Friday, May 04, 2018

The Vision (5.4.18): Hearing it again (and again)



Image: Azaleas, North Garden, Virginia, May 2018

Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on John 9:26-38.

John 9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will we also be his disciples?

When the Pharisees asked the man born blind what Jesus had done to him and how he had opened his eyes (v. 26), he responded, in part, by asking them: “wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?” (v. 27b).

There is great irony in this. Of course, they do not want to be his disciples. They want to accuse the Lord Jesus Christ as had been their motivation with brining to him the woman taken in adultery (see 8:6).

There is also an interesting truth in these questions: Disciples are indeed those who rejoice in repeated hearings of accounts from the life and ministry of Jesus. This is why we love to read our Bible (especially the Gospels) and why we love to hear the preaching and teaching of the Word.

The text of the old gospel hymn reflects this sentiment:

Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word.
Tell me the story most precious, sweetest that every was heard.

We love to hear the story of Jesus, of his parables and his miracles, but especially to hear of his death, burial, and resurrection. One mark of a genuine disciple is the desire to hear the old, old story again and again.

If you are a professed believer and do not have that desire, this should bring you grave concern for your spiritual state.

May we show that we are Christ’s disciples by virtue of our desire to read the inspired accounts of Christ’s ministry and to drink in teaching and preaching on his life.

Grace and peace, Pastor Jeffrey T. Riddle

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