The Man Born Blind
That You May Believe • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Handout
Intro:
My Story
Some funny stories.
A genius?
Baseball
Bike jump - Tree
Things that are hard:
It’s only getting worse.
Driving: This is sketchy.
Reading.
Identifying people.
“Why?” - Why would this happen?
“How?” - How do I live a meaningful life?
“What?” - What does God expect of me?
We all have a weakness.
In John 9, we are going to see how God uses a man born blind to bring glory to God.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 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.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
There’s alot we can learn from this passage, but what I want to focus on here it what we can learn from it about how to live for the glory of God in spite of our weaknesses.
1. Be satisfied in doing the will of God (John 9:4).
1. Be satisfied in doing the will of God (John 9:4).
Problem 1: We have our own will.
Disney told us to follow our dreams.
Problem 2: We don’t even know what will satisfy us.
Result: We end up…
Anxious - Trying to control, but feeling out of control.
Unsatisfied:
If we reach the dream, we find it didn’t do for us what we hoped.
If we don’t reach the dream, we end up unsatisfied because we never got what we wanted.
Testimony: Unfulfilled no matter what I did. 5 years old doing door to door sales. But Jesus changed my perspective and gave me a God-given purpose and lasting fulfillment.
God’s solution: We must surrender our life to Christ in order to find what we were really made for (Matt. 10:39).
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
Paraphrase: “Whoever wants to follow their dreams will end up feeling meaningless, but whoever gives up their dreams in exchange for doing my will, will end up finding their purpose after all.”
Lets look at verse 4.
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Day and Night as a metaphor for life and death.
Day = The time when you have your opportunity.
Choice: To do the works God has for you or not.
Jesus knew that he had works that needed to be done.
But the Bible tells us it’s not only Jesus who has purposeful things he needed to do, it is you too.
Truth: God has a calling for you (Eph. 2:10)
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
2. Be satisfied in depending on the power of God (John 9:1-2).
2. Be satisfied in depending on the power of God (John 9:1-2).
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
This man was born blind. That’s gonna limit him from doing a few things isn’t it.
What’s that thing for you that makes you go, “I can’t do what God is calling me to do because…”
Problem: We want to be the hero. Hero’s save the weak people.
I guess if I had some other superpower, I might be ok with a weakness.
Daredevil: Heightened senses. Echolocation. Sense peoples emotions through their heartbeat. Skilled fighter and detective.
But if it just means our weakness makes us weaker, that’s not cool.
Solution: Dependence upon God.
Possible healing.
His grace (power) to be enough to enable us to do what he has called us to do.
Ex. Paul (2 Cor. 12:9)
He performed miracles in the name of Jesus.
Healed a man crippled from birth.
The sick
Diseases
But Jesus didn’t heal him. Why?
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Truth: Your weakness will never hinder you from accomplishing God’s purpose for your life, it will only clarify it.
3. Be satisfied in living for the glory of God. (John 9:3, 5-12, 38)
3. Be satisfied in living for the glory of God. (John 9:3, 5-12, 38)
Problem: We all like glory for ourselves.
Nacho Libre: “I want a little taste of the glory. To see what it tastes like.”
Result: It never satisfies. It’s never enough.
Truth: Our lives were meant to display the glory of God.
God’s power and glory was about to be on display. John 9:3
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
In one sense his power would be displayed because a miraculous healing was about to happen.
But there was something bigger going on.
A fulfillment of an ancient prophecy was about to take place.
Over 700 years earlier
The Christ/Messiah - “Annointed One.”
The blind would receive sight.
out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
to open eyes that are blind
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus says he is the Light of the world.
OT - the Lord was referred to as “our light.”
Jesus proves he is the Light of the world, by healing the man.
After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Jesus fulfills the ancient prophecy about the Christ. (Isaiah 29:18)
Jewish people are supposed to be going, “Woah, that was what Isaiah said would happen.”
One of the reasons I believe:
Proof.
Prophecies
Jesus fulfilled them.
Not blind faith.
The purpose of John. John 20:31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Why did God heal him? For God’s glory (John 9:3)
Could it be that God wants to display his work through you in order to bring him glory?
Some of you will bring glory to God by experiencing healing from the hardship by the power of Jesus.
Some of you will bring glory to God by enduring through the hardship with hope by the power of Jesus.
Both bring glory to God.
The proper response to trusting Jesus is to worship him. John 9:38
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
What is the hope we have in Christ?
What is the hope we have in Christ?
Everyone who chooses to receive that gift of forgiveness is promised eternal life with God.
This life is not all there is.
For those who trust in Christ, this life is the worst it’s ever gonna get. And it’s only going to get better from there.
For those who trust in Christ, we have the promise that, one day, every disease will be healed.
Conclusion:
What are you going to do with your weakness?
Be satisfied doing the will of God, depending on the power of God for the glory of God.
Your weakness will never hinder you from accomplishing God’s purpose in and through your life.
Whatever your struggle is, you can have hope in Christ, who will one day bring full restoration.
