WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading today comes from John chapter 9. Please follow along on your Bible.

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! If you're using the church Bible, it's on page 842.

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 As he passed by, he saw men blind from birth.

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 And his disciples asked him,

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 Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

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 Jesus answered,

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 Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him,

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 Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, which means sent.

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 So he went and washed and came back seeing.

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 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying,

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 Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?

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 Some said, It is he.

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 Others said, No, but he is like him.

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 He kept saying, I am the man.

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 So they said to him, Then how were your eyes opened?

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 He answered, The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me,

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 Go to Siloam and wash.

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 So I went and washed and received my sight.

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 They said to him, Where is he?

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 He said, I do not know.

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 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.

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 Now it was Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.

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 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight.

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 And he said to them, He put mud on my eyes and I washed and I see.

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 Some of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.

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 But others said, How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?

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 And there was a division among them.

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 So they said again to the blind man, What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?

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 He said, He is a prophet.

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 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked him,

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 Is this your son who you say was born blind?

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 How then does he now see?

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 His parents answered, We know that this is our son and that he was born blind.

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 But how he now sees, we do not know.

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 Nor do we know who opened his eyes.

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 Ask him, he is of age.

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 He will speak for himself.

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 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews.

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 For the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.

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 Therefore, his parents said, He is of age.

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 Ask him.

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 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him,

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 Give glory to God.

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 We know that this man is a sinner.

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 He answered,

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 Whether he is a sinner, I do not know.

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 One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.

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 They said to him,

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 What did he do to you?

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 How did he open your eyes?

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 He answered them,

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 I have told you already and you would not listen.

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 Why do you want to hear it again?

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 Do you also want to become his disciples?

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 And they reviled him saying,

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 You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

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 We know that God has spoken to Moses.

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 But as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.

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 The man answered,

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 Why, this is an amazing thing.

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 You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.

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 We know that God does not listen to sinners.

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 But if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.

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 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.

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 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

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 They answered him,

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 You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?

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 And they cast him out.

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 Jesus heard that they had cast him out.

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 And having found him, he said,

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 Do you believe in the Son of Man?

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 He answered,

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 And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?

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 Jesus said to him,

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 You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.

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 He said,

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 Lord, I believe.

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 And he worshipped him.

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 Jesus said,

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 For judgment I came into this world,

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 that those who do not see may see,

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 and those who see may become blind.

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 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things and said to him,

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 Are we also blind?

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 Jesus said to them,

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 If you were blind, you would have no guilt.

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 But now that you say, we see, your guilt remains.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great.

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 Thanks, Anastasia.

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 Let me pray for us briefly,

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 and then we're going to look in.

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 Father God, we come to your word because we want to hear you speaking to us.

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 We are not interested in the opinions of man.

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 There's more than enough opinions on our phones and our social media feeds,

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 on the news headlines, Lord.

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 But we want to hear truth.

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 We want to hear what you have to say.

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 And so come and speak to us through your word.

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 Open the eyes of our hearts to see you and to hear what you want to say.

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 In your name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 If the message of the Bible is to believe,

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 which it should be believed,

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 our most urgent need is to gain a clear picture of Jesus Christ,

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 of who God is.

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 Because how we see God really shapes every aspect of our lives.

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 The way we view God shapes how we view ourselves,

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 shapes how we view others.

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 How we handle the storms of life,

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 every relational difficulty,

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 every bad medical report that comes our way,

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 every sleepless night,

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 every dark night of the soul.

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 How we handle and steward the difficult things that come our way in life,

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 in many ways depends on how we view God.

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 Whether we are able to see Him accurately,

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 whether we are able to see ourselves accurately.

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 Friends, what you and I most urgently need this very week,

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 what our children need this week,

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 maybe more than anything else,

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 is a clear and accurate view of who God is,

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 and therefore who we are.

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 Now, the context of this passage is,

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 if you've been here the last few weeks,

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 Jesus is in conflict with the religious leaders of His day.

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 The last four or five chapters,

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 John calls them the Jewish people,

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 the Jewish leaders.

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 They are at conflict with Jesus.

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 They don't like what He's saying.

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 They don't like His claims.

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 They call Him a Samaritan.

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 They say He's demon-possessed.

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 They say He's the son of a devil.

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 And they don't like Jesus.

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 And why is that?

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 Well, now we start to get a picture of why.

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 Why is it that despite all the evidence,

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 all the miracles that Jesus has done,

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 all the teachings that point to Jesus,

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 all their learning and their understanding,

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 why is it that they constantly reject Jesus and push Him away?

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 Well, John wants us to see.

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 Because despite their learning,

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 and all their knowledge,

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 and all their experiences,

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 at a very deep heart level,

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 their hearts are blind to Jesus.

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 They can't see who He is.

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 They are blind to Him.

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 And more importantly,

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 they've become blind to who they have become.

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 And because they cannot see Him,

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 they cannot know Him.

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 Because they do not know Him,

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 they cannot receive the life that Jesus wants them to receive.

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 And so the main point of today's passage,

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 of this chapter,

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 is this,

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 that Jesus wants to heal us,

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 of the spiritual blindness,

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 that permeates our hearts.

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 And He wants us to see Him.

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 He wants us to know Him.

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 He wants us to trust in Him,

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 and believe in Him,

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 that we can experience life.

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 That's what John wants us to see here.

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 And so,

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 if you've got a Bible,

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 keep it open.

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 I want you to look at the structure.

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 Often the way,

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 one of the ways to understand the Bible,

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 is to see the structure that the author writes it.

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 And if you look at today's chapter,

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 the first seven verses,

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 verses one to seven,

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 Jesus has an interaction with His disciples,

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 and a blind man,

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 right?

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 His disciples and a blind man.

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 And then the last seven verses,

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 the last paragraph,

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 verses 34 to 41,

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 35 to 41,

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 Jesus has a similar interaction,

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 with the same formerly blind man,

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 now healed,

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 and with the Pharisees.

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 But in between these two interactions,

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 Jesus is conspicuously absent.

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 He's nowhere to be found.

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 And in between these two interactions,

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 where Jesus speaks,

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 are a whole bunch of people,

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 and there is a fog of ignorance,

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 of confusion,

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 of self-righteousness,

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 all the manifestations of spiritual blindness,

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 to which we are so susceptible ourselves.

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 And John wants us to see that,

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 the danger of not seeing who Jesus is,

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 and not seeing ourselves.

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 The danger of spiritual blindness.

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 And yet he also wants us to see,

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 he wants us to see,

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 how Jesus comes to us,

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 and moves towards us,

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 that we may find Him,

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 and find life.

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 Okay, so in today's passage,

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 there are three things I want us to think about.

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 The blind man who sees,

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 verse 1 to 7,

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 the seeing people who are blind,

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 verse 8 to 41,

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 and the man who loves the blind.

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 Okay, so let's dive in.

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 Firstly,

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 the blind man who sees.

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 So our passage starts off,

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 verse 1,

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 Jesus and the disciples,

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 are leaving the temple,

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 and while they're on their way,

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 they come across a blind man.

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 He is begging for money.

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 Verse 8 tells us that he's a beggar.

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 And the disciples are assuming,

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 that the reason this man is blind,

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 is because he has sinned grievously,

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 or someone has sinned grievously.

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 Now John tells us that he's blind from birth,

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 and so the assumption is,

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 either his parents sinned,

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 while his mom was pregnant,

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 and therefore curses come upon him,

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 or maybe he sinned somehow,

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 in his mother's womb.

