-
Erasing Darkness Series
Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Dec 7, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: Erasing Darkness Involves: 1. An Impossibility 2. An Intervention 3. An Insult 4. An Invasion 5. An Intimidation 6. An Instruction
- 1
- 2
- Next
Underexposed
1. To expose (film) to light for too short a time to produce normal image contrast.
2. To provide with too little publicity.
> > > -- 3x PICTURES –Boy, Castle
- People like to drive at night
- Can focus on just driving – No distractions
- Miss out on their surroundings
- Underexposed world is full of shadows
+ Erasing Darkness Involves:
> An Impossibility
Blindness
> Only one way to erase darkness – Bring in the light
v. 1 Blind from birth
- Born in Sin
- v. 8 He sat & bagged
Deliverance- v.5-7
- Promise of erasing darkness
> v.5 Statement – “I am the light of the world”
+ An Intervention
> v.6 Anointed
> it was a sign of luxury to anoint oneself with aromatic oils,
- Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him
- Priest were anointed with oil separated for duty
> Protected by God
Psalm 105:15 (AV)
Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.
> 1 Peter 2:9 (AV)
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
+ An Insult
> Spit –
Jesus speaking of himself
> Mark 10:34 (AV)
34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
This is not the first time Jesus used spit
> Mark 7:33 (AV) Impediment
33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
> Mark 8:23 (AV)
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
> An insult to our pride
- Humbleness need before we can be lifted up
+ An Invasion
> Dust
- Imagine picking up spit & mixig it in you fingers with dirt
-Ever had something in your eye that makes it so you can't even open it?
- Does it hurt to even try?
- Is it just a pesky annoyance that you can't get out?
- It’s the wrong thing to put in your eye if you want to see
- This does not make sense
> An invasion of awareness – Guilty of sin & rebellion
+ An Intimidation
v. 6 - Clay
- Imagine a man walking through the streets with mud on his eyes
Without Christ we are born blind
Gospel is dust and spit if we believe not
- It’s intimidating to move from our senses to simple faith
+ > > Pool of Siloam
+ An Instruction
- One of the principal sources of water for Jerusalem
> Meaning “Sent” (by God)
> v. 7 - Go & wash - Not all that far
- Go to in faith to Calvary
I know a fount where sins are washed away,
I know a place where night is turned to day;
Burdens are lifted, blind eyes made to see;
There’s a wonder-working power in the blood of Calvary
> John 8:12 (AV)
12 …. , I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
+ Believe & Obey
- One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I’ll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept shouting: "Jump! I’ll catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can’t see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that’s all that matters."
+ Transformation
> John 9:8–9 (AV)
8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
> Evidence declared in Life & Testimony
> All is the Work of Christ Jesus
- Darkness to light
- Acorn to an oak
- Helpless new born to a brilliant professor
+ 2 Corinthians 5:17 (AV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.