One of the most common frustrations that I hear about from many Christians is that the Bible is so difficult to clearly understand, that it’s much more complex than simply reading and understanding. I get told quite often by folks that they want to read the Bible and gain a better understanding of what God commands of them, but it’s difficult to understand exactly what Scripture says. After all, as many point out, isn’t that the whole reason why preachers give sermons on Sundays? Isn’t the entire point of a sermon to take a hard to understand passage and make it “real” for us folks in the congregation? Well, that sounds like a great plan, except there’s one fatal flaw. You see, preachers are sometimes just as lost as everyone else when it comes to understanding the true meaning of a text. We have to have help too and rely upon the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us along the right path. To be quite honest with you, I find myself in that particular situation many weeks as I prepare a sermon. No matter how many times I read certain texts, it takes help from other sources for me to truly see the meaning behind what is being said. Someone often times has to spell it out very plainly for me to fully grasp the substance of a particular text. After I have read something that helps me to clarify the text, then it all makes sense and a sermon just kind of naturally flows out from there.
Well, the Pharisees have heard Jesus speak on numerous occasions. They have heard him talk about being the door of the sheep, saying that he was sent from the Father, that before Abraham he was, that he was the light of the world, and numerous other sayings and titles that hinted around him saying that he was the Christ, pointing to him as the promised Messiah. You see, Jesus only specifically called himself the Messiah around those closest to him. Part of the reason for this was that the people of this day had an inaccurate view of what the Messiah was to look like. They thought that the Messiah was to be a warrior sent to conquer God’s enemies and promote His people to a position of prosperity. Well, finally the Pharisees can’t take it anymore and they ask of Jesus “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” In others, “Okay, no more fooling around, tell us yes or no are you the Christ? Are you the Messiah?”
Jesus answers the Pharisees, but gives them a gentle rebuke before telling them what they want to hear. He tells them that he has been giving them the answer all along, but that they are too blinded by their disbelief that they have not heard him. He points back to the analogy that we looked at last week and tells them that those who truly believe in him have heard him saying it all along and they know exactly who he is. It’s that old argument that hearing isn’t necessarily listening. I know that I can sympathize with the Pharisees, seeing as how I have been accused of such an action on occasion. Jesus says that he has each and every one of his sheep, his children by the hand and that he will never let them go. He says that nothing can remove them from Jesus himself, and that nothing can remove them from the Father. In our Reformed tradition, we refer to this as the perseverance of the saints. In other words, those who have truly received salvation from Jesus Christ will never lose it. Those who are truly saved will never fall away and be lost. If someone is to fall away, then we are to take that as a sign that they were never truly saved in the first place.
Finally, after going through all of this discourse, Jesus gives the Pharisees what they want. He tells them, “I and the Father are one.” These words that make up verse 30 are the clearest statement of Jesus’ divinity that he ever made. Jesus and the Father are not the same person, but they are one in essence and substance and nature. Thus Jesus is not merely a good teacher about God, he is God. There is no mistaking or being confused by what he is saying here. Jesus is point blank saying that he is God. Almost immediately after these words are spoken, we are told that the Pharisees begin to pick up rocks so they can stone him. They did this in order to fulfill the punishment required for blasphemy as it is laid out for us in Leviticus 24:16, “Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregations shall stone him.” They were simply doing what they felt was commanded of them.
Jesus stops them before they have the chance to swing or throw any stones and points out the numerous good works and signs and miracles that he has done. If you remember, at the end of our texts the past few Sundays, we have seen a division amongst the Pharisees because some of them have begun to acknowledge that if Jesus were not God, or at the very least sent by Him, then he could not do the works that he has done. The Pharisees tell him that this attempted stoning is not to do with his works or anything else that he has done, but with what he has said. They must punish him because his words are such that he has seemingly “he made himself God.” This is really a pretty humorous and ironic statement when you think about it. After all, Jesus didn’t make himself God, he has always been God. In fact, if we think all the way back to the first chapter of this gospel, we see that God made himself man, taking the form of a servant, taking the form of the man known as Jesus. So you see the Pharisees had actually gotten it completely backwards.
In verses 34 through 38, we find Jesus making a defense for himself. At first, it almost seems that he is pointing back to Psalm 82:6, where the Israelite rulers and judges were called gods, as some sort of loophole. However, what he is saying to the Pharisees is that it isn’t blasphemy for him to call himself God. If he were just a man and made such a claim then yes, it would be right to punish him by stoning, but it isn’t blasphemy when God calls himself God. As the great Reformer John Calvin says of this text, “He clears himself of the crime charged against him, not by denying that he is the Son of God, but by maintaining that he had justly said so.” In other words, it’s not a lie or blasphemy if it’s the truth.
You see, there is a great difference between understanding and believing. The Pharisees understood exactly what implications the words “I and the Father are one” carried after hearing Jesus speak them. They understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, but they didn’t believe. That’s the whole crux of the matter here is that Jesus could have done or said anything to get the Pharisees to believe him to be the Son of Man, God himself, but some of them were just to blinded and their hearts too hardened. I’m certain that all of us can relate to this in some form or another. Now, I’m not trying to say that anyone in here is opinionated, but…well, yes I am. I certainly know that I am. There have been times in my life when I have made my mind up on a particular issue and there was nothing short of God himself that could make me change my mind; that is, until I was proven wrong. I’m sure that many of you have had times in your life when you made up your mind on a particular issue and refused to accept any evidence that didn’t support your decision. It’s a little ironic here once again because the Pharisees are being told by God himself that they are wrong, but still they do not see it.
We have spoken many times over the course of our study of John’s gospel that we cannot separate the Father and the Son. The words of Jesus, “I and the Father are one” lay at the heart of that fact. The Father and the Son cannot be separated because they are one, they are forever united in some sort of divine, holy, and eternal bond that is so intimate and so glorious that it is beyond anything that we could ever imagine. To try and separate them would be a violation here of the words that Jesus says, “Scripture cannot be broken.” When we look at this passage in the context where we find it, where Jesus is really beginning to rev up the talk about what his ministry here on earth is ultimately to accomplish, we gain a sense of what our Savior is really trying to convey to us with this message. It is especially appropriate during this season of Lent as we prepare our hearts for the celebration that is Easter Sunday when we celebrate with even greater intensity the empty tomb.