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 That was a belief in the ancient days,

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 in the ancient world.

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 And so,

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 they are wondering,

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 who's at fault here?

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 Who's to blame,

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 for this man's suffering?

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 But Jesus won't allow,

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 such a simplistic thinking.

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 Because while it's true,

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 that all that is wrong,

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 and broken with our world,

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 does ultimately come,

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 as a result of the sin,

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 that entered the world,

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 our rebellion of humanity,

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 particularly starting with Adam,

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 and Eve in the Garden of Eden,

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 Jesus explains,

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 that not all of our problems,

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 are necessarily,

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 the result of some grievous sin,

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 that we have done,

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 or accomplished.

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 Now it may be,

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 that the problems in our life,

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 is because we're rejecting God's will,

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 and his word.

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 Okay,

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 that's always going to lead to problems.

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 When God speaks,

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 and we say,

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 no God,

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 I will do things my way,

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 that's never going to end well.

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 But Jesus shows us here,

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 it's not so simple,

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 as to say,

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 because I'm suffering now,

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 that is something,

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 that I've done wrong,

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 God is now cursing me.

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 Actually,

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 what Jesus says,

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 in this instance,

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 is that God is going to use,

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 this very painful situation,

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 of this man's blindness,

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 to reveal something,

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 about himself,

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 something about Jesus,

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 and his glory.

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 And so,

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 Jesus reaches down,

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 makes some mud in the ground,

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 applies it to the eyelids,

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 of the man,

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 the blind man,

00:12:19.500 --> 00:12:20.059
 and tells him,

00:12:20.059 --> 00:12:21.080
 to go and wash in a pool,

00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:22.000
 called Siloam.

00:12:22.419 --> 00:12:23.179
 And John tells us,

00:12:23.259 --> 00:12:23.820
 the word Siloam,

00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:24.500
 means sent,

00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:25.379
 or the sent one.

00:12:25.879 --> 00:12:26.940
 Now why does Jesus do that?

00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:27.919
 Why doesn't he just say,

00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:28.919
 be healed?

00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:29.919
 Well,

00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:30.480
 one of the things,

00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:31.700
 that's interesting,

00:12:31.940 --> 00:12:33.659
 in the previous two chapters,

00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:35.259
 Jesus has referred to himself,

00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:36.059
 six times,

00:12:36.139 --> 00:12:37.799
 as the one who is sent from heaven,

00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:39.220
 sent from the Father,

00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:40.600
 sent from God.

00:12:40.899 --> 00:12:42.039
 And he says it again here,

00:12:42.139 --> 00:12:42.700
 verse four.

00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:43.320
 He says,

00:12:43.379 --> 00:12:44.299
 we must do the works,

00:12:44.299 --> 00:12:45.580
 of him who sent me.

00:12:46.059 --> 00:12:46.799
 Who is Jesus?

00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:48.539
 He's not just a man,

00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:49.100
 or a rabbi,

00:12:49.200 --> 00:12:50.779
 he is the one that's sent from heaven,

00:12:50.940 --> 00:12:51.799
 sent from God.

00:12:52.360 --> 00:12:52.799
 And so now,

00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:53.379
 Jesus says,

00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:55.460
 go to the pool of sending,

00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:56.320
 of the sent one,

00:12:56.460 --> 00:12:57.799
 and you will find your healing,

00:12:58.080 --> 00:12:58.720
 your redemption,

00:12:58.899 --> 00:12:59.480
 your cleansing.

00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:01.620
 Jesus wants us to see,

00:13:02.340 --> 00:13:03.899
 that as we do,

00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:04.740
 what the blind man does,

00:13:04.779 --> 00:13:06.279
 as we go to the sent one,

00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:07.980
 we will find our healing,

00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:09.419
 our restoration as well.

00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:09.759
 And so,

00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:11.220
 he goes and he washes,

00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:13.059
 in the pool of the sent one,

00:13:13.059 --> 00:13:14.299
 and he comes back seeing,

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.500
 just as Jesus said.

00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:18.000
 But in John's gospel,

00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:19.399
 as we've heard,

00:13:19.399 --> 00:13:20.559
 the miracle,

00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:21.340
 the sign,

00:13:21.459 --> 00:13:23.100
 is never the big idea.

00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.259
 The sign is always meant to point,

00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:26.299
 to something else.

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:27.360
 And so,

00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.480
 Jesus here,

00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:29.179
 look what happens.

00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:29.419
 He,

00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:30.500
 following the miracle,

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:32.539
 Jesus fades into the background,

00:13:33.100 --> 00:13:34.779
 and is almost nowhere to be found.

00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:35.679
 And what happens?

00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:36.879
 Confusion,

00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:38.459
 and chaos reigns.

00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:39.819
 And so here we see,

00:13:39.939 --> 00:13:41.579
 the seeing people are blind.

00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:42.720
 Now,

00:13:43.160 --> 00:13:44.660
 John records four conversations,

00:13:44.660 --> 00:13:45.520
 that take place,

00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.400
 between this formerly blind man,

00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:48.080
 who's now healed,

00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:48.860
 and one,

00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:49.440
 the neighbors.

00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:50.879
 Then they don't know,

00:13:50.900 --> 00:13:51.440
 what's going on,

00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:52.840
 so they take him to the Pharisees,

00:13:52.860 --> 00:13:53.540
 and the Pharisees,

00:13:53.560 --> 00:13:54.840
 and the blind man have a conversation,

00:13:54.980 --> 00:13:55.680
 or the healed man.

00:13:56.060 --> 00:13:57.080
 Then the Pharisees,

00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:58.660
 and his parents have a conversation.

00:13:59.220 --> 00:14:00.240
 They still can't find out,

00:14:00.259 --> 00:14:00.759
 what's going on.

00:14:00.820 --> 00:14:02.060
 So the Pharisees come back,

00:14:02.060 --> 00:14:02.860
 to the healed man,

00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:04.639
 and again have a fourth conversation.

00:14:05.300 --> 00:14:07.140
 But in all of these four conversations,

00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:08.220
 in each one,

00:14:08.580 --> 00:14:10.060
 the antipathy,

00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:10.979
 is that the right word?

00:14:11.079 --> 00:14:13.459
 The antagonism is ramping up,

00:14:13.699 --> 00:14:14.599
 and it's getting more,

00:14:14.699 --> 00:14:15.719
 and more hostile,

00:14:16.199 --> 00:14:18.000
 as the self-righteousness,

00:14:18.079 --> 00:14:19.219
 and the religious blindness,

00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:20.239
 comes to the fore.

00:14:20.859 --> 00:14:21.379
 And so firstly,

00:14:21.599 --> 00:14:23.459
 this healed man,

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.679
 has a conversation with his neighbors.

00:14:25.119 --> 00:14:25.739
 And they say,

00:14:25.839 --> 00:14:26.359
 are you the one,

00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.619
 that used to beg around here?

00:14:27.839 --> 00:14:28.779
 You look the same,

00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:30.279
 but your eyes are different.

00:14:30.359 --> 00:14:31.139
 What's going on?

00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:33.079
 And they can't make sense of anything,

00:14:33.259 --> 00:14:34.819
 and so they take him to the Pharisees,

00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:35.719
 the religious leaders.

00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:37.739
 Now the problem is,

00:14:38.199 --> 00:14:39.500
 Jesus has healed this man,

00:14:39.500 --> 00:14:40.559
 on the Sabbath day.

