WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:13.640 Amen. Aren't you glad Jesus loves you today? Wow. That really sounded convincing. Aren't 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:19.740 y'all glad Jesus loves you today? Aren't you glad He's your Savior? Your sins have been 00:00:19.740 --> 00:00:25.240 forgiven and you have an eternal heavenly home waiting? Isn't that something to get 00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:30.339 excited about? You know people have beliefs all over the world. They believe in the wrong 00:00:30.339 --> 00:00:37.500 things and yet we are so privileged here to know that Jesus loves us and we have the 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:42.379 Word of God and if that's not worth getting excited about and worth shouting about, I don't 00:00:42.379 --> 00:00:47.920 know. And when we come here on Sundays it's a time for us as the body of Christ to worship 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:52.739 Him. You know I've said this in my Sunday school class many times that no matter what's going 00:00:52.740 --> 00:00:58.620 on in our lives, the bad things that happen, if we hold on to the truth that Jesus has 00:00:58.620 --> 00:01:04.400 set us free, He's forgiven us of our sin, you know we can get through anything can't we? 00:01:04.960 --> 00:01:10.079 Because we have truth. Not only did He die for us but He made sure we had a copy of His 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:16.020 Word in our language that we could certainly understand. I thank all the musicians this 00:01:16.020 --> 00:01:21.740 morning. We are so talented here. We have so many individuals that help us each and every 00:01:21.739 --> 00:01:26.819 week. I thank Brian for working on that, putting that together. There's nothing that ushers 00:01:26.819 --> 00:01:33.599 us into the presence of the Lord like music, is there? God created us that way and He created 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:40.599 us to be able to enter into His very presence that we could then study His Word and understand 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:45.739 His truth and the way He would have us to live. And today we're going to be in John chapter 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:52.099 9. John chapter 9 and we're going to be looking at verses 1 through 25, searching for God's 00:01:52.099 --> 00:01:59.419 third option. You know in our passage today we encounter a blind man. He's been blind since 00:01:59.419 --> 00:02:06.379 birth. He's been living in a world of complete and total darkness and he cannot even begin 00:02:06.379 --> 00:02:13.099 to comprehend, you know, what it would be like to see or to have sight and how that would change 00:02:13.099 --> 00:02:19.259 his life. When I was in college, I had a friend that was born blind. You know, and if you and I close 00:02:19.259 --> 00:02:28.979 our eyes today and I say, picture the color red, you can do that, can't you? Or if I say, picture the color 00:02:28.979 --> 00:02:37.620 green, you can imagine what that is. But to someone who's been born blind, I ask my friend, can you even 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:47.620 begin to imagine what the color red is? I said, no. You can't even visualize that or imagine that at all? 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:55.060 I said, no. The only thing he's ever seen in his entire life is darkness, black. And that's the only 00:02:55.060 --> 00:03:03.240 color he knows. And that's the man in our story today that we encounter. He was born blind. And as a result, 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:10.180 he was a beggar his entire life. He had to sit outside and depend upon other people's charity to 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:17.060 provide for him and to, you know, provide for the needs that he would have just for food and maybe 00:03:17.060 --> 00:03:25.980 shelter and clothing. And Jesus comes along in this man's life and he not only heals his physical 00:03:25.979 --> 00:03:33.259 blindness, but he also heals his spiritual blindness and he begins to help him to see 00:03:33.259 --> 00:03:41.099 spiritually that Jesus is the Messiah and for him to come to understand and know God and who God is 00:03:41.099 --> 00:03:48.219 and his will for his life. So let's look at our scriptures together today. We're going to break 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:53.319 this into two sections and I'm just going to read the first seven verses to begin with and then we'll 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:59.819 read the rest of this passage in a moment. So John chapter nine, verses one through seven. 00:04:00.819 --> 00:04:08.379 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:16.360 this man or his parents that he was born blind? Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, 00:04:16.360 --> 00:04:23.759 but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, 00:04:23.860 --> 00:04:30.939 we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, 00:04:31.060 --> 00:04:37.520 I am the light of the world. Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:46.060 and put it on the man's eyes. Go, he told him, wash in the pool of Shalom. This word means sent. So the man 00:04:46.060 --> 00:04:55.419 went and washed and came home seeing. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Jesus, we do thank you that you love us. