John 9
Recognizing the Extraordinary in the Mundane: Lessons from Joshua Bell and John 9
Joshua Bell’s Subway Experiment
Joshua Bell, a world-renowned violinist, famously performed in a New York subway, drawing little attention from the passersby despite playing a multi-million-dollar violin and delivering a masterful performance. This experiment, where only a handful of people paused to appreciate his talent, serves as a powerful metaphor often used in sermons. It underscores how people can overlook extraordinary moments when they are immersed in their routine lives.
John 9: A Spiritual Lesson in Sight and Perception
The podcast uses Bell’s subway performance to highlight a key lesson from John Chapter 9 in the Bible, which revolves around sight and perception—both physical and spiritual.
1. The Context of John 9
John 9 starts with Jesus encountering a man who was blind from birth. Jesus’ disciples question whether the blindness was due to the man’s own sins or those of his parents, reflecting a common belief of the time that suffering was a direct result of sin. Jesus clarifies that the man's condition is not due to sin but exists so that God's works might be revealed through him.
2. Jesus’ Miraculous Healing
In a dramatic act, Jesus makes mud with his saliva, applies it to the blind man’s eyes, and instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeys and gains his sight. This miracle is not only a demonstration of Jesus' divine power but also a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah restoring sight to the blind.
3. Reactions to the Miracle
The healing creates a stir among the man’s neighbors, who struggle to believe that someone they have known as blind could now see. They are more focused on questioning the authenticity of the miracle rather than celebrating it. The Pharisees, on the other hand, are scandalized that the miracle occurred on the Sabbath, a day when work was traditionally forbidden. This fixation on tradition blinds them to the significance of the miracle.
4. The Spiritual Implication
The story highlights a deeper spiritual message about perception and recognition. Just as the subway audience failed to recognize Bell’s artistry, the people in John 9 fail to recognize the divine work of Jesus. Their rigid adherence to tradition prevents them from seeing the miraculous work of God unfolding before their eyes.
5. Breaking Out of Routines
We must avoid confining God to our expectations or traditional norms, he’s always working and often working in unexpected ways! This idea is captured in the notion that if you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always gotten. Embracing change and being open to new experiences can lead to encountering the divine in ways you might not expect. Some examples of this might be sharing your faith in places you visit often like the bank or grocery story. If you’re one that usually prays alone in a room consider taking a prayer walk and see how God might speak to you. If you always sit in the same place during Sunday worship, sit somewhere new and ask God to minister through you to those in that area. There are many more creative examples you can think of!
6. Embracing Expectancy
Living with expectancy rather than rigid expectations allows one to recognize and appreciate the extraordinary in the mundane. It’s about being open to how God works in new and surprising ways, rather than being constrained by established routines and traditional interpretations. Both Joshua Bell’s subway performance and the story from John 9 illustrate how extraordinary events and divine actions can be overlooked when one is not attuned to them. Recognizing and appreciating these moments requires breaking free from routine and being open to new possibilities. It’s an invitation to see beyond the surface and embrace the extraordinary aspects of life and faith.
