The Gospel of John - Trust Required - Pt 4 - Trust that is Supernatural

GREET EVERYONE-

Good Morning Loved Ones

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

INVITES

1- New Members Classes

2- Small Groups

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to the Gospel of John and Chapter ___ as we continue in our series called “Trust Required” which is ONE part of our walking through the Gospel of John together verse by verse.

PRAYER OVER SERIES

My prayer over this series is that the Holy Spirit of God will being us all - In ever increasing ways  - into a deeper supernatural trust in Jesus.

SO much so that we would all experience a dynamic shift in HOW we live out our faith.

Living out our faith is first and Internal life - and what flows from the internal then effect the external.

You see we live out of trust in Christ first in our hearts and minds - Then we live out our trust in Jesus in how we live with in the world around us.

SO my pray is that we would experience the dynamic shift of living Faith - Living Trust in such a way that it changes both our internal thoughts and self identity but also how we live towards the world around us.

Trusting Him with our relationships both with in our self  - The relationship we have with ourselves

AND the relationships we have with others arounds us. 

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

My prayer over this mornings message is that we would all clearly see that under the umbrella of Trust being a requirement for Eternal life. We must have a supernatural trust of Jesus.

Jesus in the Gospel of John has clearly delineated for us what trust means in our lives when it comes to Following HIM.

That in real and certain terms - Truly Following Jesus -

Being Labeled by Him as a True Follower by Him - Identified as a true disciple by Him -

Not self identified but by His standards (which is that only standard that matters)

A true Disciple - Requires Trust-

And He has already, As recorded for us in the Gospel of John, defined for us that this kind of Trust is transforming and lived out by “Keeping His word”!

It is a trust that goes well beyond just saying “Yea I trust Him”

But rather a trust that is a living trust - A trust in Jesus that is lived out.

A Trust that comes with Action!

ENGAGEMENT –

Supernatural -

Man oh man is that a word in our culture.

Super Natural stuff is everywhere.

There is a fascination with the Supernatural world - A fascination in our culture with things that are not explainable.

With things that are spiritual and seemingly are affected by things not of this world.

There are lots of People say “I’m spiritual but not religious”

Its doesn’t take too long to flip through the channels on your Roku

Mediums who supposedly talk to Dead people -

Ghost and paranormal hunters that go around with others and search out for things that are Paranormal.

There was this show I ran across not all that long ago that highlighted a group of people who believed they could summon aliens from another planet and access them through a spiritual rhelm portal.

There is actually a Show called Supernaturlal that highlights People doing particular seemingly powerful thing with just their minds.

And we have been facinated with this kind of stuff for years.

TENSION

The Problem that this has created for us is that it has become a “I will believe it when I see it” kind of thing for most of us.

and What that has done when it comes to following Jesus is worked in three really bad ways.

1 made us skeptical of the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit -

2-made us push away from the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit especially the Gifts.

3- Created in us this expectation that the Supernatural has to be this oh my gosh that is amazing kind of thing.

And what that does is it pushed us away from recognizing working in small ways -

What it also does is push us away from seeing God’s supernatural working in ways that seems normal.

and that makes us blind to the works of God, the thoughts of God the Power of God and the beauty of God.

So loved ones let us open our eyes and watch what happens in this narrative discourse!

BACKGROUND

Jesus is leaving the Temple where He has been in a number of very interesting conversations with religious leaders.

He has made three of the Nine Definitive “I am” Statements

The first after he fed thousands of people with five loaves and two fish.

He said “I am the bread of life, the living bread that coms down from heaven, - ANYONE who eats this bread will have eternal life”

He begins speaking of Eternal Life.

After this is in the temple Dealing with the accusations from the religious leaders who think is of the Devil because He heals a Lame man who had been lame for over 30 years on the Sabbath.

Well actually there not mad at Him for healing the man they are mad at Him that He told the man to Pick up His mat and walk on the sabbath. You see back then you we not to do any labor of any kind on the Sabbath -

So these religious leaders called Pharisees and they think that Jesus is leading people away from the Law of Moses that says Keep the Sabbath Holy and Rest.

This of course is bad to do so they set out to arrest and kill him.

