This week, we continue with our series focusing on Jesus' words "go and," highlighting the fact that Jesus always put people in motion, so to speak, because faith always requires action of some type. In John 9, there is the story of the man born blind, which is one of my favorites. Let's look at this narrative in the light of our current theme:
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “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 9:1-7).
THE PLAYERS
There are three main characters in the first part of this story, and later we meet his parents and the Jewish authorities who were offended by Jesus' miracle, which makes five. The first is the blind man who had never seen in his entire life, a victim of congenital blindness. The second group was made up of Jesus' followers who wanted to debate the reason for the man's condition. The third character was Jesus, who wanted to heal the man. The fourth were his parents, who were so intimidated by the Jewish officials that they could not rejoice at their son's miraculous healing. And the Jewish officials comprised the final group, those who launched a congressional hearing of sorts to get to the bottom of the dastardly deed of healing a blind man on the Sabbath.
The context of this story is Jesus' lesson that He is the light of the world who requires that His disciples do good deeds and fulfill their purpose while they have the chance to do so. Jesus' healing in this case involved the strange act of spitting on the ground, making mud, and then smearing the mud on the man's blind eyes. He them told the man to go and wash in the historic pools of Siloam, built by Hezekiah to provide water in Jerusalem in case the city was ever under siege.
THE LESSONS
Jesus required that the man play a role in his own healing. Jesus told the man to go, something that was not easy for a blind man. Perhaps someone led him or maybe he was familiar with the way to the pool. Whatever the case, the man went immediately and obediently and after he washed, he came back and was healed. The name of the pool literally means "sent" so the man was sent by the Sent One to the pool named Sent to find his healing. Jesus was the start and finish, the Alpha and Omega, of the man's recovery and the same is true for you and me.
People ask me all the time when they find their purpose how they will fulfill their purpose. I had to face the same question in 1991 when I began teaching on purpose. Today 27 years later, I write, publish, travel, speak, consult, broadcast, and coach. The One who gave me my purpose is the same One who has helped me fulfill my purpose. He has been the Alpha and Omega of my purpose - He started it and has helped me achieve it. The same will be true for you.
Now that Jesus has opened your eyes to your purpose and creativity, He will continue to open your eyes but you must "go and . . . ." You must go and write, paint, rhyme, create, learn, expand, give, or travel. You are not to be like some of the characters in John 9 who wanted to debate or judge what Jesus was doing. You must not be like the man's parents who were terrified to embrace the moment. You must be like the blind man who obeyed immediately and, even though he could not see his way forward, found his way. As he did, he found his healing. That is your model to follow and as you go, I know you will have a great week this week and in the weeks to come!
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I NEED YOUR HELP: I have a trip coming up to Kenya on July 26 and I need your help. Watch this video of the children at Upako Centre and the Dr. Stanko Academy. Aren't they cute? They are excited because they received some of the resources you helped send in our container. Well, some of those children are orphans and they are sleeping on a mat on a concrete floor every night in one of the classrooms! I need to raise money for their beds and for other needs by the time I depart. You can give through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. Thank you but please don't delay. The need is urgent and my departure is near!
TRAVELS WITH DR. JOHN: I am planning three trips in the next two years, and I invite you to join me on any or all of them:
- Kenya Trip: February 15-23, 2019
- Alaska Cruise: August 4-11, 2019
- Israel Tour: April 21 - April 30, 2020 with an optional side trip to Jordan to see Petra from May 1-4.
If you would like information on these trips as it becomes available, write me at [email protected] and let me know.
The first is My Enemies My Friends, which is a fable that teaches important lessons about the book of Psalms,
specifically the there is a message in the entire book and not just the individual psalms themselves. Dr. John imparts these lessons through an entertaining story of Pastor Harold Portis who is about to be voted out of his church (or so it seems).
The second is The Power of Purple, which contains the Monday Memo series on women of purpose in Scripture. Men and women who are reading this book are finding it helpful in their own search for purpose.
Click on the cover of either book and order your signed copy today. It will make great summer reading and you will learn a lot while you read. (Kindle versions are available through Amazon.)
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