Signs Of Spiritual Blindness Pt.2

Intro

I few years ago I remember one of my wife’s cousins who refused to wash dishes anymore

for those who can see and feel them they are very easy to spot

but for most they dont know where they are, and dont know how to escape them

She felt like if she didnt do them than no one would and she was tired of being the only one who cared

most of the visitor is Ocean City are completely blind to them and many people get caught in them every year

So for days dishes piled up in the sink and the cabinets continued to grow bare

And everyday her husband continued to walk by the sink as if nothing was abnormal

I wonder how many of you have even done something like this before

I know there are a lot of times i am completely blind to things around the house that need to be picked up

Ill even ask Shan sometimes. “How I can help”

And she will just reply “Just open up your eyes and look around… there is plenty to do

In the same way there are many people who are completely Blind to their Spiritual condition

which is something we began to discuss 2 weeks ago

So today we will pick up where we left off in talking about the signs of Spiritual Blindness

Now before we get into the focus of today’s message let me remind you of what we talked about two weeks ago

Sign #1- Those who are Spiritually Blind Lack Spiritual hunger

Remember the situation

Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt

The Famine

And what we find in verses 1-5 is Joseph’s brothers standing around looking at each other while they and their family were starving

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 42

1 Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?”

2 He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.”

Genesis 42:1–2 NASB95

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why are you staring at one another?” He said, “Behold, I have heard that there is grain in Egypt; go down there and buy some for us from that place, so that we may live and not die.”

Remember we had talked about the very shady charchter qualities of Joseph’s brothers

And now they don’t even have enough hunger in the middle of the famine to recognize that there is grain in egyot

And there father who is old and going physically blind has more sight than they had

And we Talked about how a sign of spiritual blindness is this lack of Hunger for spiritual things

Matthew 5:6 NASB95

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

1 Peter 2:2–3 NASB95

like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

Those who have tasted of the Kindness of God will long for the nourishment of the word!!

The way to think about i, is like this

If you are physically alive, you will hunger for physical food

If you are spiritually alive, you will hunger for spiritual food

So sign number 1....

Righteousness and His word

Sign #1- Those who are Spiritually Blind Lack Spiritual hunger

So today we will continue to discuss spiritual blindness based on what we have been reading in Genesis 42

Sign #2- Those who are Spiritually Blind Lack Accurate Self-Examination

Read (Make Comments as you go)

Read (make important comments as you go)

So as the brothers come to Egypt they are completely blind to the fact that they are speaking to Joseph

But Jsoeph knows who they are

And Joseph know what kind of Guys they are

And he doesn’t trust them with at all and accuses them of being spies

But what i want you to notice here is the brothers confession to Joseph

In verse 10-11

They claim to be honest men

Now Joesph know better doesnt he

And we know better

Thee sre not honest men

These are the guys who left their brohter for dead

They took his coat, dipped in in animals blood and told their father that he was killed by wild animals

They are not honest men

But how many people have this same spiritual blindness in their life

Yes they know they haven’t always done everything right… but for the most part they think they are good people

This is one of the biggest lies of the devil

He want us all to think that we are good people

A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

No one like to think of themselves as a bad person right

But we are… and until we see that we are living in blindness

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Genesis 42:6–13 NASB95

Now Joseph was the ruler over the land; he was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. When Joseph saw his brothers he recognized them, but he disguised himself to them and spoke to them harshly. And he said to them, “Where have you come from?” And they said, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” But Joseph had recognized his brothers, although they did not recognize him. Joseph remembered the dreams which he had about them, and said to them, “You are spies; you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land.” Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. “We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.” Yet he said to them, “No, but you have come to look at the undefended parts of our land!” But they said, “Your servants are twelve brothers in all, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest is with our father today, and one is no longer alive.”

notice the continued blindness of Joseph’s brothers in this passage

They don’t even recognize their own brother

But Joseph recognizes them doesn’t he

And he even remember the dream he had about them bowing down to him one day

There is definitely this great contrast the author of Genesis is giving us between Joseph and His brothers

Joseph has the vision and fore site to prepare for a disastrous famine

But His brothers don’t even have the vision to see that there was food in Egypt

Joseph has the vision to see that His brothers coming to him for food is a fulfillment of the dream he had when he was 17

His brothers don’t even recognize Joseph

But there real blindness comes in how they respond to Joseph when he accuses them of being spies

Genesis 42:10–11 NASB95

Then they said to him, “No, my lord, but your servants have come to buy food. “We are all sons of one man; we are honest men, your servants are not spies.”

Honest me???!! ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!

