Devout Worshippers

Intro:

We worship the God we know. We come to know him from what he has done in our life. God is the initiator in this relationship. He first created us. He first loved us. He first forgave us and redeemed us. He saved us. He blesses us. He provides for us. He is God our Father who loves us when we are at our best and when we are at our worst. What a good, good Father he is. We worship the Lord who loves us and takes care of us. Our relationship is totally dependent on what God has done for us. Worship the Lord, your God for he is good. He is good to you.

Lead into text: Jesus is under scrutiny for His good works. This chapter is no different.

Read Text:

John 9:1–39 NLT

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! 8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied. 13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” 18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” 20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. 35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

A man born blind is the focus of the religious leaders in this chapter, but he is not the focus of this chapter. What is the focus of this chapter is who do you seek to worship. The symbolism of sight or lack of sight is in relations to who you see and worship as God. The ones who worship God are the ones who has sight and the ones who do not worship the Son God are the ones who are truly blind. Jesus is pointing out to see God is to know God. Knowing God is to worship God and obey his commands.

It is hard to worship what you do not see and definitely what you do not believe. In this text the blind man is a character of irony. We had a blind man who could see clearly the work of the Lord not having physical sight but spiritual sight. We have the pharisees who claim to see God but do not know who the Son of God is and they refuse to worship the Son of God. To give God true worship you have to worship Jesus, the Son of God.

The irony in this text is that on one hand there is a man who is born blind at the beginning of this text. He gains sight and sees Jesus and comes to know Jesus and worships him. The other hand we have those who do have sight at the beginning of the text but do not see Jesus and are truly blind as declared by Jesus at the end of this text.

Let us look at our text:

John 9:1–17 NLT

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! 8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied. 13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.“We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.“While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes,and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?”Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.”So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?”He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.”They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”

They *brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind.Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.So they *said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”” ( NAS95)

John 9:1–17 NLT

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! 8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied. 13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”

Doubt of the power of God

Doubt of the power of God

When looking at this text you see the “blind" religious leaders along with the community who witness this boy they now now having gained his sight teaming up on a young man. The community of witnesses are amazed that the boy they new who was blind now has sight. They want to see the man called Jesus who gives sight to the blind on the Sabbath. They are also responding to the religious leaders ban on Jesus. “Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews” ( NAS95). So they bring him to the religious leaders.

John 7:13 NLT

13 But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders.

Worship God for what he has done for you!

They did not believe this boy was the one who was healed. They knew him but could not believe he was born blind and gain sight. Then as he tells them they still do not believe and take him to go see the leaders because God gave him sight. There may be people mad at you because God is good to you. You need to worship God any way because they do not know like you know how good God is being to you. They are mad at your glory because they do not know your story. Some would not believe it if they saw it for themselves, but You now God has been good to you and you will worship him because of his goodness.

The boy gives God the glory, because he now sees clearly what they can not see because they are blinded that he was healed and Jesus was working on the Sabbath day. The were distracted by the small insignificant thing. Their blindness and leads them to kicking the young man out of the synagogue. The should have joined in with the young man for what God has done in his life, but their stubbornness lead them to reject him. They should have instead joining in worshiping and praising God for what just has happen. They even went to ask the child’s parents to prove they were right. The parents were afraid to speak because of the strict judgement by the Jews. “For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him” ( NAS95).

Tell others What God has Done For you.

“So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.”He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?”They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.“We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.”The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.“We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him.“Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.“If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So they put him out” ( NAS95).

John 9:24–34 NLT

24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.

This young man would rather be put out and leave bad company to join good company. He preaches to the religious leaders. He knows they do not believe him. He then ask them a question, “You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” They became furious and said they are disciples of Moses. The boy points out that Jesus has done is a wonderful work of God. Says, “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, he hears him” (). The blind man knows what God desires and worships the Lord that hears him. We too must seek the loving Lord our God and now he rewards those who seek him and love him.

He spoke of God’s goodness and God’s movement in their life.

They kick him out of the synagogue because he chose to worship God and acknowledge the Lord for his good works in his life.

God Hears the Devout worshippers.

We see in the text that Jesus heard they threw him out and Jesus found him. What like the story telling me that after they kicked him out Jesus heard. We can worship God because he knows all about our life pains, struggles and he will be there for them all who seek to worship him.

Therefore Jesus comes to the man to further reveal to him the truth. Before we look at this truth that is revealed let's look at the obstacles in this text that makes it difficult for others to see the truth or receive and believe the truth.

One obstacle that stops us from serving God is "It has never beed done before" or ritual mentality. We have always done it like this so this is the only way and the right way. This obstacle makes the person to be in control and knows the outcomes. This man born blind is judged by tradition more than facts. They believed his condition was because someone must have sinned for him to be in such a terrible condition. The tradition teaches that his parents or sin is the cause for such suffering in ones life.

This is not the case. This man's condition was not due to sin but that the works of God should be made manifest (). So Jesus who is the Light of the world is bringing light to a dark situation. The Light of the world is bringing hope to dark situations. Don’t we fill better when daylight comes, sleep better with a little light at night, feel safer driving with lights. Jesus shows us that he is the light of the world in declaring, I am the light of the world ().

Another obstacle is doubt or lack of faith. Jesus making a change in this man's life leads others to be amazed at seeing him they did not recognize him for he was not in the same condition they last saw him. Saying is that him? Some saying, "no that is some one that looks like him". He corrects them and tells them, "I am he." This amazes them they need some validation of this. So this brings them to the same pharisees who looked to stone Jesus earlier. Jesus who made clay, and anointed his eyes and told him to go was in the pool of Siloam and he received sight. They're doubt blinds them from seeing the power of God before him. Some people just miss out on knowing the power of God in their life because of lack of faith.

Another obstacle is self-righteousness judgement. They showed they were self-righteous judges earlier they claimed Jesus had a devil (8:48). Now they judge Jesus as a sinner for he does not keep the Sabbath day. God made the Sabbath for man and not man for the Sabbath. God is still in the saving business.

There were some who too believed in the power of God’s salvation. There was a division among the people for some were of the belief of how can a sinner do such miracles (9:16)? But as you look closer they still did not believe the man's testimony. They even asked his parents to see if he is the same one they knew who was born blind, but his parents were scared and did not want to be kicked out and said for them to ask their son. So they end up going back to the young man.

This is the crux of this message. The man spoke of what he knows and not on what he did not know. He knows his life story. Even if they don to believe him it doesn’t change what God has done for him. He knows that he was blind and now he sees. Still not believing they ask how. He points out to them you do not believe me, do you want to be his disciples (). This statement had to sting them for they have already made up their mind on Jesus. They claim to be Moses disciples, because we know God spoke to Moses.

Now the man share his knowledge of God vv. .

John 9:31–33 NLT

31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.”

"We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it” (NLT emphasis mine).

He shows us that to sinners will not ask for God's will to be done, but a sinner's prayer of repentance is heard. The point of the statement is to show that the will of God is a worshippers desire. God's desire should be a worshippers desire. When you are seeking his will you are worshipping him. Worshipping him is serving him, following him, believing in him. For with out faith it is impossible to please God.

True worshippers seek after the Lord and not man's approval. True worshippers seek the giver of life and can clearly see the condition of their life. God hears his true devout worshipers. Worship is a lifestyle. Jesus comes to him to help him walk out this lifestyle:

“When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”

“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”

“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see” ( NLT-SE).

When he came to full knowledge of who Jesus is he bowed down and worshipped him (vv. 35-38). Worship became his lifestyle.