You see, I don’t think that we can state it in any simpler terms than this, “In order for Jesus’ death upon the cross to save us all, he had to be God.” It’s that simple. If Jesus were not God, had not obeyed completely the will of the Father, and lived the life to perfection, then we do not have any hope for salvation. But none of the what ifs or had he not’s matter, because he did. Jesus did pay the price that was owed for all of our sins. Jesus is trying to tell the Pharisees as plain as he can and yet they still refuse to even consider that he might be telling the truth. I want to encourage you to not fall into the same trap as the Pharisees. I want all of us to listen to God when He is speaking to us. He loves us, and He has paid the ultimate price and made the ultimate sacrifice for each and every one of us. Because the Father sent the Son, the one who is one with Him, into the world to give his life upon a tree, we have salvation and life eternal. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
John 10:1-21 "The Good Shepherd"
We are a people who worship Jesus Christ. Think about that for a second. There are places all around this world where that simple fact would get you beaten, arrested, or even killed. We don’t just admire or respect Jesus, but we long for him. We worship him with everything that we have, or at least we ought to. It’s with this notion in mind that we come to the words of Jesus here in John 10. In the previous chapter of John’s gospel, we saw Jesus give sight to a man who had been born blind. As time passed, the man’s sight became clearer and clearer. Meanwhile, the blindness of the Pharisees became darker and darker. During the course of chapter 9, we saw the man who was healed come to worship Jesus Christ. After hearing that he was the Son of Man, that he was God, his response was immediate and instant worship of Jesus. The Pharisees, however, fell on the other side of the aisle. They called Jesus a sinner and said that there was no way that he could be from God at all. There were, and still are, only two choices: belief or unbelief, worship or blasphemy. It’s as simple as that. There is no such thing as riding the fence when it comes to God. You are either in or you’re out, and you’re never just a little in or out, it’s complete and total commitment to one side or the other.
It’s important to note that these verses here in the first half of chapter 10 of John’s gospel flow seamlessly from chapter 9. Chapter 10 is just a continuation of the conversation that Jesus began with the Pharisees in 9:40 & 41. This chapter contains Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in response to their questions as the end of chapter 9. If you recall, the ending of chapter 9 saw the Pharisees asking, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” Jesus then goes on to paint a picture for them, very similar to the parables that he often used to teach. In verse 6, John calls this a “figure of speech.” Why did Jesus tell this analogy to the Pharisees? He was testing them, giving them another chance to show if they were really blind or not. Chapter 9 ended with Jesus saying to the Pharisees, “You say, ‘We see.’” In essence saying, “Well, do you? Here, I'll draw you a picture with words. Tell me what you see.” Do they see? Are they blind? “This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.” They did not know what he was saying. This picture carried no meaning for them, because they were blind and guilty.
Jesus talks about the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. He talks about how sheep know who their master is merely by the sound of his voice. I have never spent too much time around sheep, but I know many people who have. Every conversation that I have had about sheep ends with one emphatic statement, “Sheep are the dumbest animals that you can possibly imagine.” They wonder off from where they should be and have no idea how to get back. In essence, the shepherd’s job is to save the sheep from themselves. Sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it. However, despite the lack of intelligence on the part of sheep, they know their master. They know exactly who their master and protector is merely by the sound of his voice.
Think about this in terms of the Christian. When something happens in our lives and we are being led in a particular direction, do we hear the call of our master. I’ve often been asked if Christians believe in things like destiny, fate, coincidence, luck, happenstance, or other things along this same line. You know, was it luck or was it God causing good fortune to fall upon you? Well, the simplest answer I can to this question is that I think the answer is both yes and no. I think that times when we experience good fortune, that it can be either God granting extended blessings upon us or it could just be how things happen to fall, but do remember that God did create the natural order of things. I know that in many conversations with some of you, that you have had events and circumstances in your life that have happened and you have looked back upon them years later and seen them in a whole new light. Things that you might have thought were just the natural progression of things have turned out to be things that you simply call “God things” at this point in life. So you see, I think the Christian, like the sheep, know without a doubt when it is their master calling to them and speaking to them. Sometimes, however, it just takes longer for us to recognize his voice than other times.
Jesus then chooses to tell a different story, to paint a different picture for all of the Pharisees to see. It’s as if he sensed that they were still clouded and confused, so he says, “Here! If that analogy didn’t work, let me see if this one makes any better sense.” He talks about being the door or the gate and that those who came before him were thieves and robbers. When we seek to find the meaning behind these statements we have to remember the previous conversations about Jesus being sent from the Father. We have to think about it in terms of the only way to the Father being through the Son. Jesus then goes on to give himself the title of Good Shepherd. He talks about how a good shepherd would lay his life down for the sake of his sheep. A good shepherd would place himself between his sheep and any threat or danger that may appear. A hired hand, someone paid to simply keep watch over the sheep, for example, would most likely allow a wolf to take one of the sheep instead of risking his own life. You see, the hired hand would be responsible for the sheep, but he would not consider them his own. The hired hand has nowhere close to the level of devotion to the sheep as the shepherd does.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Jesus laid down his life for all of mankind. He laid his life down for you and for me. Not only do we know God and know when He is at work in our lives, but He knows us as well. He knows us so personally and intimately that His knowledge of us far surpasses even our knowledge of ourselves. There is a love and an endearment that exists between Jesus and his sheep that there is nothing that he would not do for us, nothing that he has not done for us already. He even lays out what would have been considered the ultimate thing that could be given to and for another, his life. He says that he has authority over his life and that he would lay down his own life for the sake of his sheep. Some may read these words and think, “big deal.” After all, there have been numerous people throughout history who have given their lives as a sacrifice for something that they believed to be much greater than themselves. The members of our secret service are so devoted to our country and to the honor and respect of our nation’s highest office that they willingly lay down their lives for the sake of others. Our military members risk their lives because of the love that they have for our country and their desire to maintain our freedom. Those given the title of “suicide bombers” believed so deeply in their cause that they gave up their lives for it. In honesty, anyone has the authority to give up their own life for something or someone. The difference is that Christ has the authority to not only lay down his life, but to take it up again. Jesus has the power to conquer death. No one took Christ’s life from him; he laid it down so that the price could be paid for the sins of all mankind. Jesus Christ stood in our place upon that cross and paid the debt that was so great that we could not pay it. Jesus Christ did so because that was what the Father had sent him into the world to do.
