John 9:1-12

1. John 9:1-12

2. Some will argue that this miracle is the one
that gets Him killed
Through out the rest of this chapter, this
young man will be center stage
We’ve established that Jesus did miracles to
meet human needs, but he mostly did them
as a “launch pad” for a message conveying
spiritual truth
Today there are several neat nuggets for us
to learn, but the take-home will be simple:
Do I want to be more like Jesus?

3. While preparing this message, I tried hard
to find the perfect illustration to begin with
Couldn’t find the right one– shed some
tears reading great ones, but couldn’t hit
the nail on the head
I realized something– none of us who can
see have a clue what blindness is like
I also realized it must be worse to lose one’s
vision than to be born blind like this guy
Or maybe not….?

4. 9 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned,
this man or his parents, that he would be born
blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this
man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that
the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We
must work the works of Him who sent Me as long
as it is day; night is coming when no one can
work.

5. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the
world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the
ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied
the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash
in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent).
So he went away and washed, and came back
seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who
previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is
not this the one who used to sit and beg?”

6. 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were
saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I
am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How
then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered,
“The man who is called Jesus made clay, and
anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam
and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I
received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is
He?” He *said, “I do not know.” John 9:1-12

7. John 9:1-3
When the disciples passed the blind beggar, their curiosity
about why this man was suffering outweighed the prospect of
reaching out to help him
Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering,
we are too often more interested in the details of what, why,
when, and where than we are about how we can help?
Their quiz for Jesus revealed they were out of step with His
heart
beneath their question was an already-made judgmental spirit
– a desire to know whom to blame

8. Ancient Jewish Rabbis had a theology
that they called ‘Prenatal Sin’
They insisted that in the fetal
stage, even all the way back to the
embryonic stage, a baby could sin
in the womb
Dunno where they got that
The disciples of Jesus were taught
that way also before they met Jesus.

9. The idea of ‘Prenatal Sin’ has not
changed a whole lot. But it has a
new name now – ‘Generational
Curses’
This theology is adopted by many
charismatic Bible teachers,
especially those on TV
If you’re not familiar with it, let me
explain

10. Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Numbers 14:18;
Deuteronomy 5:9
Sounds unfair for God to do that, however
there are 2 major flaws in the theology
The Scripture references are out of Context
In context, you will know that the Lord
was speaking to the Israel people as a
nation regarding their idolatry, not
individual sins

11. Exodus 20:5; 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9
Sounds unfair for God to do that, however there are 2
major flaws in the theology
The Scripture references are out of Context
Generational Curse Theology contradicts other Scripture
We should not interpret and apply what Scripture says
against other verses. Because the Bible never
contradicts itself since it is inspired by the Holy Spirit
and has inerrancy.

12. Are passed from one generation to the
“The sins of the father are visited on the heads of the
sons…”
It’s not a curse, but rather a statement of fact
If my Dad was an alcoholic, abuser, etc…
See what I mean?
If you commit the same sins your ancestors did, God is
not punishing you for their sin, he’s punishing you for
yours…

13. This theology is absolutely UN-biblical
When we become Christians, we are new creations.
Old things have passed away; all things have become
new
Romans 8:1 teaches us that there is no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus
The cure for generational curses is salvation through
Jesus Christ and life-time obedience to Him!

14. This man’s blindness was not a
result of personal sin
His blindness was the result of
sin in general, just like natural
disasters, disease, and suffering
are the result of original sin
Also note: Jesus sought him
out…

15. B. WORKING THE WORKS OF HIM (God)
John 9:4-5
The growing hostility from the unbelief of
the Jewish religious rulers warned Jesus that
His time was short (Shadow of the Cross)
The use of “we” shows that He included His
disciples in His ministry
They also would pass through perils and
opposition, but they would have the support
of God the Father who had sent Him

16. B. WORKING THE WORKS OF HIM (God)
There are many born-again Christians who
do absolutely nothing for the Kingdom of
God
They go to church as their Sunday morning
routine and they go home, their idea of
service
Evangelism is for pastors and deacons
Serving other Christians is something for
other Christians do for them

17. B. WORKING THE WORKS OF HIM (God)
To people like that, giving to the
Kingdom of God is giving a few
dollars to the church once in a blue
moon, not because they don’t have
money, but because they are greedy
and disobedient to the Word of God
They expect others to carry the
load and they expect others to pay
for the expenses to run the church

18. B. WORKING THE WORKS OF HIM (God)
Some would say, “Since I do a little
more than what the preacher said, I
am OK.”
Would you be comfortable to give
that answer to the Lord Jesus face
to face when He asks you what kind
of works you’ve done for Him
You will face this very question in
Heaven (1 Cor.3:11-15)

19. 11 “For no man can lay a foundation other than the
one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any
man builds on the foundation with gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work
will become evident; for the day will show it because
it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work
which he has built on it remains, he will receive a
reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will
suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as
through fire.” 1 Cor. 3:11-15, NASB

20. C. ONCE HE WAS BLIND, BUT NOW HE SEES
John 9:6-7
The Lord’s method of healing was
unique: He put clay on this man’s
eyes and told him to go wash
Once Jesus healed two blind men
by merely touching their eyes in
Matthew 9
He healed another blind man by
spitting on his eyes in Mark 8

21. C. ONCE HE WAS BLIND, BUT NOW HE SEES
Same healing power, but different
methods– WHY?
Lord varied His methods so that
people cannot focus on the
methods of healing and miss the
message in the healing
Get that?
The METHOD is unimportant, only
the MESSAGE is!

22. Some other cool stuff here…
The Apostles raised the dead,
healed the sick, etc. but ONLY JESUS
gave sight to the blind. Specific work
for the Messiah
Why dirt? Don’t let this confuse
you– don’t limit God’s potential
Dirt as an irritant…

23. “Is he? No, he’s not. Yes he is!”
John 9:8-12
Was this really the blind beggar, and
who caused him to see?
Throughout the rest of John 9, a
growing conflict takes place around
these two questions
The religious rulers did not want to face
the fact that Jesus had healed the man,
or even that the man had been healed

24. “Is he? No, he’s not. Yes he is!”
John 9:8-12
Was this really the blind beggar, and
who caused him to see?
Throughout the rest of John 9, a
growing conflict takes place around
these two questions
The religious rulers did not want to face
the fact that Jesus had healed the man,
or even that the man had been healed

25. Application (Take Home!)
4 times they will ask him these questions in this
chapter– he’s not saved yet
Remember: he doesn’t even know Jesus yet, never seen
Him, only heard His voice
Do you want to be like Jesus? Replace curiosity with
compassion
Serve Him and do His works for His Glory NOW!
God cares about your faith more than your health, and
your character more than your comfort

26. Remember who only healed the blind?
How’s your
spiritual eyesight?
Jesus can heal your
blindness now
Think of the words
to “Amazing Grace”