King of Light
Notes
Transcript
Warren Brosi
March 17, 2024
Dominant Thought: Jesus sends us to displays the works of God in our lives.
Objectives:
I want my listeners to see Jesus as the light of the world.
I want my listeners to realize the effects of walking in darkness.
I want my listeners to worship Jesus as King.
[Open with prayer and dim the light so that it is dark in the room.]
Let’s pray. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank you for stepping into the darkness to lead us to your light and life. We confess our need for you. Expose the deeds of darkness and cleanse us from our failings. As we experience the truth of your word today, open our eyes to see the world more clearly. Display the works of your glory in our world. Strengthen us against evil. Help us see you more clearly today. We pray in the name of Jesus, the light of the world. Amen.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” (Genesis 1.1-2).
Then God said, “Let there be light,” (Genesis 1.3) [Light candle].
The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
In John 9, Jesus, the light of the world, meets a man born blind. The disciples ask a very honest question to Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9.2). It makes sense in many worldviews. If something bad happens to you, then you’ve sinned. Even Deuteronomy 5.9, as part of the ten commandments, we read how God is jealous and visits the sins of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Him. Sometimes sin has direct consequences. Other times, bad things happen because we live in a cursed and fallen world.
Jesus answered the disciples, “Neither this man nor his parents but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9.3). God wanted to show His mighty works in this man’s life. Jesus continued, “As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9.4-5).
Next, Jesus spit on the ground. Does anyone else have trouble with Jesus spitting? He spit on the ground and made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. Then he tells the man, “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means “sent”) (John 9.7). The man obeys Jesus. He went and washed, and came home seeing. [bring up the lights].
It has been said, “Christ is the only remedy for men who by nature are in darkness (John 1.4; 8.12)” (C.-H. Hahn, “Light,” New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 2:494). You should have received a bookmark with braille embossed on it. The braille reads John 8.12, where Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.”
You would think that John would then tell us that the man’s family and friends threw a party and celebrated, but that is not the case. His neighbors were divided on if this really was the man who was blind, but now could see. Some said, “Yes.” Other said, “No, he only looks like him.” He tried to convince them, “I am the man.”
If we can circle back to John 9.3-5, we see that this man was born blind “so that works of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus sends us to displays the works of God in our lives.
First, We display the works of God by....Admitting we don’t have all the answers (John 9.10-17) When the man was asked, “How then were your eyes opened?” He went on to tell them what Jesus told him to do. How we made mud and told him to go wash. “Then I could see” (John 9.11).
Then, they asked him, “Where is this man?” He replied, “I don’t know” (John 9.12). Later, the religious leaders called the Pharisees will ask this man another question and again, he will say, “I don’t know” (John 9.25). One of the ways we display the works of God in our lives is by admitting we don’t know. We don’t have all the answers.
The Pharisees will ask him in John 9.17, “What have you to say about him [Jesus]? It was your eyes he opened.” the man replied, “He is a prophet.” As the story progresses the man’s knowledge and understanding of Jesus grows. Pay attention as you watch him talk about and talk with Jesus as the story moves along. At this point, the man doesn’t have a lot of answers, but he does recognize Jesus is someone special, like a prophet.
This posture of humility is key to allowing God’s works to be displayed in our lives. Jesus will close this section with challenging people. He condemns those who claim they can see and calls them blind (John 9.41).
Second, We display the works of God by....Telling the world what Jesus has done. (John 9.18-25).
The leaders bring the man’s parents in for interrogation. They are afraid to answer because the religious leaders have threatened to kick out of the synagogue anyone who confesses Jesus as King (John 9.22). To be removed from the synagogue would have been social and religiously disastrous. You would have been ostracized from the community. The parents do not stand up for their son. Instead, they say, “He’s old enough. Ask him.”
In John 9.24-25, the leaders again engage the son with the challenge, “Give glory to God by telling the truth. We know this man [Jesus] is a sinner.” The man replies, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see.”
John Newton born in England in 1725 was raised with religious confusion. Both of his parents were believers, but his young life lacked moral self-control. Despite recognizing how his life had been spared by many close calls with death, he remained antagonistic toward Christians. One time, he was thrown from a horse, and barely missed the sharp stakes of a farm implement. Another time, deep at night in the swamps, he and a friend thought they were going to left for dead. Then, the moonlight shone and they were able to find their way back home. Through many dangers, toils and snares, he had been delivered, but still his eyes were not opened to the goodness of God and His son, Jesus.
In early adulthood, Newton found he could make good money in human trafficking of his day in the slave trade. He rationalized as long as he treated the slaves humanely, then it was okay.
