Hello Family and Friends,

Here are my sermon notes from yesterday, Sunday, August 30, 2015

Sermon title:

“Spiritual Blindness” – Part 4 of 4

Series title: “God May Use Our Suffering”
Introduction: Over the past few weeks we’ve been investigating John Chapter 9.
There has been so much to glean from this one chapter that we’ve extended our study for four sessions. Today is the last session in the series on Spiritual Blindness. Theme is: Spiritual Blindness, Salvation and Jesus is Light for a World lost in darkness. The lessons learned here are applicable to all generations. Jesus often uses physical objects, or settings to depict a certain spiritual aspect of the kingdom of God, his life and purpose and to teach a lesson. He does this with the man born blind. Jesus shows us through the healing of the blind man that God can demonstrate his power through our challenges. Notice that Jesus did not restore the man’s sight but gave him new sight. This is a picture of Salvation at work. Spiritual Blindness is a serious condition that affects everyone. We know from examples given in scripture and world history that spiritually blind political and religious leaders, can lead entire nations in to darkness. World I and II are good examples.  Right now our Country is struggling in darkness and is in desperate need of prayer, strong witnessing Christians and God’s intervention.

Was presented August 30, 2015

Written by: Reverend Bill Ferguson

Scripture Reading …....................................... John 9: 35 – 41

Referring Scripture............................................ Isaiah 42: 6 - 7

(optional reading: Isaiah 5: 20)

Responsive Reading …...... Psalm 1... UMH #738

The Words of God for the people of God, thanks be to God!

     Let’s have a quick review from last week. Jesus found a man born blind, put mud on his eyes and gave him a command that would uncover whether or not this man was ready to receive sight. Here was his chance to really see Jesus if he followed his command to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The scripture message is asking: Are we (you and I) ready to receive complete spiritual vision and really see Jesus? Are we willing to follow his command?

     Right before our very own eyes we saw faith in progression –faith in action. We were given an example of witnessing by a formerly blind man. The experience/lesson of the blind is directed to everyone. In verse 13 – 34 the religious leaders questioned the formerly blind man. The Pharisees were unable to stop (throttle) the healed beggar's willingness to testify for Jesus. In fact the more the Pharisees questioned this man who had received his new sight, the stronger and clearer he became about who Jesus is. Their blind obstinacy helped his clarity and fortified his faith.

Let’s see how his vision cleared:

1. At first (in 9:11) the man recognized his healer as “the man called Jesus.” He recognized Yeshua by name.

2. Then in 9:17 he knew that Jesus was “a prophet” sent by God.

3. In 9:32-33 he saw Jesus as the One who was “from God” and had performed a miracle never done before.

4. Finally, in 9:35-38, when confronted by Jesus, he believed that Jesus is the “Son of Man,” the Messiah, worthy of worship.

     All the scriptures in this chapter lead up to today's message from Jesus about spiritual blindness. One of the lessons found here is; “Unless we have suffered rejection for our faith, we may not be able to identify with the state of this man whom Jesus healed.”  If we have not suffered rejection for our faith, perhaps we have not been sharing the Gospel story. This is a story of challenges, changes, conflict and persecution – all of which are ingredients of being a disciple of Christ Jesus. And it is a mirrored image of spiritual growth. In a single day, the man went from being a disabled outcast in society to a celebrity who had miraculously received his sight. He then moved to being a witness in court where he was treated like a criminal, and finally to being an outcast again (literally being thrown out of the church) for simply telling the truth as he clearly saw it.

         After the man had been thrown out of the synagogue, Jesus intervened in the man’s life again. Jesus asked a question that would uncover whether or not this man was ready to receive complete vision – both physical and spiritual. The man's understanding of the One who had healed him had already expanded considerably. But, here was his chance to really see Jesus. Jesus asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The Son of Man is the title of the Messiah. Perhaps the man instantly recognized Jesus by his voice. The man expressed immediate desire to believe, which here means not just intellectual recognition, but wholehearted trust.  Listen. God desires our heart attitude and wholehearted trust.