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:00.919 We thank you, Lord, for those that have surrendered our lives to you, that you've forgiven us 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:07.420 and washed our sins away and that we can have a relationship with you. And we pray today, 00:05:08.080 --> 00:05:14.319 thanking you for the word of God, that you would speak through your word. We know that your word is 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:21.759 living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword. And we pray, Lord, today that you speak to 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:28.759 our hearts, each one of us, maybe in different places, different struggles, different opportunities 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:36.860 of life, that you speak where we are and lead us and draw us closer to you. In Jesus' name we pray, 00:05:37.019 --> 00:05:37.980 Father. Amen. 00:05:41.500 --> 00:05:50.019 To make this passage real to us this morning and for this passage to truly come to life and to be 00:05:50.019 --> 00:05:56.439 more than just a story that we've probably heard all of our lives, I want you to fill the blank in 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:05.079 on a question. You'll see it up on the screen. I would love to be able to see God do blank in my life. 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:14.899 I would love to see God do blank. What is it that you're sitting here today that you would love to see 00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:23.779 God do in your life? You know, maybe you're struggling in faith today. You'd like to believe the claims of 00:06:23.779 --> 00:06:30.199 Christ. You'd like to surrender your life to Him. You'd like to be in that intimate relationship with 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:35.419 Him. But there's just some struggles that you can't overcome. And maybe you would like for God to give 00:06:35.419 --> 00:06:42.259 you faith today to be able to believe those things as a child. Or maybe you are a believer today, but 00:06:42.259 --> 00:06:49.459 you're having struggles with a particular sin in your life or struggles in growing in your relationship. 00:06:49.459 --> 00:06:55.579 And you would like God to work in your life in a way to overcome those things. Maybe you're struggling 00:06:55.579 --> 00:07:02.620 with a physical illness or something that God could bring healing in your life. Or maybe today, 00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:10.240 you have a loved one that is lost. And you've been praying for that loved one for a very long time. 00:07:10.919 --> 00:07:17.179 And yet up to this point, they have still yet to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. But you so desperately 00:07:17.180 --> 00:07:25.199 desire for God to work and bring that loved one to the Lord. Well, go ahead and fill that blank in today. 00:07:25.379 --> 00:07:32.600 I would love to be able to see God do blank in my life. Because when we fill that blank in, 00:07:32.960 --> 00:07:40.879 it changes the dynamics of this scripture passage. It changes the whole way we look upon this passage. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:47.839 And it really brings it to life for us. And it makes it really more personal and more real. 00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:54.180 And as we begin to look at this passage today, I want to bring out a couple of truths, three truths 00:07:54.180 --> 00:08:01.300 from this passage. I always read the scripture to look for ways to apply it to life. You know, 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:06.959 I don't see that we should read scripture just for the sake of knowledge. Or read scripture just 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:14.759 to say we know the story. But if we're not taking the scripture and actually applying it to our lives, 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:20.719 then we're missing the point of the scripture altogether. The scripture is here for us to know 00:08:20.719 --> 00:08:28.079 God, but also to understand his will for our lives and how he desires for us to live. Jesus said in John 10, 00:08:28.679 --> 00:08:35.639 John 10, 10, I have come to give you life and to give you life more abundantly. You know, 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:41.939 as a Christian, it's not about restrictions. It's not about rules and regulations and just 00:08:41.939 --> 00:08:50.159 stomping the joy out of life. It's about joy. It's about peace. It's about love. And it's about 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:57.139 having that abundant life. And so when we read this passage today in John chapter nine, there's three 00:08:57.139 --> 00:09:02.259 truths that I want us to look at today. There's probably others here that you'll see and that God 00:09:02.259 --> 00:09:09.240 can speak to you in your heart. But today I want us to look at three of those truths in particular. 00:09:09.700 --> 00:09:16.879 And the first of those is that we can break through either or thinking in our lives. Let me explain. 00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:26.720 In verse two, the disciples came up to Jesus and they said, Rabbi, whose sin is it that this man is 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:36.399 born blind? Was it his sin or was it his parent's sin? They were asking either it was the man's sin or it was 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:41.460 the parent's sin. Now there's a big problem theologically with either one of those options. