TEXT: John 9:1-5
INTRO: In the story of Jesus healing a blind man, what do we learn about the Lord’s approach to broken people and a sinful world? How does that relate to us?
I. ARE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE IN THE WORLD?
A. READ 9:1, Jesus was a man who paid attention to the world around Him and used human suffering as an opportunity to show God’s love.
B. READ 9:2, Does every personal human infirmity come from our personal sins? Do they “deserve” their misery?
Job 4:7-8, “Who has perished when he is innocent? Where have the honest been destroyed? In my experience, those who plow injustice and those who sow trouble, reap the same.”
C. Did the man suffer blindness because he did some terrible thing (apparently he was predestined to do it!) or, more likely, did his parents do something sinful?
II. DOES THE WORLD PICK ON PEOPLE SOMETIMES JUST TO CAUSE PAIN?
A. “It’s like the whole world is against me. “Yes, the world is against you!” Three ways of seeing the world and its brokenness.
1.) Scientists idea is that the universe and all in it are parts of an ever-changing natural process
- Religious thinkers believe people are blessed or suffer at the whim or uncaring actions of greater forces than they can resist.
3.) Jesus says the world is a “fallen world” as a result of disobeying God and allowing sin into life.
Romans 5:12, “Therefore, as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned.” The blind man was blind because he was born into a broken world were ungodly things happen.
B. We will all sin and we will be hurt by our personal sins. But, even if we don’t sin in some situation, the sin of the world still affects us.
III. WHAT DOES GOD HAVE TO DO WITH THOSE HURT BY A SINFUL WORLD?
A. READ 9:3b. God sees every problem of a sinful world as an opportunity to show His love and save people from that world. John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world (those He created, even though they have sinned), that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus come to earth) that whoever believes in Him (that He came to deliver those who will be delivered) should not perish (live and die physically and spiritually because they are doomed otherwise), but have everlasting life (live with God eternally).”
B. READ 9:4-5. Jesus is here issuing a challenge and command to those who would be His disciples. Jesus is in the world to teach the truth of God, the reality of sin and death, and the hope of restoration. Anyone who follows Him, must do the same.
When do we go into the places where the blind sit and begin the work? You know.