I Am The Light

I AM THE LIGHT

Part four of seven in I AM devotional series

John 9:1-41
John 9:5: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

We haven’t checked in on our kids lately. (Jeremy, Brad, Cassie, Shakira, Miguel). Today, nine year old Miguel brought his dog Buddy to the swimming pool. Buddy has something he wants to show us. Dog’s sense of smell is sharper than their eyesight. That’s why they smell people. They follow scents with noses directed on the ground. When a dog knows your scent, he remembers you forever—so don’t mistreat him.

Dogs seem to have an instinct about people, too. Perhaps dogs can see the light of Christ in people—and sense when His light is missing? Followers of Jesus walk in His light.

One time Jesus healed a blind man on the Sabbath. The man had been born blind. That provided Jesus a teaching moment for His disciples. John 9:3: “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’”

Townspeople harassed the man—who had begged all his life—and suddenly could see. He answered their questions truthfully, but couldn’t name who healed him. So they hauled him before the Pharisees—who also dragged his parents in for questioning. “He was born blind,” they confirmed.

It seems that they couldn’t satisfy the Pharisees, who really objected the Sabbath healing (John 9:6, 18-21, 24-34). “The healer must be a sinner, who works on the Sabbath,” some Pharisees said. Others said sinners cannot perform miracles. So they were divided. Those who rejected the miracle became spiritually blind. Those Pharisees walked in darkness.

I think that Buddy instinctively would have disliked those Pharisees.

Buddy sniffed a couple seventh graders who walked towards the swimming pool gate, and began barking at them. Miguel passed the seventh graders on his way back outside to see what was wrong with Buddy. One of them said to Miguel, “Take your stupid dog home before I kick him!”

Buddy growled.

Take Home Nugget

Jesus heard that the Pharisees threw out the former blind man. He found him and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (John 9:35).
The man replied, “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”
Jesus said, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking to you.”
The man believed. He worshipped Jesus, and began walking in His light.
Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Jesus’ judgment divides people between those who see and believe and those who’re spiritually blind and reject Him.

J.D. Griffith

Click here for an Interactive-Online-Lesson for I Am The Light

A personal, private lesson experience with our staff

Written for www.Biblestudyforkids.com

For FREE Online Bible Study Resources click here.