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:50.600 But in that day and time, the people believe that all sin was a result. I mean, excuse me, all sickness 00:09:50.600 --> 00:09:59.100 was a result of sin. If they had sickness or disease or problems in their life, it was God's 00:09:59.100 --> 00:10:04.440 judgment upon them. When you go back to the book of Job, then you understand why his friends kept 00:10:04.440 --> 00:10:09.940 insisting you had to have done something wrong. You had to have sinned against God because they 00:10:09.940 --> 00:10:17.019 believed that sickness, disease, tragedy, things like that were God's judgment upon them. And so the 00:10:17.019 --> 00:10:25.100 disciples were really trapped here in kind of a bad alternative of this man's condition. And really, 00:10:25.259 --> 00:10:33.600 they're thinking, put this man in a really hopeless situation. But Jesus wanted them to understand. He wanted 00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:39.539 to broaden their understanding as he often did throughout the scriptures, that he would take their 00:10:39.539 --> 00:10:45.879 understanding and he would correct it or he would broaden it to a whole new scope. And he wanted them to see and 00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:53.980 understand that it wasn't this man's sin, nor was it his parents' sin. But what does he say here 00:10:53.980 --> 00:11:05.139 is the reason why this man was born blind. Look with me at verse 3. Neither this man nor his parents' sin, 00:11:05.580 --> 00:11:11.659 said Jesus. Now, the next part of this verse can be a little bit shocking to us. 00:11:11.659 --> 00:11:21.539 This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. You mean to tell me this man 00:11:21.539 --> 00:11:31.679 has been blind his entire life? And imagine the struggles. Imagine the pain. Imagine the hardship he's 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:40.919 endured. He's had to beg for people to give him money so that he could barely survive and get, you know, 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:49.019 through life. You mean to tell me that that has happened to him entirely, Jesus said, so that the work of the 00:11:49.019 --> 00:12:01.740 Lord might be displayed. So that God's name would be glorified and honored through this man. Wow. That's a totally 00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:14.379 and entirely different way of thinking. And it may be that it's an entirely different way of thinking in our lives today. 00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:26.559 that my struggles, my physical limitations could actually be brought about in my life by the hand of God 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:35.399 so that his name might be glorified, that his name might be honored, that we could see the work of God 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:44.539 that God displayed within us. You know, the disciples were trapped into thinking this either or thinking. 00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:51.840 You know, either this man sinned or his parents sinned. Those were the only two options in their mind 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:57.779 that they could see. It never dawned on them that God was going to use this man's blindness 00:12:57.779 --> 00:13:03.839 so that the work of God could be displayed and actually bring glory and honor to the Father. 00:13:03.839 --> 00:13:12.720 You know, sometimes we fall into that same way of thinking. We fall into that trap of either or thinking. 00:13:12.860 --> 00:13:22.339 Let me give you some examples of this. Sometimes we fall into that way of thinking that either I have to get a divorce. 00:13:22.340 --> 00:13:27.320 And by the way, this is not a real personal example. I either have to get a divorce 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:31.220 or I have to live in a miserable marriage the rest of my life. 00:13:32.019 --> 00:13:40.800 Or I have to work this horrible job that I hate or I won't be able to provide for my family. 00:13:41.340 --> 00:13:46.200 And we feel trapped and we feel like there's no way out. 00:13:46.440 --> 00:13:51.019 And there's no solution that gives us hope in life. 00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:59.439 And so we just grit our teeth and we endure and we bear it and just go on in life. 00:14:00.199 --> 00:14:07.279 But what I want us to see today, maybe you are in one of those either or situations in your life. 00:14:07.960 --> 00:14:13.079 Maybe you feel trapped in between those two not so good options. 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:24.000 But to begin to look for ways God can work in your life in a way that you couldn't even imagine. 00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:30.400 To work in your situation in your life in maybe ways that's never been done before. 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:38.660 You know, no one had ever been made to see that had been born blind in these people's life before. 00:14:38.659 --> 00:14:49.360 And so we can begin to look for how God can bring glory and honor to His name through us, 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:53.639 through our situation, through our lives. 00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:58.360 Now, He may not heal us if a physical illness is one of those things. 