I See You

Introduction

Learning to See

“I have come into this world to give sight to the blind and to make blind those who see.”

Giving Sight most common miracle Jesus performed

John 9:24–34 ESV

So for the 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 answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” And they reviled him, saying, “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 comes from.” The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

Movement from Spiritual Blindness to Sight

v 11 - Man calls Jesus a man

v. 17 - Man calls Jesus a prophet

v. 33 - Man calls Jesus a man from God

v. 35, 38 - Jesus calls himself son of man and man says Lord, I believe

Spiritual Journey

From seeing Jesus where we expect to seeing him where we least expect

Pharisees - People in their circle; known track record connected to Moses. We don’t know anything about this Jesus guy.

Blind guy: Let me give you a history lesson on your own theology. God spoke to Moses and speaks to the faithful (those like you and those you know) and doesn't listen to sinners but he listens to Jesus and gives him power to heal me. He must be a godly man who does God's will.

Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.

We are on a journey of transformation from spiritual blindness on many things to spiritual sight. And Jesus is bringing sight from from new and different places.

Discernment

Increasing capacity to see or discern the works of God in the midst of the human situation so we can align ourselves with whatever it is that God is doing.

Ignatius of Loyola: discernment is finding God in all things in order that we might love and serve God in all.

Choosing Life

Put another way: Where is life being born and choose it.

What needs to die in me for God’s will to come from my life?

Desires

Preferences

Our Process

Preparation

The question we’re asking? What kind of church are we to become?

Be Led

Pray for indifference, wisdom, trust

Discern

Listen for God together: scripture, silences, spirit

Select and weight options

Agree

Seek confirmation

The Steps

Study Group: Biblical big rocks of Church

Research Group: Knowing our community

Wrong assumption: God doesn’t listen to sinners; only those who worship him, does his will.

Do God’s Will (Planning, Strategy, execute)

Open to new paradigms

Open to new systems and structures

Aaron

Reflections on the process

What has your experience been with discernment been before this?

Describe both your personal listening and the listening the groups did together (scripture, silence, etc)

What did you learn about the nature, character, etc of the kingdom’s church?

What did you learn about our community? What do we still need to learn?

Wrap

We are on a journey of transformation from spiritual blindness on many things to spiritual sight. And Jesus is bringing sight from from new and different places.

Each of us personally and together as a body

Where is life being born? Choose to live there.

What needs to die in me for God’s desire to come from me?