Blind fallout

Sermon Style Sheet

Write that down in your formation Journal

Illustration

Sermon Text

Sermon Text: Scripture

Call to Worship

test

Psalm 140:12–13 CSB

12 I know that the Lord upholds the just cause of the poor, justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous will praise your name; the upright will live in your presence.

––––––––––––

Passage:

Formation Journal Page Number: 5:37-6:10 6:37-7:12

John 9:35–41 CSB

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked. 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?” 41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Opening Illustration:

Mcarthur Wheeler and Clifton Earl Johnson robbed two banks

1995

Johnson had convinced Wheeler that lemon juice would work like invisible ink and make their faces invisible!

They even tested it. With a poloroid

They ended up getting arrested Wheeler was shocked! But I wore the lemon Juice! I wore the lemon Juice!

It actually lead to research of something called the Dunning-Kruger Effect

Its the tendancy for people who know very little about something to overestimate how much they know.

People who don’t know God - [Spiritually blind people are CONVINCED that they can see.]

time

Getting into the Sermon

time

John 1-5

John 6-8

John 9 last week Jesus heals a man who was born blind

John 9:13–15 CSB

13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”

He did it again!

[Jesus refuses to be INTIMIDATED]

This one is actually worse becasue you weren’t allowed to knead dough and here he is making clay

John 9:16–17 CSB

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said.

They know very little about God but are convinced they are the experts.

The pharisees are spiritually blind. But they are convinced they can see.

[The spiritually blind are convinced God will match their IMAGINATION]

The world does this. He doesn’t follow our morality so he isn’ God.

Love is love - or he wouldn’t allow something bad to happen.

How about this one- God will know I tried, he will see I’m a good person. He won’t be upset with me.

People who say they don’t know God but are convinced God will match their imagination. They are fooling themselves.

For the man this is just bizzaro world. Everything they always said they wanted is right there. Everything that this world is designed around.

Then he comes and they are like, nahh.

But the man doesn’t go along with it. He doesn’t really know much but he knows

I’ve barely even met the guy but I know you aren’t better than him

John 9:18–23 CSB

18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”

So then they question whether the guy was actually born blind at all.

Think about what should have happened. They should be thrilled

[They enemy wants to blind us to our own MOTIVATIONS and FEARS]

Banned from the synagoge - this isn’t official beating, or legal persecution, but it was social persecution. relational center of the jewish life

I think we need to recognzie that this is real. Sometimes people will say, well it isn’t like you are getting thrown in prison. No, it isn’t. But there is a real cost. And some people aren’t willing to pay it.

Relationships matter. It’s a big deal. We were made to be part of a community. That’s one of the reasons why it is so hard.

But understanding that it is a real cost, will allow you to face the actual reality. Name your fear. What is it? Why is it so bad? Sometimes it is really bad. Sometimes it’s not.

But you can’t deal with vagueness.

John 9:24–27 CSB

24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”

Hilarious, I mean, this is gutsy

Jesus is like “You don’t want me to heal on the sabbath - I am going to heal even harder!

This guy is like openly mocking them now.

But think about it, this is his shot to get into society but he knows it’s all ridiculous. He’s been healed!

John 9:28–34 CSB

28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.” 30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” 34 “You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

They don’t know God but they are so convinced!

One of the recurring things in John is the pharisees’ acting like they understand the OT when they don’t. They say - if you don’t have two witnesses it’s false (that’s not what it says) They say “what prophet has ever come from galillee!” Jonah - Jonah with the whale, like one of the most famous prophets.

We follow Moses!

And this guy schools them.

Then they have their loser’s cope

Here’s what I want you to see.

He was healed in a miracle.

The miracle was proven and observed.

They still wouldn’t believe.

What does that say about the hardness of people’s hearts?

This is why good works don’t work. This is why even things like apologetics, they are good to know but they don’t convince.

What does it say about our need for the Holy Spirit to be at work?

John 9:35–38 CSB

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked. 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

Who was the son of man?

[Jesus makes blind men SEE]

and he goes and he seeks him out.

Now look, I want you to say “He worshiped him.” Why are they worshiping him - because he is god!

The man becomes a Christian and he get’s invited into community. He’s rejected by one community and he is accepted by another community. We want you to be in groups so that you can feel that community. You need that.

John 9:39–41 CSB

39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?” 41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

[Jesus REVEALS our spiritual blindness so that we can see]

The biggest problem with sin is that we are spiritually blind but we think we can see.

So our sins stack up, and we brush them off.

I’m not that bad, then you do something, you brush it under the rug. I’m not that bad…. I’m not that bad… You don’t see.

All of the world’s methods are lemon juice

Good news of the gospel

Guilt

{ABC’s of repentance}

Where are you? Are you spiritually blind. Are you kidding yourself.

When judgement comes, don’t be the one saying “but I used the lemon juice!”

We are called to bring the light.

See your area of weakness, don’t be ashamed, don’t minimize, recognize that it’s a weakness you need God to deliver you from.

Then lean on him. We need him. You are going to be weak.

And let’s help people see the true light together

Lord’s Supper:

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 

Benediction:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you:

The LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.