00:14:58.620 --> 00:15:02.179 He may not choose to heal us like He did the blind man. 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:12.679 But as children of God, could we see God using that physical limitation or that illness still to bring glory to Him? 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:18.319 You know, when we received Christ as our Lord and Savior, we died to self. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:23.919 We no longer live for ourselves, but we live for the Lord. 00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:29.519 So maybe that situation that you find yourself in that is difficult, 00:15:30.539 --> 00:15:36.719 maybe it takes on all new meaning when we begin to ask God to use that situation 00:15:36.719 --> 00:15:41.360 or to use those circumstances or to use our lives, our limitations, 00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:45.579 to bring glory and to bring honor to Him. 00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:51.899 And if it brings God glory for me to endure the hardships of life, 00:15:51.899 --> 00:16:00.519 may His name be praised and may we find great joy in the midst of that situation. 00:16:01.299 --> 00:16:05.899 And then that can bring us to the next truth that we see in this scripture. 00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:07.779 Look with me at verses 6 and 7. 00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:12.059 Having said this, He spit on the ground. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:16.000 He made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man's eyes. 00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.500 Go, He told him, wash in the pool of shalom. 00:16:19.500 --> 00:16:21.399 This word means sent. 00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:25.779 So the man went and washed and came home seeing. 00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:29.559 The second truth that we can dig out of this passage today 00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:32.259 is be ready to take a step of faith. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:35.440 When God directs you, especially if you're praying, 00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:41.100 asking for God to work or to move or to do something miraculous in your life, 00:16:41.460 --> 00:16:43.340 you better be ready to follow. 00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:45.519 You better be ready to obey. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:49.360 When He speaks, when He directs, when He answers, follow. 00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:55.159 Jesus told this man to go and wash his eyes in the pool of shalom. 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.759 He spit in the dust, made mud, wiped it on his eyes, 00:16:58.899 --> 00:17:02.019 and He says, go wash your face. 00:17:02.079 --> 00:17:04.680 And the man does it and he comes back seeing. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:06.519 Now, that is miraculous. 00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:09.900 And the people of that day should be rejoicing. 00:17:09.900 --> 00:17:13.860 But one of the things that I find interesting 00:17:13.860 --> 00:17:17.160 or maybe just as miraculous 00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:21.500 is the fact that this man believed. 00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:28.060 He believed Jesus and he obeyed what Jesus told him to do. 00:17:28.540 --> 00:17:30.040 Now, just imagine, you're blind. 00:17:30.320 --> 00:17:31.160 You're sitting there. 00:17:31.300 --> 00:17:34.460 This guy comes along and you've heard that he's healed people 00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:36.100 and you want him to give you sight. 00:17:36.099 --> 00:17:39.240 And he spits in the dust and wipes it on your face 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:41.740 and says, go wash your face. 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.519 I'd be thinking, are you kidding me? 00:17:46.879 --> 00:17:48.500 Have you lost your mind? 00:17:48.879 --> 00:17:51.019 I've washed my face a million times 00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:52.719 and it has not helped my blindness. 00:17:52.919 --> 00:17:54.099 I was born blind. 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:57.639 How can mud give me my sight back? 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.799 This man could have responded that way. 00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.559 He could have been bitter. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:05.899 He could have said, man, I was hoping for so much more 00:18:05.899 --> 00:18:07.559 out of Jesus than this. 00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:08.799 Come on. 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:10.759 But what did he do? 00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.839 He obeyed. 00:18:14.399 --> 00:18:15.639 He didn't question. 00:18:17.379 --> 00:18:18.960 He didn't say, are you sure? 00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:21.319 He didn't argue. 00:18:22.419 --> 00:18:25.279 He simply took that step of obedience. 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:28.039 What is it that God is leading you to do? 00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:33.059 What step of faith do you need to take today 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:36.000 that God is directing you towards? 