"The Good, The Bad & The Ugly"
John 9:1-41
Introduction
• Our church has a mission statement, which states that "We are committed to be a Great Commission, holiness, evangelistic, compassionate, loving and inclusive congregation!"
• This is powerful Mission Statement! This is why this church will continue to be blessed. Ever since I got here I’ve always felt accepted and received with warm hearts. Everyone has been friendly and patient with me was I’ve struggle through some physical difficulties.
• The mission of this church is very intentional, very specific and we always should keep our minds and hearts focused on this mission if we are to be apart of this body. As a result, we need to ask ourselves, how can we or more specifically how can I be apart of this church and fulfill the mission of this congregation as we serve God together.
Jesus: The Light (9:1-7a)
91 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work 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."(Key Center & Paragraph Point) 6 Having said 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.
Exegesis:
• The Bad: People who were born with physical ailments where blamed on sin that the parents committed either directly or indirectly. As a result, the deaf, blind and mentally challenged and all who had some form of deformity were considered rejects because they were associated with sin or a result of evil in the world. They were considered the lowest of the low in society. So here we have "the bad" in the eyes of the world: The Blind Man. But Jesus declared that this man’s blindness was not a result of sin but that God’s Glory can be revealed. It’s interesting to note that Jesus never disowned the idea that sin can cause illness, deformities and handicaps, but merely stated that this particular situation was not caused by sin.
• The Good Jesus: Jesus does not see the stigma of sin and evil, He sees compassion and an opportunity to reveal himself with the "rejected of society.
• Jesus Reveals Himself V. 5, Jesus declares that He is the light of the World. This is a remarkable declaration. Because in the Old Testament it is clearly stated that only God the Father is light of all creation. In fact, Micah went so far as to boldly say that the Father is light and connotated that the light of the Father will provide divine protection from the enemy when he stated, "Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light" (7:8). Isaiah also declared that Yahweh is light when he said, "The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory" (Isa 60:19). The Psalmist declares that the Father is the true light of the world for salvation. "The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid" (Ps 27:1)? In fact, light itself was used in a wide range of positive metaphors and identified as an essential aspect and symbol of the manifestation of God’s presence and blessing (e. g. Ps. 44:3. According to the Old Testament, "light" was the direct representation of the Word of God (Job 24:13; Ps. 43:3; 119:105; Prov. 6:23; Isa. 2:5). From the book of Daniel light is understanding and wisdom (5:11, 14). Metaphorically light represents life itself all throughout the Old Testament (Job 3:9, 16, 20; 18:5-6, 18; Ps. 49:19; 56:13; Prov. 13:19). In contrast to light, darkness represented evil and calamity (Esth. 18:16; Job 30:26; Ps. 112:4; Isa. 9:2; Lam. 3:12; Amos 5:18, 20). For Israel, light stood for the actualized presence and power and life of the Father. So here’s Jesus, claiming to have the very attribute of God the father and then demonstrating that attribute with what He does to the blind man’s healing.
• Jesus Invests Into the "Bad of Society": The day Jesus healed the blind man was on the Sabbath. There are three things that we see significant about this situation in relationship to the Sabbath. First, Jesus made mud on the Sabbath. Second, He picked mud up on the Sabbath. He ordered the blind man to travel and wash on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were so religious that their religion became a type of tag I caught you game. But the stakes is life and death, being declared "holy and unholy" or who’s holier then everyone else in the eyes of eachother. This thinking produced many strict and picky do’s and don’t throughout the years. By the time Jesus Came Pharisees believed that if you spit on the ground the saliva moved dirt. As a result, if one spits on the ground on the Sabbath you moved dirt on the Sabbath and therefore were guilty of working on the Sabbath, a sin punishable by Jewish scourging or and many times death. Traveling on the Sabbath was also considered work. Washing was considered working also, so to take a bath on the Sabbath was strictly prohibited. So in the eyes of the religious Pharisees Jesus not only broke the Sabbath but encouraged and led astray someone else to break the Sabbath.
Illustration:
• The Bad: There are many people in your world that are "Bad or the rejected" aren’t there?
• The Good Jesus: Some times you are the only Jesus people see! One thing I know about parenting is that monkey see monkey do. Children also live out what they see lived in from of them not what they are told to do. In this passage Jesus is only demonstrating what He knows about the heart of the Father.