00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:42.919
 And that breaks all kinds of,

00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:44.200
 rules and regulations,

00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:45.240
 that the religious leaders,

00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:45.960
 have come up with.

00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:47.179
 What you can and can't do,

00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:47.919
 on the Sabbath day.

00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:49.700
 And so they really upset.

00:14:49.879 --> 00:14:50.539
 Verse 15,

00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:51.940
 the Pharisees again,

00:14:52.019 --> 00:14:52.399
 asked him,

00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.820
 how he received his sight.

00:14:54.259 --> 00:14:54.919
 He said to them,

00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:56.080
 put mud on my eyes,

00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:56.519
 and washed,

00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:57.279
 and now I see.

00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.379
 Verse 16,

00:14:58.759 --> 00:14:59.799
 some of the Pharisees said,

00:15:00.039 --> 00:15:01.299
 this man is not from God,

00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:03.519
 for he does not keep the Sabbath.

00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:05.679
 Friends,

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:06.580
 here in their midst,

00:15:06.580 --> 00:15:09.480
 is not just a man from God,

00:15:09.580 --> 00:15:10.639
 but God himself,

00:15:10.800 --> 00:15:11.639
 in human form.

00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:14.259
 Here is one who cannot just tell them,

00:15:14.420 --> 00:15:15.360
 what God is like.

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:17.759
 Here is God himself.

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.080
 One who's come to reveal God to them.

00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:21.920
 Here is one who has brought,

00:15:22.060 --> 00:15:23.080
 man and dust,

00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:24.060
 into existence,

00:15:24.280 --> 00:15:25.440
 all those thousands,

00:15:25.560 --> 00:15:26.879
 or millions of years ago,

00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:28.639
 and who has just revealed,

00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:29.720
 the measure of his glory,

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:32.040
 by performing an act of recreation,

00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:33.480
 through dust,

00:15:33.599 --> 00:15:34.939
 and recreating man,

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:36.639
 and yet they cannot see it.

00:15:37.459 --> 00:15:37.899
 Why?

00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.159
 Why can't they see it?

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:41.839
 Because,

00:15:42.199 --> 00:15:43.439
 Jesus doesn't fit,

00:15:43.500 --> 00:15:44.919
 into their religious paradigms.

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:46.839
 Jesus is outside,

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:48.179
 of their religious assumptions.

00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:50.259
 Jesus breaks,

00:15:50.339 --> 00:15:51.659
 their presuppositions,

00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:52.819
 of what a religious,

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:53.740
 God fearing man,

00:15:53.779 --> 00:15:54.379
 must look like.

00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:54.939
 They say,

00:15:55.079 --> 00:15:56.599
 this man cannot be from God,

00:15:56.980 --> 00:15:58.259
 he does not keep the Sabbath.

00:15:58.259 --> 00:15:58.460
 Friends,

00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:01.799
 I wonder what assumptions,

00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:04.019
 you and I bring into church,

00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:04.580
 this morning.

00:16:05.439 --> 00:16:06.639
 I wonder what assumptions,

00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:08.279
 or presuppositions we have,

00:16:08.299 --> 00:16:08.779
 and we think,

00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:10.319
 God must be like this,

00:16:10.439 --> 00:16:12.299
 and could never be like that.

00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:13.659
 Friends,

00:16:13.700 --> 00:16:14.779
 have you determined already,

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.939
 what God could be like,

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:17.039
 how he must act,

00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:18.840
 how he must behave?

00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:20.139
 Of course,

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:21.000
 the God of the universe,

00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:22.220
 is not going to fit neatly,

00:16:22.220 --> 00:16:23.519
 into our presuppositions,

00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:24.759
 our paradigms,

00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:25.259
 and assumptions.

00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:26.319
 Of course,

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:27.080
 he's going to challenge,

00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:27.879
 our way of thinking.

00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.220
 What kind of God,

00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:29.919
 would he be like,

00:16:29.939 --> 00:16:30.659
 if he didn't?

00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:32.480
 And friends,

00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:33.000
 for those of us,

00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:34.019
 that are not Christians,

00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.620
 for those of us,

00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:35.460
 that are Christians,

00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:37.360
 dare we ask the question,

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.600
 what of our,

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:39.840
 religious traditions,

00:16:40.059 --> 00:16:41.100
 or our subculture,

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.379
 or our background,

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.240
 or our history,

00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.759
 might blind us,

00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:45.860
 to who Jesus is,

00:16:46.200 --> 00:16:47.240
 and how he might want,

00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.539
 to reveal himself to us?

00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:51.340
 The religious leaders,

00:16:51.439 --> 00:16:52.100
 can't see it.

00:16:52.700 --> 00:16:53.620
 Well the religious leaders,

00:16:53.620 --> 00:16:54.659
 then call his parents,

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:55.399
 verse 19,

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.139
 and they ask him,

00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:57.059
 is this your son,

00:16:57.059 --> 00:16:57.919
 who you say,

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:58.699
 was born blind,

00:16:58.859 --> 00:16:59.859
 how does he now see?

00:17:00.419 --> 00:17:01.500
 Now his parents,

00:17:01.659 --> 00:17:03.419
 they are trying to tread,

00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:06.079
 on a very thin line here,

00:17:06.159 --> 00:17:06.379
 right?

00:17:06.460 --> 00:17:07.139
 And so they say,

00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:07.879
 yes we know,

00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:08.659
 this is our son,

00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:10.159
 he was born blind,

00:17:10.220 --> 00:17:10.679
 that's true,

00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:11.480
 but how he sees,

00:17:11.579 --> 00:17:12.319
 we do not know.

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.319
 And then they say,

00:17:13.399 --> 00:17:14.019
 ask him,

00:17:14.119 --> 00:17:15.000
 he is of age,

00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:16.139
 he will speak for himself.

00:17:16.940 --> 00:17:17.359
 And John,

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.579
 very suitably tells us,

00:17:18.639 --> 00:17:19.859
 his parents said these,

00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:20.399
 things,

00:17:20.399 --> 00:17:22.219
 because they feared the Jews,

00:17:22.879 --> 00:17:23.339
 for the Jews,

00:17:23.419 --> 00:17:24.079
 had already said,

00:17:24.199 --> 00:17:25.319
 that if anyone should confess,

00:17:25.419 --> 00:17:26.119
 Jesus Christ,

00:17:26.199 --> 00:17:27.259
 he'll be put out,

00:17:27.299 --> 00:17:27.719
 of the synagogue,

00:17:27.879 --> 00:17:28.919
 he'll be cast out.

00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:30.319
 Therefore his parents said,

00:17:30.679 --> 00:17:31.459
 he is of age,

00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:32.619
 talk to him,

00:17:32.899 --> 00:17:33.959
 don't involve us,

00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:35.699
 in your religious controversy.

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:37.539
 Friends,

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.119
 I wonder if you see,

00:17:38.219 --> 00:17:39.219
 what's happening here.

00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:41.359
 Nothing will hinder,

00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:42.719
 spiritual growth,

00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:44.879
 nothing will suck the life,

00:17:44.959 --> 00:17:46.279
 out of a relationship,

00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:46.759
 with God,

00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:48.700
 as much as fear of man.

00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:51.599
 Fearing man,

00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.680
 will destroy,

00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.759
 our walk with God.