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.259 And up until this point, you're thinking, 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:39.539 are you sure, God? 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.859 God, are you, do you know what you're really doing? 00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:44.119 Are you crazy or what? 00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:49.159 Or we just think, nah, there's no way that could be. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:53.119 It's so contrary to what other people think. 00:18:53.180 --> 00:18:54.359 They'll think I'm nuts. 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:59.579 And we hinder ourselves by taking that step of faith. 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:02.500 But when we ask God to move, 00:19:02.879 --> 00:19:06.759 we ask God to work miracles in our lives, 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:10.339 we better be ready to respond. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:12.899 You know, God told the children of Israel, 00:19:14.219 --> 00:19:15.859 when he led them into the promised land, 00:19:15.959 --> 00:19:19.379 they encountered one of the most fortified cities of their day. 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:22.459 One of the most fortified cities, which was where? 00:19:22.460 --> 00:19:26.000 Just seeing if y'all are still with me. 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:26.680 Where was it? 00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:29.860 Joshua fought the battle. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:31.460 Okay, Jericho, thank you. 00:19:33.100 --> 00:19:34.640 Joshua fought the battle of Jericho. 00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:39.559 You know, studies today show that the people's attention span is eight minutes. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:44.380 So pastors have to do something different every eight minutes to keep your attention. 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:47.620 So that's why I walk, or I might run up and down the aisle in a minute, 00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:51.059 but keep you awake, keep you alert, keep you focused. 00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:59.399 So, God told Israel to walk around Jericho seven days in a row. 00:19:59.639 --> 00:20:03.379 And on the seventh day, to walk around it seven times, and then what? 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:06.299 Blow the trumpets, right? 00:20:06.700 --> 00:20:08.619 We got a few Sunday school teachers in here. 00:20:08.879 --> 00:20:09.799 Blow the trumpets. 00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:10.799 And what happened? 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:13.740 The walls came down. 00:20:13.819 --> 00:20:18.919 Now, was it they're walking around the city that struck fear in the walls, 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:20.320 and the walls just crumbled? 00:20:21.360 --> 00:20:26.240 Was it the trumpets and the noise of the trumpets just blasted the walls? 00:20:27.380 --> 00:20:27.900 Was it? 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:29.180 No. 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.200 What was it? 00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:31.420 It was God. 00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:33.060 Because they obeyed. 00:20:33.100 --> 00:20:35.600 That was the most ridiculous thing you'd ever heard. 00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:35.940 Anybody? 00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:39.660 I know we got Boy Scouts and some of you guys that have been through the Citadel, 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:40.900 and some of you have been military. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:46.320 Have you ever seen a military strategy written up in books ever that says, 00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:49.580 just walk around your enemy and blow trumpets? 00:20:50.580 --> 00:20:53.080 Is that what we need to do to ISIS today? 00:20:53.320 --> 00:20:54.779 Just blow some trumpets. 00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:55.720 They'll run in fear. 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.059 No. 00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:58.399 But what was it? 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:01.359 It was taking that step of obedience, 00:21:02.619 --> 00:21:06.399 not asking questions, not arguing, not doubting, 00:21:06.819 --> 00:21:09.419 but believing and having faith, 00:21:09.859 --> 00:21:12.639 and then doing what God said to do. 00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:16.919 When we are praying for God to work in our lives, 00:21:18.139 --> 00:21:20.980 and we're asking Him to do the miraculous, 00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:28.819 we're asking Him ultimately to work in a way that brings glory unto His name. 00:21:28.900 --> 00:21:33.019 Whether He heals us, whether He changes our circumstances, whatever, 00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:38.099 ultimately we're saying, God, work in me, work in my circumstances, 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:41.960 work in my life to bring glory and honor to you. 00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:45.259 And then when He answers that by telling you what to do, 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.380 it's a dangerous thing not to do it. 00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:54.540 We need to respond immediately in faith. 