Man Born Blind

Scripture

John 9:1–7 NIV

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Introduction

As a boy Robert Louis Stevenson was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighter who went about with a ladder and a torch, setting the street lights ablaze for the night. One evening in Edinburgh, Scotland, as young Robert stood watching with childish fascination, his parents heard him exclaim, "Look, look! There is a man out there punching holes in the darkness!"

With one statement of childish wonder, Robert Louis Stevenson summed up the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus came into this world and accomplished many great and miraculous wonders, yet His primary purpose was to punch great gaping holes in the spiritual darkness that shrouded this world. He came to be The Light Of The World, v. 5.

Today I want you know that if you are suffering and have problems you can turn to the light of the World to help you.

To many people today, the light of the World is the sun and they actually worship the sun but to those of us who are Christians, we know that the light of the World is indeed the Son, but the

Son of God who took aways the sins of the World and we Worship him.

Our story today unfolds as Jesus and his disciples are walking through Jerusalem on their way out of the Temple area. They see a man who is blind, in fact, they learn that he has been blind from birth.

No matter what you have been born with you can be born again!!!

Today Jesus can transform your life in the same way he did for the blind man.

We see Characteristics of Jesus when we look at this scripture

Jesus Shines on his life

John 9:5–7 NIV

5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

The first step to his transformation was being touched by Jesus

JESUS SHINED ON HIS LIFE

Jesus "saw" him, which indicated interest, care, concern, compassion.

Jesus did not pass this blind man straight.

I must confess that many times I may see a blind person and pass them straight or someone with a disability and pass them straight.

However Jesus did not do this

One thing I like about Jesus is he does not pass the ‘small man’ straight

The one who society may look down upon he sees them as valuable

Jesus choose to shine on this man’s life

This man had an encounter with Jesus

It started off with having a condition that plagued him since he was born

Jesus healed many blind men but he was the only one blind since he was born.

People began to question why he was blind or who was the sinner behind this

The Jewish people knew God was a moral Person. But “morality” was translated into a simple formula: Those who do right will be rewarded; those who do wrong will be punished. It followed, from this formula, that any personal disasters were evidence of sin. Conversely, prosperity was a sign of God’s approval.

The rabbis taught that no one died unless there had been sin, and no one suffered unless there had been sin. Even a child could sin in the womb, they suggested, or even in the preexistent state prior to conception.

Jesus said this was for the Glory of God....

Many times when we have a situation in our life - instead of people trying to help us - they are gossiping about us trying to see if they could somehow put the blame on us

A lot of negative voices are spoken over our lives when disaster comes or when we encounter a situation in our life

e.g if we lose our jobs - people might say it is because we did something under handed

Someone gets cancer and people say well that person oh he lived such an bad lifestyle it was just a matter of time before it happened

Pastor Ailah recently died and a man told me that someone who is a Christian told him the reason why he got sick was because he was sinning and a true Child of God would never get sick when they are living a righteous lifestyle....

Now when I read the Bible I don’t see that theology anywhere in Scripture

No matter how righteous you live - you can get sick and you can die.

That theology is a lie straight from the pit of hell that was developed to divide people.

Sad to say but many people today like to see you suffering.

They actually are happy when they hear you are struggling.

A lot of negative things happened in your life and people are going to talk but here is the thing - the disciples did not know why but God knew why and God proved them wrong

It had nothing to do with the man or his parents being sinned but Jesus said God had a purpose in his blindness and that was that people would see the work of God in his life.......

Many times we dont know why we are going through what we are going through but it is for the Glory of God at times.

PRAY LORD BE GLORIFIED IN THIS SITUATION!!!

You see when you have a problem you make way for a miracle to take place through God

Doctors cannot cure blindness but God can.

Doctors cannot cure cancer but God can.....

It is said in verse 6 that Jesus spit on the ground made some mud with saliva and put it on the man’s eyes and said go and wash in the pool of Siloam and the man did it and he saw

Imagine that Jesus did some seriously weird stuff there won’t you agree

If I go by a doctor and they spit on the ground and put mud with their saliva and give it to me I am going to run as fast as I can and put up on facebook what kind of a quack doctor is this

The healing of the blind being the miracle most often recorded in the Gospel accounts, we see it happen in various ways: In one case, Jesus spoke to a man (Mark 10:46–52). In another, He touched the man’s eyes with His hands (Matthew 20:30–34). In a third, He touched the man’s eyes twice (Mark 8:22–25). Here, He uses mud. Jesus works creatively, individually, uniquely. Yet we have a tendency to want to box Him in according to how He works in our own lives.

Why did He vary His techniques? So people would not focus on the healing but on the healer. This is something to keep in mind. We can make a whole methodology out of a certain way that God works and people will build entire denominations around certain things. People could have built a church out of this. Jesus varied the way He touched people so people wouldn’t get hung up on the technique. He is the one that heals.

