Who Do You Say Jesus is (Part 2)

An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout “PRAISE THE LORD!”

Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, “There ain’t no Lord!!”

Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted “PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!”

The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, “PRAISE THE LORD.”

The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, “Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn’t.”

The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, “PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them.”

Historical/Cultural Context -

The Gospel of John was written between 90 AD and 100 AD. Scholars also believe that John wrote the three Epistles and the book of Revelation around the same time-frame as he wrote this Gospel. The Gospel of John was written after Matthew, Mark, & Luke had been written and circulated. John has been dubbed by most scholars as “The Spiritual Gospel.”

Biblical Text -

John 9:18–41 NKJV

But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.” He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?” Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.” The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - Jesus Is Bold, You Also Be Bold. Trust In Jesus, & Do God’s Will All The Time.

Life Point- Be Bold In The Faith

Exegetical -

John 9:18–23 NLT

The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

Homiletical -

Last time we were together we looked at the blind whom Jesus healed by spitting in some dirt and making mud. Now we pick up again where the people had brought the formerly blind man to meet the religious leaders of the day.

This kind of healing had never been seen before. This miracle before now had never even really been thought of before Jesus did the miracle. It was not a normative thing for someone who was born blind to be healed.

So what do they do? They call in his parents. Why? Because they still couldn’t believe the miracle.

So they ask his parents if this was there son and if he indeed was born blind and now can see. His parents are afraid of the Jewish leaders because they know that it had been said that anyone who proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.

To be put out of the synagogue during this time was devastating. It isn’t like today where if you get mad at one church you can go down the street to another. To be put out also meant your finances will be hit, because the Jewish community would not buy from you, they would not have anything to do with you. So to be put out meant you were cut off in your finances, your social connections and your religious worship.

That pretty much covered everything.

What is interesting here is that their son was bold with what happened, would not back down about it. Yet his parents were afraid and obfuscated the questioning. They wanted nothing to do with this line of questioning. They knew a miracle had taken place because they knew their son for years had been blind, but rather than rejoice in the miracle of God they put the questioning back on their son.

They were OK with him being put out of the synagogue, but not themselves.

The ex-blind man was not even privy yet to the fact that Jesus is God in the flesh, yet God’s power and boldness caused him to be bold in what had happened. How much more should we? We have the Holy Spirit living inside of every believer, yet we are not bold like we should be.

Proverbs 28:1 NLT

The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.

Acts 28:31 NLT

boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

When someone asks you for why you believe what you believe? Don’t be mousey in your answer, but be stalwart, be bold with your answer. Don’t back down! Let God be God and every man a liar.

Romans 3:4 NLT

Of course not! Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true. As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

Where is your faith today? Is it bold? Or are you so unsure of what you believe that maybe you don’t believe what Jesus said? If that is the case, you need to examine yourself and make sure you are actually in the faith.

2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

Life Point - Trust In Your Relationship With Jesus

Exegetical -

John 9:24–33 NLT

So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

Homiletical -

So they call in the ex-blindman and say to him, give God the glory but not Jesus because we know he is a sinner.

The man is like look I don’t about that, but I know this: I was blind, but now I see!

So the religious leaders are still in shock and awe and still don’t really believe him. They ask how did Jesus do it!

The man replies, probably in a bit of exasperation, I already told you this why do you want to here it again. Do you want to be his disciples too?

In other words, ya’ll are so hung up on this is it because you want to follow Him too?

So do they answer the man in humility? Nope they answer him with self-righteousness and indignation.

You follow Jesus but we are the elite who follow Moses, whom we know God speaks through. Why we don’t know anything about Jesus not even where he comes from.

So the man is pretty ticked now and he says that’s strange because he did this miracle and healed my eyes and you know nothing?

So then he calls them out on their hypocrisy stating that their belief that God doesn’t here sinners yet he heard Jesus who healed him. So how could Jesus be a sinner then?

If he weren’t from God, he could do nothing.

The ex-blindman trusted in his revelation of who Jesus is and trusted his experience with Him.

I can tell you two things that I know to be absolutely correct in my life.

I know when and where I was married. Dec. 28, 2002 - I remember it, I was there.

I know when and where I was saved. - I remember it, I was there.

This man remembers where and when Christ came to Him. - He remembers it, He was there.

If you don’t have the salvation experience, then you need to truly ask yourself. Are you saved? Are you sure? That day will leave an indelible mark on your mind and your life.

You can trust Jesus and your relationship with Him. I know because I have had that salvation experience that changes you from the inside out. You see I was walking my own way, doing what I wanted and then I came in contact with Jesus and now I am going the other way, daily doing what He wants of me.

Life Point - Do God’s Will & He Will Get The Glory

Exegetical -

John 9:34–41 NKJV

They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out. Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

Homiletical -

So after this exchange what happens to the man? He is cast out. I mean out of their presence and the synagogue.

He knew what would happen if he stood up for truth, you know what? He did it anyway.

And what happened after this? Jesus came and found Him and revealed to Him who He truly is. God in the flesh and the saviour of the world.

Notice the man believed in Jesus and worshipped Him.

He makes a statement that He has come into the world to judge the world so that those who do not see may see and that those who see may be made blind.

The Jews were God’s chosen people the had the revelation of God in the Torah, but they did not see Christ when He first came. They should have known better for they knew the law. It turns out that those who were supposedly unlearned saw Him for who He is and they worshipped Him.

Well that didn’t sit well with the religious teachers and they said are we blind also?

Jesus shifts gears in talking about their sin then. He says you know the law, if you hadn’t you wouldn’t be responsible for your sin, but you do, so your sins remain with you.

What does that mean? That means the religious people who had a form of Godliness, but denied the power thereof, were responsible for what they knew and should have known and needed a saviour. Instead, they rejected Him.

I have found that the most mean-spirited people in the world are religious folks. I am not talking about true Christians here. I am talking about religious folks who go to church, know some of the Bible. Should know better how to act, but because they don’t know Jesus they are bitter and have a form of Godliness but do not know the power of Godliness that only comes through Jesus Christ.

I thank God we don’t have those kind of people here, but they do exist and you need to grow a thick skin when you are around them because inevitably they will strike out in order to harm you emotionally, spiritually, and in some cases physically. Watch out for those religious people who don’t know God.

Jesus said it of the pharisees of His day.

Matthew 23:27 NLT

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.

Life Principle–

Call to Action – altar call….