013 - Here's Mud in Your Eye

You pick up your Bible and wondered, is there more here than meets the eye. Is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right well it may look like just print on a page, but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than yeah I know but I especially love is rejected, only that isn't really true.

From this point on John nine.

We get close welcome – tends great 11th grade 12. You have the put tremblant Jeremy just it's so yeah it doesn't.

Nothing gets worse from this point, not the joint where it all gets worse as well. And so to work Monday with us today would you were just jump into this passage today and John nine and we hope you redhead with us because it's a great example of just vibrant narrative were Jesus is intending to make a very strong point about two years and is not lost on anybody in the crowd. There is no sermon in this. Simply his actions. Jesus just does kind of responding to what he had said in the previous conversation I am doing the works of my father right right and this is undeniably the works of the father. So were just gonna read it with you if you got your Bible working be reading out of the ESV version might look confusing if you don't have that version you train track in your own doesn't matter what were gonna read it make some comments on it and unfold this incredible story.

This man was born blind.

So I just start going so it says as he passed by Jesus Best Buy. He saw a man blind from birth and his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sin this man or his parents that he was born blind and Jesus answered it was not this man sin or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. Don't forget that. That's important, verse four, so we must work the works of him who sent me until I while it is day and night is coming when no one can work as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world and having said these things, he spit on the ground. He made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with mine and said to them, go wash in the pool of Siloam which means sent so he went and washed and came back see that it should be the end of most stories cousin you going to another miracle that he gave is going to something after that we heal someone or something else. He could just upgrade their goods at such a big deal came back seeing. But the horse the chapter is is what happened because he did such a major thing. So what what popped out and you and well first of all where this happens is really important in John's narrative because he just finished that very pointed conversation with the Pharisees and then John says, and as he passed by. So this is very near whatever that took place and it is connected and this guy what immediately leaps out to me some blind people hear things right and this is very nearby where that other conversation took place.

Maybe they were even some people who heard that conversation following along what this guy here. He heard the assumption that somebody had sinned and that was the result of his blindness. That was a question he probably had been struggling with all his long line like this right. Why did this happen to me, but then why did you hear Jesus say he heard Jesus say this happened so that the works of God could be displayed in him will.

That's it. Some hope he heard Jesus say we gotta work the works of him who sent me. While I still day right well there's light. I am the light of the world and while he saying those things, Jesus is wrestling around bending down, gathering up dirt in its beating on it to put it on this guys, I mean there's blind people have this acute sense of hearing because they don't have site so this man is fully aware of something happening that's that's probably the first thing that strikes me skinny and then Jesus sends him to the pool which is called the scent like here. He's just playing out.

He's giving us this little like a scenario, a play, as it were the truth of who he is and what he will do right by her you asked me that was a long answer that with well, I'm struck by the fact that he he explains what you why this guy is blind no matter if's and unit of the company at the time was if something bad happens to us because someone did something wrong right right and in this particular case, Jesus is saying no, neither one is the case, the deal's guidance be glorified. Do the works of God might be displayed enough that the rest of his comments to about we have to do these things will get some daylight left. Okay that's astonishing because this man had been allowed to endure an entire lifetime of blindness for this one and he clearly was a legal adult possesses. His parents say later he's of age, ask him, so you probably want to turn I've got maybe like this and the idea is to glorify God or God and and and he hasn't seen it happen. Yet, but now it does happen. The song comes back see. So Jesus actually tells us the purpose of this whole of this will miracle is to do the works of God to glorify that he might be displayed in him, so this is all about.

Again we come back to what we talked about last two chapters about who is Jesus you who is this this work is specifically designed to make known who Jesus is and it's it's undeniable to because I knew back in the Old Testament is many places where God talks about the fact that he's the one that opens blind is Isaiah. In particular, I say has a lot of ineffective. This is a good study technique, we might just take a pause to talk about if you got a concordance. I can recommend a electronic one, we might talk about that so that you can type in the word blind and it'll show your report shows up in that in the Bible and and go to the ones chase the ones down the Old Testament and see the relationship between blindness in God and what he does, how he brings how we cures blindness hike brings blindness to someone think they're not blind and give you some context but very clearly and you'll see this happen as the narrative opens up the rest of chapter very clearly the only person the only one who can heal blindness is God.