• Jesus Reveals Himself V. 5, The candle in a dark room. HE IS GOD!
• Jesus Invests Into the "Bad of Society": Steve and Fatima invested into me when I was a nobody. I was dysfunctional and not loveable. Now I embraced this opportunity that God offered me. I made an active choice to be obedient just like this blind man who was told to go and wash. I wonder what would happen to the blind man if he choose not to go and wash as Jesus had instructed him too. I would venture to say that he would not have been healed. I really do not think I would have been here either if I rejected or rebelled against the opportunity God gave me.
Application:
• The Bad: God believes in the "bad of the world" and He has the reputation for making them into the kings of the world. He makes the wise foolish and makes the simple wise. I was one of those "bad people" of the world. Do you feel like you are one of those "bad reject of society? Then I’m here to tell you that there is hope in Christ.
• The Good Jesus: Jesus is the light of the world and sometimes we are the only light that people will see, are you being that light?
• Jesus Reveals Himself V. 5, Jesus revealed Himself to the blind man. Are you willing to reveal Jesus to others who are different from you, to the one’s who just doesn’t fit in, to the one’s who don’t measure up? JESUS IS GOD and that make Him bigger then and me and my circumstances. Which means I can trust Him!
• Jesus Invests Into the "Bad of Society": Before Christ’s resurrection Jesus was light of the world, today He still is the light of the world but it’s through us because being the light is investing into the nobody’s of the world; people will never care about what we have to say about the Gospel unless they know that we care. "This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine . . .."
Jesus: The Man (9:7b-12)
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man." 10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded. 11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don’t know," he said.
Exegesis:
• The blind man was healed and other were skeptical of God’s power in his life. After all he was a direct result of sin and evil, how could a holy God manifest Himself to a "bad person"
• The blind man was questioned and all he knew was that is was a man named Jesus. He did not have the seminary degree or professional studies but yet he experienced God. This marks the progression of his faith or the starting point of faith. He identified that there was a man name Jesus.
• This blind man never questioned Jesus about his obedience about "breaking the Sabbath" but did what Jesus instructing him to do. The reason is that it can be assumed that he was desperate for help from anyone who offered hope. He wanted relief. He has reached to end of his rope; he was blind uneducated, and considered an outcast, rejected and could nothing to help himself from his situation.
• He didn’t know where Jesus went but one thing he did know, he was healed.
Illustration:
• Often times when someone receives Christ or experiences the power of God others who knows of you past life are going to be skeptical. Often times this happens in family relationships, parents to the children and children to the parents.
• More of the same is only going to get you more of the same. This blind man could have just kept begging for the rest of his life, but he chooses to seek for change. When many of us get to the end of our rope that’s when we realized we are desperate for change. I reached that point in my illness also. When I saw the inner ear surgeon, I told him that I was willing to do anything to alleviate my suffering.
Application:
• You don’t have to have all the "right degrees" or have all the right credentials for you to be touched by God. God’s not in the business of making popularity He’s in the business of touching, restoring and healing the "Bad people" of the world. His into making the beggar’s in to preacher, the weak into strong, the uneducated in teaching of the Word, taking to rejected of the world and making them into the Kings of the world.
• When you genuinely experience God don’t let other steel that joy with their skepticism.
• The blind man did not have to have all the answer to be obedient to Christ instruction. We don’t either! There are those who always wants to know all the why, ifs and but before they obey what God has instructed us to do. This blind man was at the end of himself and at the end of all hope but sometimes that exactly where God’s needs to bring us before we stop and listen to Him. Are you one of those people who are always asking for all the reasoning before obeying God’s word? Obedience does not require the exhaustive explanation. God calls us to faith not selfishness and demanding our rights.
• No one else offered any hope to this blind man. Sometimes man and doctors can not either, but God can offer hope where there is no other hope to be found. Are you at the end of you rope, are you tired to seeking help and not finding it.
• There are many different opinions about who Jesus is, and there are a lot of people who acknowledge that there was a "Man named Jesus" and this great because this marks the beginning point of your faith in Christ. This is the starting point. Do you at least acknowledge that there was a "Man named Jesus"?
