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Title: “The King’s Four Subjects”
Objective: Every person must decide which kind of subject he is going to be by comparing the four responses to the Savior found in John 9:1ff.
Intro:
Last week we spent a little time together talking about living life on purpose.
We saw from Mark 8 that Jesus, the king, gives each and every one of us a very important question to answer:
Are you going to simply barely hang on to life by pursuing a life of temporal pleasure, or are you going to live life to the extreme by living a life of faith in Him.
I told you about the futility of trying to hang onto life, the freedom in losing your life for the king, and the finale of your choice.
I’d like to build on that concept of living for the king today by examining 4 possible responses to the message that Jesus, the King, has for us.
Many preachers will tell you that there are really only two groups of people – those who follow Christ, and those who don’t.
Ultimately, those preachers are absolutely correct.
Either you are one of the King’s loyal subjects, or you are a traitor to the kingdom of God.
But, I’d like to take a look at what the Bible records for us in John Chapter 9 to see what it says about four possible responses to the call to “follow Christ”.
Let’s look into what I call: “The King’s Four Subjects”
I want to talk to you this morning about:
I. The Neighbors
II. The Pharisees
III. The Parents
IV. The Blind Man
We are going to look at these four groups of people to see if we can find out what their response to the healing message of Christ was.
While we are looking at this story together, I’d like each of us here this morning to try and see which group we identify with.
So, ask yourselves, am I one of the King’s loyal subjects living a life of faith to follow Him, or am I a traitor – doing all I can to look like one of His followers, but never truly swearing allegiance to Him.
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Let’s read John 9.
AFTER READING: Click to blank lion screen #9
Leave up until The neighbor’s Response
One of the amazing things about this passage of scripture to me is that you will not find it recorded in any of the other three Gospels.
This particular passage is recorded for us only in John chapter 9.
When I study God’s Word, I try to compare Scripture to Scripture to gain a deeper insight into what is being taught.
It’s kind of funny to me that only John, not Matthew, Mark, or Luke wrote about this particular incident.
I don’t know why, and it is one of the questions that I plan to ask those men when I get to heaven.
But, as I read this passage, the number four just kept popping up in my head.
The four groups of people seemed to jump right off the pages!
When I think of four kinds of people, I am always reminded of Jesus’ parable of the Sower.
What is incredibly ironic is that the parable of the sower is found in all three of the other gospel – Matthew, mark, and Luke, but NOT in John!
So we have Jesus telling us a story of four kinds of hearts as depicted by the seed that fell on the path, the seed that fell on the rocky soil, the seed that fell among the thorns, and the seed that fell on the fertile soil.
Knowing that all scripture is given by God, I don’t for one second think that the way these two passages of scripture were recorded was a mistake.
I believe that Jesus told a story of the sower which Matt, Mark, and Luke recorded for us, and then Jesus encountered the real life example of that which John recorded for us.
God’s Word is so awesome!
My King wrote the Bible, and I can trust that is complete and accurate!
Well, what can we learn from all of this?
Let’s look at the neighbors found in John.
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I. The Neighbor’s Response
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some 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.
11He 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.
Have you ever heard the phrase: “Seeing is believing?”
CLICK FOR PHRASE: Seeing is Believing?
I know in the business world that most successful people have to produce results in order to become successful.
A manager or a boss will not promote you until they ‘see’ some productivity!
A client will not hire you unless you can let him ‘see’ some of your past work.
People have a NEED to see good results before they will trust you to do a job, before they will hire you, and even before they will extend credit to you.
I remember just starting out in life with my new bride at my side, think that we were going to conquer the world!
I wanted to get a job in the food service industry, but had no experience.
Everywhere I went I was told that they needed help, but I needed to get experience before they could give me a job!
It’s a vicious cycle – you need experience to get experience – it just doesn’t make sense.
The wonderful thing about my King, is that He understands that about us humans.
He knows that we are naturally skeptical.
He knows that it is difficult for us to exercise faith.
So He meets us right where we are, in our disbelief, with proof that He IS the King of Heaven!
Jesus had just performed a magnificent miracle by healing a man who had been blind from birth!
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He took a man who couldn’t see anything – ever! – And rubbed a little mud in his eyes, and told him to go wash them out – and the man could see 20/20!!!
Jesus gave this blind man’s neighbors PROOF positive that He was indeed the King of all Creation.
He gave them proof that he was the creator who knew his creation well enough to be able to give a blind man his sight.
He demolished the neighbor’s false belief that the blind man was blind because of sin in his life by healing him in spite of any sin – ALL TO GLORYFY the God of Heaven!
And how did the neighbors respond?
I am reminded of the farmer who was sowing his seed and some fell on the path where people walked on it and birds came by and ate it all up.
The blind man’s neighbors had been shown the King’s power, they had seen His provision, they knew of his patience,
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But, they didn’t believe.
It was like they allowed the seed to be eaten out of their hands.
The neighbor’s response to the message that the King brought was to just trample it under foot.
How about you?
Ever consider the King’s provision in your own life?
Ever consider that he has brought a message of hope and healing to you?