That’s what i imagine Joseph must have been saying in his mind

These are the same guys who lied to their father saying that Joseph was killed by wild animals

We already talked two weeks ago about all of the shady and horrible things these guys were guilty off

But do you want to know something

They probably truly thought this about themeselves

As they sttodd there before a man who they had no clue was their brother they probably truly considered themselves to be honest men

Brothers and Sisters this one of Satan’s biggest lies

He wants people to think they are good

Speak from Memory about the Rich Young ruler In

No one like to think of themselves as a bad person

But listen to this...

Romans 3:10–12 NASB95

as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.”

Now here is what you need to know..

You cannot have a relationship with the Living God if you think you are righteous

1 John 1:6–8 NASB95

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Remember the passage i read two weeks ago

Matthew 7:22–23 NASB95

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

These are people who think they are doing things for God but are blind to their own unrighteousness

Which is why the point i am making here is this

A sign of Spiritual Darkness is in accurate self-examination

Spiritually blind people don’t even recognize their own depravity

Lets continue as the story goes on

Read

Genesis 42:14–22 NASB95

Joseph said to them, “It is as I said to you, you are spies; by this you will be tested: by the life of Pharaoh, you shall not go from this place unless your youngest brother comes here! “Send one of you that he may get your brother, while you remain confined, that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you. But if not, by the life of Pharaoh, surely you are spies.” So he put them all together in prison for three days. Now Joseph said to them on the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in your prison; but as for the rest of you, go, carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me, so your words may be verified, and you will not die.” And they did so. Then they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us.” Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.”

It is interesting here that they now admit their guilt

And they really see that what is happening is punishment for it

But what stands out to me is Reuben’s response

Genesis 42:22 NASB95

Reuben answered them, saying, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do not sin against the boy’; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood.”

Reuben thinks he is innocent

But lets take a look at the instant replay

Genesis 37:21–22 NASB95

But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.” Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him”—that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

Reuben’s “I told you so” claim reminds me a lot of Pontus Pilate when the crowds called for the crucifixion of Jesus

Matthew 27:24 NASB95

When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”

Listen, often times it is easy to compare ourselves with other people and think we are pretty good

But Jesus warns against that

Matthew 7:3–5 NASB95

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Evaluating ourselves against others is a great way to remanin spiritually blind

Bleacher dad

So What is your vieew of yourself

Do you recognize your own sin, and the need for Jesus to save you

The only hope we have is if Jesus credits us with his righteosuness

And that only comes through faith in Him

Now notice How Joseph is patient with his brother in order to give them time to repent

Genesis 42:23–25 NASB95

They did not know, however, that Joseph understood, for there was an interpreter between them. He turned away from them and wept. But when he returned to them and spoke to them, he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain and to restore every man’s money in his sack, and to give them provisions for the journey. And thus it was done for them.

And he is patient with us now in order to give us time to recognize this… but one day his patience will run our

Romans 2:1–4 NASB95

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

But notice that for Joseph’s brohters this has not settled in yet

Genesis 42:26–28 NASB95

So they loaded their donkeys with their grain and departed from there. As one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging place, he saw his money; and behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. Then he said to his brothers, “My money has been returned, and behold, it is even in my sack.” And their hearts sank, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

They still think they are suffering unjustly

Psalm 51:3–4 NASB95

For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

So are you spiritually blind

So are you Spiritually blind

Those who are spiritually blind fail to accurately examine themselves

Sign #3- Those who are Spiritually Blind Don’t Recognize the effect their sin has on others

Look waht happens as the brothers head back to their father

Genesis 42:29–38 NASB95

When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, “The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly with us, and took us for spies of the country. “But we said to him, ‘We are honest men; we are not spies. ‘We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no longer alive, and the youngest is with our father today in the land of Canaan.’ “The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me and take grain for the famine of your households, and go. ‘But bring your youngest brother to me that I may know that you are not spies, but honest men. I will give your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.’ ” Now it came about as they were emptying their sacks, that behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack; and when they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed. Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.” Then Reuben spoke to his father, saying, “You may put my two sons to death if I do not bring him back to you; put him in my care, and I will return him to you.” But Jacob said, “My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should befall him on the journey you are taking, then you will bring my gray hair down to Sheol in sorrow.”

These guys are so spiritually blind they have not even considered the effect their sin has had on their father

Notice Jacob’s reaction

Genesis 42:36 NASB95

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me.”

How horrible i was to Shannon and didn’t recognize it

I wonder if their is anyone you need to go to and apologize for the sins that have effected them

We come to the end of this chapter and things seem pretty hopeless for these brothers doesn’t it

We come to the end of this chapter and things seem pretty hopeless for these brohters doesnt it

especially for Simeon who is now stuck in prison

But i want you to consider how this applies to today to those who are spiritually blind

Unless the father is willing to give up His son we are all hopeless

But where at this time Jacob was unwilling

God the Father was willing

Isaiah 53:6 NASB95

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

Brothers and sister we have hope!!

No Longer Walk In Blindness.... Come To the LIGHT!! 12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.