3 September 2010
Psalm 31; Job 19:1-7,14-27; Acts 13:13-25; John 9:18-41

Job’s cry to his friends is that they have piled on. If God has done this justly surely his friends should have comforted him and not accused him. He has not sinned against them in any way to bring this on, he owes them neither apology nor accounting, their role is not to be accuser but rather comforter and they have failed. There is a place for speaking the truth in love but never for speaking speculation in judgment. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. In ministry I have seen and heard this same thing from people who want to figure out the reason for someone’s suffering. When I have suffered grievously I have done the same, begged God to show me what sin this is punishment for. Job continues to believe in the redeemer, the one who will speak for him and proclaim his innocence. His faith is such that these accusations and this pain demand someone to stand with him and say it isn’t fair and it isn’t punishment for his sins.

The scene with the man born blind becomes comical. The parents are afraid of being ostracized from the community if they say that Jesus is the cause of their son’s healing and so simply say they have no responsibility for him, he is of age, ask him. The Pharisees continue to ask the man how he was healed in spite of the fact that everyone has to have heard the truth at least once by now so the man becomes sarcastic with them. Their only response is again to question where Jesus comes from and, although he was born blind and had been for many years, it is clear to the man that Jesus comes from God simply because of this miraculous healing. Blindness isn’t restricted to physical sight, sometimes there is a spiritual blindness as well.

It was customary in the synagogues to ask a visitor, particularly a teacher, if he wanted to share any message and here Paul and his companions are asked if they have a word for the congregation. Paul begins by reciting Jewish redemption history in outline form through David and then leaps immediately to Jesus. Could anyone have imagined what he was up to prior to that sudden twist of “Of this man’s posterity God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus”? He makes a thousand year leap in time and then proclaims that Messiah has come in this Jesus, and everyone would have known which Jesus he meant. The redeemer for whom Job was hoping had come and Paul could do nothing other than proclaim Him in line with David, the one through whom Messiah was to come. Is there any doubt this won’t end well in Pisidian Antioch?

Love the Lord, all you his saints.
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord.