John Chapter 9:1-9

We need grace the day that we come to the Lord for forgiveness. Somehow we forget that we need that same grace every single day to walk with what about grace for family members or friends welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee. David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina as he teaches verse by verse through John chapter 9 today's teachings entitled, go and tell just before we get to the teaching DA Brown is with us. He's one of the associate pastors here. The bridge glad to have you with us from God to be excited about grace we've experienced in a relationship. We should not forget this grace is something that other people need to sounds like it's pretty important to share God's grace, so let's listen as David McGee begins the teaching go and turn with me to John chapter 9 you remember in her last week we were looking at Jesus as he presented himself not only as the Messiah, but also the son of God. We looked at the connection between Abraham and Isaac and Jesus going up to be crucified on the hill incredible parallels that some of you communicating the last week that you never seen before and so praise God for the Holy Spirit given us revelation their and in this weekly are in chapter 9 slows picking up verse one now as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from birth. Now what you know something in new King James, this is now. If you're in the King James, this is and okay that's an important thing you know why because chapter 9 comes after chapter 8 now you're taking notes you may want to jot that down. Chapter 9 comes out know there's a point that this is the same day. It's a continuation of salt if you will. When you see now are, and it's the same timeframe and in here it's the it's the same day. Now see what happens. And his disciples asked him, San Rabbi who send this man or his parents that he was born blind. They didn't go off this awesome wireless ministry of grace and love and healing. This is just a call Jesus, there's a blind man can we pray for Jesus different as black men.

Do you think he needs anything know they walked past this Monica and send him or his parents that is like that.

They missed they missed. Now understand this isn't the only time the disciples missed it, they missed it frequently and I'm not dissing the disciples and and certainly I consider the fact that at some point at. I'm going to be in the same places they are in Peter. I just get a picture of Peter being a large man.

He's a big guy. I'm going to be willing for eternity, but in the life of teaching.

Let's really take a look at that seeks because we need to walk in love and grace with one another. We talk about grace oftentimes is this cold theological term, but grace is that we need grace is something I need. We recognize we need grace the day that we come to the Lord for for forgiveness. Somehow we forget that we need that same grace every single day walk with and then we begin to think I'm so glad I've got grace, but what about the people around you. What about grace for family members for friends. What about grace for coworkers.

What about grace for the people come to this church. See, we tend to think that grace is something we need, that the other person doesn't need an and it reflects on our prayer sometimes done it. I used to pray prayers when I was a young Christian that kinda went like that, but like this. Lord, thank you for your grace for me. Thank you for your forgiveness for me. But you know this guy over here.

He's really messing up.

I just want to tell you, God, that it's okay if you judge him.

I think you probably should judge him now today we pray prayers like that in God's gotta be up there going Josh. The first life lesson here is grace is something other people need not just you. Grace is something other people need not just you see here.

They are these the disciples are trying to figure out understand the kind wrestling with this theological thing you're trying to understand where to cast the blame instead that's not our role as a body, and as believers, as followers of Jesus, you don't ever see Jesus showing up in, and no offense, we love and we pray in support anybody in law enforcement. But Jesus doesn't show up like a policeman on the single and okay what happened here only to get the names I need to get a record of when we got a rap sheet on you with whatever my director wanted.

Now Jesus never shows up like that how can we show up like Jesus shows up like a rescue worker in order to save the people to her in order to rescue the people that are dying. That's what were supposed to be doing not get into these cold theological discussions on how lost somebody actually is. There's a low slick you never come back. But to be rescue rescue rescue squads discuss we we live in a fallen world. Open your eyes to that you will see today.

Probably many people who are going to heaven you'll see him at the restaurant you go to, or maybe to the Walmart or the grocery store or the gas station or wherever you will come across and you will see many people who do not know the Lord Jesus. They don't have any of the answers and if you're here and you're a follower of Jesus. You've got the answers there dying for what you now know and know that we don't have all the answers. I don't have all the answers and that's okay. I don't think personally that were wired to have all the answers. Because think of anybody in here got all the answers how that conversation would go. You can ask him anything at what about this. Well, since I have all the answers. Let me address letters are that would never work never works of God in his wisdom and give us all the answers but you know what he gave us enough he gave us enough to give what we do know because if you think about it. As followers of Jesus we have more of the important answers than the wisest men in the world. We have the answers to such questions is, is it over when I die what happens when we dock.

Can we really live forever. How can we get a new start. How can we be forgiven. You know those answers and if you don't know those answers. There's people around you that can help you acquire those answers but see as we have these answers. There's lots of people out there that don't have these answers and we need to be given on the answers.

I think sometimes we get a little too comfortable having these theological discussion about man's condition rather than doing anything about it rather than praying form rather than sacrifice, and form rather than inviting them. We need to be careful we don't run into the same problem in verse three Jesus answered and said neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day, the night is coming when no one can work. Now sometimes I want to mention is sometimes we do things that cause the problems were in, and sometimes it's a healthy thing and it's a good thing.

The thing how to get here. What what decisions led me to be in this place, because then you can think now I want to decide that again but understand. Sometimes you find yourself in a difficult place because you made the right decision because you did the right thing. So don't always assume that you find yourself in a difficult position because you've done something wrong. Now you know people say why do bad things happen to good people. Well, that was actually very easy. People think that's a difficult question. It is really not easy. According to the Bible Romans chapter 3 verses 10 and 23 for all of sinned and fallen short of the glory of God as it is written, there is none righteous know not what I reverses, but so the answer is none of us are good. The real question is why do good things happen to bad people.

I'm a sinner I'm saved by grace.

Why do I ever get blessed. That's a much better question than why does anything bad ever happened to me.

We live in a fallen world, folks.

That's the way it is were not in the garden anymore, but there's hope, there's hope in Jesus like the way the new living translation reads in verse four, all of us must quickly carry out the task assigned us by the one who sent me because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end like the way that reads see because it shows that guess what we've all been assigned the task in the kingdom of God and his like the body. There's no unimportant parts of the body.

They all work together and this body is a picture in the Bible of the body of Christ and all the port parts are important and they come together.

What is God laid on your heart to do, and even a better question what needs to be done.

Ask yourself, it's really easy to stand on the sidelines and critique and pick up our that's a cheap gift if it's a gift at all.

But get involved in being part of the team and asking God what you want me to do is there's lives at stake were not playing church were playing church shut and locked the doors was all in a go have brunch or something, but this is the real deal and there's lives at stake. There's people to be reached. Some of them are your family your friend your neighbors and he says in this verse, all of us. God, amazingly enough, wants to use you as a vessel of healing to reach other. That's an amazing thing will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob were excited about God's word, going forth with Pastor David and want to pray for some people in the cities will broadcasting today.

Beaufort, Gainesville, Macon, Milledgeville savanna, Snellville and Thomasville, Georgia God, we thank you for the people listening today in these areas. We pray that they will be encouraged in your word, they would realize that you want to bless them. Lord, you have a good plan for them God.

We pray for those who are sick in the area that you would please heal them and we pray for the pastors and the churches that they would be ignited and all the good plans you have for them and sharing your word throughout their city.

In Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse verse five.

As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world that I am phrase is I am the eternally existent one Jesus is again claiming deity here, but you know we we've got a paraphrase. These two verses a little bit in that saying that we talk about a lot do all we can to reach those we can while we can suggest.

According to the words of Jesus here the night's comment. The nights come in where we will no longer be able to serve in this church teach the children do the media. The nights come in, where you will no longer have the opportunity to invite people to come to fellowship here.

You no longer have the opportunity to share with somebody. And because it won't happen gradually in the blinking of an so if you've been under the misconception well one day when I get on my problem straightened out I'll get involved. One day when I get all my problems straightened out all begin to invite people are sure my face was people do you realize that you're always good to be deal with problems is always good to be issues and if you're waiting to get perfect before you do anything for God. You understand, you just put yourself on the shelf never to be used and the time is come and were those that don't know will know no more, they won't have a chance anymore. That should motivate us. It's one thing to sit here and talk about on Sunday morning, but that should motivate us to action. These words should lead to actions because at some point in the future. Somebody get saved and that's it. That's the last one and understand that and I believe were were on the edge of that were close and one Sunday morning, and some church somewhere might be here. Somebody comes forward and God says okay that's it last one that's in, that's her, that's it shut the door.

It's done now.

Wouldn't it be really cool.

You just for second is your imagination would be really cool if you are the person that invited the person who was the last one you probably are fairly popular God in heaven. Our girl in heaven. You know all you you brought the last one, pray to God that's all you know and then some. I probably come up to you what took you so we're all wait and wait for you to invite your neighbors say something dollars but really what but at some point the door shuts notice he says I am the wide of the world knows that they didn't say on the light of the Christians. He said I'm the light of the world has a dark place out there. They need I need some light we need to be inviting people. We need to be sure our faith. We touch on this for just a second.

Why do we do that. Why do we want to tell people about Jesus. Why we want to share our faith and understand there's there's been a lot of wells going to come up with a fancy word there's been a lot of wrong teaching in regards to this the reason you want to share your faith, the reason you want to talk to people about Jesus. Mostly what I also think it's a that's a great reason.

It's all noble but you know what it's it's kind of unscriptural because you were not responsible for saving anybody what you are responsible and my dad accountable for is to tell people see, here's what happened. Somebody get saved and go praise got him to go tell other people so that they might get saved and then they share their face once nothing happens or sugar-free clients. Nothing happens the third time submit. Maybe nothing happens. That's it, they're done they don't tell anybody anymore why it's not working. Don't fall into that trap. The reason we share our faith. The reason we invite people is because God told us to. So the moment you open your mouth.

