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anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 14 March 2022 – Stand For Jesus

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TOPIC: Stand For Jesus

READ: John 9:18-41 (NKJV)

  1. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.
  2. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
  3. His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
  4. “but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.”
  5. His parents said these [things] because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed [that] He [was] Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
  6. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
  7. So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
  8. He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner [or not] I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
  9. Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
  10. He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear [it] again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
  11. Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.
  12. “We know that God spoke to Moses; [as for] this [fellow,] we do not know where He is from.”
  13. The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
  14. “Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
  15. “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
  16. “If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
  17. They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
  18. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
  19. He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
  20. And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
  21. Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
  22. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
  23. Then [some] of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
  24. Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

THE MESSAGE:

The Pharisees had a deep-rooted hatred for Jesus because His way of life exposed their oppressive and hypocritical exercise of authority over the people. When Jesus healed the blind man, the Pharisees tried to discredit the miracle. They called on the man and his parents to upturn the truth. Their resort to cross-examination was an effort to find some contradictions in the man’s testimony. The man was eventually thrown out of their Synagogue for his boldness.

When Jesus found him outside, it became an opportunity for him to truly find Jesus in his own life. Many have been thrown out of Churches and homes for standing for Jesus. It is encouraging to note that some have returned to become genuine cornerstones of their Churches and homes. Persecutions will come when you follow Jesus. You may lose jobs and friends; and even your life. But no one can take away your faith and the joy of knowing Jesus (Matthew 10:16-26). Take heart, be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world (John 16.33).

PRAYER: O Lord, grant me grace to stand firm for You in all situations. Amen.

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