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.220
 And for fear,

00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:56.619
 of what people think of us,

00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:57.960
 fear of how we might appear,

00:17:58.079 --> 00:17:58.680
 to others,

00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:00.259
 fear of our loss,

00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:01.700
 of standing in society,

00:18:01.900 --> 00:18:02.799
 or with our friends,

00:18:02.859 --> 00:18:03.700
 or with our family,

00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:06.519
 will reduce the uncreated,

00:18:06.740 --> 00:18:08.099
 majestic God,

00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:11.180
 to a convenient project.

00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.119
 To something that we manage,

00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:13.900
 in our lives.

00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:15.059
 But friends,

00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:15.940
 the God of the Bible,

00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:17.340
 is not to be managed.

00:18:18.059 --> 00:18:18.980
 He is to be adored.

00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:20.799
 He is to be worshipped.

00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:22.559
 And for these people,

00:18:22.740 --> 00:18:23.880
 who would begin,

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:24.920
 and end each day,

00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:25.960
 reciting the Shema,

00:18:26.140 --> 00:18:27.019
 Deuteronomy 6,

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:28.039
 hear O Israel,

00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:29.120
 the Lord our God,

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.140
 the Lord is one,

00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:31.720
 you shall love the Lord your God,

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.779
 with all your heart,

00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:34.120
 and with all your soul,

00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:35.259
 and with all your might.

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.580
 That's how they would begin,

00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:38.080
 and end each day.

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.200
 Here they are,

00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:40.320
 for fear of what people,

00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:41.340
 might think of them,

00:18:41.340 --> 00:18:42.380
 and say,

00:18:42.660 --> 00:18:45.160
 they cower away.

00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:45.880
 Oh,

00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.300
 we don't know who Jesus is.

00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:48.779
 Don't involve us in your thing.

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.759
 Just let us,

00:18:49.840 --> 00:18:51.340
 just keep our peaceful lives,

00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:52.000
 to ourselves.

00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:53.759
 Friends,

00:18:53.800 --> 00:18:54.000
 again,

00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:55.120
 we are forced to the question,

00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:56.140
 in what way,

00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.660
 do the opinions of man,

00:18:57.840 --> 00:18:58.640
 control you,

00:18:59.080 --> 00:19:00.140
 or control me?

00:19:01.100 --> 00:19:02.060
 Where has our fear,

00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:03.519
 of what people think of us,

00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:05.200
 kept us from worship,

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:07.320
 kept us from knowing God?

00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:08.560
 Friends,

00:19:08.560 --> 00:19:09.320
 is it possible,

00:19:09.320 --> 00:19:10.700
 that our fear,

00:19:10.820 --> 00:19:11.779
 of what people think of us,

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.759
 or people's opinions,

00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:14.599
 has made God small,

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:15.879
 and the fear of man big,

00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.599
 in our hearts,

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.460
 and our lives?

00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.299
 And what is so blatantly obvious,

00:19:20.299 --> 00:19:21.099
 in this chapter,

00:19:21.339 --> 00:19:22.839
 is often not so obvious,

00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:23.420
 to us.

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.319
 They're not outright,

00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:26.379
 denying Jesus,

00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.440
 they haven't abandoned,

00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:28.160
 their faith,

00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:29.420
 but they're just,

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.480
 sitting on the fence,

00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:32.099
 they're not taking a stand,

00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:33.960
 they are trying to preserve,

00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:35.519
 their standing in society.

00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.140
 Well,

00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:37.900
 look at the final,

00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:39.140
 conversation that happens,

00:19:39.299 --> 00:19:41.079
 in verse 24 to 34.

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:42.099
 Having not really,

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:42.679
 gotten anywhere,

00:19:42.819 --> 00:19:43.539
 the Pharisees now,

00:19:43.619 --> 00:19:44.439
 call the blind man,

00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:45.419
 back to themselves,

00:19:45.539 --> 00:19:46.439
 or the healed man,

00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:46.659
 sorry,

00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:47.500
 he's not blind anymore,

00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:49.099
 and they come,

00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:50.139
 for some more questioning.

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.480
 Except they've already,

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.240
 made up their minds,

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:52.799
 about Jesus.

00:19:52.919 --> 00:19:54.159
 Look at verse 24.

00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:55.240
 They say to him,

00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:56.579
 give glory to God,

00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:57.740
 we know this man,

00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:58.179
 is a sinner.

00:19:58.839 --> 00:19:59.919
 So they're questioning,

00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.919
 but they don't really,

00:20:00.919 --> 00:20:01.939
 want to hear the answer,

00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:02.379
 do they?

00:20:02.939 --> 00:20:03.980
 They're not really interested,

00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:04.559
 in discovering,

00:20:04.679 --> 00:20:05.419
 who Jesus is.

00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:06.000
 They've already,

00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:07.019
 written him off.

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.619
 Here are the most,

00:20:08.619 --> 00:20:09.980
 well educated people,

00:20:09.980 --> 00:20:11.000
 in the whole of the ancient,

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.380
 world.

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:12.259
 Some of them,

00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:12.759
 would have known,

00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:14.259
 the entire Old Testament,

00:20:14.420 --> 00:20:15.339
 off by heart.

00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:16.279
 And yet,

00:20:16.339 --> 00:20:17.519
 they cannot recognize,

00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:18.279
 the one they've been,

00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:19.579
 searching for all their lives.

00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:21.019
 Even when he's standing,

00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:21.940
 right in front of them.

00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.359
 And yet friends,

00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:24.900
 here is a once beggar,

00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:26.819
 probably uneducated,

00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:27.839
 wouldn't have gone to school,

00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:29.000
 poor,

00:20:29.700 --> 00:20:30.220
 pitiful,

00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:31.380
 blind,

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:33.619
 no station,

00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:34.279
 in society,

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:36.160
 no social standing.

00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:37.160
 And yet,

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:37.859
 he sees,

00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:38.920
 what they cannot see.

00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:40.480
 Look at verse 30.

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.740
 The man answered them,

00:20:41.819 --> 00:20:42.140
 why?

00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:43.299
 This is an amazing thing.

00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:44.440
 You do not know,

00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:45.240
 where he comes from,

00:20:45.299 --> 00:20:46.299
 yet he opened my eyes.

00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:47.039
 Verse 32,

00:20:47.740 --> 00:20:49.079
 never since the world began,

00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:50.559
 have we heard of anyone,

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:51.740
 opening the eyes of a man,

00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:52.259
 born blind.

00:20:52.660 --> 00:20:53.460
 If this man,

00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.460
 were not from God,

00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:56.099
 he could do nothing.

00:20:57.160 --> 00:20:58.460
 Here is an uneducated,

00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:00.000
 poor beggar.

00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.220
 And he knows something,

00:21:01.360 --> 00:21:02.539
 that all the sophisticated,

00:21:03.099 --> 00:21:04.299
 studying of the Pharisees,

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.680
 has not shown them.

00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:06.779
 And so,

00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:07.539
 how do they respond?

00:21:07.619 --> 00:21:08.259
 Are they convinced?

00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:08.899
 Are they open?

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:09.779
 Are they repentant?

00:21:09.899 --> 00:21:10.500
 Verse 34,

00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:11.659
 they answered him,

00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:13.480
 you were born in utter sin,

00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:15.359
 and would you dare teach us?

00:21:15.879 --> 00:21:17.379
 And they cast him out.

00:21:17.779 --> 00:21:19.460
 They expelled him from the synagogue.

00:21:19.879 --> 00:21:21.420
 They kicked him out of their community.

