This week, we will explore the first part of John 9. Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth. Instead of healing him instantly, Jesus makes mud with saliva, applies it to the man’s eyes, and tells him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam (John 9:6-7). The man obeys without question, and as a result of his obedience, he receives his sight. Let’s talk about how God doesn’t need us to perform miracles, but He often invites us to participate through faithful obedience.
- What’s something in your life that felt messy or uncomfortable at first, but looking back, you realize God used it for your growth or healing?
- Read John 9:1-5. What do you think led the disciples to quickly blame sin for the man’s condition?
- What does Jesus’ response (“this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him”) say about how we should view suffering and hardship?
- Read John 9:5-7. The healing involved something unusual—mud made from spit. Why do you think Jesus used something so unexpected to perform this miracle?
- The blind man acted on Jesus’ word before seeing any results; he still had to go to the pool while remaining blind. There was no physical evidence yet that anything had changed. How did the blind man’s obedience play a role in his healing? What does that say about our role in partnering with God’s work?
- Faith is not passive; it is expressed through action. Our obedience doesn’t earn God’s power, but it aligns us with His purpose. Is there an area in your life right now that feels like “mud in the eyes”—messy, uncomfortable, maybe even humiliating—but could be part of something God is doing?
- Read John 9:8-34. The formerly blind man’s neighbors and the Pharisees question him repeatedly about how he received his sight, struggling to believe that Jesus performed the miracle. Despite pressure and being cast out of the synagogue, the man boldly testifies that Jesus healed him. Have you ever felt that people close to you didn’t recognize or accept your transformation? How did you respond?
- One of the greatest challenges that Christ-followers face is trusting how God is working, even when we don’t fully understand what He is doing. Are you more tempted to demand black-and-white answers, or are you learning to trust God in the grey?