     This is a story of 20/20 Vision.  The man had been born blind but Jesus gave him new vision. The longer this man experienced his new life through Christ Jesus, the more confident he became of the One who had healed him. Listen. The man gained not only physical sight but spiritual sight as he recognized Jesus first as a prophet (verse 17), then as his Lord and Savior. Listen friend, when you turn to Christ Jesus you begin to see him differently and you see the world differently. The longer you and I walk with him, the better we will understand who he is. The Apostle/Disciple Simon Peter tells us in 2^nd Peter 3:18 to:  “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Today's scripture message is saying: If we want to know more about Jesus, keep walking with him and keep studying God’s love letter.

     Scripture tells us that the man asked who the Son of Man was. When Jesus told him, the man responded with: “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. The man acted on his new-

found faith – by worshiping Jesus. He may have just been kicked out of the synagogue, but he had found true worship in the Messiah. His personal belief is the high point of John's narrative. This man's belief sharply contrasts with the blindness of the religious leaders. Have you found true worship in the Messiah?

     In the background of the man's willing trust and worship we hear the religious leaders mumbling, incensed that Jesus was unwilling to recognize their spiritual stature, Jesus diagnosed their problem as ongoing, profound, spiritual blindness coupled with guilt.

     Listen to Jesus' words in verse 39: “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Wait a minute brother Bill! Does Jesus' words here contradict his statement in John 3:17? Well, let’s read John 3:17: “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved”? Sounds contradictory but the answer is “No!” How’s that?; we might ask. Listen Jesus did not execute judgment during his years on earth, although he would do that in the future. However, his words here reveal that as the Light of the World, he sees and reveals peoples innermost thoughts and deepest motives. In so-doing, he “judges” or separates those who claim to have great spiritual knowledge (when in fact they are blind), from those who humbly seek to follow God and who thus find the Savior.

     John 9 would make a wonderful script for a play or movie. It would be an ultimate adventure/drama! Picture this. The innocent hero, a disabled victim, is expelled from his home and lives on the fringe of society. He becomes a beggar and social reject. The religious people suspect his parents committed some heinous sin, possibly before he was born. Thus, they reason the cause of the man’s blindness.

     Into our hero's life steps a remarkable stranger who heals his blindness. The blind man is told to wash off some miracle mud. He receives new sight and he loses track of the one who gave him this new sight. Strangely, no one recognizes the miracle that has just happened to the man or share in his joy. Instead, they treat him as if he has contracted am infectious disease! Even his parents maintain their distance. Finally, as he explains over and over what happened and what he thinks about the man who healed him, he finds himself thrown into the street. He’s been excommunicated from the church. He’s an outcast of society. It is only then that he finally meets Jesus face-to-face and completely believes.

     Think this is a fantasy? Quite the contrary.  This is a message to us. Dramas like this happen every day. Listen. By relating this incident, John prepares those who follow Jesus to expect opposition and challenges from nonbelievers – relatives, close friends, and even religious forms. Friend, the trials of those who trust Jesus are real. The backlash and rejection can take financial, family (familial), social and religious forms. It takes courage and conviction to keep on following Christ Jesus. Being a Christian is not for wimps. Being a Christian is a life long journey. It’s not a destination. Words written in Psalm 27:10 offer us encouragement; “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”

     You could say that this story is about choosing blindness. The religious leaders chose blindness instead of light. The Pharisees were shocked that Jesus thought they were spiritually blind. Jesus countered by saying that it was only spiritual blindness (their stubbornness and stupidity) that could excuse their behavior. To those who remained open and recognized how sin had truly blinded them from knowing the truth, Jesus gave

spiritual understanding, hope and insight. But he rejected those who had become complacent, self-satisfied, self-centered and “blind.”  

     Listen. Spiritual blindness describes the worst form of judgment. However, there is good news. The Light of the World, Jesus, gives us a glimmer of hope. All of us need to follow the Light given to us. Otherwise we are left with nothing but our blind judgment and self-darkening opinions. Friend, the message is urgent. Yes, we have an urgent message to share. We must reach out to others. Let others know that when we reject Jesus as the Light of the World we become Spiritually Blind.

     If you have never made a profession of faith or if you feel you need to make a recommitment to Christ Jesus, you are invited to come forward during our closing hymn. I’ll wait for you.

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise Your Holy Name. Forgive us of our sins and lead us into Your Light, anoint us with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.