Ever recall some of the little things that you might chalk up to “co-incidence” that are really provisions from the King to keep you safe?
Look around!
The king has provided food, shelter, health, wealth, power, fame, peace of mind, the ability to live in the greatest country ever known!
Do you trample that goodness under foot?
Do you ignore His provision like the neighbor’s did and say – “Well, maybe he did give me all this, but where IS he?”
Oh ye, of little faith!
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The neighbors doubted what had happened so strongly that they thought it was necessary to bring the blind man before the religious rulers.
Certainly, they could get to the bottom of this!
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II. The Pharisees’ Response
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15Therefore 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."
16Some 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.
17Finally 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."
A pastor thought God gave Him an idea, and he presented it in the monthly elders meeting. After giving his most impassioned plea and really “selling” the idea to the elder board, the board voted and voted down the pastors proposed changes 12-1. The head elder looked at the pastor and said, “Well pastor, its 12 votes to 1. Looks like you’ve been out voted. Looks like time is up for the evening, so will you please close in prayer.”
The pastor, not wanting to give up yet on what he felt God was leading him to do then lead in prayer. As he prayed, he lifted his hands up to heaven and prayed, “Loooorrrdddd - I know my brothers here do not have the same vision you have given me. Please help them to see that this is not MY vision, but YOOOOUUUUURRRR vision!”
At that exact moment, a lightning bolt with a loud clap of thunder burst in through the window in the meeting room, striking the table, splitting it in two and knocking all the elders to the floor. As the dust cleared, the pastor looked at the head elder and said - so, what do you think about that?
The head elder, dusting himself off, sighed and said, “Well, I guess that’s 12 votes to 2, then...” (Mondaymorninginsight.com)(found on sermoncentral.com)
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Sometimes, we mere mortals can miss the majesty of God trying to work in our lives because we are so caught up in ourselves.
The Pharisees were divided about who this man Jesus really was.
Most thought that He could not be from God because he was doing “work” on the Sabbath.
Others thought that he must be from God because that thought that sinners could not do such marvelous signs and wonders.
Oh friends, how they missed the message of the King!
Just like the board of elders in the story who had a miraculous sign from God to do something, these Pharisees had a man who was born blind and could now see standing right in front of them and they still missed God’s message to them!
I’m reminded of the farmer who was sowing seed and some fell among the stony ground!
There was little depth of earth among the stones!
And to some of the Pharisees who weren’t sure about this Jesus, a twig of belief popped up quickly through the stones,
But the hot sun of the stronger Pharisees who didn’t believe Jesus at all soon scorched them, and they withered up and died!
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“They hear but they don’t understand; they look, but don’t see! For their hearts are fat and heavy, and their ears are dull, and they have closed their eyes in sleep, so they won’t see and hear and understand and turn to God again, and let me heal them.”
Matt 13:14-17
How many of us hear the message of our King, but don’t understand?
How long will our ears be dull to His commands?
When will we turn to God again, so that He can heal us?
The Pharisees were filled with pride.
Pride in themselves for knowing all the laws of God and man.
They could not imagine that a servant of God would heal somebody on the Sabbath!
Oh, thank God that My King Jesus is LORD of the Sabbath!
Thank God that My King Jesus is the Sabbath!
He offers us everlasting rest IN Him – NOT in a day of the week!
He says – Come unto me all of you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!!!
My King Jesus Broke the law of the Pharisees to save a lost man’s soul!
That’s MY King!
Willing to defy the ideas and conventions of man to heal a blind man!
Able to debate the greatest minds the schools can produce!
King over the Sabbath, King over Blindness, King over death, hell and the grave-
That’s MY King!
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But, the Pharisees weren’t content with just questioning the man who had been healed.
They summoned this man’s parents.
Let’s see what their response to the King’s message was.
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III. The Parent’s Response
18The 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. 21But 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." 22His 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. 23That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
Most of you know that my daughter, Kelsey, broke her arm a few weeks ago at school.
It was a huge fiasco to be able to get her to the right doctor that would be able to help her.
There were insurance issues, scheduling issues, transportation issues.
I would not let anything stop me from getting her to the right guy that could help her.
We finally got an appointment, and the doctor looked at her x-rays, and decided that she would not need surgery – a simple cast would be enough.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was to hear that news.
In reality, the doctor didn’t DO anything.
He just put a cast on her arm so she couldn’t hurt herself worse.
God will be doing all the healing inside that cast!
I remember the time that my oldest daughter, Hannah, was diagnosed with RSV.
She was just a little infant, and she couldn’t breathe.
My heart broke as we took her to the E.R. and they had to strap her little tiny body to a board so she wouldn’t move as they tried to put an I.V. in her little arm.
The medicine began to work and the doctors just checked on her every couple hours.
God did all the healing.
The thing that I most remember, though, is the extreme Joy and thanksgiving that I experienced when my girls got better.
I took them to Toys R Us and showered them with gifts.
I told everybody that I could about the Great God that I serve who healed them.
I was so happy that they would be healthy.
Now, imagine how I would have acted if one of my three girls were born blind, and then decades later, somehow, received their sight.
