Cog in the Wheel to Purpose in the Kingdom
John 9:1-41
April 10, 2011
INTRODUCTION
When most people think of how they'd like their lives transformed. Many of them would give assent that they would mind being in the shoes of Geza and Zslot Peladi.
Geza and Zslot are two brothers who spent ad significant portion of their adult lives barely scraping by. Essentially homeless they made an abandoned cave their home.
They left their dank home only to scrape together whatever money they could through selling scrap metal and candy. Theirs was a hopeless situation.
But then everything changed.
One day, out of the blue, charity workers informed the brothers that they had inherited a substantial portion of their late maternal grandmother's Estate. "We knew our mother came from a wealthy family, but she was a difficult person and severed ties with them, and then later abandoned us."
How big was the estate -- $6.6 billion fortune.
For most people it's the idea transformation story--poverty to wealth, disenfranchised to status.
There desire? To get woman.
"If this all works out it will certainly make up for the life we have had until now -- all we really had was each other -- no women would look at us living in a cave," said Geza.
"But with money, maybe we can find a partner and finally have a normal life. "
What do you hope your transformation Journey changes for you in your life?
T.S. In John 9, in the story of blind man, question Pharisees and Jesus the great transformer, we discover an encounter that helps us understand three arenas in which God seeks to bring transformation in our lives.
It will remind us that . . .
Transformation always seeks to be at work in multiple levels in our lives.
T.S. This transformation story begins simple enough.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind John 9:1-7
1 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 works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works 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."
6 After saying 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. NIV
At the surface this story seems to be about a man, blind form birth and his healing.
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.
But right away the disciples remind us that every encounter with Jesus goes much deeper so they throw out to Jesus one of the "Cringe Questions" of their day.
2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus goes on to declare that their perspective is too small. That the man's blindness was directly tied to the potential for God's Glory to be displayed.
Jesus then casts the entire setting into the realm of spiritual blindness and light.
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works 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."
Jesus is always at work in the everyday situations of lives.
I. Transformation of the Everyday Reality
Jesus seeks to make a practical difference in how we live the everyday moments of our lives. The things that handicap us, hurt us, derail us, Jesus is always at work transforming.
We gain hints of what this is like in how the story continues.
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 asked.
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.
A. Changes our choices
Isn't this the man who used to. . .
"Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"
B. Changes our chronicle
10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.
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."
C. Changes our character
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
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."
The broken one is now the strong standing with integrity.
Jesus is always at work in our everyday life seeking to transform our choices, our chronicle, and our character.
In your everyday life have you settled for less? Can you see the ways he is transforming your choices, the chronicle of your story, your character?
II. Transformation of our Spiritual Journey.
We should never think that Jesus is just concerned with the everyday stuff of our lives. He is also always at work transforming our Spiritual Journeys. The difference God makes in our everyday lives is also intended to change our Spiritual Lives.
The spiritual Journey of this man is typical of ours.
Let's continue this encounter.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
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 perform such signs?" So they were divided.
17 Then 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."
18 They 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 Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah 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 by telling the truth," 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 person 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.
Spiritual Blindness
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.
A. Past shallowness
17 Then 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."
B. Past uncertainty
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!"
C. Toward Confidence
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 person 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."
D. Toward Assurance
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,"
E. To Worship
and he worshiped him.
Do you know your spiritual story, can you share it as it moved past the shallow things, Past your uncertainties, toward a confidence and assurance in Christ that you have become of the worshippers around his throne, who knows who he is, what he has done and the difference it has made in you.
Can you share your story?
III. Transformation of our Kingdom Role
Beggar
Object Lesson for the disciples
Voice of testimony to others.
Voice conviction to Pharisees
Object lesson for the Kingdom of God.
This many moves from being a mere cog in the wheel, to a pole with purpose in the kingdom of God.
Our stories should be similar.
A. Cogs in the Wheel
B. Purpose in the Kingdom
It's almost Easter and I am convinced that all who have discovered some of their transformed role in the kingdom understand that this is our season to reach out with the message of transformation to others. Will you reach out?
SUMMARY
Transformation of our everyday elements of our lives, the change of own Spiritual Journey, the discovery of our purpose and role in the kingdom.
Live the change.
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