Sermon Tone Analysis

Background

Ch. 8 – The woman caught in adultery – Jesus is the light – talks about the truth

In these conversations, the Pharisees are not happy with what Jesus is saying

They are trying to figure out WHO Jesus is.

They still don't understand

Ch. 8 concludes with Jesus saying before Abraham was born – I AM

First – Jesus is not older than them – at least not Abraham's age

Second – they understood I AM to be God

They picked up stones to kill Him

Jesus is fleeing for His life beginning in 9:1

Even though He is fleeing for His life, He stops to help the man born blind.

Matthew Henry says it this way: “Though he was in his flight from a threatening danger, and escaping for his life, yet he willingly halted and staid awhile to show mercy to this poor man.

We make more haste than good speed when we outrun opportunities of doing good.” - Matthew Henry

Are we too busy or too concerned with our lives that we miss opportunities to serve?

Can I challenge you to take a moment to slow down?

What if I challenged you to pick the longest lane at Walmart, rather than the shortest?

What if I challenged you to drive in the slow lane on the interstate rather than the fast lane?

Are you willing to stop, for  a moment, and listen for what the Spirit would have you do?

One thing that has constantly been on my mind lately is to make every single interaction on intentional!

What if our goal everyday was to be intentional with everyone that we came in contact with?

They believed that if he was born blind, surely either his parents had sinned or he sinned in what John Wesley says a “pre-existent state” - note here Wesley sees no grounds in Scripture for this.

So, was it this man or his parents that sinned?

In verse 3 Jesus clears the record with...

So that the works of God may be displayed in him.

This man had a bigger purpose than even he probably realized.

We know very little about this man:

1.

He was born blind

Had a disability – generally cast out from society

2. Beggar – more than likely, homeless

3. Didn't have family support – see this in a minute

More than likely - he is pretty much in a state of despair

But, God had a significant plan for him

I want you to know today, that God has a purpose for you!

Despite all of your circumstances, He still has a plan for you!

Despite all of your failures, He still has a plan for you!

When you think that all hope is lost, remember this:

This guy was:

Born blind – cast out – probably homeless – not much, if any, family support

And yet, God used him in literally, a miraculous way!

Interesting that in chapter 8, Jesus explains thoroughly that He is the light of the world.

Yet He says it again here.

As Wesley notes – the darkness is not created, it just exists.

Light is created – God spoke “Let there be light”

Darkness happens in the absence of Light

In the context of this verse, we can not work to the glory of God, in the darkness – without the light who is Christ

God is the author of the light - Jesus says “I am the light of the world”

God is the author of all things good!

When God works, good happens!

This is a message of hope for you an I today!

Wesley refers to what Jesus is essentially saying here “I teach men inwardly by my Spirit, and outwardly by my preaching, what is the will of God; and I show them, by my example, how they must do it.”

- John Wesley

Through the lens of understanding that Jesus is the light of the world, we can see the will of God in our lives!

C.S. Lewis says “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” - C.S. Lewis

Jesus is the light of the world that casts out all the shadows of doubt, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty!

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the words that Jesus preached, and the example that He set, we can know and accomplish the will of God in our lives!

I love the word the NASB uses for “mud.”

It uses the word “spittle.”

- it’s a pretty fun word to say!

Spitting was, and still is, a sign of disrespect.

Remember while Christ was crucified, they spit on him?

Interests me that Jesus chose to heal this man by spitting and applying it to his face.

We then look at vs. 7...

So He spits in the dirt, makes mud, and then tells the man to wash in the pool of Siloam.

Outside the city of Jerusalem there was the fountain of Siloam

Streams into the city and rested in a basin near the temple

Siloam translated means sent

So, Jesus tells Him to wash in this pool – some commentators go as far as to say this was an analogy of who Jesus is – Messiah sent by God to cleanse, heal, to restore sight to the blind (physically and spiritually), and ultimately save the world!

Remember Jesus was running for His life – stops - probably people around

man was blind so probably needed a guide to get to this pool

So, you have this blind man with mud on his face being led to this pool - that is something that you don’t see every day!

It seems to me that Jesus wanted people to see this miracle

He wanted people to see this

Vs.

8 we begin to see why it is important for people to see this

People begin to question if this just happened.

Is this the man who begged?

No, but he looks looks like him

I wonder how often we see a miracle - and then we make excuses for it!

Nah, that didn’t really happen - it was just coincidence!

The man said - “I am the one.”

How did this happen?

The man called Jesus healed me

Where is he? - I do not know

Peaked their curiosity as in verse 13

Pharisees are not a fan of Jesus – trying to kill him

So, not only were they trying to kill Jesus already, He heals on the Sabbath

John 9:15-17

So a division among them is taking place.

They begin asking questions - Surely, God would keep the Sabbath

So, this man can’t be God, but yet a sinner wouldn’t be able to heal!

So, they ask the guy - to which he responds “He is a prophet”

And, they don’t believe him so they bring in mom and dad.

John 9:19-23

Parents claim that this is their son, but will not defend him, because they are scared!

What I was meaning earlier when I said he probably didn't have much support from his family

Basically throw him under the bus saying he is old enough to testify, ask him, we don’t want any part of it!

Ouch! Thanks mom and dad!

Have you ever found that when God does a miracle in your life, that people just don’t believe it?

They come up with all other excuses!

Still didn’t understand so they bring this man back in.