Trouble, Troube, Trouble Series

Introduction: Jesus meets a man with a need.

* Read text.

I. The Purpose

* The man was blind from birth. Never experienced sight.

* The disciples knew who had an answer to the riddle of the day.

* Did this man sin before he was born (in the womb) or was it because of a sin of his parents that he was born blind?

* Psalms 51:5 - Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

* Jesus said, no, there is another reason.

* This is what many people fight against and resist. They hate it.

* Life is not about us. Everything is not about you. It’s not about me.

* It’s about God. It’s about His glory.

* First, this man was born blind (unable to see) so the glory of God could be seen.

* Secondly, Jesus whole ministry was to give God the glory. He made that clear, over and over.

* Thirdly we have a time of opportunity to give God the glory, and that time passes. “…while it is still light.”

II. The Person

* The disciples sought to be enlightened, and they asked the right person.

* Jesus was the light of the world as long as He was here.

* But He was going away. Does that mean when he went away there would be no light? No.

* He is still with us today.

* “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b

* Dr. Bill Gillham repeatedly says, “There is only one person who could successfully live the Christian life, and He wants to do it again through you.”

* Jesus said, as long as He was in the world, He was the light of the world.

* He also said, “You are the light of the world” Matthew 5:14. How can this be?

* Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

* The sum of scripture tells me, when I am saved, my life died. Jesus’ life moves in. He is the only life that I now have.

* I believe that to be literal, not figurative or “spiritually speaking”. Jesus is my life, literally.

* Therefore, He is still here, and He is still the light of the world.

* I also believe that some day, we will be removed from the world for a day of judgment in a world without light.

III. The Plan

* Jesus then went into action. He did something that appeared very unenlightening.

* He did something very unimpressive.

* I used to play baseball. There were always “spitters”.

* I was not a spitter. I thought it was undignified, crass, and lacked class.

* I was not part of the “spit to impress” crowd.

* But Jesus spit into the dirt. How humiliating for the creator of the universe!

* He scooped it up and played with the mud. Further indignity.

* This must have represented an act of humility on Jesus’ part that would exalt glory to the Father.

* Jesus illustrated that for us to give God glory with our lives, we must be willing to perform humble acts.

* Illust. Humility…..

IV. The Projection.

* Is there a lesson for you? Is there something in your life that this is hammering on?

* Does something come to mind that God is calling you to?

* Does it begin with humility and humble acts that give only God the glory?

* See, we prefer the things that share glory with us, that show us in a new and good light.

* Jesus was spitting in the mud and playing in it to create an opportunity to glorify the Father.

* I must decrease so the Lord can increase.

* John 3”3-4 “He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 “He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all”

* What a lesson to us, breaking us out of our selfish, egocentric life styles to draw us into a way to give God the glory.

* So, here is Jesus, doing the demeaning task, making mud with spittle, to show God’s glory.

V. The Performance

* He anointed the man’s eyes and told him to wash them in the pool of Siloam.

* The man obeyed, and could see. Born blind, now can see.

* In the dialog with his neighbors, we see some interesting sub-stories develop.

* Some asked, “Is that the blind man?” Others said, “He looks like him.”