#1 DOOMED TO FAILURE BECAUSE OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I do this lesson in two parts.
But this is part one of a several part lesson!
Years ago at President John Kennedy’s grave an eternal flame was ignited.
The experts said it would burn for ever.
A Priest was sprinkling "HOLY WATER" on the grave, and some way the water put out the eternal flame.
Someone had to re-ignite the flame?
I. MANY OF TODAY’S WOES AND PROBLEMS CAN BE POINTED TO ONE PROBLEM: SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS AND MISPLACED PRIORITIES WITHIN OUR SOCIETY, EDUCATION SYSTEMS AND THE CHURCH.
A. Many of the shames faced today are because we place so great a value on success and winning at all cost.
The little league coach cheated on the age of his players to play older boys against the younger. Of course they won. What a disgrace when the news media
broke the story?
B. What about the lady that ran the first few miles of a marathon, jumped in a taxi, rode to the end of the race, rested and when the other ladies were visible
running in exhaustion --- she jumped up and ran at great speed to the finish line? She won? But what did she win?
C. Our high schools allow coaches to scream and curse out the team members in the goal of motivation to win. The coaches may win, but the examples they lead are sad and twisted.
D. College teams accept sin and criminal behavior as the norm to get good players to have a winning program. The athletes are examples of what we do
not want our young people to be.
Drunken parties and wild orgies are tolerated to have a winning team.
Where is the code of ethics?
E. Pro sport players spend fortunes on illegal drugs.
drug induced performance may enhance the winning, but at what cost.
One pro team member boast of having sex with 15,000 women? And we still cheer him on?
Gambling, drug addictions, and wild sexual exploits are accepted to win.
F. What are we telling our youth?
A piece of eye candy exposed herself on national TV during a half time show, and this was seen by many in the sanctuaries of God across this country?
G. Our music videos and fleshly dance and gyrations are accepted right in many churches.
H. WHERE IS THE OUT CRY FROM THE PULPITS THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THE TEMPERAL AND NOT THE ETERNAL?
II. THERE IS A TERRIBLE DISEASE WITHIN THE HEARTS OF MANY PEOPLE TODAY.
A. The church seems satisfied to see and focus on so little.
We use people to build the church instead of using the church to build people.
B. The church is not the cure, BUT THE CHURCH CONTAINS THE CURE.
C. The modern church has one goal, growth and a bigger budget. We count a church successful that meets this criteria.
D. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS, WHEN WE ARE SO SEEKER FRIENDLY THAT WE ACCEPT ALL --- TO COMPROMISE REACHING OUT.
E. We accept football games in worship services, we dismiss services to excuse the lack of attendance.
F. Several churches dismiss all but their Sunday morning service in the summer to accommodate the sports and games of vacation.
G. This brings the average attendance up for the year.
WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES?
III. WHAT IS BLINDNESS? CAN WE HAVE OUR SIGHT AND BE SPIRITUALLY BLIND?
TEXT:
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
A. BLIND:
Sightless,
UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO DISCERN OR JUDGE
Having no regard to rational , discrimination, guidance, or restriction.
LACKING IN DIRECTING OR CONTROLLING CONCIOUSNESS
Drunk --- out of control.
Lacking a growing point or producing flowers or blooms to bear fruit.
Hidden, difficult to discern, difficult to discover.
To withhold from light.
To conceal.
B. Legally blind: Having less than 1/10 of normal vision.
C. THERE ARE MORE PROBLEMS THAN JUST PHYSICALLY BLIND,
THERE ARE THOSE THAT ARE MENTALLY BLINDED AND REFUSE TO LISTEN AND ACCEPT GOD’S WISDOM.
D. THE REAL SAD JOURNEY ARE THOSE BLIND TO SPIRITUAL SIGHT.
They walk in little faith and believe every negative word that comes to their ears.
E. Blind eyes can lead to blind hearts.
F. NONE SO BLIND AS THOSE THAT WILL NOT SEE.
Matthew Henry
G. Samson saw more as a blind man than he did with sight. Samson’s eyes seemed to always focus on women and the flesh, until his eyes were destroyed, then Samson saw what God saw.
IV. OUT OF PERSONAL DARKNESS ONE CAN STILL SEND OUT GREAT LIGHT. ONE CAN MAKE THE MOST OUT OF PHYSICAL BLINDNESS.
A. There was a man named Louis Braille that lived from 1809 to 1852.
Louis lived in France.
Due to a terrible accident in his father’s work shop when Louis was three, he was totally blind. This limited what he could do.
One day working with leather Louis felt the indentions with his finger tips. Louis Braille developed a reading system for the blind.
Braille uses 6 dots in one of 63 possible combinations for printing, writing and musical notes.
B. Louis Braille though blind became a famous teacher of the blind at the Institution des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris France.