00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:22.960
 Get out of here.

00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:27.119
 Friends,

00:21:27.159 --> 00:21:28.960
 do you see what John wants us to see here?

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.299
 John is showing us,

00:21:31.299 --> 00:21:32.799
 that the real blind people,

00:21:33.379 --> 00:21:34.700
 are not the beggars,

00:21:34.700 --> 00:21:35.559
 on the side of the road,

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:36.519
 that have no eyesight.

00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:37.799
 Actually,

00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:39.279
 the blind people here,

00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:40.900
 sure,

00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:41.840
 the man on the side of the road,

00:21:41.900 --> 00:21:42.740
 is physically blind.

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:44.420
 And that was very difficult,

00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:46.180
 and we should have great compassion on him.

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:47.580
 But,

00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.960
 Jesus wants us to see,

00:21:49.080 --> 00:21:50.620
 that there is a far more serious problem,

00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:52.340
 that is plaguing the people of his day.

00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.779
 That plagues humanity,

00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:54.779
 that plagues all of us.

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:57.019
 Irrespective of our education,

00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:58.580
 our careers,

00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:00.299
 our position in society,

00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:01.440
 our ethnicity,

00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:03.319
 our bank status.

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.200
 Friends,

00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:05.059
 irrespective of that,

00:22:05.359 --> 00:22:06.819
 the most dangerous thing here,

00:22:06.919 --> 00:22:07.619
 is the blindness,

00:22:07.779 --> 00:22:09.059
 that pervades our hearts.

00:22:09.879 --> 00:22:11.159
 Martin Lloyd-Jones used to say,

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.379
 the ultimate test,

00:22:12.419 --> 00:22:13.139
 of our spirituality,

00:22:13.679 --> 00:22:14.599
 is the measure,

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:15.919
 of our amazement,

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:17.419
 at the grace of God.

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:19.059
 Our measure,

00:22:19.159 --> 00:22:19.839
 of the amazement.

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.159
 And that's the one thing,

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:22.519
 that these people cannot see.

00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:23.419
 Of course,

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:23.960
 the one thing,

00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:24.980
 spiritually blind people,

00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:25.740
 cannot see,

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.879
 is the grace of God.

00:22:27.879 --> 00:22:29.240
 And the Bible's diagnosis,

00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:29.839
 is that,

00:22:30.139 --> 00:22:32.019
 the condition of our inner world,

00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:33.240
 our heart posture,

00:22:33.460 --> 00:22:35.359
 is infinitely more important,

00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:37.460
 and infinitely more determinative,

00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:39.539
 on the trajectory of our lives,

00:22:39.879 --> 00:22:40.259
 than,

00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:41.859
 than almost anything else.

00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:43.480
 Than any of the hardships we face,

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.400
 with a physical blindness,

00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:46.639
 or,

00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:47.900
 or any other challenge.

00:22:48.139 --> 00:22:49.900
 The most determinative thing,

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.660
 on our lives is,

00:22:50.819 --> 00:22:52.220
 what is the condition of our hearts?

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.859
 Are we amazed,

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.900
 at the grace of God?

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:57.139
 Friends,

00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:57.960
 physical blindness,

00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:58.960
 is deeply challenging,

00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:00.400
 for those who suffer from it.

00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:02.000
 We shouldn't downplay it.

00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:02.720
 But,

00:23:02.820 --> 00:23:03.740
 spiritual blindness,

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:05.340
 is utterly disastrous.

00:23:06.280 --> 00:23:06.600
 Because,

00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:07.620
 to be spiritually blind,

00:23:07.700 --> 00:23:08.320
 is not merely,

00:23:08.320 --> 00:23:09.220
 to misunderstand,

00:23:09.620 --> 00:23:10.440
 who Jesus is.

00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:11.940
 It's to be cut off,

00:23:12.120 --> 00:23:12.720
 from his grace.

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:14.540
 Cut off from the life,

00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:15.640
 that he wants to give us.

00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:16.920
 And that's why,

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:17.800
 in Ephesians 1,

00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:18.960
 the apostle Paul,

00:23:19.040 --> 00:23:21.060
 he prays this wonderful prayer,

00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.040
 for the church.

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:22.980
 But he doesn't pray,

00:23:23.040 --> 00:23:24.000
 that they're going to grow big.

00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.000
 He doesn't pray,

00:23:25.080 --> 00:23:26.200
 for their financial resources.

00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:27.360
 He doesn't pray,

00:23:27.360 --> 00:23:28.460
 for political peace,

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:29.759
 or comfortable life.

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.660
 He prays,

00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:31.599
 this is my prayer,

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:33.279
 that the eyes of your heart,

00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:34.019
 may be opened.

00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:35.220
 That you may know,

00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:37.759
 the immeasurable greatness of God,

00:23:37.819 --> 00:23:38.359
 and the hope,

00:23:38.460 --> 00:23:39.400
 to which he's called us.

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.379
 Friends,

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.039
 I think that prayer,

00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:42.059
 is the prayer that I've prayed,

00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:42.839
 for my children,

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:44.480
 probably more than anything else,

00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.579
 in their lifetime.

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:47.299
 And notice here,

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:49.099
 that it's not a matter of ignorance,

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:50.420
 or just lack of understanding.

00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.579
 Because the formerly blind man,

00:23:52.599 --> 00:23:53.400
 who's now been healed,

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:55.480
 clearly he doesn't understand everything.

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:57.140
 He's got some questions.

00:23:57.140 --> 00:23:58.879
 Look at verse 25.

00:23:58.880 --> 00:23:59.340
 He says,

00:23:59.980 --> 00:24:00.960
 whether he is a sinner,

00:24:01.060 --> 00:24:01.760
 I do not know.

00:24:02.020 --> 00:24:03.080
 One thing I do know,

00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:04.460
 that though he was blind,

00:24:04.540 --> 00:24:05.200
 now I see.

00:24:05.860 --> 00:24:06.700
 And he comes to Jesus,

00:24:06.780 --> 00:24:07.460
 in verse 35,

00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:07.920
 and he says,

00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:08.700
 Jesus says to him,

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:10.080
 do you believe in the son of man?

00:24:10.380 --> 00:24:11.500
 And the healed man says,

00:24:11.780 --> 00:24:12.740
 so who is he?

00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:14.080
 So he doesn't have,

00:24:14.300 --> 00:24:15.280
 all his questions answered.

00:24:15.700 --> 00:24:17.040
 He's still figuring things out.

00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:17.920
 He's got some doubts,

00:24:18.020 --> 00:24:19.020
 he's got some questions.

00:24:19.360 --> 00:24:21.040
 But the one thing he does have,

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.380
 is a humility,

00:24:22.560 --> 00:24:23.240
 and a willingness,

00:24:24.120 --> 00:24:24.900
 to explore,

00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:26.400
 an open heart,

00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:26.740
 to say,

00:24:26.800 --> 00:24:28.240
 God reveal yourself to me.

00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:30.759
 And that's what Jesus clearly tells us.

00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:31.580
 Look at verse 39.

00:24:31.900 --> 00:24:32.500
 Jesus says,

00:24:33.060 --> 00:24:34.720
 for judgment I came into the world,

00:24:34.820 --> 00:24:35.980
 that those who do not see,

00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:36.519
 may see,

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:38.880
 and those who say that they see,

00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:40.440
 may become blind.

