The King's Four Subjects Series

Powerpoint and video clips available through e-mail.

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.

CLICK THROUGH READING SCREENS 2-8

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.

CLICK TO SLIDE #10

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."