He then Makes the Second of 9 “I am” statements He says: “I am the light of the world! “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of Life”

After he dispatches a group of men who are ready to kill a woman caught in the act of Adultery and Shines HIS light on her path forward, showing her how to thrive, after this horrible event has happened to her when He says “Go and Sin no more.”

There are some Jewish leaders who believe Him and what he has said and Jesus called them into account and reveals that they do not trust Him. They get to the point of asking Him who ARE you.

Jesus then makes the third of 9 “I am” Statements beginning with the words “Truly Truly I say to you before Abraham was I am”

What Jesus has just done, in front of all of these Jewish Leaders, people who would have the Whole old Testament of your bible memorized, He has just claimed that He is GOD -

And that is what is going to lead to His crucifixion.

In fact some of the leaders pick up stones to stone Him right there and then but it was not His time.

So He leaves the temple on the Sabbath and this is where we are when chapter 9 starts. off.

UNPACKING

There is a lot that happens Here is chapter 9 and so were gonna take this one in Chunks.

Jesus is leaving the temple after hiding himself from those who wanted to stone him.

His disciples are with Him.

He is passing by a man who was blind by birth and The disciples ask him “WHO SINNED”

Who Sinned? - Who is to blame?

Many people even in this world today in 3rd world countries if A child is born with a birth defect it is because mom and dad did something to cause this defect.

Cleft Palette is a big thing in the world and People who have children with cleft palette are often ostresiced from their tribe and are banished because the tribe does not want the demonic forces to effect other people in the tribe.

3rd world people think the parents are to blame -

The Disciples think someone is to blame, so they ask - WHO IS TO BLAME - Who Sinned? and these guys were specific - Parents or Him?

Jesus said - Neither

VSS3

“But that the Works of God might be displayed in Him.” Jesus Says.

This then will leave us with the question: “What are the works of God?

We will come back to that!

VSS4-5

Jesus continues with this of the “Works of GOD” but now what Jesus does is he says there are works that “We Must do”

and He puts a time limit on those works.

Watch what He says:

John 9:4–5 “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””

Who is “He who sent Jesus?” = The Father

SO Jesus has just said, Speaking to his followers - “WE must do the works of the Father”

These that he is talking to are un named disciples - We don’t know if these are the 12 - We don’t know if these are part of the larger circle of the 72 - We are not told if any of these are or will pe part of the 120 at the day of Pentecost -

We don’t know.

here is what we do know - Jesus is speaking to people who are defined as His followers. - Disciples

WE = A word meaning together in the collective -

Again the works of the father will we come back to -

But here Jesus puts a time line on everything.

We must do the works of the father while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. For as long as I am in the world I am the Light of the world.

There is a time line when the works of God will stop loved ones.

VSS 6-7

Jesus makes some mud -

Anoints the Mans Eyes with the Mud -

Betti this last Thursday, as we were all together in small group leadership training said as we were discussing this passage - Jesus put his DNA on the mans eyes -

I had never through about that before - But that is what happened -

And also remember how God created man in the first place - He created him out of the dust if the earth -

Jesus took some of that dust - Added His DNA to it and Anointed the blind mans eyes -

ANOINT means to RUB or to Smear

He then tells the blind man - “GO and Wash”

This is very interesting - Jesus - Put mud over the eyelids of a blind man and then tells Him “GO”

From an outsider looking in it might appear as if Jesus has made the guys ability to see even more difficult -

But what happens?

In the midst of being blind from birth and having mud on His eyes the man trusted Jesus with a supernatural trust and went to the pool and washed and He began to see.

VSS8-34

Verses 8-34 then record for us what happens to this changed man - when He interacts with three different set of People.

What is really phenomenal about this is the HUGE amount of doubt and fear that This man encounters from these people.

FIRST UP

His neighbors -

These neighbors had Seen him his whole adult life as a beggar. If you were blind back then from birth or anything else, unless your family was wealthy and could hid you away - you would end up on the street begging for spare change or food.

Look at the reaction -

VSS8

- IS this not HIM?

VSS9

- NO That’s not him cant be. BUT it looks like Him

The guy keeps saying “Its me its me”

VSS10

it’s like Oh yea - Then how did your eyes get opened?