If we only focus on this way of healing Mud In Your Eye Ministries. That’s the key. That’s where the blessing lies.”

We err greatly whenever we think that because the Lord worked one way in our lives, He must work the same way in everyone’s life. You can’t box the Lord in. The last people who tried put Him in a tomb—and He refused to stay there.

Sunday, Diandra was speaking a bit about how sometimes people may compare how a church is to another church....

Some churches are overly obsessed with miracles happening and would look down on other churches or even other Pastors....

Don’t get hung up on miracles and think they should happen at every single service. That is up to God to do what He will when He wants to do it where He wants to do it. Signs and wonders should follow believers. Believers should not follow signs and wonders.

I think it was Pastor Mario who some years ago was telling us of a certain Pastor whose Ministry had a lot of miracles and when he died - the entire church died with him...

That whole church was dependent on miracles......

In this case Jesus did it and if Jesus tells you to do something no matter how weird it may seem - you do it.

Your breakthrough comes when you believe in him and does what he says

Has the Lord been telling you to do something recently??

Man's eyes can be opened; and he can be delivered from the darkness of sin and shame, death and corruption, hell and destruction by coming to Jesus Christ and by obeying Him.

Jesus touched his life and you see what happened

A miracle took place in his life

Whatever situation you might be facing right now - bring it to Jesus and let him touch your life

Let him touch your situation, there can be a breakthrough in

your life with just a touch from the master Jesus

Stop putting faith in all those doctors and obeah people etc for your healing

Jesus is the answer and he Is the one you need to cry out to for your healing or for help in your situation

He could turn around your situation in an instant

Right now the entire church is praying and agreeing with the Pastors for the healing of Brother Bruce.....

I dont know what your situation is tonight but allow Jesus to shine on your life like he did for the blind man

WHen the sun shines during the day we don’t do anything for it to shine on us - it just shines

In the same way this man did nothing or asked nothing of Jesus - Jesus simply shined on his life as the light of the world.

Jesus Seeks

John 9:35 NIV

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

After he was healed there was a division concerning his testimony!

People wanted to know how it happened and who did it....

Some people are asking questions but are not interested in the answers to it!!!

Their hearts are hardened they love their unbelief!

They want you to prove that God is real but they don’t really care if he is real

He was not the only blind person in this story. The religious folks were also blind.

There are two kinds of blindness in the story. One is of the man who was born with a physical defect of blindness. The second is of the religious folk who had a spiritual defect and were spiritually blind. And the story tells us that spiritual blindness is worse than physical blindness. Physical blindness can be healed, but spiritual blindness resists healing.

When their meeting with the parents did not prove helpful, they come back to the man and say, “Give glory to God. We know this man is a sinner.” But the blind man said, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (John 9:24-25).

He didn’t understand how he was healed. He didn’t know all the theology of it. He didn’t even have a real clear picture of who Jesus was. He thought he was only a prophet. But there was one thing he understood — he had been blind, and now he could see. That he knew! This man could see, and we begin to understand that the people who are really blind are the religious leaders, the Pharisees. Oh they had good physical eyes, but they were spiritually blind. They approached the whole incident, and Jesus himself, with blind eyes. They were not about to see what was so obvious. It was willful blindness.

I declare over your life that God will bless you so tops that people can't handle your testimony

Yesterday I was listening to the testimony of Pastor Sanjay on Whatsapp

Speaking about how he was such a bad boy in the past and doing all the wrong things and how God opened up his blinded eyes and caused him to see Jesus for who he is.....

He saw the Light of the World.....

Jesus changed his life

I used to be blind just like this blind man many years ago

Not only me - you as well were blind in the past

Before we knew Jesus we were blind - God needed to open up our blinded eyes to see Jesus for who he is

Tonight if you dont know Jesus and dont have a personal relationshipo with him - you are blind.....

Many of you seated here have a testimony from God like this blind man that people refuse to see or acknowledge

Today I want you to know it have many people have eyes to see but cannot see. They are blind.

They could go Ferrera Optical or Optimetrists Today for help but they will remain blind.

They need the light of the Gospel to open their blinded eyes They see what they want to see....

They see the pretty girl, the man with plenty money, they see the fancy car and the big houses but they are blind to who Jesus is.

It is better to be born blind and live your life in blindness but able to see Jesus for who he really is than for you not too....

Jesus went looking for him after he as thrown out

There is the work of seeking man. God seeks man. Jesus took the initiative with this man, reaching out to help him. It was not the man who reached out for help. In fact, the man was blind; he did not even know that help was available. If Jesus had not reached out for him, he would have remained blind and been in darkness forever.

"For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).

Today you might feel like you are an outcast, that no one cares for you!!! Your friends have given up on you but I want to let you know that Jesus loves you and Jesus cares about you

Jesus will go after you when everyone deserts you

He said if 1 of my 99 sheep go astray I will go for them

Jesus was not only concerned with this man’s blindness but he was interested in the life of this blind man....

