Willing To See

WILLING TO SEE

John 9:1-41

S: Belief

Th: Spiritual blindness

Pr: WE MUST FACE THE DARKNESS IN ORDER TO SEE.

?: Inductive

KW: Phases

TS: In the study of the man born blind found in John 9:1-41, we will find seven phases that will aid us in understanding spiritual blindness.

The _____ phase is…

I. RATIONALE (1-5)

II. RESTORATION (6-7)

III. RESEARCH – PART 1 (8-12)

IV. RESEARCH – PART 2 (13-17)

V. RESEARCH – PART 3 (18-23)

VI. RESEARCH – PART 4 (24-34)

VII. REVELATION (35-41)

Version: ESV

RMBC 08 Jun 03 AM

INTRODUCTION:

ILL Notebook: Light (banana)

Two men were riding on a train for the first time. They brought bananas for lunch. Just as one of them bit into his banana, the train entered a tunnel.

First man: Did you take a bite of your banana?

Second man: No.

First man: Well, don’t. I did and I went blind!

1. Have you ever struggled to see?

Some of you have may have experienced temporary blindness.

And speaking from experience, I can tell you that it is frightening.

One time, when I was recovering from a concussion, I regained consciousness, but not my sight.

And what a process it is…to go from darkness, to shadows, to light, to shapes…

In today’s study, we are going to discuss people that had trouble seeing.

But these people who were struggling, it was not an issue of physical sight.

Rather, it was a spiritual one.

They were not able to see the One that claimed to be the Light of the world.

You see…

2. When Jesus established Himself as the light of the world, He did so with evidence.

The purpose of the gospel of John is so that we will believe in Jesus.

John, as the author, repeatedly makes this clear to us.

And he presents to us evidence that we are to consider and examine.

One aspect of this evidence was the miracles.

Whether it was changing water into wine, walking on water or feeding over 5,000 people, each miracle pointed to the supernatural and heavenly origin of Jesus.

Miracles were his credentials.

And when they are given proper consideration, they point the examiner to the deity of Jesus.

Today’s study brings more evidence.

It is a story about a man that is born blind who really gets to see.

So…

3. In the study of the man born blind found in John 9:1-41, we will find seven phases that will aid us in understanding spiritual blindness.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first phase is RATIONALE (1-5).

[1] As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” [3] Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. [5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

It is interesting to note that the disciples do the same thing many of us do when we are confronted with a disabled person.

We ignore them.

And though Jesus has deliberately seen him, they, instead, want to enter into an abstract discussion.

What they communicate to Jesus is the popular premise of the day.

The man was born blind because of sin.

But whose sin?

The lesson we find here is that sin is not the issue.

Instead the issue is…

We are to do good while there is opportunity.

In a sense, the blindness is a blessing.

I know that doesn’t make sense on the surface.

And to the blind man, it initially does not make any sense at all.

Nevertheless, this blindness was an opportunity for the demonstration of the power of God.

It was a demonstration that was both physical and spiritual.

But before that happens, Jesus wants us to understand that He has a mission to fulfill.

His mission is to do the works of the Father, to do what the Father wants.

And in the process, to do so, He must be the light to the world.

He will love God and love others into the kingdom.

He will do good as long as there is time.

II. The second phase is RESTORATION (6-7).

[6] Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud [7] and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

We find here that…

The touch of Jesus is effective.