C. ANN SULLIVAN --- ONE OF THE GREATEST TEACHERS KNOWN --- HAD LIMITED SIGHT, BUT SHE HAD GREAT VISION.
Ann taught a difficult student that was blind, deaf and dumb ... Ann, with limited vision, brought great vision and purpose to HELEN KELLER.
D. There may be grave danger in TUNNEL VISION?
V. WE ARE SATISFIED TO SEE AND HOLD THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. HOW LITTLE CAN WE SEE THAT IS RIGHT BEFORE US?
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS IS BEHIND MANY OF THE WOES THAT
WE ARE FACING THIS DAY!
A. Can we see what we really claim to see?
B. ARE WE CONTENT TO FIND A NEW PEARL EVERY WEEK,
YELL AMEN, AND THEN GO HOME THE SAME WAY WE CAME?
C. DO WE HEAR MESSAGES AND NEVER CHANGE?
D. I have seen many pearls? I have preached many pearls?
I HAVE HELD A FEW PEARLS IN MY HAND --- that I did not own.
Matthew 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
E. BEWARE, WE FACE A GREAT DANGER TODAY, BEWARE, WE FIND THE PEARLS OF GREAT PRICE, WE LOOK AT THE PEARLS, WE EVEN HOLD THEM IN OUR HANDS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT WE DON’T HAVE THE VISION TO INVEST IN THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.
F. We can hear the powerful word of God and not buy into it!
ARE WE BUYING THE PEARL WHEN ON MONDAY MORNING WE ARE THE SAME AS WE WERE BEFORE?
G. BEWARE OF THE VISION THAT FINDS PEARLS, BUT NEVER TAKES INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE VISION TO BUY THE PEARL.
H. WE CAN SEE THE PEARL AND IT NOT BECOME OURS!
We must do more than see the vision, we must buy into the vision, we must do more than stir emotions.
I. What do you see?
Have we worked up some emotion?
Have we worshipped worship? Then praised praise? And seek fun and entertainment in God’s house?
J. Is the cry today for smooth messages that make us happy?
HAS WORSHIP BECOME ABOUT SELF INSTEAD OF GOD?
K. ARE WE WILLING TO PAY EVERYTHING TO OBTAIN THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE? OR WILL WE BE CONTENT TO HOLD THAT PRETTY BABY FOR A WHILE?
VI. DO I HAVE ENOUGH VISION TO SEE? --- WHAT PROGRAM ARE WE SELLING? HOW CAN I SHOW WHAT I HAVE NOT SEEN?
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
A. Years ago, I had a friend that sold Rainbow Vacuum cleaners. I was at his house, he opened the closet and hung my coat.
I noticed there was a Hoover in there?
I asked him, I thought you sold Rainbows?
He said I do, but I would never own one?
I said, How can you sell what you are not sold on?
In a few weeks, he started selling something else.
B. Today within the church many people are selling many products?
We are selling pyramid schemes to get rich?
We are selling vitamins and apple pies?
We are selling knives and Christian tee shirts?
We are selling books, tapes and CD’s?
I would hate to tell you what I have seen churches sold recently.
C. Are we lifting the name of Jesus?
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
D. POOR PHILIP --- WILL FOREVER BE KNOWN AS PETER’S BROTHER.
BUT PHILIP IS KNOWN IN THE BIBLE AS A BRINGER...
PHILIP SAW THE LIGHT, KNEW THE LIGHT, ACCEPTED THE LIGHT AND BROUGHT MANY OTHERS TO THE LIGHT.
E. Some Greek men sought out Philip.
These Greek men knew Philip had seen and knew Jesus in a personal way.
John 12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
F. CAN YOU HEAR THE CRY OF THE HEART OF LOST MEN?
SIR --- WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
G. DO WE HAVE A LITTLE MATCH ONCE BURNED?
OR IS THERE A FLAME BURNING IN OUR BONES?
H. Are we tied to the altar of a Living God?
Are we locked to our Bibles in study?
Have we wrestled with the angels all night long?
Is our goals ecclesiastical success and great trophies leading to promote?
Are we so good psychiatrist and psychologist that we don’t need the anointing?
Has our worship become so professional and polished that we don’t need God’s
sweet Holy Spirit any more?
I. TEACH AND PREACH UNTIL THE CHURCH HEARS THE GREATEST CHANT OF
ALL AGES:
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
J. Look around you? Hear the news?
Feel the heartbeat of Jesus: --- SIR, WE WOULD SEE JESUS!
K. Grow more than an interest --- GROW A COMMITMENT.
VII. A ROSE LOOKS GRAY IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT, WE NEED THE POWER OF THE LIGHT TO SEE CORRECTLY.
A. A man had sight and vision but the sight was in darkness. A mean, bad, zealous man was on the road to do more mean bad stuff.
Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
B. DARKNESS DISTORTS ONE’S VISION. Saul was walking in darkness, he thought he was right? But he was not.
WE NEED THE LIGHT.