After Jesus’ two analogies or stories, we see a mixed reaction on the part of the Pharisees. “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” So we come back to where we began: belief or unbelief, worship of blasphemy. As we said to begin this text, there is no such thing as riding the fence when it comes to Christianity, you’re either completely in or you’re completely out.
Now, I’m fairly certain that as I stand in the pulpit of a very biblically rooted church that I’m not speaking to anyone who is entirely out. However, I understand how difficult it can be to be completely in. Sometimes it isn’t as simple as just saying that you are completely in and actually carrying through with it. I understand how easy it is to let the priorities and virtues of this world be what dictates our actions instead of those virtues of the Christian faith. I know that it is difficult live a completely Christian life in a world that often asks us to go against our faith. I know and understand all these things, but that’s part of it. It’s supposed to be difficult. It’s supposed to be filled with hardships and trials and struggles. These hardships and struggles are to test our faith and to help us grow and strengthen our faith.
I want to challenge all of us to remember the words of Jesus this day. I want us to remember that he is the Good Shepherd, he is the gate, he is the door of the sheep, he is that master. There is no other way other than Jesus Christ. In fact, before the name Christian came to be in Antioch, those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah were known as people of the way. We have only one Master, and it is our heavenly shepherd. When he calls our name, we hear his voice and should come running to him. No matter where we are in life, no matter what we may be going through, Jesus is the shepherd who has laid down his life for his sheep, for us. He has paid the ultimate price in order to gain our salvation. There is no place other than Jesus Christ that we should look to for strength, help, and encouragement during or times of struggle. For it is only in Jesus Christ that we find our greatest hope and joy. It’s only in Jesus Christ that we find the only way to our Father in Heaven. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It’s important to note that these verses here in the first half of chapter 10 of John’s gospel flow seamlessly from chapter 9. Chapter 10 is just a continuation of the conversation that Jesus began with the Pharisees in 9:40 & 41. This chapter contains Jesus’ words to the Pharisees in response to their questions as the end of chapter 9. If you recall, the ending of chapter 9 saw the Pharisees asking, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” Jesus then goes on to paint a picture for them, very similar to the parables that he often used to teach. In verse 6, John calls this a “figure of speech.” Why did Jesus tell this analogy to the Pharisees? He was testing them, giving them another chance to show if they were really blind or not. Chapter 9 ended with Jesus saying to the Pharisees, “You say, ‘We see.’” In essence saying, “Well, do you? Here, I'll draw you a picture with words. Tell me what you see.” Do they see? Are they blind? “This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.” They did not know what he was saying. This picture carried no meaning for them, because they were blind and guilty.
Jesus talks about the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. He talks about how sheep know who their master is merely by the sound of his voice. I have never spent too much time around sheep, but I know many people who have. Every conversation that I have had about sheep ends with one emphatic statement, “Sheep are the dumbest animals that you can possibly imagine.” They wonder off from where they should be and have no idea how to get back. In essence, the shepherd’s job is to save the sheep from themselves. Sounds kind of familiar doesn’t it. However, despite the lack of intelligence on the part of sheep, they know their master. They know exactly who their master and protector is merely by the sound of his voice.
Think about this in terms of the Christian. When something happens in our lives and we are being led in a particular direction, do we hear the call of our master. I’ve often been asked if Christians believe in things like destiny, fate, coincidence, luck, happenstance, or other things along this same line. You know, was it luck or was it God causing good fortune to fall upon you? Well, the simplest answer I can to this question is that I think the answer is both yes and no. I think that times when we experience good fortune, that it can be either God granting extended blessings upon us or it could just be how things happen to fall, but do remember that God did create the natural order of things. I know that in many conversations with some of you, that you have had events and circumstances in your life that have happened and you have looked back upon them years later and seen them in a whole new light. Things that you might have thought were just the natural progression of things have turned out to be things that you simply call “God things” at this point in life. So you see, I think the Christian, like the sheep, know without a doubt when it is their master calling to them and speaking to them. Sometimes, however, it just takes longer for us to recognize his voice than other times.
Jesus then chooses to tell a different story, to paint a different picture for all of the Pharisees to see. It’s as if he sensed that they were still clouded and confused, so he says, “Here! If that analogy didn’t work, let me see if this one makes any better sense.” He talks about being the door or the gate and that those who came before him were thieves and robbers. When we seek to find the meaning behind these statements we have to remember the previous conversations about Jesus being sent from the Father. We have to think about it in terms of the only way to the Father being through the Son. Jesus then goes on to give himself the title of Good Shepherd. He talks about how a good shepherd would lay his life down for the sake of his sheep. A good shepherd would place himself between his sheep and any threat or danger that may appear. A hired hand, someone paid to simply keep watch over the sheep, for example, would most likely allow a wolf to take one of the sheep instead of risking his own life. You see, the hired hand would be responsible for the sheep, but he would not consider them his own. The hired hand has nowhere close to the level of devotion to the sheep as the shepherd does.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Jesus laid down his life for all of mankind. He laid his life down for you and for me. Not only do we know God and know when He is at work in our lives, but He knows us as well. He knows us so personally and intimately that His knowledge of us far surpasses even our knowledge of ourselves. There is a love and an endearment that exists between Jesus and his sheep that there is nothing that he would not do for us, nothing that he has not done for us already. He even lays out what would have been considered the ultimate thing that could be given to and for another, his life. He says that he has authority over his life and that he would lay down his own life for the sake of his sheep. Some may read these words and think, “big deal.” After all, there have been numerous people throughout history who have given their lives as a sacrifice for something that they believed to be much greater than themselves. The members of our secret service are so devoted to our country and to the honor and respect of our nation’s highest office that they willingly lay down their lives for the sake of others. Our military members risk their lives because of the love that they have for our country and their desire to maintain our freedom. Those given the title of “suicide bombers” believed so deeply in their cause that they gave up their lives for it. In honesty, anyone has the authority to give up their own life for something or someone. The difference is that Christ has the authority to not only lay down his life, but to take it up again. Jesus has the power to conquer death. No one took Christ’s life from him; he laid it down so that the price could be paid for the sins of all mankind. Jesus Christ stood in our place upon that cross and paid the debt that was so great that we could not pay it. Jesus Christ did so because that was what the Father had sent him into the world to do.