00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:42.120
 Friends,

00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:43.000
 Jesus tells us here,

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:44.940
 that there is a judgment,

00:24:44.940 --> 00:24:45.720
 that is coming,

00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:47.640
 and the verdict,

00:24:48.320 --> 00:24:49.860
 does not depend on those,

00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:50.500
 that are religious,

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.600
 and those that are not religious.

00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:52.920
 The verdict,

00:24:53.040 --> 00:24:54.500
 is not those who come to church,

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:56.019
 and those who don't come to church.

00:24:56.619 --> 00:24:57.299
 The verdict,

00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:58.200
 is not those,

00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.759
 that are necessarily moral,

00:24:59.880 --> 00:25:00.500
 or immoral.

00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:01.660
 The verdict falls,

00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:02.279
 between those,

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.640
 who clearly see themselves,

00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:05.059
 as being in need of grace,

00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:07.160
 and those who don't.

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:08.380
 Those who think,

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:09.599
 that they've got it all together.

00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:11.319
 And Jesus says,

00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.200
 that those who are sure,

00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:13.359
 that they have it all figured out,

00:25:13.500 --> 00:25:14.619
 prove just how blind,

00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:15.380
 they are.

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.700
 Many years ago,

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.240
 there was a Scottish preacher,

00:25:20.339 --> 00:25:21.960
 by the name of Alexander White,

00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:23.599
 a hundred years ago,

00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:23.919
 or so.

00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:25.259
 And one day he,

00:25:25.359 --> 00:25:25.779
 there he is,

00:25:25.919 --> 00:25:27.639
 and one day he's in a study,

00:25:28.399 --> 00:25:29.799
 and a friend of his,

00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:30.879
 comes into a study,

00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:31.559
 and says,

00:25:31.719 --> 00:25:31.959
 you know,

00:25:32.019 --> 00:25:32.559
 Dr. White,

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:34.299
 there's a visiting preacher,

00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:35.099
 in Edinburgh,

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:36.019
 they were in Edinburgh,

00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.779
 and this visiting preacher,

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.559
 is going around,

00:25:38.719 --> 00:25:39.559
 telling everybody,

00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:41.359
 how bad the churches are,

00:25:41.399 --> 00:25:42.019
 and how terrible,

00:25:42.179 --> 00:25:43.139
 all the pastors are.

00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:43.519
 Okay?

00:25:44.500 --> 00:25:45.059
 By the way,

00:25:45.159 --> 00:25:46.279
 only insecure preachers,

00:25:46.339 --> 00:25:46.699
 done that,

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.859
 and I have done that,

00:25:47.899 --> 00:25:48.699
 in my life before.

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.399
 God have mercy on me.

00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:50.699
 Okay?

00:25:51.199 --> 00:25:52.079
 So a visiting preacher,

00:25:52.199 --> 00:25:52.799
 comes and telling,

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.879
 everyone,

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.619
 how bad all the pastors are.

00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:57.200
 And he says,

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:57.839
 he,

00:25:58.059 --> 00:25:59.460
 this visiting preacher,

00:25:59.579 --> 00:26:00.480
 even questioned,

00:26:00.619 --> 00:26:01.740
 whether Dr. Wilson,

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:03.259
 is a Christian at all.

00:26:03.919 --> 00:26:04.819
 And this guy,

00:26:04.919 --> 00:26:05.599
 Alexander White,

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.680
 jumped out of his seat,

00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:06.980
 and said,

00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.220
 how dare he,

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:10.039
 question whether Dr. Wilson,

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:10.919
 is even a Christian.

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:13.000
 And then his friend says,

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:14.019
 it gets worse.

00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:15.319
 He even questioned,

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:16.579
 whether you are a Christian.

00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:19.179
 And when Alexander heard that,

00:26:19.259 --> 00:26:20.599
 he sat down in his chair,

00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:23.059
 he put his hands in his face,

00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:25.799
 his face in his hands,

00:26:26.399 --> 00:26:26.919
 and he said,

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.460
 please,

00:26:28.139 --> 00:26:28.939
 please leave me,

00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:29.500
 dear friend.

00:26:29.619 --> 00:26:31.039
 I must examine my heart,

00:26:31.139 --> 00:26:32.319
 to see if this is so.

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.279
 Isn't that amazing?

00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:36.539
 Here's a man that's being slandered,

00:26:36.859 --> 00:26:38.099
 he's being gossiped about,

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.579
 people are telling,

00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:41.099
 saying bad things about him,

00:26:41.259 --> 00:26:42.279
 questioning his motives,

00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:43.279
 questioning his heart,

00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:45.139
 and rather than getting defensive,

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:45.480
 and say,

00:26:45.539 --> 00:26:47.139
 how dare they say that about me?

00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:48.940
 His first response is,

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.579
 let me go in prayer,

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:51.119
 and see,

00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:52.559
 this may be true.

00:26:53.139 --> 00:26:53.899
 And let me examine,

00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:54.899
 whether this is so.

00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.019
 Friends,

00:26:56.059 --> 00:26:56.839
 look at verse 40,

00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:57.799
 in our passage today.

00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:00.759
 Some of the Pharisees,

00:27:00.859 --> 00:27:01.420
 near him,

00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:03.579
 heard Jesus say these things,

00:27:03.660 --> 00:27:04.680
 and they said to him,

00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:06.279
 are we also blind?

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:08.200
 Jesus said to him,

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:09.480
 if you were blind,

00:27:09.599 --> 00:27:09.980
 that means,

00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:11.559
 if you knew yourself to be blind,

00:27:12.099 --> 00:27:13.160
 you would have no guilt.

00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:14.940
 But now that you say,

00:27:15.139 --> 00:27:15.619
 we see,

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.819
 your guilt remains.

00:27:18.740 --> 00:27:19.359
 Jesus is saying,

00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:21.240
 if you had the humility,

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.660
 to examine your heart,

00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:23.180
 and to say,

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:24.500
 is this true of us?

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.279
 You would be on the trajectory,

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:27.160
 towards freedom,

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.399
 towards life.

00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:30.119
 But the fact that you insist,

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.259
 we know what's going on,

00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:32.700
 we've got it all under control,

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:33.639
 we are fine,

00:27:34.379 --> 00:27:35.359
 actually proves,

00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:36.859
 that you're in danger.

00:27:37.639 --> 00:27:37.859
 Friends,

00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.759
 truly there is none,

00:27:38.879 --> 00:27:39.500
 that are so blind,

00:27:39.579 --> 00:27:40.599
 as those that insist,

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:41.960
 that they see.

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.240
 Now,

00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:44.579
 this leads us to,

00:27:44.840 --> 00:27:46.120
 let me share,

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.960
 three brief implications,

00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:48.980
 for this,

00:27:49.180 --> 00:27:50.000
 for this week.

00:27:50.420 --> 00:27:51.279
 Three things to think about.

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:52.340
 First is this,

00:27:52.420 --> 00:27:53.579
 in the face of criticism,

00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:55.019
 choose examination.

00:27:56.019 --> 00:27:56.279
 Friends,

00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:56.860
 this week,

00:27:57.400 --> 00:27:58.220
 the chances are,

00:27:58.340 --> 00:27:59.160
 all of us,

00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.240
 are going to be faced,

00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:02.000
 with some kind of criticism.

00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:03.640
 Maybe you're at the office,

00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:04.160
 this week,

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.539
 and your manager calls you in.

00:28:05.980 --> 00:28:07.039
 Or a colleague,

00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.240
 says something about you.

