ONE THING I DO KNOW
ONE THING I DO KNOW “One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see” (Jn. 9:25)
I’m sure you know the story. It is found in John 9:1-41. When Jesus and his disciples saw a man born blind, the disciples asked: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind. ‘Neither this man nor his parents,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened that the work of God might be displayed in his life’”
Then Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, put in on the man’s eyes. Then Jesus told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. This was not easy for a blind man to do, but when he did do it he was able to see. The fact that this happened on the Sabbath day created a firestorm of controversy (Jn. 9:14).
The purpose of this brief article is to show that you can be a powerful witness for God even though you have no money, education, social standing, or popularity. Because this man was born blind he obviously didn’t go to school or have any skills that would help him earn a living. He was a beggar (Jn. 9:8). Even though this beggar was not an authority on the Scriptures, he was still capable of delivering a powerful testimony from the first day he met Jesus. This man didn’t know much, but he did know something. His testimony was powerful! He said: “One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see”.
HIS NEIGHBORS
First this man witnessed to his neighbors and those who had seen him begging. They asked: “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said: ‘No, he only looks like him,’ But he himself insisted, ‘I am the man’.
When they wanted to know how his eyes were opened he merely told them what happened: “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then could see”.
Please note how simple this was! It required no scholarship, no study, and no memorization. He simply told what he knew. He knew he had been blind, and he knew that now he could see!
THE PHARISEES
When the Pharisees asked him how his eyes were opened he merely repeated what he had said before: “He put mud on my eyes” the man replied, “and I washed and now I see”. As long as you are telling the truth you don’t fear telling a different story and contradicting yourself.
Then the Pharisees began arguing among themselves. Some said that Jesus could not be from God because he violated the Sabbath, while others asked: “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?”
“Finally they turned again to the blind man, ‘What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened” The man replied ‘He is a prophet.’
HIS PARENTS
“They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
BACK BEFORE THE PHARISEES
“A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
“Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.”
JESUS FOUND HIM
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who searches for lost sheep (Lk. 15:3-7). It is a wonderful blessing to be found by Jesus! “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.”
THE POWER OF TESTIMONY
This man was the world’s greatest authority on what had happened to him. He knew more about what happened to him that the disciples, his neighbors, his parents, or the most intelligent Pharisee. He knew he had been blind, and he knew he could now see! Nobody could make him say otherwise.
The book of Revelation tells us “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the
power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev. 12:9-11).
Not everyone can testify about physical healing, but everyone who has encountered Jesus can say something:
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When Andrew met Jesus, the first thing he did was find his brother and tell him “We have found the Messiah” (Jn. 1:40-42).
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Andrew also brought the boy to Jesus who had the 5 loaves and 2 fish (Jn 6:8-9). •
When some Greeks wanted to see Jesus Andrew and Philip told Jesus (Jn. 12:20-22). •
When Philip met Jesus he found Nathanael and told him: “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph” (Jn. 1:44-45).
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The Samaritan woman brought many from her town to hear Jesus and “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony” (Jn. 4:39). •
Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead, also had a powerful testimony: “Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.” (Jn. 12:9-11).
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When Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Christ she went to his disciples with the news that she had seen the Lord (Jn. 20:18). It is both interesting and significant that Jesus appear “first” to Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9).
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When Peter and John healed a man who was crippled from birth the miracle was so obvious there was nothing the enemies of Jesus could say (Acts 3:1-10; 4:14). The people were praising God for this miracle for the man was over 40 years old (Acts 4:21-22).
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Paul’s personal testimony is found three times in the book of Acts (chapters 9, 22, and 26). •
Paul encouraged Timothy “So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner” (2 Tim. 1:8).
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Please do not be ashamed to testify about what Jesus has done for you! Jesus said: “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk. 9:26).
GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILY
(See Mark 5:1-20)
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Jesus crossed the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
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A man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
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When they tried to chain this man he broke the chains.
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Night and day he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
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The man was possessed by a legion of demons.
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Jesus cast out these demons and permitted them to enter into a large herd of pigs. •
The pigs, about 2,000 in number, rushed down a steep bank into the lake and were drowned. •
The people pleaded with Jesus to leave their region.
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The man whom Jesus healed begged to go with him.
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“Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.’ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed” (Mk. 5:19-20).
THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO START
“GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILY AND TELL THEM HOW MUCH THE LORD HAS DONE FOR YOU”