Blind eyes will see
Story takes place right after escaping being stoned Tried to tell them, now I'll show them
I'm the light of the world story of Spit mud and miracles Show video
JN 9:1 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?" 9:3 "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."
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.
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.
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."
Talking about the man as if he is deaf too Talk slower
"Who sinned?" Why is there disease, sin - demons, germs - does it matter? (all the same?)
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Common idea - sin = illness
The Rabbi's had a principle that they believed - there is no death without sin and there is no suffering without iniquity
Consequences vs. Punishment
Step on a crack story - tripped and skinned knee
Limited minds - you disobey, I'll plant a spanking on your backside. Does God work that way?
I had an abortion, now I am infertile - God's mad!
Skipped church to go to FB game, now I'm sick!
How are the works of God to be displayed in your life
In and through your trouble, your illness, your trials.
Big Idea #1 - God's still saying "Let there be light!"
Triumph of light over darkness - church preoccupied with itself needs to open its eyes!
I am the light of the world, makes sense to bring light to dark eyes. In a dark world, prejudice and fear rule the day, there is Good News! Not everyone got it.
Unpack the Spit story
Spit is a funny - gross - amazing thing. As long as it doesn't come out of your mouth, it's OK to be in your mouth.
98% water, contains electrolytes, antibacterial compounds and an enzyme that breaks some starches down into sugars, digestion of food begins in the mouth, before food reaches the stomach.
Why the spit and mud bit
Water ritual? - still in Tabernacles - Booths festival
Amazing how indifferent Jesus is in getting the credit
So the man wouldn't see him
So he would have to obey
Who wouldn't want to wash off spit and mud?
Pool named Siloam = sent - Jesus the "Sent One" sends the man to wash in a pool of the same name.
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." 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."
Why get upset about man healed
Jesus made mud - worked - the man washed
Unless it was a matter of life or death, for Jews -
healing was a forbidden work on the Sabbath. This healing act of kneading (mixing spit and dirt to make mud), and the anointing itself, were all forbidden Sabbath-day activities. For these Pharisees, breaking God's law, even to accomplish a healing miracle, meant that this man was not from God (verse 16).
The Pharisees allowed emergency exceptions – rescue a drowning person, pulling a bull out of a pit, but heal a man born blind - make an appointment for that - how about a week from next Thursday?
Jesus dispels the assumption that suffering is from sin. Jesus still healing on the Sabbath, going out of His way to make the point! I am just doing my job!
Master plan Foretold to Isaiah
- announced by Jesus in Luke 4
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
- spoken to John in prison
The Interrogation
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
Rule #1 God's men don't break the Sabbath
Rule #2 Sinners can bring sight to the blind
Circular argument - something's missing.
What do you have to say about him? He's a prophet!
Round 2 - bring in the parents - they are wusses
Why are the parents fearful - Dragged before a religious tribunal for receiving sight, being healed!
We're gonna ask once more How did this healing occur?
Mud - washed - voile'
Give glory to God - admit it - fess up - this guy's a sinner
No rocket scientist - but I was blind, now I see
What did He do to you, how did he open your eyes!
Not a question but an assault!
Why don't people want to hear the answer?
There must be some other reason - trick - coincidence -
There must be some other way - we didn't orchestrate it so it can't be good.
Imagine the feelings experienced this man
WOW I can see - identify voices with faces, sounds with birds, animals, etc..
WOW - so that's what the Temple looks like
WOW my parents - after all these years,
WOW my parents basically disown me - Ask him, he is of age
Did Jesus really break the Sabbath or keep the Sabbath
Kicked out of church for saying Jesus is a prophet
Jews decided - preconceived that anyone who thinks Jesus is a godly man is OUT
Now eyes are opened -he can really see things including the foolishness of religion
Story of Mike Ditka, snapping turtle - Finally, holding his wounded hand up high, he said, "Any one of you can do the same thing if you're really as determined as I am. Are there any volunteers?"
William Perry, the 350-pound defensive lineman nicknamed the Refrigerator, spoke up. "I'll do it coach," Just wait until the snapping turtle was pried loose from his hand. "No need to remove the turtle," said the Refrigerator. "Just stick out your other hand and I'll bite that one instead."
How many Christians have been biting hands, even hands that feed us, instead of reaching out our hands to get them dirty washing feet and cleaning sores and drying eyes?
Next Step
Jesus is a simple man - he didn't scheme and dream of things to do - he simply listened to Father - did what Father told him - even if it was dangerous - are we daring enough to follow Him? Often No.
Len Sweet says : We've become wusses. We used to be about great and mighty things – healing, bringing the rich and the poor together, bringing light into the darkness, and making the dead alive. The church of Jesus Christ used to make waves. Now we can't even make a splash.
We cry and whine about every scratch and scrap, bellyache about a culture that is going down the toilet without diving headfirst after it to rescue it. We'd reach in for a diamond ring - but not for ...
A character in Neil Simon's The Play Goes On says, "If you can go through life without experiencing pain, you probably haven't been born yet." If a Christian can go through life without experiencing pain, one wonders whether they've really been born again yet.
Friend Day - Invitations to send out - don't forget to write names down so we can pray with you.
Prayer for Kairos weekend at Green Correctional Nov. 9-12 - Lenie sharing on the 11th