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.620
 Or somebody on social media,

00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:11.019
 posts something about you.

00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:12.440
 Or your spouse,

00:28:12.759 --> 00:28:13.579
 very gently,

00:28:14.180 --> 00:28:15.440
 suggests of a way,

00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:16.779
 that maybe you can improve,

00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:17.839
 things around the house.

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:18.519
 Or,

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.339
 whatever it is,

00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:20.559
 all of us this week,

00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:21.799
 are going to be confronted,

00:28:22.460 --> 00:28:23.259
 with something,

00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:24.700
 that we don't find,

00:28:24.779 --> 00:28:25.019
 like,

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:25.880
 that we don't find,

00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:26.740
 easy to receive.

00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:28.359
 Friends,

00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:29.059
 when that happens,

00:28:29.140 --> 00:28:29.900
 we can either choose,

00:28:29.980 --> 00:28:30.579
 defensiveness.

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.299
 It's not true.

00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:33.079
 Never.

00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:34.500
 I would never be like that.

00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:36.720
 We can go on the counter-attack.

00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:38.200
 We can blame.

00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:39.279
 We can play the victim.

00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:40.359
 Or,

00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.440
 like Alexander White,

00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:43.359
 we can put our head in our hands,

00:28:43.440 --> 00:28:43.799
 and say,

00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:44.339
 Lord,

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:45.559
 is there any truth in this?

00:28:46.059 --> 00:28:46.859
 Let me see,

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:48.079
 what you want me to see.

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:49.740
 The words of the psalmist,

00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:50.279
 search me,

00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:50.619
 O God,

00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:51.240
 and try me.

00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:53.339
 See if there's any grievous way in me,

00:28:53.779 --> 00:28:54.640
 and lead me in the way,

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.640
 of everlasting life.

00:28:56.440 --> 00:28:56.779
 Friends,

00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:57.640
 in the face of criticism,

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.599
 choose examination,

00:28:58.599 --> 00:28:59.500
 not defense.

00:29:00.119 --> 00:29:00.759
 Here's the second thing.

00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:01.660
 It means confession,

00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:02.980
 is a regular part,

00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:03.799
 of the Christian life.

00:29:04.500 --> 00:29:05.180
 Confession,

00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:06.980
 is the Christian's habit,

00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:09.599
 of sitting under the heavenly physician's,

00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.519
 operating table,

00:29:10.940 --> 00:29:12.680
 and allowing him to remove,

00:29:12.779 --> 00:29:13.680
 the cataracts,

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:15.859
 that form over the eyes of our hearts.

00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:17.079
 I don't know if that analogy,

00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:17.680
 is too wordy.

00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:17.940
 I'm sorry.

00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.119
 Confession is,

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:20.539
 is us coming before God,

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:20.819
 and saying,

00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:21.200
 God,

00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:23.279
 it is true that I'm probably blind.

00:29:23.380 --> 00:29:24.200
 Help me to see.

00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:26.319
 Confession is coming before God,

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:27.619
 and allowing him to remove,

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:29.400
 the scales from our eyes,

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:31.019
 that we can see him,

00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:32.599
 and see ourselves clearly.

00:29:33.299 --> 00:29:34.480
 You know those great words,

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.519
 amazing grace,

00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:36.640
 how sweet the sound,

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:38.420
 that saved a wretch like me.

00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:39.960
 I once was lost,

00:29:40.059 --> 00:29:40.779
 but now I'm found,

00:29:40.859 --> 00:29:41.420
 was blind,

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:42.240
 but now I see.

00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:43.039
 Remember that hymn?

00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:45.339
 That's true of those,

00:29:45.339 --> 00:29:46.460
 that come to saving faith,

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.539
 but it's also true of those,

00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:48.079
 that are Christians.

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.319
 It's not just that,

00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.420
 once I was blind,

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.359
 and now I see.

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.380
 Friends,

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.180
 continuously,

00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:54.319
 week in and week out,

00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:55.759
 the sinful nature of my heart,

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.039
 makes me blind to God,

00:29:57.099 --> 00:29:58.119
 and blind to myself.

00:29:58.720 --> 00:29:59.819
 And day by day,

00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:00.599
 week by week,

00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:01.740
 I need to come before God,

00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:01.959
 and say,

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:02.259
 God,

00:30:02.339 --> 00:30:03.219
 I am blind,

00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:04.339
 help me to see.

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:06.279
 Let confession be a,

00:30:06.279 --> 00:30:07.879
 continuous discipline in our life.

00:30:07.919 --> 00:30:08.959
 And here's the third application.

00:30:09.219 --> 00:30:09.599
 Parents,

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.539
 what do you long for your children?

00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:14.059
 What do you pray for your children?

00:30:15.059 --> 00:30:17.159
 If God could do anything for your children,

00:30:17.259 --> 00:30:17.980
 and he can,

00:30:18.359 --> 00:30:19.819
 what would you like him to do?

00:30:20.659 --> 00:30:21.579
 Get good grades,

00:30:21.659 --> 00:30:22.599
 to get into the best school,

00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:24.379
 to get into the best university?

00:30:24.380 --> 00:30:24.500
 Ready?

00:30:25.820 --> 00:30:27.040
 Here's a prayer to pray.

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.280
 Father God,

00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:30.420
 open the eyes of their hearts.

00:30:31.260 --> 00:30:33.060
 Help our kids to see you,

00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:34.440
 and to know you,

00:30:34.860 --> 00:30:36.480
 and to know their need for grace,

00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:38.440
 that they may run to you,

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:40.340
 and cry out for mercy one day.

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:42.280
 Because how we view God,

00:30:42.340 --> 00:30:43.960
 will shape every aspect of our life,

00:30:44.560 --> 00:30:45.340
 not least of which,

00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:46.380
 is how we view ourselves.

00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:49.220
 And so let's come to the final thing,

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:49.980
 of our passage today.

00:30:50.040 --> 00:30:51.880
 Look at verse 34,

00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:53.460
 the man who loves the blind.

00:30:54.940 --> 00:30:56.540
 The problem with spiritual blindness,

00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:58.440
 is that we are blind to our own blindness.

00:30:58.820 --> 00:30:59.820
 That's the problem of sin,

00:30:59.900 --> 00:31:01.100
 is that it's so deceptive.

00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:03.180
 And we are blind to our own blindness,

00:31:03.280 --> 00:31:04.440
 and we think that we can see.

00:31:04.540 --> 00:31:05.900
 That's the problem with the Pharisees here.

00:31:06.580 --> 00:31:07.460
 And so in verse 34,

00:31:07.860 --> 00:31:10.780
 the Pharisees answer the healed man.

00:31:10.860 --> 00:31:11.120
 They say,

00:31:11.280 --> 00:31:12.680
 you were born in utter sin,

00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:14.780
 and would you dare teach us?

00:31:14.820 --> 00:31:16.260
 And they cast him out.

00:31:17.820 --> 00:31:18.640
 Just by the way,

00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:19.580
 that's what religion,

00:31:19.760 --> 00:31:21.840
 apart from grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.200
 will do.

00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:24.180
 Religion will make us judgmental,

00:31:24.380 --> 00:31:24.800
 arrogant,

00:31:25.480 --> 00:31:26.600
 and self-righteous.

00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:28.620
 You were born in sin.

00:31:28.760 --> 00:31:29.880
 How dare you teach us?

00:31:29.900 --> 00:31:30.840
 And they cast him out.

