Who Sinned
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
If you were with us last week, you may remember that Jesus was debating with the people in the temple.
At the end of their discussion, we read:
At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
The picked up stones to stone Jesus.
But Jesus slipped through their hands yet again.
And he left the temple grounds.
Today we pick up our study in chapter 9, and we’ll begin reading with verse 1. So if you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to John chapter 9.
Here, Jesus is going to continue his theme that he is the light of the world like he said back in chapter 8, verse 12. This morning we are going to see that Jesus repeats this truth in chapter 9, verse 6.
Let’s look at verse 1.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from b
The Disciple’s Question
The Disciple’s Question
As Jesus and his disciples are walking along, they saw a blind man. The idea here of walking along doesn’t give us an exact location or an exact time (v. 1a).
Many scholars believe that this healing took place in Jerusalem. They believe that it very well have happened very close to the time of the discussion back in chapter 8.
The text lets us know that the man was blind from birth (v. 1b).
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
The disciples ask Jesus a question: Who sinned? (v. 2). Whose action caused this man to be born blind? From their perspective there were only two choices:
The man (himself) sinned (pre-natal sin and/or the pre-existence of the soul)
Or the man’s parents had sinned
The disciples followed the popular belief of the day that sin brought divine judgment (cf. Ex. 20:5; 34:7; Ezk. 18:4). They believed there was a cause/effect relationship that led them to conclude that ever bad effect was tied to a particular sin.
Thus, the disciples assumed that someone had to have sinned to cause something as grievous as blindness.
This is a view that is often held by people today. The Bible clearly shows that this kind of thinking was not Biblical (cf. Job, 2 Cor 12:7; Gal 4:13).
Jesus’ Reply
Jesus’ Reply
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
The man’s blindness has nothing to do with sin! (v. 3a) Thus:
The man did not sin—so he wasn’t the cause of the blindness.
Likewise, the man’s parents sin did not cause their son’s blindness.
The blindness was for a purpose (v. 3b). That purpose was so that God might be displayed in the man! In other words, the man was blind specifically so that Jesus could heal him, and that by Jesus healing the man, God’s amazing power could be seen in the man!
As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Jesus switches to a day/night motif (v. 4a).
As long as it is the day—both Jesus and his disciples MUST (has the idea of “have to”) do the the job that God the Father has given them to do (v. 4b).
Nighttime is coming, and when it comes no one can work (v. 4c).
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus gives his next “I AM” (v. 5). While Jesus is present in the world, I Am the light of the world.
The Miracle
The Miracle
After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
So Jesus, spits on the ground and makes some mud out of the dirt mixed with his saliva (v. 6a).
Then he puts the mud on the man’s eyes (v. 6b).
“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Then Jesus gives him a “strange” command. He tells the man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam (the pool was located in southeastern Jerusalem) (v. 7a).
John tells us that Siloam means Sent (v. 7b). This becomes a metaphor for Jesus as the One sent by God.
The man went to the Pool of Siloam and washed just like Jesus said to do (v. 7c).
And when he left the Pool, he could see (v. 7d).
The man leaves the Pool of Siloam and is able to see (v. 7).
Confusion!
Confusion!
All of this presented confusion for the people! Look at verse 8.
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”
His neighbors (who knew him), and other people who had seen him begging are confused (v. 8a).
They all begin to ask, “Isn’t this the same man used to sit and beg? You see it was too far fetched to think that someone born blind could really be healed! (v. 8b).
The Debate
The Debate
Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
Some of the people argued that it was actually the blind man they had seen begging (v. 9a).
Others argued that he was someone else that “looked like” the beggar (v. 9b).
The man settles the debate by declaring that he is really the “former” blind man (v. 9c).
Looking for an Explanation
Looking for an Explanation
“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
If he was truly the same person, these people want to know how he can see now (v. 10). It is too fantastic, miraculous, outrageous to believe a person that was blind from birth could actually be healed.
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.”
The man tells them that “the man they call Jesus. . .” (we need to remember that the man has never see Jesus. He would not recognize Jesus if he saw Him)
Put mud on (in) his eyes.
Told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam.
When he did he could see!
NOTE:
Jesus is still the same miracle working Savior today. He constantly works miracles all around us. The problem we have today is recognizing what Jesus is doing and accepting it as a miracle!
“Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
The people who heard the man’s story, want to know where Jesus is now!
The man responds by saying that he has no idea where Jesus is.
NOTE:
Remember, the man had been blind! Can you imagine, he has been blind from birth but now he can actually see. The wonder he must have felt at seeing things for the very first time. Things that had only been describe to him before, he can now see.
Since Jesus had not gone with the man to the pool to wash, there was NO way he could recognize Jesus by sight. Thank about that for a minute! This man could not recognize Jesus if he saw Him!
Still, the crowd is demanding to know: (1) Who healed him. (2) Where is the man that healed him. This poor man has no answers for the crowd other than his “testimony” of the events that happened.
I see this as further evidence that Jesus was not in the business of self-promotion. Rather, Jesus relied on the Father (God the Father) to build Jesus’ audience. Furthermore, Jesus followed the Father’s plan for all that was going to happen.
Even today, Jesus does not force anyone to believe in Him. He simply presents the offer and waits to see if they will respond.
Conclusion
Conclusion
One of the things that I love about this story is that it reminds me that God has a plan for our lives.
Even when bad things happen— God has a plan.
That’s the beauty of Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Notice that Paul doesn’t say, “All things are good!” Rather Paul says that God has the amazing ability to take the bad things that happen in our lives and make something good out of them!
I want you to notice one more thing in this verse. Making good out of bad all depends on our relationship with God. Notice that the good out of bad happens when we:
Love God!
Are called according to his purposes!
But God doesn’t stop there! Even when I cause the bad things—God has a plan!
Many people adopt Jeremiah 29:11 as their live verse. It says,
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Here’s the quick background to the story. The children of Israel had been carried off into captivity because of their disobedience to God!
God speaks to them through the prophet Jeremiah. And honestly, God’s message is not too encouraging. Through Jeremiah, God tells them:
Settle down in the exile.
Build houses.
Plant gardens and eat the produce.
Have children.
And marry your children off!
In other words, God tells the people you are going to be in exile for a long time! In fact, 70 years is mentioned in verse 10.
Then in verse 11 we read this encouraging verse!
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Even though the people sinned against God and were sent into exile, God has a plan and it is a caring plan! NOT a destructive plan!
In our story today, it doesn’t matter if the man sinned or if his parents sinned. God loved the man and wanted to the glory of Jesus to be demonstrated in his life!
And God is doing the same things with you and me!
