"The Main Thing" - (W. 1) John 9

The Main Thing • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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While we live what seems to be a society that stopped, the church hasn't. My prayer is that God would use this time to refine us, and get us back to "The Main Thing."

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Transcript

“Declaring One Thing”

Thank you pastor Chad for letting me preach tonight, and thank you for letting me preach a series of messages over the next few weeks.

This week, Pastor Chad asked if I’d want to preach this coming Sunday night, and then said if I had a series I wanted to preach, I would be able to. Well, after I picked my jaw up off the floor, and had excitement running through my veins, I told him of course!

So, tonight is night 1 of a series of messages that I’ve titled “The Main Thing.”

My prayer is that through this worldwide Pandemic, God would both restore people, revival people, and a big one refine His Church. Let’s get back to the main thing by declaring Christ, desiring the Church, and discerning our calling.

Tagline: Declaring Christ, Desiring Church, and Discerning our Calling.

So tonight, we will be in John 9 as we look at the man born blind.

Overview: The blind man received his sight and the one thing he discovered was Jesus. David desired one thing and that was the house of God.Paul pursued one thing and that was the calling of God.

John 9 - “This one thing I know, I was blind but now I see.”

While you turn to John 9, as I prepared to preach this message I was reminded of when I first felt the call to ministry. I had an opportunity to preach here in the old Chapel - my first sermon. I preached from Romans 1, and it lasted all of 7 minutes. Truly humbling.

But after that, I remember writing a sermon on this blind man. I preached it about 3 times, at a few different events and churches, and my family would always come. It was the same message, over and over again.

The next time I got invited to go somewhere, I remember telling my family and my brother asked me what I would preach on. I told him John 9, and he said, “Is that your favorite story?”

“Yeah probably!”

“I figured, but just so you know, there are other stories in the Bible.”

There are a lot of miracles recorded, but I have reason to believe that healing the blind might have been Jesus’ favorite miracle to perform. There are 8 Scripture references to Jesus healing the blind! More than any other miracle He performed, but even if this wasn’t His favorite, there are some things we can learn from it tonight.

For one, we can discover the result of salvation in Jesus Christ.

The blind man was touched by Jesus, as Jesus annointed his eyes with clay, and after washing in the pool of Siloam, he was able to see. The Pharisees, however, did not like this at all, and eventually excommunicated him from the synagogue.

What is the ‘main thing’ we should be talking about as Christians right now?

What’s the 'one thing’ we should be declaring as Christians?

outline:

1. The Action of Christ

John 9:1-7 shows the actions of Christ.

This is the 6th miracle that John records in his gospel, and you can make the argument that this was Jesus’ favorite miracle to perform. He did this 7 other times in Scripture.

Notice the action of Jesus Christ in these verses:

a) Recognized the Helpless

This man was blind from birth.

The unsaved, though they may hold the highest PhD or some other intellectual degree, can never see or understand spiritual things.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 KJV 1900

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:3–6 KJV 1900

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Paul is a sincere teacher, and here he is letting the Corinthians know that if people are not able to understand the gospel, it’s because Satan blinds the minds.

Ephesians 4:17–19 KJV 1900

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

b) Responsible in the Hour

John 9:3–4 KJV 1900

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

He was responsible in the hour.

What did Jesus do, and how does this picture salvation?

Comes in Grace

There is this idea or a theme, that Jesus was sent. We shouldn’t neglect or read over that too quickly. Jesus was SENT!

2. Irritated the eyes

He was even sent here. He goes to this blind man, and bends down… spits in the dirt to make clay, and then, puts that clay on this man’s eyes.

3. Spoke the Word

“Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.”

4. Healed him with His power

5. Glorified God.

I’m thankful that Jesus is a man’s man.

In our culture, there are a lot of ideas of what being a man is all about.

Some would consider how manly you are by the vehicle you drive.

Some would say that the measure of a man is about the career you have.

