part0015

R eflect on the material you’ve covered this week by engaging in any or all of the following between-sessions activities. Each personal study consists of several reflection activities to help you implement what you learned in the group time. The time you invest will be well spent, so let God use it to draw you closer to him. At your next meeting, share any key points or insights that stood out to you as you spent this time with the Lord.

As you discussed this week, though the man born blind was miraculously healed by Jesus, not everybody was happy about it. Similar to the miracle story from session two, when Jesus healed the paralytic by the pool of Bethesda, the religious leaders were not pleased by the blind man’s sudden sight. Read the following passage and answer the questions below.

14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

2. The Sabbath, or day of rest, was important to those who followed Jewish law. When Jesus made clay for the blind man’s eyes, what he was doing was equivalent to kneading dough, which was one of thirty-nine acts forbidden on the Sabbath. Still, what Jesus did was remarkable. How does this story reveal the Pharisees had missed the point?

3. The Bible talks about the importance of the state of our hearts over our behavior. In Psalm 51:16–17, we read, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” What does God really want from us?

4. Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27–28). According to Jesus, what makes someone a hypocrite? Why wasn’t Jesus impressed with the Pharisees’ whitewashed exterior?

5. What do these verses say about how you are to follow God? What do they say about how you are to know if someone is a follower of God?

6. Jesus’ miracles accomplished what God said he was going to do: “Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder” (Isaiah 29:14). How do miracles and wonders get us out of our religious heads and into our spiritual hearts?

Prayer: As you saw today, sometimes our heads can get in the way of our hearts when it comes to our faith. A good way to get back in touch with the things of the heart and get out of your head is by getting into your body. At your prayer time today, do something physical, such as going on a walk, stretching in your living room, or taking a bike ride. As you move, talk to God. Be honest about the state of your faith—is it blinded by religion or open to the experiences Jesus has for you? When you’re finished, be still and notice how this prayer time felt compared to others that you have had in the past.

One of the most beautiful parts of the story of Jesus healing the blind man is when Jesus goes after him at the end. The now-seeing man was shunned by his synagogue, community, and parents. In a moment of what must have been pure loneliness for the man, Jesus appears before him, proving that he does indeed see us in our plight. Read the post-miracle story that John records in his Gospel and then answer the questions below.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (John 9:35–39).

1. The fact that Jesus heard “they had thrown him out” (verse 35) indicates he and his disciples had already left the area and continued on their way. Jesus could have considered his work finished, but he came back when he heard of the man’s plight. What does his concern for the once-blind man say about how Jesus feels about you?

3. Have you ever wondered if God sees you? Perhaps you are wondering that now. What makes you doubt whether or not God knows what you are going through in your life?

4. God has many Hebrew names in the Bible that define his character. El Shaddai is God Almighty. Rafa is the God Who Heals. El Roi is the God Who Sees. The origin of this name is found in Genesis 16, when an enslaved woman named Hagar fled from Abraham and Sarah, because Sarah had dealt harshly with her. An angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar in the wilderness where she had fled and gave her a promise:

In response, Hagar called the one who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). Often, when we see God, we realize he sees us. Describe a situation in your life when you found this to be true.

5. What is a struggle in your life that you wonder if God sees or cares about? Have you looked for God in this struggle? Why or why not?

6. Think about a time when you’ve struggled in the past. In hindsight, can you identify where God was or how God was working during this time? If so, explain.

Prayer: Call on El Roi today, the God Who Sees, by reading this prayer silently or aloud: “El Roi, you are the God who sees me. Even though I know this, sometimes I wonder if you really see me and if you really care about me. Some areas of my life feel so difficult. I wonder if things will ever get better and doubt you are at work in that part of my life. Today, I do not want to doubt. I want to call on you, El Roi, the God who sees me. See my pain and hurt. See my heart and my regrets. May I see you as you see me. May I feel seen and as I feel seen, may I feel known. Thank you for making this possible through your son Jesus Christ. In his name I pray, amen.”

As you’ve seen, Jesus is our healer, but that doesn’t mean the healing is always easy and carefree. Healing for our physical bodies requires medicine and recovery time. Often, we will feel pain before we feel better. The same is true of spiritual healing. Sometimes we have to go through something difficult or uncomfortable before we find ourselves on the other side. God will often use these less-than-pleasant remedies to help us see. Jesus offered the blind man a strange remedy in the miracle you studied this week. Read the following passage from John’s Gospel and answer the questions that follow.

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing (John 9:6–7).

5. Have you ever experienced a difficult, confusing, or messy remedy to receive spiritual healing? If so, why do you think that remedy was necessary?

6. In Psalm 119:105, we read, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” In the Old Testament, God’s “word” referred to the law written by Moses. For believers in Christ, the “Word” refers to Jesus himself. How is Jesus—the “Word” and light-bringer—guiding you on the path he wants you to follow right now?

Prayer: Honestly talk with God today about what you learned in this study. You could thank him for a remedy he gave you in the past or ask him questions about one you are undergoing today. Be honest. God wants your whole heart.

Use the space below to further reflect on what you studied this week: the dangers of religion, being seen by God, and unlikely remedies. Journal your thoughts or write them as a prayer to God, either asking him questions about what you learned, thanking him for what you learned, or seeking answers from him on what to do next now that you better understand these topics in Scripture. Also write down any observations or questions that you want to bring to your next group time.