VSS11-12

Testimony

- Fearless - without shame - Without uncertainty -

They asked a question and He gave an answer -

John 9:11–12 “He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.””

VSS13

These neighbors take the guys who used to be blind -who Jesus gave testimony about Jesus - they take Him to the religious leaders - the Pharisees and I can only Imagine the Neighbors questions to the Pharisees -

AHHH explain this?? …

VSS14

Repeats for us that this happened on the Sabbath - Jesus doses LOTS and LOTS of healing on the Sabbath and for some reason gets in trouble with these leaders for it.

VSS15

They question the guy that was blind - How did this happen?

He responds with same Story - Very simple - He put mud - I washed - Now I see

VSS16- -19

Argument ensues among these leaders again whether Jesus is from God or not -

Some say He is not from God because He does not keep the sabbath -

That conclusion is a problem and other point that out.

When they say “How can a sinner do such signs?

SO they turn to the Guys that was once blind and they ask Him” Well what do you say about this guy?”

VSS17

He is a prophet

Here is the interesting thing - This guys didn’t really even know who Jesus is -

VSS18

The Jews turn on the guy and now doubt the miracle.

SO what they do is they call the parents of the guy who used to be blind and they try to get them to verify He really was not born blind -

Watch how they do this -

John 9:19 “and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?””

VSS20-21

The parents are like - Yes this is our son _ yes he was born blind - How he sees -

We don’t know “ASK HIM!”

VSS22

You see the parents - Fear - The new Jesus had healed their son - There was no way this happened and the parents didn’t know -

But they were afraid - they did not want to get kicked out of the Synagogue - Which for them back then that was their community.

You see loved ones - Supernatural trust of Jesus - no fear of any one or anything else - No fear of loss of or of suffering - Only fear of God.

VSS24

So the parents have said “Ask him He is old enough” so they drag this guy back in for a second interview.

and they Put his guy in a real corner -

Watch what they say “Give glory to GOD We know this man is a sinner”

In other words - Agree with us and we will all be ok because if you agree with us then we dont have anything to worry about.

VSS25

Again - Testimony - Fearless - Focused and on point

John 9:25 “He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.””

and What is amazing here is the guys didn’t even know who Jesus was - and HEre is the reality of Why -

They guy certainly received a miracle - But Jesus had not been revealed to Him in the fullness of who Jesus is - And YET - Here this guys is giving testimony - Fearless of the fact that thee guys might cast him out of the Synagogue.

VSS26

The Pharisees still aren’t getting it so they are like “well tell us again”

VSS27

When I read 27 I can tell whether the tone of the guy is frustrated or Excited - I have a feeling it is excited/

FRUSTRATED TONE

John 9:27 “He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?””

EXCITED TONE

John 9:27 “He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?””

I think it might have been excited -

Because in the next verse they try to slap his excitement down -

and say they are better then He is.

Watch his response in verse 30-33 to being slapped down by these leaders.

John 9:30 “The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.”

This is amazing - I think this is a very sarcastic response - Like WOW you guys are not as smart as you think you are -

VSS31-33

he gives His reasons for saying what He said -

John 9:31–33 “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.””

VSS34

Well that gets him Kicked out.

Here is the phenominal part — This guy - Born Blind - who didn’t even know who Jesus was - Receives a miracle through obedience to Jesus command -

Remember Jesus said “Go to Salome and Wash”

The guys did what Jesus commanded -

I wonder what would have happened - You ever wondered this -=

What would have happened if the Guys heard Jesus say “Go to Salome and wash” and the guy would have said -

“NAAA , that’s ok I’m good”

Or what would have hapend if he would have said - What GO? Like I can GO? Im blind and now you put mud on my eye… How am I supposed to GO?

Or said “I can’t I’m not made to go”

Ever though about that?

Now watch what Jesus Does

VSS35-41

What Jesus will do is Jesus will reveal who He is -

He will Reveal God to this man who previously was obedient when He really didn’t even know Who Jesus was - But he knew -

I was Blind and now I see.

SO Jesus Finds Him and asks in the midst of His suffering loss of His community

This guy suffered dire consequences for Giving testimony about Jesus - he lost His support system.