Jesus: The Prophet (9:13-17)
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided. 17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
Exegesis:
• This dialogue with the Pharisees is quite interesting. The "scholar" of that day and age has never experienced this before. Here was a man who’s was not "theologically trained" in there school, going around teaching and performing miracles. Jesus had no credibility with them. He was no disciple of theirs. Jesus was uneducated in their eyes but He healed this blind man but "broke the Sabbath" because he healed on the Sabbath and healing is work they could accept that.
• The Pharisees are "The Ugly" The Pharisees were more concerned about the strictness of the Law then caring about this blind man. Their religion became more important to them then people. Their procedure and Here in V. 17 is the second progression or leap of faith. The blind man boldly declared that Jesus was no longer just a man but a prophet!
Illustration:
• When I was in school I saw many people glorify other big name preacher and evangelist in the denomination. I heard things like, I’m just not as close to Jesus as this big name preachers. The point is that God doses not wait till your popular, educated or financial stability in order for God to use someone.
• The woman caught in adultery illustration. The Pharisee’s guidelines were more valuable to them then the people to which God called them to serve. They were so concerned about the traditions they had so strictly held too and their authority and their power to enforce it but yet were face to face with the dilemma that this unknown man was performing miracles, as a result they were divided. Not only on the basis of their tradition but could not deny the healing of the blind man. So they turn and started questioning the blind man (Bad Person.
• Lots of people may accept that Jesus was a man but yet do not believe that He was a prophet. Characteristics of a true prophet or prophetess according to Old Testament: God must call A true prophet. A true prophet’s prophecies will come true. (Deu. 18:20-22) A true prophet encourages faithfulness to YHWH (Deu. 13:1-5) Just because a person does miracles does not mean they are of God. A true prophet is posses by God’s Spirit (Is. 61:1, Ezek. 8:3, Machah 3:8, Zec. 7:12 "Let by"). A true prophet is possessed with God’s Word (Jer. 20:9 and Amos 3:8). The morals standards of the prophets life is the same as YHWH standards *1 Sam. 12-3&4). This was a bold direct declaration that Jesus was a prophet.
Application:
• You do not have to have seminar degree or a license from any particular denomination for God to use you. God has proven Himself in the past for using peasants, shepherds, and scholars alike. There are no set criteria to meet before you can be use by Him, He’s looking for availability not eligibility. The Pharisees had an eligibility list but Jesus has one thing He looks for and that’s availability.
• For God so loved the world that He sent He only Son and not a committee. "Or in the eyes of the Pharisees, God so loved the Law and religious code that He sent His only Son to up hold the law that whosoever did not up hold the Law will not eligibility." Are you one of the "Ugly" in this passage? Are you more concerned about Law and regulation, which leads to death or do you see a soul and see life. See God call us to change our thinking. From law to love. People are more important then relegation and Law.
• Do you see Jesus a simple a man who once lived, or do you see Him as Prophet as well? Where are you in you progression of belief? This blind man moved for Jesus is a man to Jesus was a prophet within a few minutes. You can make that same leap of faith this night.
Jesus: The Man Of God (9:18-34)
18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" 20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." 25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" 26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
Exegesis:
• The dilemma these Pharisees were facing was here was that a "bad man" was healed and they could not give a logical explanation. If they say he was healed by the power of God then that would validate that Jesus was from God, but they could not admit that because they were the high ranking religious leaders of their times and that would not make them look good if someone else whom they never heard of or who had ever been through their schools was going around healing and could not claim glory for themselves.
• They could not explain the healing away so they tried passing the buck and discredit the healing. So they called his parents in.
• Parents: They did not defend their son because of fear. The disgrace of have a son born blind was bad enough but to be thrown out of the synagogue would have been even more of a bad stigma of sin through the community. Being well known in the community as being "sinful or unclean" because they had a son born blind was socially destructive enough. If they would have defended their son and thrown out of the synagogue would have solidified their "sinfulness" in the eyes of the community.
• The Blind man and the Pharisees: The blind man did not know all the theological jargon which to "properly dialogue" the Pharisees. He was unversed in all the rules and regulation about the Sabbath. All he knew was the he experience Jesus who changed his life forever. When the Jews tried to interrogate him about the matter all he did was answer their questions and stated the facts. The Jews were dumfounded about the situation and the Blind man was dumfounded about the Jews. The climax of this dialogue end with the statement that Jesus was a man from God.
