Living in the Image of God M07S08
This bible study discusses a two-part message. First, understand the basis for your faith and, second, be prepared and willing to share the understanding with others. As you share the basis for your faith, you understand better, your faith grows stronger, clarity of your presentation increases, and your message becomes bolder and more effective. The study is anchored on the testimony of a man born blind that Jesus healed. Initially, he knew only the facts of his healing but did not understand what they meant regarding Jesus. Subsequently, he understood that he was seeking to represent God among others by conveying to them a message that Jesus is the Son of God, which defines the basis for his faith. Given the specificity of your situation, if your intended action is motivated by seeking to fulfill a purpose of God, then your task belongs to God and he will guide you to victory. That defines the basis for your faith.
We discuss the testimony of a man born blind that Jesus healed (John 9:1–38). Motivated by appreciation, he shared his experience with neighbors, other relations, and Pharisees (also known as Teachers of the Law). Initially, he knew only the facts that Jesus gave him sight, by soiling his eyes and directing him to wash in a pool. However, he did not understand any message of the healing regarding Jesus. We discuss the man’s experience in a previous two-part lesson entitled Testimony of Man Born Blind (M02S14 and M02S15). This study discusses the testimony again toward understanding the basis for our faith of God.
His understanding evolved as he shared his experience. First, he understood that his healing was a miracle of God. Second, he understood the man that healed him must be of God. Later, through a subsequent encounter with Jesus, he understood that Jesus is the Messiah: the Son of God that came to the world in human form to represent God among people. He understood better and his faith grew stronger as he shared his experience with others. Telling his story became a Gospel mission that he discovered incrementally as he interacted with others.
Additionally, to understand the basis for faith, we review Christ interactions with his disciples during two storms on the Sea of Galilee and David’s message as he stepped into battle against Goliath. If you are seeking to represent God among other people—to be for the others what God would be for them if he lived in human form; then your task belongs to God and he will guide you to victory. That, is the basis for your faith as it applies to the specificity of your situation.
Regarding the man that Jesus healed from life-long blindness, the basis for his faith was that he was seeking to represent God among others by conveying to them a message that Jesus is the Son of God. Regarding Christ’s disciples during the storms on Sea of Galilee, the basis for their faith was that the task of sailing across the lake to the opposite shore was assigned to them by God (in human form as Jesus). Regarding David in his battle against Goliath, the basis for his faith was that killing Goliath to lead Israel to victory against the Philistines was a task of God.
Testimony to Neighbors
The man had been blind from birth but received sight during this encounter with Jesus (John 9:1–7). Several events that occurred following the healing led him incrementally to a mission of proclaiming Jesus is the Messiah. His appreciation for receiving sight motivated him to tell his story and propelled him to the mission. He told the story several times: more boldly and with greater clarity each time.
He started by testifying to his neighbors and other relations. They saw him and wanted to know what had happened to him. They wondered if he was really the same blind beggar they knew. What happened to him? How did he begin to see? [John 9:8–9]: “His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, ‘Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?’ Some claimed that he was. Others said, ‘No, he only looks like him.’”
The man confirmed he was the same person they knew that used to be blind. He described his encounter with Jesus accurately. But he didn’t try to explain the experience [John 9:11–12]: “He replied, ‘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.’ ‘Where is this man?’ they asked him. ‘I don’t know,’ he said.”
The man was happy that he now could see. The person he described as “the man they call Jesus” did something to open his eyes so he could see. However, he did not understand what the healing meant regarding Jesus. For now, he was satisfied with just knowing the facts. However, subsequent events will show he understood Jesus better as he talked to more people about the healing.
Interactions with the Pharisees
In several interactions with the Pharisees (also known as Teachers of the Law), they tried to persuade him to change his account to discredit or deny the healing. Instead, his determination to protect the facts as he shared his experience led him to clarity of understanding the basis for his faith in Jesus.
First, the Pharisees tried to use the fact that the healing occurred on a Sabbath but couldn’t agree among themselves. Second, they questioned his parents, expecting to establish the man was not the blind person they knew. However, his parents confirmed it was him but did not try to explain how he gained sight. Third, the Pharisees tried unsuccessfully to persuade the man that Jesus was a sinner. Finally, they questioned him again and used his answer as pretext to expel him from synagogue.
During his final interview with the Pharisees, he explained that only the healing power of God can open the eyes of a man born blind. Jesus opened my eyes because he is from God and commands the healing power of God: [John 9:31–33]: “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Therefore, he must be the Messiah.
Jesus met with the man later and confirmed that he is the Messiah: “Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you’” [John 9:37]. Sharing the account of his healing and the basis for his faith led him incrementally to discover his mission of explaining to others that Jesus is the Messiah.
Jesus Interactions with Disciples Regarding Two Storms
We discuss the basis for faith using Jesus’ interactions with his disciples during two storms on the Sea of Galilee. In the first storm, the disciples panicked in the storm and shifted focus from work to pray for miracle. He released a miracle to end their ordeal and scolded them for lack of faith. In the second event, the disciples focused on work but got distracted by the glory of his presence. He encouraged them to keep working and released a miracle to end their ordeal.
In both events, Jesus had directed his disciples to sail across the lake to the opposite shore. Therefore, the basis for their faith regarding both storms was that their task belonged to God and he will guide them to victory. The same way that David recognized his task of battling Goliath belonged to God: “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” [1 Samuel 17:47].
Basis for Faith
God creates every person to represent him among other people and circumstances—to be for the others what God would be for them if he lived in human form. Given the specificity of your situation, if your intended action is motivated by seeking to represent God among others, then your task belongs to God and he will guide you to victory. That is the basis for your faith.
Regarding the man that Jesus healed from life-long blindness, the basis for his faith was that he was seeking to represent God among others by conveying to them a message that Jesus is the Son of God. Regarding Christ’s disciples during the storms on Sea of Galilee, the basis for their faith was that the task of sailing across the lake to the opposite shore was assigned to them by God (in human form as Jesus). Regarding David in his battle against Goliath, the basis for his faith was that killing Goliath to lead Israel to victory against the Philistines was a task of God.
Summary of What We Learned
This bible study discusses a two-part message. First, understand the basis for your faith and, second, be prepared and willing to share the understanding with others. As you share the basis for your faith, you understand better, your faith grows stronger, clarity of your presentation increases, and your message becomes bolder and more effective.
The study is anchored on the testimony of a man born blind that Jesus healed. Initially, he knew only the facts of his healing but did not understand what they meant regarding Jesus. Subsequently, he understood that he was seeking to represent God among others by conveying to them a message that Jesus is the Son of God, which defines the basis for his faith. Given the specificity of your situation, if your intended action is motivated by seeking to fulfill a purpose of God, then your task belongs to God and he will guide you to victory. That defines the basis for your faith.