And so Jesus is making that statement right here undeniable, but you can see how the Scriptures_that if you do that concordance search exact an evening just reading through the search references you will find connections. All of a sudden Jesus will jump off the page you know that's your study scale for this week and that makes makes an undeniable purpose behind why Jesus is choosing to heal a man just referring someone 46 verse five it says I'm in verse six God is the one who made heaven and earth to see you know what's in them. Then you jump down to verse eight someone 46 a. But though the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. He lifts up those rebel down the Lord loves the righteous.

So the Lord opens the eyes of the blind and the second here that's gonna be a big debate about who Jesus is giving us a well.

The Lord's the one who right on time so it's it's unmistakable Jesus claiming to be well and before we leave this paragraph I wanted to mention in the city. We ran across the word mud but in the new American Standard is the word clay which I think is very important that shows up five times in this passage couple times here in the first paragraph, but later on it's going to come back again, always with the repetition he made the clay and put it on my eyes and I washed, and now I can see so you know that sets me thinking about Isaiah had spoken repeatedly about the father you are the father you are the Potter where the clay clay has no right to say why did you make me you can track those down again using your concordance. If you look up the word clay you'll you'll turn up those passages and and clay. How did God make man in beginning in Genesis 2 he made them out of the dry dust particles of the ground. So here's Jesus who is just sad before Abraham was, I a.m. and then he takes the dry dust of the ground's Senate lubricates it into clay and anoints this guys I like very yes, in a very both subtle and shocking way. He is literally remaking this blind man's eyes out of the dust of the ground all the illusions are very clear to the Pharisees were trained trained Old Testament dudes so they get it they get what's going on here. Nothing is missed. Okay so let's go on and talk about love is this entire event. Now were taught about the fall of his neighbors and those who see him before as a beggar were saying. The man who used to sit and bang some said he see another said no but is like him and he kept saying I they said to him, then how were your eyes opened answered the man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and received my sight. I sent him where Izzy said all I don't know why because he couldn't see him right right. He didn't know what she is like probably looked around the crowded appearance of light. I can identify my killing break to come out of a lineup, but he says something I'll know that's right important in the next and send them down the hill. In fact, it's quite downhill quite a ways down the hill to the pool and came back until he comes back. Jesus is probably not. There is kind of made his exit because things get tough with the Pharisees, so everyone sits astonished everyone is just astonished because everyone knows no one heals a blind right and everybody recognizes this guy because he's been sitting there for ages right and he didn't speculate about what happened, you just hold straight up what happened right.

This guy named Jesus. He made mud stucco. My eyes go slowly wash and look. I can see there you go, see exact repetition of the story we said before, repetition is important. So when you see something repeated need to pay attention to that right was one of Okay 13 so they brought to the Pharisees the man who had formally been blind always on the set, but they brought him to the Pharisees were 40 and now was a Sabbath day all we know it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his again with the work is right so the Pharisees again asked him how he received the site and he said to them, here comes again mud on my eyes and I watched NIC you shortened a little bit but that's the secret that we still have the clay in the washing in the seat of the essential elements 16 so some affairs. He said while this man is not from God, for he does not keep sad for head smacking moment does not sound good, but others said about one how can a man who is a sinner do such signs and there was a division among them, so they said again to the blind man. So what you say about him since he opened your eyes.

He said he's a prophet. Well, that's the best he can but he doesn't know either. So again, you know, we came up with the Sabbath issue before to the Pharisees. If you violate the Sabbath. You're a sinner but we also made the point before that when we rest on the Sabbath. God is still working.

So the one who works on the Sabbath you know is ergo is God himself. That's what he's doing, he does is deliberately he could've done the day before and isn't it interesting that in the previous conversation.

It had been all about how the Pharisees, the religious leaders were daft. They couldn't hear him, and now were circling around the fact that there trained they can't see him. They can't see what's as plain as the nose on your face. Their senses are exactly so so they can provide the brains of information again harkens back to Isaiah. He had said repeatedly. Their ears are deaf. Their eyes are blind Messiah will open them right so you know at this point in the conversation, then the problem with the Pharisees is this is this really is a conundrum. I mean he did on the Sabbath makes him a sinner, but he did open blind eyes and recording the Old Testament is only something God so clearly the way out of the problem is will. Maybe this guy wasn't blind right was really like to pick up God's word says the Jews didn't believe that he had been blind and received his sight until I called the parents of the man who had received his emphasis on receiving his site again and again and they ask them is this your son you say was born blind.