After Jesus’ two analogies or stories, we see a mixed reaction on the part of the Pharisees. “There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, ‘He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” So we come back to where we began: belief or unbelief, worship of blasphemy. As we said to begin this text, there is no such thing as riding the fence when it comes to Christianity, you’re either completely in or you’re completely out.
Now, I’m fairly certain that as I stand in the pulpit of a very biblically rooted church that I’m not speaking to anyone who is entirely out. However, I understand how difficult it can be to be completely in. Sometimes it isn’t as simple as just saying that you are completely in and actually carrying through with it. I understand how easy it is to let the priorities and virtues of this world be what dictates our actions instead of those virtues of the Christian faith. I know that it is difficult live a completely Christian life in a world that often asks us to go against our faith. I know and understand all these things, but that’s part of it. It’s supposed to be difficult. It’s supposed to be filled with hardships and trials and struggles. These hardships and struggles are to test our faith and to help us grow and strengthen our faith.
I want to challenge all of us to remember the words of Jesus this day. I want us to remember that he is the Good Shepherd, he is the gate, he is the door of the sheep, he is that master. There is no other way other than Jesus Christ. In fact, before the name Christian came to be in Antioch, those who believed Jesus to be the Messiah were known as people of the way. We have only one Master, and it is our heavenly shepherd. When he calls our name, we hear his voice and should come running to him. No matter where we are in life, no matter what we may be going through, Jesus is the shepherd who has laid down his life for his sheep, for us. He has paid the ultimate price in order to gain our salvation. There is no place other than Jesus Christ that we should look to for strength, help, and encouragement during or times of struggle. For it is only in Jesus Christ that we find our greatest hope and joy. It’s only in Jesus Christ that we find the only way to our Father in Heaven. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
John 9:13-41 "The Aftermath of Seeing"
Last Sunday, we looked at the miracle of Jesus giving sight to the blind man. We said that this sign put the works of God on full display for all to see. We even spent some time looking at the reaction of this man’s neighbors and those around him. We saw that some of them didn’t even believe it was him at all. Well, we had to know that ultimately there would be some mention of the Pharisees. It seems like any time Jesus performs one of his miracles, that the Pharisees come in and try and poke holes in what others think they have just seen. Today I want us to look at what happens as the Pharisees react to what has taken place.
We’re told that the people who knew this man who was once blind brought him to the Pharisees. Now, it’s important to note that in verse 14, we are told that when Jesus healed this man it was the Sabbath. The Pharisees, who aren’t too particularly fond of Jesus to begin with, have the man tell them exactly what was done in order to give this man his sight. The man tells them in the simplest way possible what happened. He says that Jesus made mud, put it on his eyes, and then told him to go and wash it off. After the man followed these instructions he could see. This is the same story that he told to the folks who had previously questioned him, and it’s the same as we have it recorded for us in the first part of this chapter that we looked at last Sunday.
After hearing this man’s explanation, there appears to be a division amongst the ranks of the Pharisees. Some of them are enraged because Jesus’ making of mud or clay to put on this man’s eyes violates a Pharisaic law prohibiting working on the Sabbath. Others are left asking the elephant in the room question of “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” Well, the short answer is that obviously he isn’t the sinner that they have thought him previously to be. Eventually they ask the formerly blind man what he thinks of the man who healed him. This man tells them that he is simply a prophet. While he is on the right track, he’s not quite there, but he will be before long.
Some of the Pharisees think about it during the meantime and decide that obviously this man was never really blind. This is kind of a foolish statement, because who would fake such a thing for their entire life, but this isn’t the first or last time those seeking to oppose Jesus will throw out such heinous suggestions. They decide to find this man’s parents and ask them if he had really always been blind. His parents, not wanting to find themselves in trouble, will only offer up affirmations that yes he was their son and that yes he was born blind. They acknowledge that now something has changed and that their son can see for the first time. However, they decline to suggest any ideas as to why or how their son can now see. They quickly shift the focus off of them and put it back onto their son, reminding the Pharisees that their son is of age to give his own testimony. John tells us that they did this because they feared any punishment that might come from the Jews.
The man who used to be blind is called back in for a second round of questioning. They decided to phrase the question a little differently the second time in hoping to get him to denounce his previous statement that the man called Jesus healed him. They say, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” While we may want to give them credit for saying that the man should give credit to God, we have to take their statement in its entirety. The credit going to God isn’t the problem, it’s the notion that they are wanting to make Jesus a sinner that is the issue. We’ve seen numerous times that you cannot separate the Father from the Son. However, that is just what they are trying to do, and the man bites to a certain extent. He responds, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” We have to ask the question now that some of the Pharisees asked earlier, “how could this man be a sinner just like everyone else and have the power to perform such a mighty work?” Quite simply, if he was a sinner, he couldn’t.
