Sermon Tone Analysis

! Introduction:

Last week we looked at the healing of the blind man in (v.1-7).

The blind man had been delievered from darkness and given sight by the Lord Jesus Christ.

In this passage I want to look at the reaction of the people.

We are going to see many different reactions and why they reacted the way they did.

Let me give you the outline:

 

!! A.                 The Reaction of the People (v.8-13).

!!! 1.

The man's neighbors (v.8-10).

!!!! a)                  The confusion of the people (v.8-9).

!!!!! (1)                 */What caused the confusion?/*

The transformation in the *mans conduct*.

The change was so radical in this man who had met Jesus Christ caused confusion as to who he was!

*Peter even mentions this in his epistle about our surprising transformation, he says that *"You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties…Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you." (1 Peter 4:3-4, NLT)

*Paul was thankful that God even considered him to put him into the ministry, he said *he "was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.”

(1 Timothy 1:13-16, NKJV)

!!!!! (2)                 See, when Jesus does a work in a person, it will be very transforming.

Faith in Jesus Christ transforms a man more than anything else.

*Arthur Pink says *"When a genuine work of grace has been wrought in a soul it is impossible to conceal it from our neighbors and acquaintances".

!!!!! (3)                 I agree, many professing Christians have an unchanged life.

They still look, smell, and act like the world.

And if transformation is lacking, salvation is possibly lacking, too.

!!!!! (4)                 */The confusion confirmed the miracle./*

If no miracle had occurred, there would have been no confusion.

And those who were confused were those who knew the blind man the best.

!!!!! (5)                 */The confession confirmed the miracle./*

The confusion ended when the blind man said, /"I am he"/ (v.

9).

We need to live and speak as to leave no doubt in anyone's mind that we are a Christian.

Not as Peter who denied even knowing Christ.

!!!! b)                  The curiosity of the people (v.10).

!!!!! (1)                 The people showed their curiosity by asking two questions of the blind man.

!!!!!! (a)                 /Their first question concerned the manner of the healing (v.10):/ this question gave the man the opportunity to testify regarding his faith.

(i)                   *Think about this: *this testimony by the healed man would never have been possible had there been no transformation in his walk.

(ii)                 *The application is obvious*:  If you want opportunity to testify of your faith, live it!

Show a changed life and the world will inquire.

!!!!!! (b)                /Their second question concerned the man who did the healing (v.12):/ why did they want to know where he was?

To honor Him or to harm Him?/ / 

(i)                   I believe it was to harm Jesus because those who inquired about where Jesus was brought the blind man to the Pharisees who wanted to harm Him (v.13).

\\ !!! 2.                  The man's testimony (v.11-12).

!!!! a)                  “…A */man/* called Jesus gave me sight…”  (v.11-12).

!!!!! (1)                 All the healed man knew was that "*/a man /*that is called Jesus" had commanded him to do certain things, and he did them and received his sight.

!!!!! (2)                 The blind man was blessed by Jesus despite an inadequate understanding of Christ.

\\ *But note the crucial point:* his heart was right toward Jesus.

It was tender and willing to do what Jesus said.

!!!!! (3)                 The blind man could have stopped at any stage and failed in his spiritual journey.

But he didn’t… as we will see later, this man learned about whom Jesus was (v.35-37) then he believed and worshiped Him (v.38).

*Listen to the way Jesus put it, He said* "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

(Matthew 11:28-29, NASB95)

!!!!! (4)                 There are many people like the blind man.

They know about Jesus, but they do not know Jesus, not personally.

!!!! b)                  The growing of faith and unbelief.

!!!!! (1)                 In the reaction of the various groups to the miracle and the response of the healed man, we see the /growth of faith /and /unbelief /side by side.

!!!!! (2)                 /Faith /grew in the blind man but /unbelief /grew in the others.

It goes from curiosity to cruelty.

!! B.                The Reaction of the Pharisees (v.14-17).

!!! 1.

The issue with the Phariesses (v.14).

!!!! a)                  The Sabbath law was broken (v.14).

!!!!! (1)                 Jesus had violated the rabbinical rules of the Sabbath; however, He had not violated any Divine rules about the Sabbath rest.

!!!!! (2)                 In fact, healing the blind man fulfilled the spirit of the Divine laws of the Sabbath; why… because He had given rest from the weariness of blindness.

!!! 2.                  The inquiries by the Pharisees (v.15a, 17a).

!!!! a)                  The questions that were asked.

!!!!! (1)                 They questioned the blind man /“how he had received his sight”/ (v.15a), and /“what the blind mans thinks about Jesus” /(v.17).

!!!!! (2)                 The one thing I want to note here in the questions that were asked is the */“again”/* factor.

!!!!!! (a)                 In both the first and second question the word /"again"/ (John 9:15, 17) is found which says the man healed of blindness was subjected to repeated interrogation.

\\ I believe this reflected cruelty.

!!!!!! (b)                And as we will see later, this man was interrogated "again" (v.

26), and he will tell them, "I have told you already" (v.

27) which shows some of the exasperation the man experienced by the continuous interrogation.

!!!!! (3)                 The repeated harassing of the healed man is not only seen in the word "again", but it is also seen in the Greek words in the following verses:

!!!!!! (a)                 In (v.9) the Greek word /"said" /indicates that he continued to tell the people again and again that he was the man healed.

!!!!!! (b)                In (v.10) the Greek word /“said” /also indicates that the people said to the the man over and over /“How were your eyes opened.”/

!!!!!! (c)                 In (v.15) the Greek word /“asked”/ also that they asked him again and again how his eyes were opened.

\\ !!!! b)                  The questions that were answered (v.15b, v.17b).

!!!!! (1)                 The healed mans first answer was brief; he said /“He put clay on my eyes, and I washed and I see…”/  (v.15b).

He still saw Jesus only as a man, but as a man who had done a great thing by helping him and healing him.

!!!!! (2)                 The healed mans second answer was bold; speaking of Jesus he said /“He is a prophet” /(v.17b).

The people saw a prophet as the highest office a man could hold, and a prophet was considered "even more authoritative than learned rabbis".

*Jesus asked His disciples,* “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

(Matthew 16:13-14, NKJV)

But when the Pharisees "Sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.”

(Matthew 21:46, NKJV)

!!!!! (3)                 Yes, Jesus is a prophet; however the healed man did not know Jesus personally.

He had not reached the stage of belief, of true salvation and worship *(v.35-38)*.

!!!!! (4)                 The healed man is more than a match for the Pharisees and the more they examined him, the worse he made the Pharisees look.

!!! 3.                  The division among the Pharisees (v.16).

!!!! a)                  A cost for discipleship.

!!!!! (1)                 The word translated /"division" /comes from a Greek word from which we get our English word "schism."

So there was some heated disagreements among the Pharisees over Christ.

!!!!!! (a)                 /One group starts from the Sabbath breach/.

[And it argues that]  Since the Pharisaic rule has been broken Jesus cannot be from God.

!!!!!! (b)                /The other [group] starts from the miracle/.

[And it argues that]  Since He has performed such signs He must be from God".

*This last group would include men like Nicodemus who *"Came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him" (John 3:2, NKJV)

 

!!!! b)                  The sword Jesus came to bring *(Matt.10:34-36)*.

!!!!! (1)                 A sword divides and severs.

!!!!!! (a)                 As far as many /human relationships/ are concerned, He did not come to bring peace on the earth... but a sword.