He was on His own- is parents couldn’t have anything to do with Him - He was really alone now -

Jesus find him and asks:

“DO you believe in the Son of Man?”

VSS36

“Who is He that I may believe in Him?

Who is He that I may Trust in HIM?

VSS37

Jesus reveals Himself -

“You have seen Him and it is He who is speaking to you”

VSS38

Watch the Response -

LORD I TRUST - MASTER I TRUST-

the Text says “And He worshiped.

Jesus then says to everyone watching and listening -

VSS39

For Judgement I came into this world.

He the Explains -

That those who do not see may see and those who see may become blind.

When Jesus says this He is speaking of so much more than Physical sight or blindness -

What Jesus is talking iluding to here is the difference between People who Don’t know God and people who think they do but really don’t.

Those who do not see - They will See God Revealed in Himself The Person of Jesus Christ.

Those who think they see God - Would become blind to their old ways and see God for who He is in Jesus.

Those who Think they know God in this discourse are the Pharisees and there happen to be some near by

VSS40

“Are we also Blind?

In other words

Are you talking about us -

Jesus replied -

VSS41

If you were blind to your old ways - Then you would have no guilt -

But now you say “we see” you think you know God - But you don’t and Jesus Judges them and says “Your Guilt Remains”

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

Loved ones this is Jesus Proclaiming the Good news of Great Joy.

He came that we would know God -

He came to Reveal the Father -

Jesus is God in the Flesh -

And Jesus, as God in the flesh , Died on the Cross of Calvary - And as He was dying on that Cross - He as God was absorbing in His body the very wrath of God against all sinners.

And when His body gave way and He took His last breath uttering the words “It is Finished” - The wrath of Almighty God against guilty sinners was satisfied - and all sin was paid for. Because He that knew no sin had become sin that we might be the righteousness of God.

On the third day God raised Him back to life - Validating He was God in the flesh - and had the right and joy of ushering in forgiveness for all who Believe - All who trust.

This is why Jesus came - To Reveal God to us in the Exact Representation of His Character and the Radiance of His glory -

Every single person is born spiritually blind and Jesus came to give of all of us sight by giving Himself - Just like His DNA in the Mud in this story - Jesus came Joyfully to Give of Himself -

Call us to Obedience -

Hear HIs voice - Respond to His call - Give Testimony fearlessly about the fact that we were all once blind but now we see.

And In response to His Call and In obedience working of the Father while there is still light -

Jesus calls us who See Him and have Received His miracle of New Regenerated Life -to Give Witness to Him. Revealing Him which is the workk of the father that Jesus speaks of at the beginning of this chapter.

Loved ones there is a time limit -

There is a day when no one will be able to work because it will be dark.

We are not in those day - For the Holy Spirit of Christ is still here.

But there will be a day -

Today - loved ones - WE Must realize The Hands of God almighty are up

One holding back His wrath -

What do you mean Pastor His Wrath? - Loved ones there are those who have not repented and surrendered their life to Jesus as the One who God has sent - As the Savior of their Souls - The Payment and Satisfying sacrifice for their SINs - un repentant - Still dead in their trespasses and their sins - You might be one this morning -

These are storing up wrath for themselves until the day of wrath -

And God’s merciful hand is holding back His wrath and with the other God is extending an invitation by sending His church - the people of God to proclaim to the world - I was blind but now I see - Come and see with me -

With this Other Hand of Invitation God is wanting His church to proclaim - Come, loved one - Repent and Believe - be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. - Receive a supernatural trust and be my ambassadors to the world revealing who I am.

Ambassadors of reconciliation - Begging Pleading with men and women Everywhere to be reconciled back to God -

Proclaiming - I too was Blind but now He made me see-

Loved ones Here me - Both hands are up - The Light is still shining - The wrath of God is being Held back by His might Right Hand and with His left He is calling you to faith -

AND loved ones there is urgency in His call There is a limit ot his calling -

There is a day loved ones wen both Hand will drop and His wrath will be Unleashed and His calling will be no more.

Let us all hear the calling of God - Repent unto HIs lordship - See with the Eye that He has healed and Keep out eyes on Jesus.

ENCOURAGEMENT

 PRAYER TEAM