They keep pressing him trying to get not just an answer, but the answer they want from him. The man gets frustrated with their constant questioning and finally asks them if they are asking because they want to be his disciples? The Pharisees become so angry with this question that they begin to attack him. They say that he is a disciple of this man (which isn’t a bad thing like they think it is). They point to the fact that they have strictly followed Moses’ teachings (forgetting the fact that they have corrupted them) as proof that they are following God’s rule. The man picks up on the fact that the Pharisees are seemingly trying to place Moses above God. He wonders how such an amazing thing could have taken place and yet the Pharisees be so angry over it. I mean, there is no way that this man could have been healed other than it being a work of God. These words do not sit well with the Pharisees. They wonder how this man who they thought to have been born blind as a result of some heinous sin could teach them anything of value about God. After all, they are the true followers of God’s rule, or so they think. They cast this man out of the synagogue.
Jesus hears about what has taken place between this man and the Pharisees. He finds him and asks him a simple question. Jesus asks the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” After some back-and-forth Jesus reveals to the man that he is the Son of Man. The man instantly says to him, “Lord, I believe.” Notice that there isn’t any disagreement or hesitation on the part of the formerly blind man. There is instant and immediate worship of Jesus Christ coming from this man.
You know, it was all well and good that this man knew that Jesus was a messenger from God. It’s nice that he thought him to be a prophet. However, both of these notions are slightly inaccurate, or should we say that they don’t take it far enough. You see, Jesus wasn’t just a messenger or a prophet. He was the messenger and the prophet and the priest and the king. He was God himself in human form, in the form of a servant. It’s always a good thing to share with others your story of becoming a Christian. I have shared mine numerous times with folks and I love talking about how God revealed himself to me so that I had no doubt who He is. But you see, there is a difference between sharing my personal testimony and sharing the gospel. My testimony, while a perfectly valid example of God’s work, is not the gospel. The gospel is the ultimate good news; the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The testimony of this man who was born blind and could now see is a truly amazing work from God. We said last Sunday that it was a prime example of the works of God being on full display for everyone to see, but we don’t want to just stop with proving that God is real. There are numerous religions and faiths out there that would agree with us on the premise of there being an ultimate God, an ultimate Creator and Sustainer. There are millions of non-Christians around the world who believe in a God, but not in Jesus. What makes Christianity, the Gospel, different is Jesus Christ. What makes us different is the Son. Friends, it is imperative that we evangelize and reach out to those around us and show them that they are in need of God, but so often this is done without any attention given to Christ. Scientific studies and religious commonalities that seemingly “prove” the existence of God are all well and good, but they are not the gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is what is represented with the elements on the table before us this day.
I watch as numerous athletes, actors, writers, and many others receive awards and give speeches and they say that they give thanks to God, but the gospel seemingly has no impact upon their life. It’s how the man who is infamous for adulterous relationships, heavy gambling, or continuous excessive drinking can claim God. You see, he’s not worshipping the same as a true Christian does. The true Christian worships according to the gospel, not just according to religion. I want to encourage you to not only tell others about God, but to tell them about the good news of the gospel. I want you to tell them exactly what was accomplished for us on the cross and who accomplished it. Remember, Scripture isn’t just a story, it is the story, the very Word of God. Religion is nice and I appreciate it just as much as the next person, but the gospel is so much greater. The gospel tells me that I am forgiven for all of my many faults and sins and just how that came to be. As we continue to work towards the goal that Jesus set for us in making disciples of all nations, let us remember that we should always promote the gospel and not just religion. We should always promote the Triune God; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and not just stop with an oversimplified form of God as if He is some abstract figure. Let us all rejoice in the privilege that it is to share the gospel this day. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
We’re told that the people who knew this man who was once blind brought him to the Pharisees. Now, it’s important to note that in verse 14, we are told that when Jesus healed this man it was the Sabbath. The Pharisees, who aren’t too particularly fond of Jesus to begin with, have the man tell them exactly what was done in order to give this man his sight. The man tells them in the simplest way possible what happened. He says that Jesus made mud, put it on his eyes, and then told him to go and wash it off. After the man followed these instructions he could see. This is the same story that he told to the folks who had previously questioned him, and it’s the same as we have it recorded for us in the first part of this chapter that we looked at last Sunday.
After hearing this man’s explanation, there appears to be a division amongst the ranks of the Pharisees. Some of them are enraged because Jesus’ making of mud or clay to put on this man’s eyes violates a Pharisaic law prohibiting working on the Sabbath. Others are left asking the elephant in the room question of “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” Well, the short answer is that obviously he isn’t the sinner that they have thought him previously to be. Eventually they ask the formerly blind man what he thinks of the man who healed him. This man tells them that he is simply a prophet. While he is on the right track, he’s not quite there, but he will be before long.
Some of the Pharisees think about it during the meantime and decide that obviously this man was never really blind. This is kind of a foolish statement, because who would fake such a thing for their entire life, but this isn’t the first or last time those seeking to oppose Jesus will throw out such heinous suggestions. They decide to find this man’s parents and ask them if he had really always been blind. His parents, not wanting to find themselves in trouble, will only offer up affirmations that yes he was their son and that yes he was born blind. They acknowledge that now something has changed and that their son can see for the first time. However, they decline to suggest any ideas as to why or how their son can now see. They quickly shift the focus off of them and put it back onto their son, reminding the Pharisees that their son is of age to give his own testimony. John tells us that they did this because they feared any punishment that might come from the Jews.
The man who used to be blind is called back in for a second round of questioning. They decided to phrase the question a little differently the second time in hoping to get him to denounce his previous statement that the man called Jesus healed him. They say, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” While we may want to give them credit for saying that the man should give credit to God, we have to take their statement in its entirety. The credit going to God isn’t the problem, it’s the notion that they are wanting to make Jesus a sinner that is the issue. We’ve seen numerous times that you cannot separate the Father from the Son. However, that is just what they are trying to do, and the man bites to a certain extent. He responds, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” We have to ask the question now that some of the Pharisees asked earlier, “how could this man be a sinner just like everyone else and have the power to perform such a mighty work?” Quite simply, if he was a sinner, he couldn’t.