Guess why successful God looks down yes. Whether that person come for that person comes the Lord to come to church or that's not your responsibility. That's God's drawing and willing that does that the life lesson. Here's Jesus told us to go tell Jesus told us to go invite. He told us to do these things in a lot of different places I give you just a couple Matthew chapter 22 verse nine tenses now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see the servants brought in everyone they could find good and bad alike and the banker hall was filled with guest and I came across a surly. That said 87% of those who don't go to church, said they would go if they were invited 87% said they would go if they were invited. That makes our role pretty clear to to invite people maybe invite him to lunch after maybe inviting the breakfast before you make it sort of an event and then everybody in here teams together to reach that person. The guys in the parking lot. Parking cars person comes in all manners of school people parking cars and saying hey and then they come in the door dry hay glider air.

All this is great.

Come in here and medias work in and the worship team is worship and and and it's all a team we want to join you with you to reach your friends to reach her family.

Jesus told us to do this.

First Corinthians chapter 3 verse six is planning a polished water. But God gave the increase to God will do his part limit guarantee that I can look back over the past few years ago. Yet, God will do above and beyond what you think is part of that's not even a question. The question for us. Will we do our part.

We do what the Lord has told us to do as far as inviting and sharing observing and giving in all these different things. Verse six, things get a little weird when he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and he said to them, go wash the pool of Siloam which is translated, sent so he went and washed and came back seeing. Here again we see that John is writing not only the Jewish people, but to everyone because he just explained he proofread an Aramaic phrase still so he went and washed and came back seeing a lot of people look at this and they go all it in that sweet Jesus found the blind man and rub some stuff on his eyes and it was probably some medicinal ointment or something no were actually told what he used. Somehow we look at this through our religious glasses. Knowing the understand what it says he used. He used spit and clay now is that I so different and I mean that's a little less, be honest, that's a little weird and it if you don't think that's a little weird. I want to pray for you. Make make you have problems with your eyes and after service you can come up and I'll pray for you. I asked CIs right see. Then at that point you be going will will see that point you would be okay with the details of that story right. Look at this for what it is. This is very different here last. Jesus could heal that man in any way he could've spoke a word heal that man. He didn't get the spit in the mud thing. If you think I'm getting rated tell you why I'm not didn't write it. I don't I'll offer some theories but that's only I think he did it so that we wouldn't focus on the methods we would focus on the master he healed blind people different ways, not just this one way every time.

In this way he heals us. That's what he deals with us as individuals in different ways and for us to go up.

This is the way that it happens every time I think it detracts from the power of God. People had a habit of after they encounter Jesus of being able to see verse eight. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously seen that he was blind citizen is not he who sat in bed and some said this is he, other said he's like him and he said I am neon the guy was the blind understand and share your testimony. Some of you think.

Why can't share with a family member because they knew you know a lot of the silly stupid things up.I can't share with my neighbor because you know what do long ago that he was saying in me roll kegs into the house and for me to talk to him about Jesus is but you know what that actually empowers your testimony. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying go Rowley Kagan your house today but I'm saying it. If you used to do things that were ungodly. They probably knows the difference. I probably knows you're not rolling kegs in your house or doing things like that and probably gauntlet some strange was a going somewhere on Sunday morning, good weather, certainly not dressed for church. But you know they're going somewhere and they see the changes in far from disqualifying your witness to it qualifies as a go. You know what you're different. What happened I want to know about this. I want to know about this and this is what's going on your different used to be blind now you can see what happened. Verse 10.

Therefore, they said, how were your eyes opened. Verse 11.

He said a man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me go to the pool's long and washed. So when Washington received sight.

I love throughout this chapter, the way the guy just keeps it real simple fact he wasn't real clear on how Jesus opened his eyes yet because he said the man made clay and anointed my see he didn't know what was in that Glade is that's okay Atlantans we don't know how Jesus does what he does and that's okay we don't need to engage yourself in all the particulars, but just know that he has that Jesus has healed them because one Jesus is the focus.

Some of you may have missed this. You may think that you gotta quit doing this or quit doing that, but as what is your focus is on those things you know where your focus is not subtle. Jesus know what's going end up to set you free. Focus in on the stuffer focusing on Jesus. Maybe your marriage is a train wreck. Maybe you're struggling with substance abuse or something. Don't focus almost thing. Focus on your healing focus on him who heals. Verse 12 then they said to him, whereas he said I don't know.

Here's my theory on why Jesus healed them in this way I goes back to a couple things. Genesis chapter 2 verse seven says and the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being. Genesis 319 says in the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken for dust you are and dust you shall return to the dust of the earth and and clay says in Isaiah that we are the he is the potter we are the clay God wants to use us. God wants to combine his being with us to reach a lost and dying world.

That's the last life lesson God wants to use us to reach blind and dying world with this hope is like his love and his forgiveness. He wants to use you. He wants to use you in this play. What an amazing thing that God desires to use us friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God want you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life now done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry.

Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again.

Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to congratulations bring you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee. That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night 7 PM this visit, cross the bridge.com and click on a lifestream link there. You experience a live service from David's home church.

The bridge in North Carolina again. That website is cross the bridge.com.

Thanks again for listening and join us next time.

As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God