Hello Family and Friends

Here are my sermon notes from this last Sunday, August 16, 2015.

 Please feel free you share or post on your wall, print or even use.

Sermon Title:

“How Then Were Your Eyes Opened?” – Part 2 of 4

Series title: “God May Use Our Suffering” Incident: Jesus heals a man born blind

There is so much to glean in this single chapter (9) that I felt drawn to do a series. Theme is: Jesus is Light for a Spiritually Blind World. The lessons learned here are applicable for all generations Some Lessons: We learn about spiritual blindness and how Jesus can give us new spiritual sight. Notice that Jesus did not restore the man's sight, Jesus gave the man new sight. God can demonstrate his power through all our problems. I’ll be reading  from the  KJV and NIV

To presented August 16. 2015

Written by: Bill Ferguson

Scripture Reading …......................................... John 9: 1 – 12 - KJV

                                                    & .............. John 9:30 – 38 - optional

Referring Scripture.............. Exodus 35:5-7 & Isaiah 29:18-19 - KJV

 

Responsive Reading …...... Psalm 116…..... UMH page 837

 

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

 

     Listen to Jesus' words in verse 4. “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me.”- NIV It is important that we realize that Jesus was speaking of himself and his disciples as coworkers. He wanted them to learn from him because they would continue his work as his sent ones. Jesus included the disciples in this work (although they actually did nothing for this blind man). Jesus used the word “We” because they would be the ones doing the work of God on earth after his resurrection and ascension. What a privilege to be called Messiah's workers. Beloved, we must never doubt our role or look at our role as being insignificant.

     Notice Jesus' words; “As long as it is day.” While Christ Jesus was in the world, the light was in the world; it was “day.” The “day” was the time allotted for Jesus to do his work on earth. However, “night is coming, when no one can work.” The night would come, that is, Jesus would soon die, and would no longer be in the world in physical form.  The coming of night speaks of the shortness of time Jesus had left on earth to fulfill his purpose.

     Listen, the Messiah's words echo down through the ages to our generation. Jesus' words held a note of urgency, it may be “day” now, but it won't always be so. We must not put off until tomorrow what God wants us to do now. Today is the day. Listen. If God presents an opportunity and also provides the strength, skill, or other resources to do it, we ought to respond immediately. The message is urgent. Friend, the night is coming soon enough; then our day of opportunity will end. This world is in trouble. The scripture message is asking: “What have you and I done today with eternity in mind? Are you sharing the good news?”

     Jesus told the disciples, “I am the light of the world.” The healing of the blind man affirmed Jesus' identity as the Messiah. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) predicted the Messiah would come to heal the blind (recorded in Isaiah 29:18; 35:5; 42:7 which we read earlier).

     Scripture tells us that Jesus made mud mixed with saliva and put it on the blind man's eyes. Some of us may be puzzled and ask, “Why would Jesus perform this miracle in such a strange way?” There's an important lesson found here. Listen closely. This is not typical of the way Jesus performed miracles, according to the apostle John. But Mark records two incidents of miraculous healing where Jesus used his saliva – to cure a deaf and dumb (mute) man in Decapolis (which is in modern day Jordan) and to heal a blind man in Bethsaida (east of the Jordan river).  John's account, however, provides the only record of Jesus spitting on the ground and forming clay from it.

     So why did Jesus heal this way? It will help us have a clearer understanding if we know a little about the customs, and history of the time.  From antiquity, spit or saliva was thought to have medicinal properties (power). The Jews were suspicious of anyone who used saliva in healing because it was associated with magical arts (witchcraft). It is worth noting, however, that the role of Jesus' saliva in the healing was primarily in making the mud – not healing. As pointed out before, Jesus did not use random objects without a specific purpose.

     So, why did Jesus use this method? First, Jesus used the clay to help the man's faith (the man had to do just as Jesus said, which was to go and wash in a certain pool - Siloam. Doing as Jesus said required obedience and trust.). Listen. Faith requires obedience and trust. Second, Jesus kneaded the mud with his hands in order to make clay to put on the man's eyes. This constituted “work” on a Sabbath day and would upset the Pharisees. Jesus had much to teach them about God and his Sabbath. Like many in those days, we too have much to learn about the Sabbath. Jesus is still teaching us. Compassion for our fellow human-beings is required seven days a week.

     After Jesus put mud on the man's eyes he told him to go and wash in the pool of “Siloam.” Following Jesus' direction indicated that the blind man trusted Jesus. In Hebrew “Siloam” (also pronounced Shiloah), means “sent.”  The pool was fed through a tunnel from the Spring of Gihon in the Kidron Valley. Located in the southeast corner of the city, the pool was originally built to help Jerusalem's inhabitants survive in times of siege. These waters symbolize the work that, Jesus, the sent one, had come to do. They provided the full deliverance from sin that Jesus provided for us.

     Verses 8 – 12 record the various reactions of the blind man's neighbors to his healing. Some thought this was a case of mistaken identity and he only looked like the blind beggar. Others said he was the man. In response, the healed man insisted that he was the man who had been born blind and who used to beg. After they realized that he was the man, they asked: “How then were your eyes opened?” The formerly blind man testified to the healing power of

Jesus by telling the story of how he had been healed. Today's scripture message asks us: How then were your eyes opened? When did the Holy Spirit first speak to your heart?

     The crowd wanted to know where the person who had healed him had gone. But the man had been blind when Jesus sent him to the pool of Siloam. So he didn't know where Jesus had gone afterward. From this point on, the man who had been blind began to see more clearly who Jesus was, while the Pharisees became more spiritually blind. The scripture lesson teaches us that: While sin did not cause the man to be born blind, sin did cause the Pharisees' (religious teachers) spiritual blindness.

     I’m not out of sermon but I am out of time. Lord willing, we’ll continue with part 3 next week.

     Right now, the Holy Spirit may be speaking to your heart to make a decision or a recommitment to Christ Jesus. In either case, you are invited to come forward during our closing hymn or to repeat this prayer with me - silently.

     Dear Heavenly Father, I praise Your Name. I repent of my sins and ask for your forgiveness. I recommitment my life to serve you. Open my eyes that I may know you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

We'll continue with part 3 of 3 with John Chapter 9:13-34 next week.