They keep pressing him trying to get not just an answer, but the answer they want from him. The man gets frustrated with their constant questioning and finally asks them if they are asking because they want to be his disciples? The Pharisees become so angry with this question that they begin to attack him. They say that he is a disciple of this man (which isn’t a bad thing like they think it is). They point to the fact that they have strictly followed Moses’ teachings (forgetting the fact that they have corrupted them) as proof that they are following God’s rule. The man picks up on the fact that the Pharisees are seemingly trying to place Moses above God. He wonders how such an amazing thing could have taken place and yet the Pharisees be so angry over it. I mean, there is no way that this man could have been healed other than it being a work of God. These words do not sit well with the Pharisees. They wonder how this man who they thought to have been born blind as a result of some heinous sin could teach them anything of value about God. After all, they are the true followers of God’s rule, or so they think. They cast this man out of the synagogue.
Jesus hears about what has taken place between this man and the Pharisees. He finds him and asks him a simple question. Jesus asks the man, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” After some back-and-forth Jesus reveals to the man that he is the Son of Man. The man instantly says to him, “Lord, I believe.” Notice that there isn’t any disagreement or hesitation on the part of the formerly blind man. There is instant and immediate worship of Jesus Christ coming from this man.
You know, it was all well and good that this man knew that Jesus was a messenger from God. It’s nice that he thought him to be a prophet. However, both of these notions are slightly inaccurate, or should we say that they don’t take it far enough. You see, Jesus wasn’t just a messenger or a prophet. He was the messenger and the prophet and the priest and the king. He was God himself in human form, in the form of a servant. It’s always a good thing to share with others your story of becoming a Christian. I have shared mine numerous times with folks and I love talking about how God revealed himself to me so that I had no doubt who He is. But you see, there is a difference between sharing my personal testimony and sharing the gospel. My testimony, while a perfectly valid example of God’s work, is not the gospel. The gospel is the ultimate good news; the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The testimony of this man who was born blind and could now see is a truly amazing work from God. We said last Sunday that it was a prime example of the works of God being on full display for everyone to see, but we don’t want to just stop with proving that God is real. There are numerous religions and faiths out there that would agree with us on the premise of there being an ultimate God, an ultimate Creator and Sustainer. There are millions of non-Christians around the world who believe in a God, but not in Jesus. What makes Christianity, the Gospel, different is Jesus Christ. What makes us different is the Son. Friends, it is imperative that we evangelize and reach out to those around us and show them that they are in need of God, but so often this is done without any attention given to Christ. Scientific studies and religious commonalities that seemingly “prove” the existence of God are all well and good, but they are not the gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is what is represented with the elements on the table before us this day.
I watch as numerous athletes, actors, writers, and many others receive awards and give speeches and they say that they give thanks to God, but the gospel seemingly has no impact upon their life. It’s how the man who is infamous for adulterous relationships, heavy gambling, or continuous excessive drinking can claim God. You see, he’s not worshipping the same as a true Christian does. The true Christian worships according to the gospel, not just according to religion. I want to encourage you to not only tell others about God, but to tell them about the good news of the gospel. I want you to tell them exactly what was accomplished for us on the cross and who accomplished it. Remember, Scripture isn’t just a story, it is the story, the very Word of God. Religion is nice and I appreciate it just as much as the next person, but the gospel is so much greater. The gospel tells me that I am forgiven for all of my many faults and sins and just how that came to be. As we continue to work towards the goal that Jesus set for us in making disciples of all nations, let us remember that we should always promote the gospel and not just religion. We should always promote the Triune God; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and not just stop with an oversimplified form of God as if He is some abstract figure. Let us all rejoice in the privilege that it is to share the gospel this day. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
John 9:1-12 "God's Works on Full Display"
It was August 6, 2006, and I had just begun a new job that would shape the remaining years I have on this earth. This was my first Sunday evening working as the youth director at Grace Chapel Presbyterian Church in Madison, MS; this was my first official ministry position. I knew none of the kids beyond their names at this point. I had only attended a few services at the church and had no clue what I was doing since I had never actually worked in a church before. On top of that, one of the kids that was there was very different than the others. He was different in a way that I knew about, but I didn’t fully understand. Steve Bryant Jr., or Stevo, had Down’s syndrome. Stevo also happened to be the oldest child of the pastor, my boss, who very much wanted his son to be in the youth group and wanted him treated just like every other kid there. Stevo also had a younger brother and sister in the youth group who were very protective of him. Now, it wasn’t easy in the beginning, but eventually I figured out what I was doing in youth ministry and I also figured out how to work with Stevo and to include him in everything that we did, but it took time. However, in the end, I probably ended up learn more from Stevo than he ever learned from me.
I can remember talking with Stevo’s daddy about the emotions that he felt when he and his wife Elizabeth learned that their firstborn son had a condition known as Down’s syndrome. He very openly and honestly confessed that he was angry. He was angry with the news and directly angry with God. He questioned God on a daily basis why this would be happening to him. He didn’t understand how someone like himself, who had devoted his life to pastoral ministry, could be “punished” in this way. Steve told me that it took him a long time to get over the news that his son wasn’t going to be just like every other child. However, he will tell you to this day that from the moment that he looked into Stevo’s squinted eyes in that delivery room, that his son indeed has not been like other children, but has been so much greater, and I tend to agree with him.
When I think about Stevo, the words of Jesus in verse 3 come to my mind, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” You see, Stevo may never be able to live what you and I would consider to be a normal life. He may never have the motor skills or the cognitive ability that you and I enjoy, but Stevo loves him some Jesus. During, those first few weeks spent getting to know the kids in that youth group; I would ask each one of them what they wanted to do with their lives. Many of them didn’t know, but Stevo knew exactly what he wanted to do. He would always say, “I’m going to be a preacher just like my daddy and spend my life telling people about Jesus.” You know, Stevo may not have gone to college, he may not have gone to seminary, but he does tell everyone that he meets about Jesus. I used to love watching Stevo beat his chest and point to the stained glass picture of Jesus that was at the front of the sanctuary at Grace Chapel. Stevo, now a 23 year old man, taught me how to not only glorify God, but to truly enjoy him. Because of Stevo’s condition, he has had the chance to meet so many people that he probably wouldn’t have otherwise, and he tells every single one of them about Jesus; the works of God are displayed in him daily.