How does he now see his parents answered, will we know this is our son and that he was born blind, but how he now sees we we know who opened his eyes and asked him he's of age. He'll speak for himself. Now his parents said these things because they feared the Jews for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ. He was to be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said he's an agent asked him to cost to them is high of identifying Jesus as Messiah because there can be socially and religiously cut off you'll be pushed out into right unity be pushed of the entire commission didn't want that. So, so they testify that this is news. Our son, but when you know I met and they can say that truthfully is the only disputes the fact that he's now seeing, and he had been blind exactly but in terms of explaining how we came to be that way. They kind of sidestepped and said well ask him which is not a bad deal because the they may not have been around for the possibly not, but he already the blind man had already testified told him already so so the parents are saying. Ask him in the Pharisees assaying themselves. We did and the only way out of the water go conundrum is to maybe find out if this wasn't the sky was really blind, but not using spline that were stuck again. So now instead of you know that you got the parents test.

Mostly I go back to the guy so verse 24 so for the second time they call the men would been who had been blind and said to them, okay, give glory to God which which is a way of saying look you put your hands in the Bible and say you told the truth.

Okay, give glory to God.

We know that this man is a sinner talking about Jesus and how they know that said, we know that this man is a sinner and he answered well whether he's a sinner. I do not know. But one thing I know, here comes again though I was blind, now I see it's stories getting shorter but that's the essence of it.

This is what I know I was blind and noisy. 26 so they said to them, what you duty.

How do you open your thereafter. Thereafter, the work described the work. What exactly happened. So he answered them, and somewhat in their face, answered them. I've told you already, and you would not listen. You would not live so sometimes deafness is not know I cannot. It's a would not you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again.

Do you also become his disciples. This label does the list of master and they reviled him saying you who are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man. We do not know where he comes from.

So the man entered why this is an amazing thing.

You do not know where it comes from and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, and God listens to him. Never since the world began has been heard that anyone anyone open the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God. He could do nothing and answered him, you'll you'll you were born in Utterson and then would teach and would you teach us and make estimate didn't go well, well, it's amazing that because they cannot answer his argument.

Then, they resort to what we call an ad hominem justice center near the center right, you're the center we can believe anything you say this is very relevant to conversations we have today. They cannot answer the substantive argument and said he just resort to while you're just a nobody to come in person the right your life. Your center just they just can't figure it out. And yet, Virgos or what anybody says they still have the actual work in front of this guy was blind right his parents testified he was blind since birth. And now he sees what are you gonna do with that the work itself speaks loud evidence is clearly in their face and it's on his face and they just can't escape it. I mean they just can't escape, so let's close out the store and 35 now. I love this part 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out. Okay so casting that may mean actually that they had produced an excommunication for him yet that not just throwing him out of the room they had said you are no longer part is the Jewish community and you're not welcome in the synagogue.

Jesus heard that they had cast them out, and having found him.

He said do you believe in the Son of Man and answered. Who is he sorry that I may believe in him. And Jesus said to him you have seen him and see who's speaking to you okay you have seen them you already saw him while you're before your eyes were opened.

Your physical eyes you already saw him because you believed what you were hearing and now here he is, I'm looking in your face okay verse 38, and the man said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him.

Jesus said for judgment.

I came into this world that those who do not see Macy and those who see may become blind. Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, are we also blind. Jesus said to them, if you were blind, you would have no guilt. Now that you say, we see your guilt remains yeah so Jesus makes makes the point about who we as a lease with this man.

This management society and this guys this guy believes and he worships that's actually the right response he worships.

Worshiped by the way, according to the Old Testament were not to worship anyone except God father when he worships Jesus he's making and acclamation of the fact that the Jesus the father. One, so the big deal yeah it is interesting connection that came up in my mind at this point, from Isaiah 42 when Isaiah 42 five says that says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and earth and stretch them out and spread them out and gives breath to the people on it in spirit to those who walk in it. I am the Lord. I've called you in righteousness and then just down in verse seven to open blind eyes and to bring out prisoners from the dungeon. Verse eight I am the Lord.