To many people he was just a blind man but to Jesus he was a precious lost sinner who needed a Savior.

Today Jesus wants to set you free from your disability to see who he is

Jesus is seeking you today .....

Thirdly Jesus Saves

John 9:38 NIV

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus saw that this blind man needed greater help that being able to see ith his eyes

Jesus saw that he needed to be saved from his sins...cause he was a sinner and he needed a Savior.

So Jesus asked him the big question - he said Do you believe in the Son of Man

The title Son of Man meant that Jesus was not no ordinary man

He was a man of divine origins! A man sent to restore humanity back to God

Messianic title used by Jesus to express his heavenly origin, earthly mission, and glorious future coming

Have you gotten to that place in your walk with Jesus where you can say Lord I believe in you!!! Lord I worship you....

WE give up religion, give up Sunday morning duty and we just kneel at the feet of Jesus and say Lord I believe in you....

You’re not a prophet, a good man you are the Christ, the Messiah, the lamb slain from the foundation of this world.

The way, the truth and the life.......

If you suffer for Jesus your suffering is not in vain

I did not come to bring peace but a sword

When your friends desert you, when the world turns it back on you - Jesus comes to look for you and save you

They threw him out of the church but Jesus brought him into his Kingdom

Many people in church but they have no relationship with Jesus

You could be in church but not in Christ

They don't want you to have a relationship with Jesus

Jesus saves us from our sins if we would only believe in him

No need to look to baptism to save us as the Jews looked to circumcision

He looked to Jesus and believed in the finished work of the Cross

That Jesus is the Messiah who was sent to die for the sins of the world

Jesus saves him and Jesus wants to save you He asks you that same question

DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE SON OF MAN???

The man replied who is this man that I may believe in him

Jesus replied that I AM HE

Today my friends do you believe in Jesus Christ as the person who can save you from your sins

• The bread of life

• The light of this world

• The Gate

• The Good Shepherd

• The resurrection and the life

• The way the truth and the life

• The vine

Today Jesus wants to save you from your sins

There is a bigger problem than blindness, than sickness, than Cancer, Than Aids

It is called Sin and all sickness that we experience came about because of sin and has its roots in Sin....

A. V. 5 Jesus Is A Shining Light - When He walked upon this earth, Jesus was in the business of delivering men from darkness. May I say that He is still doing that today? If you have never been saved, you can come to Jesus today and He will bring you out of the darkness and the bondage in which you find yourself. He is still a Shining Light and a Savior to all who will come to Him - Matt. 11:28; Rev. 22:17.

B. V. 35 Jesus Is A Seeking Light - After this man had been

cast out by the Jews, Jesus went looking for Him. This is why He came - Luke 19:10. It may the case with you that religion wouldn't have you, many churches wouldn't want to be around you and most people wouldn't have anything to do with you, but let me tell you that Jesus Christ loves you just like you are and will save you by His grace if you will only come to Him by faith and ask Him. (Ill. He is still seeking souls to save this evening!)

C. V. 38 Jesus Is A Saving Light - When this man bowed and received Jesus, I am sure that he forgot about the days of blindness and the pain of being removed from the Synagogue. When he called on the name of Jesus, He was eternally saved and received into a family from which he will never be removed! (Ill. Did you realize that what God does in saving the sinner is a forever work? John 10:28-29; 1 Pet. 1:5)

Conclusion

Conc: This man never expected that he would be healed and saved when he got up that morning. I am sure that he planned to live that day like everyday before in the blackness of darkness. He did not realize that there was a man named Jesus who drive the darkness forever away from his life. Many are in that same shape today! They are lost and in the depths of great spiritual darkness and they do not even realize that Jesus can set them free forever. If they do understand this, they feel that it is something for others and not for themselves. Allow me to remind you this evening that Jesus loves all men just as they are and that He will save anyone who will come to Him by simply faith. The question is, which do you prefer, darkness? Or light? If you are tired of the dark come to Jesus and step into the Light of His glorious salvation. Will you do that today?

When I was in Secondary School there was this time when something I believe from a tree fell into my eye and I was struggling to keep my eyes opened......

Couldnt see properly and I would continuously be rubbing my eyes and trying to put water and stuff into my eyes to get rid of it and it wasnt coming out.

God used a very strange method to rid my eye of this thing in it...

I was strugling to see and I was walking up the stairs and with my face down I grabbed the handle of the door to open it and without knowing there was a jep by the handle.....

May I say that there is a blindness that is far worse than having sightless eyes? It is far worse to be in spiritual darkness. And, that is the place where the entire world, apart from Jesus, finds itself—2 Cor. 4:4. If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, you are in deep spiritual darkness this evening. However, there is hope for you!)