We learn here in John 9 that the disciples assumed the man’s lifelong blindness was punishment for sin, but Jesus explained it was so “the works of God should be made manifest in him.” The man’s neighbors and the Pharisees later interrogated him, refusing to believe the miracle or accept Jesus’ identity. Pressured to denounce Christ, the man held firmly to the undeniable truth of his experience. His testimony became beautifully simple and unshakable: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” This “one thing” mirrors the believer’s salvation, as Christ gives us a new life that cannot be denied.

This message chronicles Mary and Martha welcoming Jesus into their home, but while Mary sat at His feet to listen to His teaching, Martha became overwhelmed with serving and grew frustrated. When she complained, Jesus gently told her that only “one thing” was truly necessary—the attentive, worshipful focus Mary had chosen. The account teaches that while serving Christ is good, devotion must come before duty, because time spent with Him is the “good part” that can never be taken away. Believers today likewise need to guard against busyness and prioritize spending time with Christ in His Word.

In this lesson from Philippians 3, the Apostle Paul explains that the central pursuit of the Christian life is to know Christ deeply by experiencing His resurrection power, sharing in His sufferings, and becoming more like Him. Paul admits he has not yet reached full maturity, but like a runner, he presses forward with focused determination, refusing to be hindered by past successes, failures, or religious credentials. Paul’s “one thing” is to forget what lies behind and reach toward God’s goal for him—Christlikeness—while urging believers to do the same.

The rich young ruler sincerely asked Jesus how to inherit eternal life. Jesus first confronted his shallow view of Him as merely a “good teacher,” then reminded him of the commandments he claimed to keep. Finally, Jesus exposed the “one thing” he lacked—his riches had become his god—and told him to sell all, give to the poor, and follow Him. The young man went away sorrowful because he loved his possessions more than eternal life, illustrating how wealth can hinder devotion to God. This study also shows that under grace today, salvation is received freely by believing in Christ alone, and not by works.

In his second epistle, the Apostle Peter warns that in Israel’s future Tribulation, scoffers will deny Christ’s promised Second Coming. As we find out in this episode, however, Peter reminds them that these scoffers “willingly are ignorant” of God’s past interventions. He explains the “one thing” Israel must remember: God relates to time differently, so what seems like delay is actually His longsuffering, giving people opportunity to repent. Finally, Peter points to the Apostle Paul’s writings, which shows that God’s dispensation of grace explains the temporary postponement of Christ’s return to Israel.