"Lesson 16: “I Was Blind, Now I See”," New Testament Class Member Study Guide, (1997)
John 9–10
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Jesus healed a man who had been born blind (John 9:1–7). How did the healed man’s testimony grow as he continued to share it? (See John 9:11, 17, 33, 38.) How has your testimony grown as you have shared it?
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How did the parents of the man who had been blind respond when the Pharisees asked them about the miracle? (See John 9:18–23.) Why did the parents respond this way? (See John 9:22.) How are we sometimes like this man’s parents? How can you be more valiant in your testimony?
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In Jesus’ discussion of the shepherd and his sheep, whom do the sheep represent? (See John 10:4, 27.) Who is the shepherd? (See John 10:11.) What are some qualities of a good shepherd? (See John 10:3–4, 7, 9–15.) How is Jesus the perfect example of a shepherd?
The Lord expects the members of His Church to“open [their mouths] at all times, declaring [His] gospelwithth e sound of rejoicing.” 8
This is not always easy. Some would rather pull a handcart across theprairie than bring up the subject of faith and religion to their friends andco-workers. They worry about how they might be perceived or how itmight harm their relationship. It doesn’t need to be that way because wehave a glad message to share, and we have a message of joy.
Years ago our family lived and worked among people who in almost everycase were not of our faith. When they asked us how our weekend was, wetried to skip the usual topics—like sports events, movies, or the weather—and tried to share some religious experiences we had as a family overthe weekend—for instance, what a youth speaker had said about thestandards from For the Strength of Youth or how we were touched by thewords of a young man who was leaving on his mission or how the gospeland the Church helped us as a family to overcome a specific challenge wehad. We tried not to be preachy or overbearing. My wife, Harriet, wasalways the best at finding something inspirational, uplifting, or humorousto share. This often would lead to more in-depth discussions.Interestingly enough, whenever we talked with friends about coping withlife’s challenges, we often heard the comment “It’s easy for you; you haveyour church.”
With so many social media resources and a multitude of more or lessuseful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel iseasier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before. In fact, I amalmost afraid that some listening have already sent text messages like“He’s been speaking for 10 minutes and still no aviation analogy!” My dearyoung friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to “open [your]mouths” 9 might today include “use your hands” to blog and text messagethe gospel to all the world! But please remember, all at the right time andat the right place.
Brothers and sisters, with the blessings of modern technology, we canexpress gratitude and joy about God’s great plan for His children in a waythat can be heard not only around our workplace but around the world.Sometimes a single phrase of testimony can set events in motion thataffect someone’s life for eternity.
The most effective way to preach the gospel is through example. If we liveaccording to our beliefs, people will notice. If the countenance of JesusChrist shines in our lives, 10 if we are joyful and at peace with the world,people will want to know why. One of the greatest sermons everpronounced on missionary work is this simple thought attributed to SaintFrancis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, usewords.” 11 Opportunities to do so are all around us. Do not miss them bywaiting too long on the road to Damascus.
Suggestion for Family Discussion
Read John 9:1–38, asking family members to look for ways the Savior helped the blind man see both physically and spiritually. Discuss how spiritual sight and physical sight are alike and different. Ask family members to discuss ways they can increase their ability to “see” gospel truths.