Illustration:
• I was in a huge church setting one day from a different denomination and some who had a major illness came to the alter for prayer. Now if this man had received his healing it would have been more then obvious and indisputable change. When the man got to the alter he was immediately immersed with other people. Everyone was focused around this man. There were many that came up for salvation but they did give them any attention, but they gave this man all the attention, why. Because if he got healed, they can claim that they were the one who "laid there hand on him when he was healed. You see this situation was all about self-glorification and not genuine ministry.
• Some of the best meal comes form the simplest recipes. The best are always the basics. Kick Boxing
Application:
• Self-glorification is merely pride with a sugar coating. Are you more concerned about what God does through YOU instead of what God does? Christianity is about being not doing! God heals to bring people to Him not to glorify us. Should God decide to heal through us, it’s not because we were someone elite in the eyes of God but because He cares about people. It should never be about how much God does or does not do through us, it should be about what God does because He care about people. It not about who God uses it’s about what God does.
• The blind man could clearly see that God does things through people. He associated His healing to God through this man, prophet name Jesus who was from God. See this man’s faith progressing? Now Jesus is a man of God and not just a prophet.
Jesus: The Son of Man and Lord
(9:35-38)
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." 37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." 38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
Exegesis:
• Jesus head that the Jews threw him out, notice who was looking for who? It was Jesus looking for the man "steeped in sin at birth". The Jews condemned him for who he was and not who he is now. He was born blind but now he can see. They declared him unworthy but Jesus sought after him as a precious and valuable soul. This was a man truly blind and now he could see, not just physically but now he can see spiritually and for that he was thrown out of the synagogue by those in leadership. But it was Jesus who was looking for him not the Pharisees.
• Jesus’ question was not to interrogate him but to inquire about a decision to believe. The man accepted Jesus as the Son of Man or more specifically the Messiah.
• This was the point of conversion. He believes and worshipped Jesus. Notice that Jesus did not refuse the worship. This points out that Jesus is GOD because in the Old Testament even the angels could not accept worship, not to mention that to worship anyone or anything else is 1st of the ten commandments.
Illustration:
• If you lost a diamond ring that you worked all year to save up to get would you spend time looking for it. Jesus believe you are more precious then a diamond.
• The blind accepted the truth and the truth set him free to worship Jesus without harsh rules and regulations, not with fancy words or sophisticated education, but in spirit and in truth. Not with the glory of honor but with humility and freedom.
Application:
• Jesus went looking for this blind man because He cared about Him. Jesus is also looking for us and for you to make the right choose to server Him.
• In the eyes of the blind man Jesus was not just a man, not just a prophet, and not just a man from God but now He’s The Christ the Son of the living God. He’s the Lord. Is He Lord in Your life? Or is He still just a man, or just a prophet, or just another man from God? Who is Jesus in your heart? Where are you in this progression.
Pharisees: The Blinded (9:39-41)
39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Exegesis:
• Jesus came into the world to be the light of the world and to make the blind see. Came so that the "Bad in the World" can have hope. And that those who are more concerned about self-glorification and building themselves up can be re-shaken to reexamine themselves.
• Their guilt remains because those who claim they have the truth but they are missing it in their action. Faith without deeds is dead and works without compassion is meaningless. Jesus’ point is that they are not as holy as they claim they are.
Illustration:
• I trained in martial arts for fifthteen years. I was in full contact for 3 years. I trained in class and I thought I was ready for the tournament. I had spared with many people in our class and I felt really confident about the competition I was going to compete against. When I got there my first fight went fine and I won as I knot him out in the first round. The second fight I was call and went to the mat as they called my opponent up. Nothing prepared me to fight a man that was 6 by 7 by 18 golden glove boxer from south Utah. I thought I knew about fighting till I was finished with the first round when he almost knots me out. See I thought I had it all together but I suddenly realized I didn’t.
Application:
• Do you think you have it all figured out?
• Do you outwardly have things together but in your heart you know its not. 1 Corth. 15, examine yourself to see if you’re in the faith, do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you unless of course you fail the test." Do fail the test in your heart, God calls us to stop and examine ourselves.