That's my name, I will not give my glory to another. So when he's making this connection between the glory of God in opening the eyes of the blind.

So this man's worship is a is an exactly right response if you're one of my glory means it really just means to bicolor broadcasting to recognize big and loud and large recognize who this guy was. I also like the fact that the the blind man and very honest way. I think when he response to Jesus saying to believe in the Son of Man he says is really straight up.

Well, okay, so is he. And Jesus is with me. Why think that that mirrors you as well. People today when people on honestly honestly come and look at Jesus say who is this guy is he the son of God that I then God comes to them and gives them that affirmation if you just honestly seek genuine thing you want to know. But if you just want to argue about who Jesus is beginning were like the Pharisees were this case is you will tell me some very straight up. It's very straightforward and Jesus does not demean him many times I thought you know if I was doing a story in a bad way, you know, if Jesus is you believe in the Son of Man, and he says yo who is he right Jesus could get, ornery, and say what just killed two of the one saying who Missy Wright is an honest heart cry.

Who is he, because I'm ready to believe or who is he who is right so there's there's a really willingness and that mimics you know the 2000 year since then. Every time we come to him honestly and say, you know, help my unbelief.

I want to know and and I've seen people who, and in their honesty have come to God and seek out if you're really there. You know, let me know.

Somehow I got does show so John tells us there was audience. There were bystanders because the Pharisees heard this conversation and they immediately appropriated at all. Are we blind we blind.

But Jesus had said for judgment.

I came into this world right this judgment is is the result of the separation like I know I am the sword over which the world divides either ample I claim to be where I am not. That's why I'm here to make it clear who believes me and who doesn't right and those who will not hear, and will not see will not hear, and will not try Jesus prefaced a lot of things he says by saying those who have ears to hear what appears at the ears listen right that's an attitude yeah II reflected to win when the Pharisees is so are we. Also blind and I remembered back in Matthew 15 we were Jesus says Matt. 1514 know let them alone because there blind guides in a very famous phrase everyone else today.

You know, and if the blind lead the blind for both football and will and this is blind. This is not physiological is willful just will not refusal to see the truth so as we wrap up your also want to point out the fact it's an amazing thing that that Jesus wants to glorify who God is, to the conditions we find ourselves in the healing he brings us through him we come to a relationship with him. And that's not accidental. So when God changes your life and brings healing or correct something like that.

It's not just to make you comfortable.

It's really to glorify the lovingkindness of God so that something we can all plug ourselves with her, exiting this thing well and the courage that this man manifested in the face of the opposition saying I hate listen. All I know is all I want blind and now I see you make the decision for yourself because I can't figure out your position. I just know this is the one I did what he told me. I believed him. And now I see and that's our message today after we come to Jesus and people say, what it is you're into you can say, well, look, here's the deal. This is how life was before. This is how life is now after and the in between Jesus. I was sitting in the dark knew nothing, saw nothing, and we all have those kind of messages and you know when people are curious about why we believe what we believe we need to have that conversation has to be very straightforward, brief, simple like the blind man's and say this is like before.

This is like that. And this is what Jesus did in between and is not just make your life comfortable, although that's a nice side benefit, but is to glorify God, who pulls us out of those kind of situation so you can do that we can do that any of us can do that and talk about what happened when Jesus was included in our lives we lead him into our life and in fact, in fact, this the status of your life before coming to Jesus as miserable as it might be might be expressly for the purpose of glorifying God and into chapters will see someone who lost everything including his life. For the purposes of glorifying so this is this is how God glorifies himself through the through the actions of the works that he does in our lives and we may not always understand it, we may mean we have an opportunity to experience for a very long period of time, darkness, struggle, pain, loss think I may not explain himself and explain why my like this but but it is he says, for those who love me is all working for the good and for my glory yes. Romans 828 freely paraphrase what you know it next week really going to John 10 John 10 was an interestingly enough, the discussion about blindness is not ended here in a leak in the next chapter is so this whole event.

This undeniable event of healing disappointment so joyous next time. For more than he finds it with us.

Thanks for being here today