Some would say that the measure of a man is about how big your bank account is.

Some would say that the measure of a man is about not crying and being tough.

Some would say that the measure of a man is about the deer mounts on the wall, or the size of muscles on your arms, or the beard you can grow.

Let’s consider this for a moment, being a man is about following Jesus. Being a man is about being dependent on the Father. Being a man is about relying on the Holy Spirit and cherishing the very Word of God.

If we look at the life of Jesus, being a man is about being compassionate toward the lost.

It’s about being broken over our sin.

It’s about being responsible to get the message of hope out.

It’s about being like the Second Adam that ran into the warzone. It’s about being agressive and not passive. Jesus ran into the problem of sin. Took the responsibility for us. Made things right for us by leaving heaven. By living a perfect life, even though He was tempted just like we are.

He made things right for us by “enduring the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.”

By bearing the sins of the world on Him. By sheding His blood on the cross to pay for our sins. Atoning for all of us! And then finishing the work on the cross.

He made things right by rising again on the third day!

That’s what being a man is all about. Being like Jesus.

Some of you ladies may be wondering, ‘what’s being a woman all about?’ If I had any idea what y’all were thinking, I may have a better answer :D

In all seriousness, just love Jesus. Jesus only Jesus.

Our greatest need is not clay on our eyes, but Christ in our hearts.

2. The Attitude toward the Cure

As we pick back up in the text, this man just had the greatest blessing his life had ever received, and as he walks back into town… notice how the crowd reaches.

“Is this the guy that sat and begged?”

“Yeah, that’s him!”

“No, that can’t be him.”

“How were your eyes opened then?”

Let me pause, do others notice the change Jesus made in your life?

“Well, Hayden it’s not that simple. I can’t really talk about religion at work.”

or… “they are just waiting on me to prove it to them.”

No you’re wrong, it is pretty simple!

BIG GOD. Moves into you, He is going to poke out somewhere.

You mean to tell me that the Holy Spirit of God did a work in your life and people can’t tell the difference?

If nothing changed, you really need to think about that. Really reflect on that.

He’s still working on and in me.

Now, back to the man… He’s getting questioned and they ask him again what happened. look what he says in verse 11

John 9:11 KJV 1900

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

He told them everything that happened to him.

The Cure this man experienced, was met with various attitudes toward Christ:

a) the Blind Attitude

The neighbors saw who he used to be. not reconizing the change!

The Pharisees saw Jesus as a sinner because He broke their Sabbath laws.

verses 15-16 - Jesus is a sinner

verses 24 - He isn’t God!

b) the Burdened Attitude

John 9:22 KJV 1900

These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

This is the people that wanted to believe, but are too fearful of what people may think.

John 9:16

Maybe Nicodemus was in this group?

c) The Believer’s Attitude

John 9:25 KJV 1900

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

What this world needs right now is hope. It needs hope, not opinions! The next time we change someone’s mind through a social media platform will be the first time.

While the world was yelling and choatic toward him, this blind man spoke up and said:

“One thing I know, I was blind, now I see.”

How incredible would it be if all of us believers at Mt. Pisgah posted about Jesus this week? How much more of an impact would we make if we declared one thing: I once was lost, but now I’m found. I once was blind, but now I see!

3. The Acknowledgement of Christ

John does a great job of revealing the identity of Jesus throughout this chapter to this man.

The blind man first believed that He was a man. Then he knew His name. Then said He was a prophet.

the man was left rejected on the greatest day of his life.

but then Jesus stepped in.

John 9:35–39 KJV 1900

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Jesus shows up at the perfect time. This man was revile, insulted, and rejecetd on the best day of his life. But here comes Jesus...

What a picture of the timing of this. This man could have been recieved by religion, become a medical miracle, but the only thing that would satisfy his soul was Jesus!

You may be looking for hope, it’s only in the person of Jesus Christ!

Do you believe on the Son of God?

Who is He?

The one you’re looking at!

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