In our text today, we see a man who is blind; he’s been that way since he was born. The disciples see him and ask Jesus if it was him or his parents that sinned so harshly that it caused him to be blind. Jesus tells them that this man is blind not out of a sense of punishment, but that God may be glorified through his life. You see, God knew that this man was to be healed by Jesus. The events that unfold in our text of Jesus spitting on the ground, making mud, and placing the mud over the man’s eyes so that his sight may be not only restored but given to him for the first time was the plan all along. However, even if this man went his entire life without ever having seen what was in front of him, imagine how glorious his entrance into heaven would have been. Imagine if the first thing that you ever were to see was the gates of heaven and the Father standing there telling you, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” What a glorious moment that would be indeed. However, this man’s blindness was to be cured so that others could see clearly in terms of spiritual things, putting the works of God on display.
Now, I want to go back and clear up something that might cause some confusion. You see, the disciples weren’t completely wrong in thinking that this man’s blindness came about as punishment for sin. No, it wasn’t the case in this particular instance, but it certainly was possible and we have evidence of it happening in Scripture. For example, there is the punishment of David and Bathsheba that fell upon their child. God took the child’s life as a judgment against his parents for their sinful adulterous relationship. However, our situation here more resembles that of Job. Job was a righteous man, the most righteous of men in fact, and yet great punishment fell upon him. His friends believed him to be a notorious sinner and called him to repent. They told him that the reason for his losing his family, his wealth, and his health was because he was being punished by God. Job responded by saying that he had committed no such horrific sin and he continued to praise God no matter what his situation. The book of Job refutes the false notion that all punishment is directly given from God because of the severity or the amount of sin a person has committed. There are cases, just like with my buddy Stevo and with this man born blind, where God uses a “punishment” or a disability or a hardship to bring greater glory to His kingdom, to allow the works of God to be on full displayed. Perhaps you have been in one of these situations? Perhaps you’re there right now? I can tell you that many times in my life, that my faith has been strongest in my moments of weakness. Those moments when the world seemed to be crashing down upon my shoulders only for God to act in a mighty way that left me with no explanation other than that God had carried me and my family through the storm. Sometimes it takes those moments of hardship for the works of God to be on full display in a way that we can see them and recognize them for what they really are.
The people who were around this man after he gains his sight cannot believe what they are seeing. Some folks think that it’s him after having been healed, and some think that it is only someone who looks very similar to him that they haven’t ever seen before. The man insistently says to them that he is indeed the man whom they have seen numerous times blind and begging them for money or food. They want to know how this man has come to have his sight after being blind his entire life. He tells them quite simply that it was the man they call Jesus who gave him sight. He tells them that it wasn’t anything drastic that he did; Jesus simply put mud on his eyes and then told him to go to Siloam and wash the mud off. After the mud went away, his eyes were opened and he could see. Now, don’t think for one second that the mud had a single thing to do with Jesus’ healing of this man. There isn’t any type of chemical in Palestinian clay that could bring sight to the blind. The mud was simply a medium used by Jesus. Had he wanted to, our Savior could have simply spoken a single word and this man’s sight been restored. Think if you will, of the woman who has healed from her bleeding simply by touching Jesus’ cloak. Of the events in our text today, Biblical commentator RC Sproul says of the use of mud that “it was almost as if Jesus were saying, ‘Not everyone who was born from the clay got everything right the first time around. Some people are born from the dust with birth defects, and this man was one of them. Let’s go back to the clay.’”
So what does this miracle mean? Well ultimately it’s a sign pointing to Jesus as the Messiah. After all, the Greek word that we translate as miracle can also be translated as sign. Each of Jesus’ miracles are signs that are pointing the way to him. Not only did Jesus open this man’s physical eyes, but he opened his spiritual eyes as well. It’s the same as a medical missionary team that cures river blindness or fevers or infections while talking to their patients about Jesus. Yes, this man was now able to see the world around him, but he was also able to see in the spiritual sense that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. My buddy Stevo has helped me and many others to see that God sometimes uses hardships and difficulties to help us see Him more clearly. It’s not always easy. To be honest with you, it can be quite painful for us to go through these experiences in order for us to see God’s glory in such a manner. No one really enjoys going through hardships. We all want to see Jesus and praise him for the good things that he gives to us. We want to be able to see him through our blessings, not through our pain. However, sometimes it takes pain to bring about growth, true kingdom growth. Friends, you will face hardships in this life. You will experience times of sorrow and suffering, but when those times come, don’t look at them as a time of punishment. Don’t look at them as something to be mourned over day and night. Instead, look at them as an opportunity for God to put his works and his glory on full display in your life. I can promise you this, that when God uses those moments and hardships in your life to show you His glory, you will know it. And you will be given the opportunity by God to use those moments in your life to grow in your own faith and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around you. You will be given the chance to help others come to know Jesus and grow and strengthen their relationship with God. What a blessing and privilege it is to be used by God is such a mighty way. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I can remember talking with Stevo’s daddy about the emotions that he felt when he and his wife Elizabeth learned that their firstborn son had a condition known as Down’s syndrome. He very openly and honestly confessed that he was angry. He was angry with the news and directly angry with God. He questioned God on a daily basis why this would be happening to him. He didn’t understand how someone like himself, who had devoted his life to pastoral ministry, could be “punished” in this way. Steve told me that it took him a long time to get over the news that his son wasn’t going to be just like every other child. However, he will tell you to this day that from the moment that he looked into Stevo’s squinted eyes in that delivery room, that his son indeed has not been like other children, but has been so much greater, and I tend to agree with him.
