INGRAINED

“INGRAINED”

intro: “Only the man who insists “I see” is doomed to remain spiritually blind.”

I. Ingrained Mentality

A. Trying to dig my back yard and I was surprised at the boulders I kept hitting.. “Another one!”

1. This very well represents our spiritual lives when we allow God to work in us..

a. Often times sin is linked to the way we think and WHO WE ARE…

b. We have beliefs, ways of thinking that fly in complete opposition of the gospel…

* Just when we think were doing great = “Where did that belief come from not biblical”

2. One of the hardest things to break is our ingrained mentality

a. Our family interactions in childhood are at the root of how we act as adults

b. We learn certain things as we grow up / We become “hard wired” to believe things!

B. The problem is your thoughts and ideals have become your new reality “real for you” / sophist mentality

1. Our hard wired beliefs and thoughts have become “WHO WE ARE”

a. These must be dug out by God so we can decide if they need to be thrown out:

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)1.. let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

b. This weight can be like a giant boulder in how we think, or believe about ourself or others…

C. IOT = Disciples ask “Who sinned this man or his parents”

John 9:2 (NKJV)2And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

1. Their culture believed if something bad happened to you then it’s your fault!

a. One way pharisees thought was a baby could sin in the womb / OR PARENTS SINNED

b. This mentality we see in JOB - “surely Job has sinned” “God’s judgement”

2. This strange mentality is still popular today - “I’m suffering because God is angry at me”

a. If were honest we can get in that mode: “Why are they suffering?”

b. Some people are hurting.. They’re not riddles for you to figure out!

II. THE OPPORTUNITY

A. Jesus didn’t see this man as some project to theorize about/ HE saw him as an opportunity to express compassion

1. This was an opportunity to relieve the blind man’s suffering!

a. “Q” How do we view those who are suffering?

2. Jesus “Took action” - Let me pray for you

John 9:5–6 (NKJV)5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.

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B. MIND-BLOWN - Imagine what the disciples were thinking?

1. Jesus spits in the dirt makes clay and wipes the mans eyes!

a. IOW this is a creative miracle…

2. We as believers get stuck with a certain mentality that thinks “GOD CAN ONLY MOVE ONE WAY”

a. God is always creatively moving and revealing his light to the world!

b. God can save by many or few

c. God gifts Job with this revelation of himself “Job can you?” = God reveals what he can do..

- List of all God does.. Hook leviathan / put the leopards spots? Etc…

- Jobs answer:

Job 42:1–6 (NKJV)1Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2“I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

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