00:31:30.940 --> 00:31:31.500
 Verse 35,

00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:33.400
 Jesus heard,

00:31:33.780 --> 00:31:34.960
 that they'd cast him out,

00:31:35.460 --> 00:31:36.620
 and he went and found him.

00:31:37.160 --> 00:31:37.640
 And he said,

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.780
 do you believe in the Son of Man?

00:31:39.320 --> 00:31:39.820
 He answered,

00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:40.620
 who is he, sir,

00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.760
 that I may believe?

00:31:42.480 --> 00:31:43.200
 Jesus said,

00:31:43.260 --> 00:31:44.020
 you have seen him,

00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:45.120
 he is speaking to you.

00:31:45.160 --> 00:31:45.920
 And the man said,

00:31:46.040 --> 00:31:46.840
 Lord, I believe.

00:31:47.260 --> 00:31:48.380
 And he worshipped him.

00:31:49.340 --> 00:31:49.720
 Friends,

00:31:49.800 --> 00:31:51.760
 the religious elite cast him out.

00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:53.100
 Jesus,

00:31:53.280 --> 00:31:54.760
 hearing that they had kicked him out,

00:31:55.020 --> 00:31:55.900
 went and found him.

00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:57.340
 And having found him,

00:31:57.380 --> 00:31:58.540
 what did Jesus say to him?

00:31:58.600 --> 00:31:59.540
 Did he reprimand him?

00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:01.600
 Did he point his finger at him?

00:32:02.260 --> 00:32:02.960
 He scold him?

00:32:03.040 --> 00:32:04.740
 Did he tell him to sort his life out

00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.740
 and get his act together?

00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:07.180
 No,

00:32:07.340 --> 00:32:09.800
 Jesus helps him see who he really is.

00:32:10.560 --> 00:32:12.320
 Jesus had healed his physical blindness,

00:32:12.320 --> 00:32:14.440
 but now he wants to heal his spiritual blindness.

00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:16.820
 Jesus wants to help him see

00:32:16.820 --> 00:32:18.420
 who it is that's standing in front of him.

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:20.640
 Jesus went and found him

00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:21.519
 where no one else,

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:22.799
 including his parents,

00:32:22.900 --> 00:32:23.880
 wanted to be with him.

00:32:24.620 --> 00:32:25.860
 Jesus went and found him

00:32:25.860 --> 00:32:27.240
 and brought him back into community,

00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:28.860
 not just into the church community,

00:32:29.380 --> 00:32:30.680
 but into his family.

00:32:31.600 --> 00:32:31.920
 Friends,

00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:33.019
 have you ever felt rejected,

00:32:34.059 --> 00:32:34.640
 cast out,

00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:36.279
 not good enough?

00:32:37.220 --> 00:32:38.940
 Have you ever felt the church scold you,

00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:40.240
 reprimand you,

00:32:40.320 --> 00:32:42.140
 tell you that you need to get your act together?

00:32:42.140 --> 00:32:42.259
 Father,

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:44.620
 friends,

00:32:44.700 --> 00:32:45.580
 here is Jesus

00:32:45.580 --> 00:32:47.220
 and he comes to us

00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:48.440
 and he asks the same question,

00:32:48.520 --> 00:32:49.400
 will you believe in me?

00:32:50.340 --> 00:32:51.840
 And maybe our answer is a little bit,

00:32:52.080 --> 00:32:52.259
 God,

00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:53.800
 I don't even know what to believe anymore.

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:55.300
 I felt so hurt,

00:32:55.380 --> 00:32:56.140
 felt so rejected.

00:32:57.180 --> 00:32:58.200
 Jesus comes to us

00:32:58.200 --> 00:32:59.440
 and he wants us to see him

00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:00.880
 because he wants us to be saved

00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:02.000
 and he wants us to be healed.

00:33:02.840 --> 00:33:03.120
 Friends,

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:04.280
 do you know who Jesus is?

00:33:04.860 --> 00:33:05.780
 Do you see him?

00:33:06.620 --> 00:33:07.540
 Do you see yourself

00:33:07.540 --> 00:33:08.640
 and your need for grace?

00:33:09.800 --> 00:33:11.240
 And Jesus comes to those

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:13.120
 who no one else wants to go to

00:33:13.120 --> 00:33:14.559
 and he reaches out

00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:15.700
 because he loves

00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:17.200
 those that are far from him.

00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:19.000
 He loves those that are hurting.

00:33:19.720 --> 00:33:21.160
 He loves those that have been rejected.

00:33:21.960 --> 00:33:23.180
 He loves those that are blind.

00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:24.859
 Amazing grace,

00:33:24.980 --> 00:33:25.940
 how sweet the sound

00:33:25.940 --> 00:33:28.140
 that saved a wretch like me.

00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.539
 Once was lost,

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.339
 but now I'm found.

00:33:30.779 --> 00:33:31.400
 Was blind,

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:32.279
 but now I see.

00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:33.440
 Friends,

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.079
 will you believe?

00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:34.980
 Will you come to him?

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:37.380
 Will you worship him?

00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:38.700
 Or will you insist

00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:39.359
 that you see

00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:40.500
 with perfect vision?

00:33:41.139 --> 00:33:42.279
 Why don't you come to the one

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:43.559
 that has come for you?

00:33:43.959 --> 00:33:44.799
 Let's pray together.

00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:47.159
 Lord Jesus,

00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:48.839
 we confess

00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:50.619
 and God,

00:33:50.979 --> 00:33:52.740
 we confess that God,

00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:53.419
 we are blind.

00:33:53.779 --> 00:33:54.939
 We do not see you

00:33:54.939 --> 00:33:55.659
 for who you are.

00:33:56.639 --> 00:33:56.919
 But God,

00:33:56.959 --> 00:33:57.639
 even more than that,

00:33:57.699 --> 00:33:59.179
 we confess we need you.

00:33:59.799 --> 00:34:00.759
 We need you.

00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:02.319
 God,

00:34:02.399 --> 00:34:03.539
 I pray for every one of us

00:34:03.539 --> 00:34:03.959
 in the room,

00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:05.000
 starting with me.

00:34:05.639 --> 00:34:07.079
 Open the eyes of our hearts

00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:07.919
 to see you again.

00:34:08.759 --> 00:34:09.340
 Open our eyes

00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:09.960
 to see you

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.880
 and to see ourselves

00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:12.119
 and to see our need for grace.

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.659
 Help us to see,

00:34:13.799 --> 00:34:14.019
 Jesus,

00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:15.299
 that you love us

00:34:15.299 --> 00:34:15.819
 so much

00:34:15.819 --> 00:34:17.239
 that you came for us.

00:34:17.299 --> 00:34:18.480
 You were sent of heaven

00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:20.139
 to come and find us

00:34:20.139 --> 00:34:20.960
 and to bring us back

00:34:20.960 --> 00:34:21.519
 to your family.

00:34:22.179 --> 00:34:22.960
 So open our eyes

00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:24.340
 that we may be saved,

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:25.699
 that we may be free.

00:34:25.799 --> 00:34:26.139
 Help us,

00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:26.599
 we pray,

00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:27.880
 in your wonderful

00:34:27.880 --> 00:34:28.880
 and gracious name.

00:34:29.480 --> 00:34:29.799
 Amen.

00:34:29.799 --> 00:34:30.000
 Amen.

00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:30.059
 Amen.

00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


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00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.059


00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:32.059
 Amen.

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:32.059


00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:32.059