Newton was aboard ship one night when a violent storm broke out. Moments after he left the deck, the crewman who had taken his place was swept overboard. Although he manned the vessel for the remainder of the tempest, he later commented that, throughout the tumult, he realized his helplessness and concluded that only the grace of God could save him. Prodded by what he had read in Kempis, Newton took the first--albeit small--step toward accepting religion. In the words of his hymn, this incident marked "the hour I first believed." (Source: https://www.loc.gov/collections/amazing-grace/articles-and-essays/creation-of-amazing-grace/).
John Newton would go on to pen the words of Amazing Grace. He drew from the words from the blind man, “I once was blind, but now I see” (John 9.25).
We display the works of God by telling others what Jesus has done for us. What has Jesus done for you? He’s given me purpose. He’s given me a heart for people and a love for the nations. He’s still reminding me of his grace in the midst of my unhealthy drive toward perfection.
Third, We display the works of God by....Bowing down to King Jesus (John 9.26-38).
The leaders asked him another time, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” (John 9.26). I don’t know how many times they need to ask this guy. Maybe there is some genuine curiosity. Maybe they are hoping to catch this man so they can expel him. I love the man’s reply, “I’ve already told you. Do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples, too?”
That was enough for them. They start hurling insults at him and eventually throw him out.
Then, Jesus found [emphasis mine] him (John 9.35). He asks the man a clear question, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Again, the man shares his honest humility, “Who is he, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
This man possesses what James Wilhoit labels as “optimistic brokenness.” He goes on to say, “I use the qualifier optimistic because we are not content simply to give the message of how hard life is and to catalog our moral failures; but all of this must have the purpose of making us more reliant upon God, admitting God’s claim on our life and receiving the hope and healing he has to offer” ((Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered, p. 81).
Jesus tells the man, “You have now seen Him; in fact, He is the one speaking with you” (John 9.37). The man confesses, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him (John 9.38). To worship is to bow bow on the ground as before a king.
We display the works of Jesus by trusting Him and bowing down before Him as king.
John gives some concluding words from Jesus about judging those in the world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind (John 9.39). The Pharisees reply, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” (John 9.40-41).
One of my friends, Rob Petersen, is legally blind. He’s preached here in the past. Many of you are friends with him. Last month, he and I team taught at the Preaching-Teaching Convention at Ozark Christian College. I asked him to tell me the story of when he was diagnosed with blindness. Here’s the summary of his story.
In 1996, 2 months before Rob’s marriage to Michelle, Rob was playing volleyball game at Park Plaza Christian Church in Joplin, MO. Rob was not playing well and was missing the ball. He thought, “I need to get my eyes checked. I must need some new glasses.” He went to the eye doctor and his eye pressure was “off the chart.” They were measuring at 70 which was the top number of the device measuring his eye pressure.
The eye doctor was asking him if his eyes hurt. He replied, “No, not really.” It must have been a gradual build up over a couple of years. He was diagnosed with pigment dispersion and glaucoma. The “velvet” in his eyes had rubbed thin. The natural pores were plugged.
In the office, they said, “no more driving.” It was discouraging. Rob told his fiancé, “You have better options if you don’t want to go through with the wedding.” Michelle would not be convinced to reconsider marrying Rob.
Rob’s current job was as a weather observer at the Joplin airport. He worked the graveyard shift and didn’t feel confident to be able to identify funnel clouds at night.
At a Promise Keepers Rally in 1997 at Dallas, TX, Rob felt the call to Christian ministry. He was affirmed by the men, “You are going to be a good minister.” Rob describes the feeling similar to his conversion experience.
At an event a Park Plaza Christian Church, Jeff Snell, professor at Ozark Christian College came to preach to a group of 12 men. His preaching inspired Rob to preaching ministry. In 1998, Rob enrolled at Ozark Christian College. Missouri Rehabilitation for the Blind help pay for much of his education.
Jamie Bland, Rob’s friend, was never raised in church. He had a girlfriend who was a Christian. Jamie knew the old Rob before he became a Christian. Rob was very pessimistic. Instead of being a glass half empty, Rob may have seen the world as three fourths empty. When Jamie saw the positivity in Rob, Jamie took notice. Rob was determined not to let blindness define him. Hope is the confidence and assurance in the face of negative things.
On the day of Jamie’s baptism, he said to Rob, “Your story and experience moved me to this decision.” Jamie finally saw faith in action. He saw Rob’s faith was able to sustain and buoy him in a life changing experience. Jamie is still a believer. They saw one another about a month ago.
Jamie witnessed Rob’s faith in Jesus as he responded to the news of being legally blind. As I think of how God worked through Rob’s blindness to lead a friend to Jesus, it sounds like the answer Jesus gave to the disciples in John 9.3. The disciples asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered them, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but his happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9.3).