Mud Pies And Opened Eyes Series

Mud Pies and Opened Eyes (John Part 28)

Text: John 9:1-7

So if you remember from last time, we talked about how God is sovereign and almighty, and that how He is able to heal, to bless, and to do whatever He wills, but at times He has a greater plan than we can understand, and so at times He will allow us to endure hardship, or suffering, or sickness, because He’s working something out through that. We might not know what it is, or why, but we know that it’s for good, because God is good. He is morally upright and perfect in all His ways. So we endure it, trusting in His goodness, grace, and sovereign will.

For the blind man in John 9, God’s plan was to heal him at this particular moment in time, and show that Jesus is God. That’s what we read last week… John 9:3 – The man; nor his parents had sinned. He instead was born blind SO THAT – the works of God might be displayed in him.

So we’re going to continue on with this today, and we’ll read verses 1 – 7 (READ John 9:1-7).

Ok… so God had a plan for this man’s blindness… and His plan was that this man would be born blind, and that he would remain blind up until this moment in time, when he would encounter Jesus and Jesus would heal him. And by healing him, Jesus would show that He was God the Son. That He was God in flesh, Emmanuel. But God’s plan also includes a secondary purpose.

You see there in verse 4, before Jesus heals the man, He’s going to take a bit of time and teach His disciples.

FIRST: He tells them that sin didn’t cause the man’s blindness, but rather it was part of God’s plan… So that, “The works of God could be displayed in him.” But then He goes and says to them, “WE must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Now do you notice how He includes His disciples (and us by extension) into this doing of the works? Jesus intends His followers to be doing what He was doing… in-fact; that’s kind of what “following” someone means. We walk where they walk. We go where they go. We engage ourselves in the things they’re doing. So when you come across someone in need, how do you respond? You can respond like the Pharisees usually did… in other words, you can look at that person with contempt, or indifference. You can respond like the disciples do here in Luke 9… in other words, you treat the person and situation simply as a theoretical, theological puzzle to be solved… “Oh look how deep of thinkers we are. Look at how spiritual we are. Obviously that man sinned, but we didn’t so we can talk in a theological manner about him and his condition.” OR… we can be followers of Jesus and respond as He would… How does He respond? With grace, and mercy, and action! In other words, He doesn’t just say, “Oh poor you. I feel really bad for you. But He does something.” Now that doesn’t mean we can necessarily heal like Jesus does. The Spiritual Gift of Healing; we’re told, is given as the Spirit wills… You can’t just manufacture it, and make it happen on your own. God has to be involved in those kinds of miracles. But we can pray for healing. We can help the individual who needs help. We can do something to show God’s love and God’s glory. And again; that’s why He said, “WE must work the works of Him who sent Me.”

Turn with me over to Ephesians chapter two… Ephesians 2:8-10, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

How does that look in our lives?

Well… let’s turn over to Philippians chapter two really quick (READ Philippians 2:1-15).

Did you catch that?

Have the mind of Christ. Be humble. Count others as more significant than ourselves. Look to the interests of others. Be a servant. Be obedient, even to the point of death. Do all things without grumbling or disputing… and we’ll shine like lights in this dark, crooked, and twisted generation.

And we’re to do that while we can… Do that while it’s light… because darkness is coming. Jesus knew His time was drawing near… and the disciples who are there with Him… they didn’t have much longer themselves. James, John’s brother would die about 11 years after Jesus. John would die in about 95 AD… about 62 years after Jesus… and all the others died sometime between those two.