00:21:54.620 --> 00:21:59.320 And that brings us to the third truth here in Scripture, 00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:02.700 and that's don't be discouraged by others. 00:22:03.040 --> 00:22:05.180 Look with me, if you will, at verse 8. 00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:07.960 And I'm going to read down through verse 25. 00:22:08.860 --> 00:22:11.220 Here's a man who's been born blind. 00:22:11.620 --> 00:22:13.320 His whole life he's a beggar. 00:22:13.800 --> 00:22:15.540 Jesus comes into his life, 00:22:15.540 --> 00:22:18.400 touches his eyes, and heals him. 00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:23.320 You would think the people would celebrate and rejoice. 00:22:24.340 --> 00:22:26.540 This man has been given sight. 00:22:27.520 --> 00:22:29.080 But that's not how they respond. 00:22:29.180 --> 00:22:29.600 Let's look. 00:22:31.540 --> 00:22:34.900 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, 00:22:35.380 --> 00:22:38.520 Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg? 00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:40.440 Some claim that he was. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.740 Others said, No, he only looks like him. 00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:47.799 But he himself insisted, I am the man. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:52.319 How then were your eyes open, they demanded. 00:22:52.620 --> 00:22:55.359 And he replied, The man they called Jesus. 00:22:55.700 --> 00:22:58.059 He made some mud and he put it on my eyes. 00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:01.099 He told me to go to Shalom and wash. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.900 And so I went and washed, and then I could see. 00:23:05.779 --> 00:23:07.920 Where is this man, they asked him. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.180 I don't know, he said. 00:23:11.140 --> 00:23:14.360 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 00:23:15.360 --> 00:23:17.720 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud 00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:19.800 and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:24.680 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. 00:23:25.340 --> 00:23:27.860 He put mud on my eyes, the man replied, 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:30.300 and I washed and now I see. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:32.019 Some of the Pharisees said, 00:23:32.019 --> 00:23:35.940 This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:37.379 But others asked, 00:23:37.779 --> 00:23:40.359 How can a sinner do such miraculous signs? 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:42.000 So they were divided. 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:45.980 Finally they turned again to the blind man. 00:23:46.440 --> 00:23:48.519 What have you to say about him? 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.660 It was your eyes he opened. 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:52.420 And the man replied, 00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.940 He is a prophet. 00:23:54.700 --> 00:23:58.460 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind 00:23:58.460 --> 00:23:59.759 and had received his sight 00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:02.319 until they sent for the man's parents. 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:05.259 Is this your son, they asked. 00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:08.099 Is this the one you say was born blind? 00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:11.359 How is it that now he can see? 00:24:11.900 --> 00:24:14.859 We know he's our son, the parents answered, 00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:16.940 and we know he was born blind. 00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:21.839 But how he can see now or who opened his eyes, 00:24:22.140 --> 00:24:23.480 we don't know. 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:24.240 Ask him. 00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.480 He's of age. 00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:27.379 He will speak for himself. 00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:30.860 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. 00:24:31.300 --> 00:24:33.400 For already the Jews had decided 00:24:33.400 --> 00:24:36.820 that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ 00:24:36.820 --> 00:24:39.300 would be put out of the synagogue. 00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.600 This was why his parents said, 00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:42.500 He's of age. 00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:43.560 Ask him. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:47.320 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. 00:24:47.780 --> 00:24:50.340 Give glory to God, they said. 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:52.820 We know this man is a sinner. 