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
C. SAULIS IN DARKNESS BEFOREHE COMES TO THE LIGHT AND HE IS BLIND? WAS SAW BLIND BEFORE THE LIGHT OR AFTER THE LIGHT?
D. OTHERS SAW THE LIGHT BUT THE LIGHT NEVER CHANGED THEM.
Acts 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
E. SAUL --- NOW PAUL HAS BEEN FOREVER CHANGED BY SEEING THE LIGHT.
VIII. THOSE THAT DO NOT SEE THE LIGHT WILL CRUMBLE UNDER ADVERSITY. HOW DID YOU MAKE IT PAUL? --- I SAW THE LIGHT ---
A. Paul will face great distresses ... sicknesses and persecutions ...
2 Cor. 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
B. THOSE THAT HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT WILL LOVE HIS APPEARING, NO MATTER WHAT THE OBSTACLES, ADVERSITIES, OR PROBLEMS.
There is nothing the body suffers that the soul may not benefit by ---
2 Tim. 4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
C. Paul loved to tell the story, the light exposed Jesus to one of the greatest enemies the cross ever knew.
Change comes where the light is seen.
D. Mother Teresa built a world known ministry based on one 30 second vision. Teresa was riding a train and saw hungry, dying people in India.
She devoted a life long exhausting work to the poor Hindu people of India.
She feed the hungry, and gently hugged many dying of aids in her arms with a LIGHT OUT OF THIS WORLD!
IX. VISION PROBLEMS COME WHEN THE CHURCH CAN NOT SEE THE DIRT? GOOD LIGHT EXPOSES DIRT AND DEMANDS THE INDIVIDUAL TO CLEAN UP THE MESS.
A. A woman had 10 coins, these coins were very important to her.
She cannot marry without the proper dowry.
B. The lady thought she had a coin problem?
NO! NOT SO, SHE HAD A DIRT PROBLEM ---
SHE HAD TO HAVE THE LIGHT TO SEE THE DIRT.
Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?
C. THE DECISION TO CLEAN HOUSE WAS EASY WHEN THE DIRT WAS EXPOSED.
I think the lady had a vision problem, she could not see the dirt.
Once the light shone on the dirt, the WOMAN WANTED TO CLEAN HOUSE.
D. ONCE THE HOUSE EXPELLED THE DIRT AND WAS CLEAN THE COIN WAS EASY TO FIND.
E. WE NEED THE LIGHT OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SHINE DEEP INTO OUR HEARTS AND EXPOSE THE DIRT!
F. WE NEED THE LIGHT TO EXPOSE!
X. CAN WE SEE THE LIGHT? BUT ONLY HE WHO SEES TAKES HIS SHOES OFF! THERE IS SOMETHING WONDERFUL ABOUT SEEING THE LIGHT.
WHEN WE SEE THE LIGHT --- GOD SEES US!
A. Moses had God’s call before his birth.
Moses had a brother named Aaron and a sister named Miriam.
Moses had a problem, MOSES COULD NOT SEE THE HOLY AND PROFANE.
B. How many years do we have to wander in the desert to see?
C. MANY A DAY MOSES GOT UP AND WENT TO HIS TENT’S DOOR AND LOOKED OUT.
As Sister Moses was cooking breakfast and Moses prepared for his daily menial
chores, Moses heart must have cried out to the Holy God ---
GOD, I KNOW THERE IS MORE THAN THIS? !
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
D. The light of the burning bush opened Moses’ vision.
Prior to this day, Moses focus was limited.
Moses could have walked by the burning bush, but today Moses is ready for THE REVELATION OF A HOLY GOD.
E. MOSES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.
He may have walked up to the bush a carnal man, but the light will forever change him!
F. Elizabeth Berritt Browning penned these words:
EARTH IS CRAMMED WITH HEAVEN AND EVERY COMMON BUSH IS AFLAME WITH GOD, BUT ONLY HE WHO SEES TAKES HIS SHOES OFF!
G. Have you taken off your shoes? Do you see the light? Do you recognize HOLY GROUND?
The ground had not changed.
The ground appeared the same as it always had. Moses changed!
H. THE MIRACLE WAS THAT MOSES HAD A DIVINE REVELATION ... I AM STANDING ON HOLY GROUND!
I. My friend, you don’t have to take your shoes off, but if you see the light, you must recognize we are standing on holy ground --- there are angels gathered all around.
J. Don’t focus on the sunset! Look toward the eastern sky --- God’s plan develops before our eyes! Can you see it?
Come into the light.
K. Could we be missing our burning bush?
Conclusion: We have a responsibility to the LIGHT.
We must not hide the light under a basket.
My light may be very little, but with the power of many little lights we can.
Sing with me: THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, I AM GOING TO LET IT SHINE...
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Please, consider how much time and effort these lesson required and then how little my hands are with the ability to get this into other hands.
Could you invest and help? Pass this on to another. Your effort could enlarge God’s word and my work.