When I think about Stevo, the words of Jesus in verse 3 come to my mind, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” You see, Stevo may never be able to live what you and I would consider to be a normal life. He may never have the motor skills or the cognitive ability that you and I enjoy, but Stevo loves him some Jesus. During, those first few weeks spent getting to know the kids in that youth group; I would ask each one of them what they wanted to do with their lives. Many of them didn’t know, but Stevo knew exactly what he wanted to do. He would always say, “I’m going to be a preacher just like my daddy and spend my life telling people about Jesus.” You know, Stevo may not have gone to college, he may not have gone to seminary, but he does tell everyone that he meets about Jesus. I used to love watching Stevo beat his chest and point to the stained glass picture of Jesus that was at the front of the sanctuary at Grace Chapel. Stevo, now a 23 year old man, taught me how to not only glorify God, but to truly enjoy him. Because of Stevo’s condition, he has had the chance to meet so many people that he probably wouldn’t have otherwise, and he tells every single one of them about Jesus; the works of God are displayed in him daily.
In our text today, we see a man who is blind; he’s been that way since he was born. The disciples see him and ask Jesus if it was him or his parents that sinned so harshly that it caused him to be blind. Jesus tells them that this man is blind not out of a sense of punishment, but that God may be glorified through his life. You see, God knew that this man was to be healed by Jesus. The events that unfold in our text of Jesus spitting on the ground, making mud, and placing the mud over the man’s eyes so that his sight may be not only restored but given to him for the first time was the plan all along. However, even if this man went his entire life without ever having seen what was in front of him, imagine how glorious his entrance into heaven would have been. Imagine if the first thing that you ever were to see was the gates of heaven and the Father standing there telling you, “Well done my good and faithful servant.” What a glorious moment that would be indeed. However, this man’s blindness was to be cured so that others could see clearly in terms of spiritual things, putting the works of God on display.
Now, I want to go back and clear up something that might cause some confusion. You see, the disciples weren’t completely wrong in thinking that this man’s blindness came about as punishment for sin. No, it wasn’t the case in this particular instance, but it certainly was possible and we have evidence of it happening in Scripture. For example, there is the punishment of David and Bathsheba that fell upon their child. God took the child’s life as a judgment against his parents for their sinful adulterous relationship. However, our situation here more resembles that of Job. Job was a righteous man, the most righteous of men in fact, and yet great punishment fell upon him. His friends believed him to be a notorious sinner and called him to repent. They told him that the reason for his losing his family, his wealth, and his health was because he was being punished by God. Job responded by saying that he had committed no such horrific sin and he continued to praise God no matter what his situation. The book of Job refutes the false notion that all punishment is directly given from God because of the severity or the amount of sin a person has committed. There are cases, just like with my buddy Stevo and with this man born blind, where God uses a “punishment” or a disability or a hardship to bring greater glory to His kingdom, to allow the works of God to be on full displayed. Perhaps you have been in one of these situations? Perhaps you’re there right now? I can tell you that many times in my life, that my faith has been strongest in my moments of weakness. Those moments when the world seemed to be crashing down upon my shoulders only for God to act in a mighty way that left me with no explanation other than that God had carried me and my family through the storm. Sometimes it takes those moments of hardship for the works of God to be on full display in a way that we can see them and recognize them for what they really are.
The people who were around this man after he gains his sight cannot believe what they are seeing. Some folks think that it’s him after having been healed, and some think that it is only someone who looks very similar to him that they haven’t ever seen before. The man insistently says to them that he is indeed the man whom they have seen numerous times blind and begging them for money or food. They want to know how this man has come to have his sight after being blind his entire life. He tells them quite simply that it was the man they call Jesus who gave him sight. He tells them that it wasn’t anything drastic that he did; Jesus simply put mud on his eyes and then told him to go to Siloam and wash the mud off. After the mud went away, his eyes were opened and he could see. Now, don’t think for one second that the mud had a single thing to do with Jesus’ healing of this man. There isn’t any type of chemical in Palestinian clay that could bring sight to the blind. The mud was simply a medium used by Jesus. Had he wanted to, our Savior could have simply spoken a single word and this man’s sight been restored. Think if you will, of the woman who has healed from her bleeding simply by touching Jesus’ cloak. Of the events in our text today, Biblical commentator RC Sproul says of the use of mud that “it was almost as if Jesus were saying, ‘Not everyone who was born from the clay got everything right the first time around. Some people are born from the dust with birth defects, and this man was one of them. Let’s go back to the clay.’”
So what does this miracle mean? Well ultimately it’s a sign pointing to Jesus as the Messiah. After all, the Greek word that we translate as miracle can also be translated as sign. Each of Jesus’ miracles are signs that are pointing the way to him. Not only did Jesus open this man’s physical eyes, but he opened his spiritual eyes as well. It’s the same as a medical missionary team that cures river blindness or fevers or infections while talking to their patients about Jesus. Yes, this man was now able to see the world around him, but he was also able to see in the spiritual sense that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah. My buddy Stevo has helped me and many others to see that God sometimes uses hardships and difficulties to help us see Him more clearly. It’s not always easy. To be honest with you, it can be quite painful for us to go through these experiences in order for us to see God’s glory in such a manner. No one really enjoys going through hardships. We all want to see Jesus and praise him for the good things that he gives to us. We want to be able to see him through our blessings, not through our pain. However, sometimes it takes pain to bring about growth, true kingdom growth. Friends, you will face hardships in this life. You will experience times of sorrow and suffering, but when those times come, don’t look at them as a time of punishment. Don’t look at them as something to be mourned over day and night. Instead, look at them as an opportunity for God to put his works and his glory on full display in your life. I can promise you this, that when God uses those moments and hardships in your life to show you His glory, you will know it. And you will be given the opportunity by God to use those moments in your life to grow in your own faith and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around you. You will be given the chance to help others come to know Jesus and grow and strengthen their relationship with God. What a blessing and privilege it is to be used by God is such a mighty way. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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