our commitment is a position that makes us His servants.

Father God. We confess our commitment to You, this day and every day, with a grateful heart full of love. Amen.


Not Just My Feet

Posted on by korgrocker

“When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!””
John 13:6-9 NLT

The thought of Jesus washing his feet was too much for Peter. He wanted to opt out of the experience, probably feeling embarrassed that his Lord and Master could even consider doing such a thing. We remember what Peter said in reply to Jesus’ question about who He was. Matthew 16:13-16, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”” So it was no wonder that Peter was experiencing a plethora of internal feelings; after all, how could His Messiah be allowed to wash his feet? John the Baptist had a similar experience when Jesus came to him for baptism. We read in Matthew 3:13-14, “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”” Both men were very much in awe that God was present with them, God Incarnate, God in human flesh. And I am sure that we pilgrims would be feeling much the same, were we standing in their sandals at that time. 

In Peter’s case, Jesus soon made him change his mind. I can imagine the gentle reproach from Jesus’ lips sinking into Peter’s mind, as he grappled with the dilemma before him. However, he blurted out, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Peter was sold out for his friend and Lord. His response came from a heart that was not interested in anything else, other than to serve and follow his dear Lord Jesus. His love for Jesus was far greater than his embarrassment. 

An interesting story, faithfully recorded by John. He wrote this Gospel some time after this event but it was still vividly stored away in his mind. And we are very grateful to John, because the humility of Jesus has served as an example to generations of Christians ever since. 

But regarding a practical application, what do we pilgrims make of it? Are we like Peter, embarrassed by the very thought that someone, one of our peers or even someone we look up to, would get on their knees before us with a towel and basin of water to wash our feet? More, would we ourselves be prepared to be the foot washers? We pilgrims are called to serve our fellow human beings, believers or not. It will not necessarily mean literally washing our neighbours’ feet, but it will mean devoting our time and energy for the good of those around us, serving them to the exclusion of our own feelings. 

Dear Foot-washing God, we worship and praise You today. Amen.

Understanding the Master

Posted on by korgrocker

“So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.””
John 13:4-7 NLT

A group of perplexed disciples. One by one Jesus had gently lifted their feet and immersed them in water, washing away the dirt and detritus, and then He dried them with the towel around His waist. And a sobering and life changing thought emerges in our minds – if we had been there as well, Jesus would have washed our feet. Was that just a one off teaching opportunity used by Jesus for His Twelve, or are there eternal lessons for everyone, past, present and future? If only we could get across to our generation the reality that the God and Creator of this Universe was prepared to be a lowly servant, doing the most menial of tasks, and who is still prepared to serve us in the same way two thousand years later. The same God and Creator who just a few hours after this event, died in agony taking on Himself the punishment for all the sins ever committed by mankind. 

Paul wrote the following, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). Everything Jesus did in His ministry years was focussed on the coming Cross. His teaching, His miracles, His love; it all established a legacy that has been life changing for all who have ever believed in Him. Paul went on to write, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). There will come a day when everyone, believers or not, will have to bow before Jesus and declare that the humble servant who washed His disciples feet is in fact the Lord of all. 

It was too much for Peter to experience his Lord and Master humbling Himself to wash his feet. A natural human reaction perhaps, because here was Someone, who Peter had on a pedestal, kneeling before him reaching out to lift his first foot. Surely He couldn’t do this, Peter was thinking, and the impulsive Peter blurted out, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Peter had already watched as Jesus worked His way around the group. There would have been a silence, embarrassment and puzzlement hanging in the air. Thoughts including “Why is Jesus doing this?” troubling their minds. You see, to the Jewish people, the rabbis and Jewish leaders were looked up to and, if necessary, the ordinary people would have bowed before them with a servile attitude. It was unthinkable that one of them would stoop so low as to wash their feet. So why was Someone, so much greater than the Jewish leaders, doing this? Was it then, soon afterwards, or much later, that the penny dropped in the group-think of these young men? Jesus only said to Peter, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 

Jesus taught a lesson that day that has impacted not only our faith but our behaviour. We pilgrims are foot washers, serving our friends, families and communities, in every way possible, no matter how menial the task.

Dear Father God. You, the Creator of this Universe, loved mankind so much that You found a way to connect with them, and assure them of eternal life. Truly a plan from the Master! Amen.