00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:54.460 And he replied, 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:57.740 Whether this man is a sinner or not, 00:24:58.279 --> 00:24:59.500 I do not know. 00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:01.859 But one thing I do know, 00:25:02.379 --> 00:25:03.619 I was blind. 00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:06.599 But now I see. 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:09.139 Do you see what happened to this man? 00:25:11.159 --> 00:25:12.299 You know, all of his life, 00:25:12.379 --> 00:25:14.740 he's been living in a world of darkness. 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:17.259 And he hears people's voices, 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:20.659 and he begins to know people by their voice. 00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:23.019 And if you ever done that, 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:26.460 you get to know a DJ on the radio, 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:29.400 or maybe someone you've talked to on the phone, 00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:30.440 but you've never seen them. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.860 And we always imagine and we picture in our mind 00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:34.100 what they might look like. 00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:35.400 And then one day, 00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:38.180 you see a picture of the individual, 00:25:38.800 --> 00:25:41.360 and they never look like what you thought, do they? 00:25:42.060 --> 00:25:42.480 Never. 00:25:42.860 --> 00:25:45.200 They just never look like what you imagine. 00:25:45.840 --> 00:25:47.380 And that's what happened to this man. 00:25:47.460 --> 00:25:49.380 He's, for the first time in his life, 00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:52.280 he's able to see people's faces 00:25:52.280 --> 00:25:54.300 and match them with voices 00:25:54.300 --> 00:25:57.040 that he's heard for years 00:25:57.040 --> 00:25:58.820 and maybe his entire life. 00:25:58.980 --> 00:26:00.060 And for the first time, 00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:01.380 he sees what they look like. 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.680 But you know what he sees? 00:26:04.520 --> 00:26:05.940 He sees doubt. 00:26:07.040 --> 00:26:10.040 He sees individuals that he's known most of his life, 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:12.020 people that may have given him money 00:26:12.020 --> 00:26:14.400 to help him throughout his lifetime. 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:16.120 And now they're doubting 00:26:16.120 --> 00:26:18.380 that he's even really the blind man. 00:26:18.820 --> 00:26:20.580 Instead of rejoicing 00:26:20.580 --> 00:26:23.300 that God has done a miraculous thing, 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:25.900 God has given sight to the blind. 00:26:26.220 --> 00:26:28.140 Who else could do that but God? 00:26:30.460 --> 00:26:31.660 And yet they doubt, 00:26:31.840 --> 00:26:32.640 and they argue, 00:26:32.800 --> 00:26:34.880 and they drag him before the religious leaders, 00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:36.920 and they grab the parents, 00:26:37.040 --> 00:26:40.180 and they're basically wanting to discredit Jesus, 00:26:40.380 --> 00:26:40.640 saying, 00:26:40.640 --> 00:26:42.140 No, this man's a sinner. 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:45.160 They see doubt. 00:26:46.100 --> 00:26:48.540 There are always people in your life 00:26:48.540 --> 00:26:52.900 that are going to try to cast doubt in your mind. 00:26:53.560 --> 00:26:55.940 There's always going to be people who are negative 00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:58.820 and try to tear your faith down. 00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.300 When you're praying, 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:02.100 asking for God to work 00:27:02.100 --> 00:27:04.020 and to move in your life, 00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:06.440 and God is speaking to you, 00:27:06.620 --> 00:27:07.440 directing you, 00:27:07.600 --> 00:27:10.080 drawing you close and near, 00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.099 do not let the doubters 00:27:12.099 --> 00:27:14.500 take your eyes off of Jesus. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:18.539 Do not let the negative people in your life 00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:21.659 keep you from taking that step of faith 00:27:21.659 --> 00:27:26.099 and following where God is directing you to go. 00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:28.539 Because there's going to be more doubters 00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:30.099 and more people in your life 00:27:30.099 --> 00:27:31.859 that try to tear your faith down 00:27:31.859 --> 00:27:33.379 than those who build you up. 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:35.199 But look for those individuals 00:27:35.199 --> 00:27:36.779 that will lift you up. 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:40.460 Look for those encouragers in your life 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:43.519 and avoid the negative Nellies. 