From Darkness To Light • John 9:1-41

Review & Overview

1. Previous Chapters Review

In the previous chapters…  Jesus was in the treasury of the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles…   

Jesus made that incredible claim in John 8:58 I AM…      which is the name of God from Ex.3:14…

And subsequently they took up stones to kill Him…  but  it wasn’t Jesus time to die… so He passed by them…  

2. Current Study’s Overview

Now, according to vs.1… read… chp.9: deals with Jesus healing a man who was born blind.

If your taking notes we want to look at 6 things regarding the healing of the blind man:

The Inconsideration Vs. 1-5

The Demonstration Vs. 6-7

The Speculation Vs. 8-12

The Interrogation Vs. 13-23

The Castigation Vs. 24-34

The Summation Vs. 35-41

1. The Inconsideration Vs. 1-5 (The Disciples & The Blind Man)

1.1 Problem with his Blindness Vs. 1-2

The problem is that Jews believed that physical illness was a direct result of sin… Job’s friends thought that.

Now sin can bring about physical illness…     but     not all physical illness is a direct result of sin…

1.2  Purpose for his Blindness Vs. 3-5

So the purpose for his blindness was so the Works of God could be revealed in him…  

And Jesus came to do the Works of God…    to bring Hope…      Help…    &    Healing…

APPLICATION: God has a purpose for infirmities…   

2 Corinthians 4:15 NKJV

15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

so no matter what is happened in our lives Jesus Christ can bring Hope…   Healing…       Restoration…

2. The Demonstration Vs. 6-7 (Jesus & The Blind Man)

Throughout the scriptures we see Jesus heals in a variety of ways:  

in Matt.9: He touched the eyes of 2 blind men…

in Mark 8: He only used spit…  

here He mixed His spit & clay & tells him to wash in Siloam.  

APPLICATION: Why so many different methods…    Why so many different procedures…   So we don’t put God in a Box…

So we don’t think that God only works one way & one way only… 

Now God is still in the business of healing…       but      He will heal in His time & in His way…

1 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

3. The Speculation Vs. 8-12 (The Neighbors & The Blind Man)

Now, this speculation is seen in light of 3 questions:

They asked If he was really the man who was born blind…     And he assures them he is…

vs.10-11,  They ask How where you healed…    

vs.12,   They ask Where is He who healed you…

And what’s interesting is that the question of How he was healed is the main the question… 

John 9:10 NKJV

10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”

John 9:15 NKJV

15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

John 9:19 NKJV

19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

John 9:26 NKJV

26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

Unfortunately they were all focused on the How…        rather        then the Who…

APPLICATION: And that is typically case…   we have a tendency to focus on How God is going to work things out…

Lord How are You going to deal with my Family issues…    Physical issues…    Financial issues…

We need to focus on Who is going to work them out…    not   How He’s going to work them out…

Isaiah 55:8–9 NKJV

8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

we need to remember that God is on the throne & He’ll work it out… 

Ephesians 1:11 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

4. The Interrogation Vs. 13-23 (The Pharisees & The Blind Man)

4.1 Division Vs. 13-17

Some thought Jesus was a sinner because He didn’t keep the Sabbath because He made clay on the Sabbath Others believed He was from God because He did this sign or miracle… the man thought He was a Prophet.  

So there was a great Division about who Jesus is…    there is still a great Division about Jesus today…

J.W.: Michel the Ark angel…       Mormons: Spirit bro of Lucifer…       Buddhists:  avatar of God…

When Jesus & the disciples came to Caesarea Philippi in Matt.16:13 who do men say I the Son of Man am some say Your John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets…        but       who do you say that I am…

Matthew 16:13 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

That is thee greatest question that faces all of mankind…    Who do you say Jesus Christ is…

Pop-off

4.2 Disbelief Vs. 18-23

They did not believe that this man was born blind… & that’s because they didn’t believe Jesus could heal him

His parents threw him under the bus because they were afraid of getting kicked out of the Synagogue.

Interesting that even today in Israel if you believe that Jesus is the Christ your cut off from your family, friends & even your job…

APPLICATION: Point:  they did not believe…       There are many today who do not believe that Jesus can heal…

They do not believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today…    very sad…

5. The Castigation Vs. 24-34

5.1 Pressure To Lie Vs. 24

They chastised him, they despised him…   reviled him…

vs.24,  Give God the glory:   in other words, tell the truth…

5.2 Vs. 25-31

Don’t misunderstand what he’s saying…    he is simply repeating what the Jews believed…

Because God does hear the prayer of sinners…       if their prayer is a prayer of repentance…

What spoke to me a lot is found in Vs. 25, On think I know, that thought I was blind, now I see.

5.3 Vs.32-34

They disrespected him…  despised him… rebuked…  &  reviled him…   &  cast him out…

They couldn’t argue with his logic spiritually…      so      they cast him out physically…

APPLICATION: This is often the case when dealing with non-believers…  when they can’t refute your logic they simply want to leave…     they storm off…

6. The Summation Vs. 35-41 (Jesus & The Blind Man)

6.1 Heart of the Lord Vs. 35-38

I think we see the Heart of the Lord in vs.35, not only in that Jesus Heard that this man was kicked out of the synagogue…      but     Jesus Found him:    He was seeking him…      He searched for him…

Luke 19:10 the Son of Man came to seek & to save that which was lost…

Luke 19:10 NKJV

10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Ezek.34:16 I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away…   Heart of our Lord…

Ezekiel 34:16 NKJV

16 “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”

I love the response by this man in vs.38…   I believe…     he came to faith in Jesus in Christ…   &  he became a worshipper of Jesus Christ…

APPLICATION: Jesus is seeking all of us for salvation…     

John 3:17 NKJV

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

And all we have to do is Believe…    like what Paul told the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:31 believe…

Acts 16:31 NKJV

31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

APPLICATION: Sad contrast between formal religion who cast out this man…   &   Jesus who sought out the man…

Jesus wants us to come to Him just as we are… we don’t clean up our act and come to the Lord… we come to the Lord so He can clean up our act…

6.2 Judgment by the Lord Vs. 39-41

vs.39 -  we know in John 5:22 that the Father judges no man but has committed all judgment to the Son…

John 5:22 NKJV

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

So Jesus will judge or decide between those who come to faith in Him, those who were blind but now see…        &      those who reject Him, those who think they see but are really blind…

vs.40 - Hey, we are the spiritual leaders of the nation, we know the scriptures, we know the Law…

Are You saying we’re blind…    yes, spiritually…    in Matt.15:14 Jesus calls them blind leaders…

Matthew 15:14 NKJV

14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

6. The Summation Vs. 35-41 (Jesus & The Blind Man)

vs.41 - if you were blind or didn’t see all the miracles that I have done…    &    all the prophecies that I fulfilled…     you would have no sin…

But you’ve seen all the evidence all the proof that I am the Messiah, you say you see…  &  since you rejected Me as the Messiah…       your sin remains…

If after seeing all the proof that Jesus is the Christ that He is the Messiah and you reject that proof… there’s no hope…    our sin remains…

But if like this man our spiritual eyes are opened to Jesus and we believe Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior our sins will be forgiven…  &  forgotten…   we will be healed spiritually…  eternally…

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