The Father’s Authority

Posted on by korgrocker

“Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.” 
“I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
John 12:44-45, 49-50 NLT

John, at the start of his Gospel, portrayed Jesus as the “Word”, a Person who “existed in the beginning with God” (John 1:2). And then a few verses later John wrote, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:10-12). And then we read, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14). Jesus’ inclusion in the Trinitarian Godhead is indisputable and a solid foundation of the Christian faith. When Jesus came to Planet Earth, He cast off much of His divine identity and attributes, and became a human being. Still divine but also human. He was the very essence of God’s escape plan for humanity, a plan that enabled them to escape the clutches of the devil and be freed of sin and wickedness, and, more, be adopted into God’s family. 

Jesus always claimed that He was God’s Son and had been sent on mission to our world – John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him”. John the Baptist also testified about Jesus and His mission when he said, “For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. … And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment” (John 3:34, 36). 

So when Jesus declared to the crowds that those who trusted in Him were also trusting in His Father in Heaven, He was speaking out truth and a warning to those who didn’t trust Him and believe in Him, a warning that they would have to face “God’s angry judgement” one day. Father God gave Jesus the authority to act on His behalf here on Planet Earth, offering salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him.

We pilgrims also have God’s authority to go about His business. Jesus said to His disciples, “ … I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” So, exercising our God-given authority, when was the last time we made a disciple? Salvation is a process, and we plant seeds in people’s lives, with ideas and Biblical truths, and move them, step by step, closer to making a decision for God. Thinking back to my own salvation process, there was no “light bulb” or Damascus Road experience, but instead faithful men helped me transition from a life of darkness to a life living in the light of God’s redemptive power. And the process took a year or so. In my pride and stubbornness I tried to find the way on my own, but there was that day when I had to admit defeat and place my life in God’s hands. But I know others who did indeed experience a blinding revelation of God’s grace. For those who God has given us, we pray and witness, sharing the journey with them. We plant seeds of spiritual truth, praying that the Holy Spirit will bring about the growth into eternal life.

Dear Father God. It is You who brings about the birth of a new Christian through the power of Your Spirit. Please find us opportunities to plant Your seeds of eternal life in all we meet, by our words and deeds. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Father’s Work

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work. But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”
John 10:37-38 NLT

Father God was, and is, a worker. His activities never cease, and He considered His work to be “very good”. Genesis 1:31, “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day”. We can’t even start to imagine the extent of the work necessary to create the universe, and ever since then God has continued to work in His creation. The devil came to frustrate and destroy God’s work by bringing evil and wickedness into this world but God had a plan right from the beginning, a plan that involved His Son, Jesus.

Jesus’ coming to this world was very much a part of God’s creative work, and He told the crowd before Him that the evidence of His Father’s endorsement of Jesus as His Son, was contained within the miraculous works that He performed. And if that was not enough, after Jesus’ baptism by John, a public declaration from Father God was heard, “And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy”” (Matthew 3:17). But regardless of all the evidence before them, the people still refused to believe in Jesus.

What was the work that Jesus was undertaking on behalf of His Father? In John 17:4, Jesus’ prayer included this verse, “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). So everything that Jesus did in His short life brought glory to His Father. All the teachings, all the miracles, the training of His disciples, even the death on the Cross – all Jesus’ work was the implementation of God’s plan for the salvation of mankind. Those years spent in the carpenter’s shop were preparation for the ministry years still to come. And there came a point when Jesus could say that His earthly work was complete. 

In His last post-resurrection days, Jesus delegated to His disciples the work necessary for the building of His Kingdom and the Church. And that has continued over the centuries since, and still goes on today. We pilgrims are spiritual descendants of the first disciples, and we also are working in our families and communities, to continue the Father’s work. One day it will all be completed and God will declare that His work is “very good”. What a privilege we have, to be part of God’s workforce, employed in the service of our King. 

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You for the work that You have delegated to us. We pray for Your guidance in doing it. In Your previous name. Amen.

Do You Believe?

Posted on by korgrocker

““You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
John 9:34-38 NLT

Jesus’ compassion was such that He wanted to make sure Mr Blind-no-more was alright. After his mauling in the Pharisees’ court, with its subsequent punishment of excommunication, the man found his euphoric, sight-restored, bubble pricked and deflated, leaving him devoid of the social contact and help he would now desperately need. But he had a future and a hope by believing in Jesus. And he was found by Jesus, his new Lord and Master, who lifted him up into a new bubble of belief in the Son of God. One day that man would find himself somewhere where the Pharisees couldn’t go. 

