Tag Archives: identity
Focus! Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus in a Near-Sighted, Distracted World! (The Blind Man in John 9 – Part 4)
Today’s Challenge: May I ask you — do you correctly identify yourself as one who has been touched and healed by the Lord Jesus? Such a confession involves admitting your need and giving God credit for what He’s done in your life. And spiritually sighted people do just that!
DON’T FORGET WHO YOU ARE! (A Study of I Peter 2:9-10)

You may have heard the story of the man who said he was going through a double crisis. “Really?” His friend said. “What do you mean?” “I’m going through both an identity crisis and an energy crisis.” “What?” “Yes, I don’t know who I am — and I am too tired to find out!”
I. Your Identity (v. 9)
1. A Chosen People (v. 9)
2. A Royal Priesthood
3. A Holy Nation
4. God’s Special Possession
II. Your Purpose (v. 9)
>> “that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
III. Your New Status (v. 10)
>> You have moved from the category of NOT A PEOPLE to the category of THE PEOPLE OF GOD! And you’ve moved from the sad status of NOT RECEIVING MERCY to the blessed condition of HAVING RECEIVED MERCY!
Today’s Challenge: Do you know who you are in Christ? Then live today as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and as God’s special possession. Not for yourself — but to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light!
Insight from a Blind Man (A Study of John 9) Part 7
So the man “went and washed, and came home seeing.” Simple obedience is so refreshing, isn’t it?
But then there is the question of IDENTITY. He returns home and people don’t recognize him. His neighbors and those who had seen him begging are divided. Some thought it was the blind beggar; others that he just looked like him.
What’s sometimes interesting is that we can treat people with one disability as if they had two. We speak louder around blind people. Why? As they debated this man’s identity, they forgot that he could talk. He was not mute!
During my years at Northeastern Bible College in NJ, it became evident that the school was going under financially. I had a friend take a picture of me in front of a blackboard to attach to my resume that I was sending to other Bible colleges for a teaching position. (That is NOT me to the right). It was only after I had sent out my resume to several schools that I realized what was written behind on the blackboard in the picture. It was a quote from our text, John 9: ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγεν ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι. Which being translated means, “I AM THE MAN!”
I don’t believe I got any offers of employment from those schools. But let’s not miss the point. This man knew who he was — and he admitted it! (I would have been tempted to have turned my back on that past life and said something like, “Blind man? I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’ve never begged in my life!”).
This man could have said, “Once I was blind — but now I can TALK! And I know who I am.” Do you, my friend? (to be continued)