Immerse: Messiah - Flipbook - Page 429
9:25–10:10
John
417
“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this:
I was blind, and now I can see!”
“But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?”
“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.”
“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet
you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen
to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will.
Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”
“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.
Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give
sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”
Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are
you saying we’re blind?”
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold,
rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The
gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and
come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he
has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him
because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run
from him because they don’t know his voice.”
Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what
he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate
for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the
true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in
through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good
pastures. The thief ’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose
is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