Jesus was consistent in His message that only those who believe in Him will enter a spiritual realm that includes God Himself. We have of course the much-quoted verse in John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life”. He said much the same in John 5:24, “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life”. In John 6:35, Jesus said, ” … I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty”. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus’ message of salvation through believing in Him expanded to include His teaching for the new believers. It was hard teaching at times, but the results came to fruition on that day when the rushing wind and tongues of fire empowered the early church founders to continue in obedience to what their Lord and Master said to them. The Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance the truths expounded during their years spent with Him. 

We don’t know what happened to Mr Blind-no-more after his encounter with Jesus. After such a miraculous healing, he probably became a disciple and follower of Jesus, and may have even been in the upper room when the Holy Spirit fell on those who were gathered there. He certainly never lacked the boldness necessary to stand up to the Pharisee. In his shoes I would certainly like to think that I would become a follower of the Man who healed me and restored my sight. We are told that after he met Jesus again, Mr Blind-no-more worshipped Jesus after confessing that he believed in Him. And we can almost hear the gates of hell clang shut behind another person who had escaped its clutches. We pilgrims too have been redeemed from the sins that otherwise would have entangled us, and we now enjoy our status as followers of Jesus in the Kingdom of God. Perhaps one day we will catch up with Mr Blind-no-more and will be able to ask him about his amazing experience.

Dear God. You are truly amazing and Your power has not only enabled countless miracles to take place, but it has also opened the door for sinners to enter Your kingdom. We are so thankful. Amen.

Disciples

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““Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.””
John 9:27-29 NLT

We pilgrims associate being a disciple with following Jesus, and this consists of two parts – our personal development to become more like Jesus through applying His teaching in our own lives, and by spreading the Good News about Him to all we meet, as the opportunities arise. But discipleship isn’t just restricted to following Jesus. It is possible to become a disciple of anyone who attracts us by their teaching and ways of life. In Jesus’ day many people became disciples of the Pharisees, following their rigid and unloving ways without question. And in turn, the Pharisees claimed to be disciples of Moses. However, Mr Blind-no-more had become a bit irritated by the Pharisees because they were determined to find some flaw that would enable them to reject his testimony. But he was having none of their nonsense and he accused them, perhaps sarcastically, of wanting to become disciples of Jesus, like he had become. The Pharisees’ response was astonishing – John recorded that “they cursed him”. Hardly the behaviour of people who claimed to be religious leaders and examples to the people.

The Pharisees in our verses today declared that they were disciples of Moses. We know much about Moses from the Old Testament accounts and he is thought to have written the first five books of the Bible, probably with the help of a scribe like Joshua. He was the only person who ever spoke to God face to face, and God’s teachings, messages and laws formed the basis of the Jewish faith. But unfortunately the Pharisees had turned this into a matter of following the letter of the Law rather than its intent. Moses wrote what God commanded in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength”. But in common with many followers of religions, the Pharisees picked out the bits they liked and ignored what they didn’t. 

The Pharisees claimed that they didn’t know where Jesus had come from. With the benefit of hindsight we know of His origins today, and with a bit of effort, the Pharisees could have found out as well. But they weren’t interested. As far as they were concerned, Jesus was preaching a message that conflicted with their views. To accept that message would mean abandoning their way of life and take a leap of faith that was beyond their collective abilities or desires. 

We pilgrims are disciples of Jesus and we do our best to follow Him. But the road to our promised land is far from easy, and the teachings Jesus left us with us are seemingly impossible except for two factors. The Holy Spirit resides within each one of us and, as Jesus said in John 16:13, He will lead us into all truth, not just in the future but in the present as well. The second factor is God’s grace, always there when we stumble and fall. Being disciples in our own strength and coming up to God’s standard is well-nigh impossible, but with God and all His resources there to help us it becomes a joy. We don’t know what the future holds for us disciples but we journey on, following in the Master’s footsteps.

Disciples we are, and we obey the Master’s command to make disciples, as we read in Matthew 28, “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). Introducing another person to Jesus is a humbling privilege and one that causes great joy in Heaven.


Dear Lord Jesus, we are humbled by the awesome opportunity of being Your disciples. We pray for the strength to stay the course until we reached the goal all disciples strive for. In Your name we pray. Amen.