THREE THINGS THAT A BLIND MAN SAW
Introduction: Read John 9:1-7
1. These verses records one of the signs or miracles that John wrote in his book so that people would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Jn. 20:30-31).
2. A man who had been born blind was given his sight. He began to see things he had never saw before…people, flowers, sun, moon, stars etc. Things we take for granted, but he had never seen before.
3. But in this study I want to point out some things that he saw about God on this occasion, that perhaps he had never seen before.
4. He “saw” that Jesus extends grace, expects faith, and rewards obedience.
5. Notice first how Jesus “extends grace” (unmerited favor) to this man:
a. John 9:1 says: “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.”
b. Jesus simply “saw” him. Jesus did not owe him his sight. He had not earned it from Jesus.
He had done nothing to deserve it. It was simply and solely an act of “grace” from Jesus.
6. Notice second, how Jesus “expected faith” from the blind man.
a. Jesus spit on the ground, made mud from the spit, anointed his eyes and told him to: “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (Jn. 9:7a).
b. And Jesus expected the blind man to believe what He told him. He expected him to have faith.
7. Notice third, that Jesus “rewarded him for his obedience.”
a. The text says: “So he went and washed and came back seeing” (Jn. 9:7b).
b. The blind man was rewarded with his sight. He “came back seeing.”
8. What the blind man saw illustrates THREE THINGS GOD HAS ALWAYS DONE IN DEALING WITH MAN. God has always:
a. Extended Grace
b. Expected Faith
c. Rewarded Obedience
9. God did not just start this with this blind man or even with Jesus coming to the earth, but these are things He has always done.
Body:
I. ADAM AND EVE
A. God “extended grace” (unmerited favor) to them.
1. Man did not deserve to be created in God’s image (Gen. 1:27).
2. He did not earn the right to be given dominion over all (Gen. 1:26).
3. God did not owe it to him to “bless” him (Gen. 1:28).
4. He did not deserve to be in put in the “garden” where he had everything he needed to have an abundant life
(Gen. 2:15).
5. These were all acts of grace.
B. God “expected faith” from man.
1. He told man to “be fruitful” and have dominion over the earth.
2. He told him to “tend and keep” the garden (Gen. 2:15).
3. He expected man to trust Him and told him not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:15-16).
C. God “rewarded man’s obedience.”
1. As long as man obeyed God he was rewarded.
2. God continued to bless him with all that he needed for happiness on earth.
3. It was only when man disobeyed that he was driven from the garden (Gen.3:1-24).
GOD HAS ALWAYS EXTENDED GRACE, EXPECTED FAITH, AND REWARDED OBEDIENCE.
II. NOAH
A. God “extended grace” to Noah.
1. Genesis 1-9 records the presence, progress, and punishment for sin.
2. God decided to destroy man because of his wickedness (Gen. 6:5-7).
3. But Noah “found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6:8). This proves that Noah did not deserve to be saved from the flood. God did not owe it to him and Noah had not earned it. Noah was himself a sinner.
B. God “expected faith” from Noah.
1. God told him what to do and expected Noah to believe it (Gen. 6:13-21).
2. Noah had the faith God expected. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Heb. 11:7).
C. God “rewarded him for his obedience.”
1. Noah did what God commanded him to do (Gen. 6:22).
2. God saved Noah and his household because of he “prepared an ark for the saving of his household” (Heb. 11:7). 3. He also declared Noah an “heir of righteousness,” because of his faith” (Heb. 11:7). GOD HAS ALWAYS EXTENDED GRACE, EXPECTED FAITH, AND REWARDED OBEDIENCE.
III. OUR SALVATION TODAY
A. God has “extended grace” to us.
1. We are saved by grace. God does not owe us salvation. We do not earn it. We do not deserve it (Acts 15:11). Salvation is totally and completely by the “grace” of God.
2. It was because of God’s grace that He sent His Son to die (Heb. 2:9)
3. It was “grace” (unmerited favor) that caused Jesus to come (2 Cor. 8:9).
B. God “expects faith” from us.
1. It is by grace “through faith” Eph. 2:8.
2. We are to “believe on the Lord Jesus” (Acts 16:31).
C. God “rewards” our obedience.
1. He “rewards” those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6).
2. David said concerning God’s words:
“More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward” (Ps. 19:9-11).
3. God “rewards” those who trust in Jesus with “forgiveness of sins” as well as every “spiritual blessing” (Acts 13:38-39; Eph. 1:3).
GOD HAS ALWAYS EXTENDED GRACE, EXPECTED FAITH, AND REWARDED OBEDIENCE.
Conclusion: When we see what this “blind man saw” we will be blessed as he was blessed. But we must understand, as he did, that when God tells us to obey Him, He is simply seeking to bless us … not burden us. He is seeking to enable us … not disable us. God extends His grace to you today. Jesus told the blind man to “go wash in the pool of Siloam.” He went; he washed, and came back seeing. Today He says that those who believe and are baptized will be saved and given spiritual sight (Mk. 16:15-16). GOD HAS ALWAYS EXTENDED GRACE, EXPECTED FAITH, AND REWARDED OBEDIENCE.
Invitation song: Amazing Grace… that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now I’m found ... was blind but now I see.
Wayne Dunaway
Ohatchee Church of Christ
