Scripture: John 9:1-5

C.I.: Bringing Sight to a Blind World

Today is our last lesson in our series on Evangelism.
We will look at a final method of evangelism Jesus uses and at some of the obstacles other put in the way!

I. Helping the “Blind” to See, (John 9)

A. Healing a Person Who Wants to See, (vs. 1-7)

1. Some believers take a detached, clinical view of sin, (“Who sinned, this man or his parents”).
a. Their view of “retribution” (you get what you deserve) – was as strong belief then as it is now.
1) Isn’t the purpose of Jesus coming – to make sure this doesn’t happen (Jn. 3:16f; Rom. 6:23)
2) While the apostles were concerned about a “situation” – Jesus is concerned about the man!
3) So “Neither this man… but so that the works of God might be displayed in him,” (v. 3)
a) “Works of God” are not physical healings – rather they are spiritual healings!!!
b) (Jn. 6:28-29), “They said to Him, ‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ – Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom He has sent.’”
4) So the “work of God” in the life of an individual – is a growing FAITH!!

b. (vs. 6-7a), “When He said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied
the clay to his eyes, and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which is translated, Sent).
1) John has already spoken of a “healing” pool in Jerusalem, (Bethesda, House of Mercy 5:2ff).
2) But Jesus did not send the man to that pool. – 2 reasons why:
a) Jesus didn’t want people to think it was the “magic pool” that healed the man!
b) John translates Siloam (but not Bethesda, Jn. 20:30f) – for Jesus IS THE ONE SENT!
c) (Jn. 6:38),“I have come down out of heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him
who sent Me.”
d) So the lesson is – “Go Wash in the One Sent – and you will come back seeing!”
3) (v. 7b), “So he went away and washed, - and came back seeing.” – Same lesson throughout..
a) (Jn. 3:3, 5; 13:8), “…cannot see the K. … water & Spirit..” – “If I do not wash you…!”

c. Each of us in this room who have been saved – have done exactly as this man did…
1) We started off “blind” to our spiritual condition – and in our blindness – we were lost!
a) (II Cor. 4:4), “If our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose
case the god of this world has blinded the eyes of the unbelieving so that they might not
see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
2) When Jesus came into our lives – we began to “work the works of God.”
3) Then in that “belief” – we came to Jesus and “washed” (Quote Acts 22:16; Acts 9:20),
“…wash away sins…” – “Immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, ‘He is..
4) So it is our willingness to believe in Jesus - and then to do what He says – which causes the
miraculous change in us. – For now we see Him for who He is & ourselves for who we were!

B. How the “Works of God” Transform a Believer, (vs. 8-41) – Lets watch God’s works displayed…!

As we grow in our faith Jesus will grow to mean more and more in our lives (I Pt. 1:23; 2:2).

1. Jesus is The Man (vs. 8-12)
a. (vs. 8-11), “The neighbors & those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, ‘Is this not he who used to sit & beg?’ – Others were saying, ‘This is he,’ yet others were saying, ‘No, but he is like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the one!’ – So they were saying, ‘How then were your eyes opened?’ – He answered, ‘The man who is called Jesus, made clay & anointed my eyes…’”
1) When Jesus opens our eyes – our lives will not be the same – some may not recognize us!
2) (Quote II Cor. 5:17; Rom. 12:2) – Even seeing Jesus as a “Man” - will change how we live!

2. Jesus is a Healer (vs. 13-15)
a. (vs. 13-15), “They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. – Now it was on a Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. – The Pharisees were again asking him how he received his sight. – And he said, ‘He applied clay to my eyes & I washed & I see.’”
1) The man told his story. – Jesus takes our hurts & deals with them (greatest hurt of all is SIN!)
2) No wonder His encouragement is so attractive – (Matt. 11:28-29).

3. Jesus is a Prophet (vs. 16-17)
a. (vs. 16-17), “Some of the Pharisees were saying, ‘This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.’ – But others were saying, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And there was a division among them. – So they said to the blind man again, ‘What do you say about Him since He opened your eyes?’ – And he said, ‘He is a prophet.’”
1) The man has really progressed in his view of Jesus (man/healer/prophet) – highest is a proph.
2) (Matt. 16:13-14; 21:46), “Who do people say…” – “When they sought to seize Him…”

4. Jesus is Worthy to be Followed (vs. 18-27)
a. (vs. 24-27), “…So they said to him, ‘What did He do to you? – How did He open your eyes?’ – He answered, ‘I told you already & you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? – You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?’”
1) Jesus has called us to “Follow Him” – (Matt. 4:19; Matt. 10:38; Jn. 10:4).

5. Jesus is “…from God” (vs. 28-34)
a. (vs. 28-30, 33-34), “They reviled him and said, ‘You 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 is from.’ – The man answered and said to them, ‘Here is an amazing thing, you do not know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes.’ … ‘If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.’ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins & are you teaching us?’ So they put him out.
1) You could almost say, the evidence who Jesus is, is so plain – A BLIND MAN CAN SEE IT
2) Unable to refute his logic or the evidence – they put him out of the synagogue (Matt. 10:28).

6. Jesus is God (worthy of our worship), (vs. 35-38)
a. (vs. 35-38), “Jesus heard they put him out, and finding him said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ – He answered, ‘Who is He, Lord, - that I may believe in Him? – Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him, and it is He who is talking with you.’ – And he said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ – And he worshiped Him.”
1) To worship other than God is idolatry. - To accept worship if not God is blasphemy!
2) But since Jesus accepted His worship, HE IS GOD!!!

CONCLUSIONS:

1. (vs. 39-41), “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, so that who do not see may see, - and so
that those who see may become blind.’ – Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things
and said to Him, ‘We are not blind too, are we?’ – Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would
have no sin; but since you say, “We see,” your sin remains.’”

2. Thus, the judgment of Christ is two-fold: Those who are made to see because they come to Jesus and
believe in Him. – And those who choose not to see their sinful condition and the light of Jesus as the
only way out of this situation – are spiritually blind.

3. This chapter began with a blind man who was brought to sight. – It closes with people of sight - who are
truly blind because they refuse to see themselves and Jesus for who He is!

4. Today, are you ready to “…go to the One sent and wash” away your sins?! – Jesus said (Mk. 16:15-16)