Most of us parents would never stop rejoicing for our kids if something like that happened!
Now, if the parents of the blind man in the Bible are anything like most of us – I am sure that when they first heard of the miracle that happened to him that they were overjoyed!
I can imagine them dancing around rejoicing that their son could now see everything that they had tried for decades to describe to him.
I can see his mother who most likely had to create a blind-friendly home as he was growing up just rearranging everything in her home, for now her son could see.
I can see his dad jumping for joy that now he can take his son fishing and hunting and do all of the things that they missed out on because of his blindness!
Can you see them rejoicing?
I imagine it had to be a glorious day in their home.
But then something happened.
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The religious rulers of the day wanted an explanation for the man’s new sight.
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They questioned the parents very integrity by asking them, “Is this the one that YOU say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
All of their joy and thanksgiving was stopped when the Pharisees reminded them of their own desire to be part of the Synagogue.
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All of their faith that had started to grow as a result of seeing the miracle was choked out by the thorns of popularity and religion.
I think back to the farmer who was sowing his seed and some fell among the thorns and the thorns choked out their tender blades.
The parents quickly moved into the self-preservation mode and told the Pharisees, our son is old enough to answer your questions!
We don’t know how he was healed – ask him!
And in an instant, all of their faith in the King – the very King who was powerful enough to restore sight to their son – all of that faith was choked out.
How many of us face the same situation in our own lives!
We begin to accept the message of Christ – To come and follow Him – and then we are challenged.
Maybe another family member challenges us, and we don’t have the guts to tell them about our faith in God.
Maybe a co-worker mocks our faith, and it hurts our pride, so we allow our little bit of faith to be choked out by our need for acceptance.
We forget the joy and thanksgiving that we experienced when we first heard the message form the King and we give it all up for the fear of man!
That was how the parents of the blind man responded to the forgiveness of the King – How will you respond?
I hope that all of us will respond the way that the Blind man did. Let’s see what he did.
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IV. The Response of the Blind Man
24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God" they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
25He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27He 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?"
28Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from."
30The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
34To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
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This man, this one man, who from birth had lived his life in absolute darkness, was now lecturing the religious elite about the truths of God!
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This one man, who had been branded with the cultural idea that because he was blind from birth, he had been steeped in sin, was now proclaiming the righteousness of Christ!
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This man who, undoubtedly, suffered from no self-esteem because of dependence on others for everything in his life was now standing up to the insults hurled at him from the scholars!
One man who had tasted of the power of the king was now prepared to do battle with all who would dare stand against him!
It is amazing to me to hear Christians in our day and age talk about how they USED to be on fire for the Lord.
I hear of people who Used to share the Gospel with everyone they met,
People who used to be involved in the Kingdom of God at their local church or on the mission field,
People who used to be loyal to our king.
And now, they have fallen prey to mediocrity and the status-quo.
Let me remind you again of the farmer who was sowing his seed, and some fell on the furtile soil.
“But some fell on good soil, and it produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as he had planted!” (Matt. 13:8)
And in John 15:5, Jesus tells us:
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him shall produce a large crop of fruit.”
Friends, the bottom line is that if you have experienced the King’s power in your life and you stay close to him, YOU WILL NEVER STOP BEARING FRUIT!
Jesus promises us a LARGE crop. 30, 60, or 100 times what was planted!
The blind man got it!
He wasn’t ashamed of the King who had changed his life.
He was willing to tell everybody about the King’s power and love, and forgiveness of sin!
You might say, but I just don’t have the kind of faith that he had.
He had a miracle happen in his life and so that’s why he was such a strong follower of Christ.
Let’s read on to see what happened to the blind man after the Pharisees threw him out of the church.
35Jesus 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."
37Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
This man who was so on fire for God didn’t even really know that Jesus was the King!
He just had a little bit of faith to know that the God of his fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the God who used this man Jesus to work the miracle through.
He just had faith the size of a mustard seed!
Oh, but when he came face to face with the Living Son of God, the King of Glory, the Bible says that He believed, and Worshipped Him!
And Jesus didn’t stop him! He accepted the man’s worship!
Oh, how many of us could follow his example and pray to God – “God I believe, but I have so many questions – help me to believe even more – help my unbelief!”
When a person decides to follow the true King, he becomes unstoppable.
His desire for more of the King becomes unquenchable.
The short-comings and faults of others become unnoticeable.
The ridicule and insults from the world become the wind that fans our flame for the Master.
That’s the King that I serve – The king of Glory, The One who gives me the faith to follow Him no matter what!!!
Which person are you this morning?
The neighbors whose belief was stolen right out of their hands?
The Pharisees who hearts were so hard that the seed of God’s word could never take root?
The Parents, who let the thorns of public opinion choke out their faith, or
The Blind man who, when he was questioned by the others said this:
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“One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see!”
I want to close with a short clip by a preacher who can do a much better job of explaining my King than I can.
Listen to what he has to say about my king.
"That’s My King" - SermonSpice.com clip
CLICK FOR VIDEO CLIP SCREEN #14
PUT UP BLANK LION THROUGH LAST SONG SCREEN #15