00:27:44.399 --> 00:27:46.319 Avoid those doubters 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:48.619 that want to tear your faith down 00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:52.379 and stay with the people that uplift you 00:27:52.379 --> 00:27:53.720 and encourage you 00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:56.440 and help you to keep your eyes on Christ 00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:57.779 and even pray for you 00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:58.839 and strengthen you 00:27:58.839 --> 00:28:02.220 to take those steps of faith. 00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:04.799 Are you caught today 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:06.980 in an either-or situation? 00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:12.319 Are you feeling trapped maybe 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:14.240 and even a bit of hopelessness 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:17.079 because you're in an either-or situation 00:28:17.079 --> 00:28:18.559 and you're not sure 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:21.640 that you see any positive outcome 00:28:21.640 --> 00:28:24.079 either way you go? 00:28:24.079 --> 00:28:26.200 Are you willing 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:28.640 to go to the Lord 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:29.960 and ask for Him 00:28:29.960 --> 00:28:31.380 for His third option 00:28:31.380 --> 00:28:32.320 in that situation 00:28:32.320 --> 00:28:34.420 and to work in a way 00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:36.420 that you can't even imagine 00:28:36.420 --> 00:28:39.640 that would bring about glory 00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:40.720 unto the Father? 00:28:41.620 --> 00:28:43.140 And as children of God 00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:44.140 our ultimate purpose 00:28:44.140 --> 00:28:45.600 is to bring glory to the Father 00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:47.340 so that should in itself 00:28:47.340 --> 00:28:49.520 bring joy in our lives 00:28:49.520 --> 00:28:50.700 and able to endure 00:28:50.700 --> 00:28:52.280 those situations and circumstances 00:28:52.280 --> 00:28:53.480 that we find difficult. 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.720 But are you willing 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.780 to do that this morning? 00:28:55.779 --> 00:28:57.700 Are you willing to take 00:28:57.700 --> 00:28:59.639 that step of faith? 00:28:59.819 --> 00:29:00.599 Let's pray. 00:29:01.940 --> 00:29:03.759 Lord, we come to You today. 00:29:04.700 --> 00:29:05.899 We thank You so much 00:29:05.899 --> 00:29:08.019 for Your love for us 00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:09.180 and Your Word. 00:29:09.619 --> 00:29:10.220 And we thank You 00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:11.819 for this passage 00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:13.660 in Your Scriptures 00:29:13.660 --> 00:29:14.599 that show us 00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:15.940 how You have power 00:29:15.940 --> 00:29:17.980 over physical limitations 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:20.139 and physical illnesses. 00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.519 And we know that You have power 00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:23.700 over all things. 00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:25.460 And so whatever circumstance 00:29:25.460 --> 00:29:26.400 or situation 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:28.240 that we find ourselves in today 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.640 I pray that You give us faith 00:29:30.640 --> 00:29:31.440 to come to You 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:33.440 and ask You, Lord 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.279 to work in our lives 00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:36.120 in such a way 00:29:36.120 --> 00:29:37.660 that we cannot even begin 00:29:37.660 --> 00:29:38.460 to imagine 00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:40.940 that we can't even see coming 00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:43.920 but that it'll bring glory to You 00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:45.100 and when You speak 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:46.860 when You direct 00:29:46.860 --> 00:29:48.160 we will follow 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:49.620 we will obey 00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:50.940 and it's in Your holy name 00:29:50.940 --> 00:29:51.620 we pray. 00:29:52.080 --> 00:29:52.440 Amen. 00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:54.140 I want to ask the musicians 00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:55.840 to begin playing 00:29:55.840 --> 00:29:58.880 and if the Lord is leading you 00:29:58.880 --> 00:30:00.240 maybe just to come to the altar 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.019 and pray 00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:01.960 or if you would like 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:03.860 to pray with me 00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:05.259 I'd be glad to do that. 00:30:05.320 --> 00:30:06.519 But in an attitude of prayer 00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:08.019 let us go to the Lord. 00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.100 Amen.