Crossroads Amsterdam Sept 2nd 2007 Gerard Kelly

2. John 9:1-7 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.

3. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

4. 6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

5. What does this sign mean? 4 Suggestions…

6. ..Jesus is the one who opens the eyes of the blind and brings light..

7. John1:1 In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent John the Baptist to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.

8. John 3:19 “ The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.”

9. John 8:12 Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

10. ..the one who opens blind eyes is the promised Messiah..

11. John 12:37 But despite all the miraculous signs he had done, most of the people did not believe in him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: “ Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?”

12. But the people couldn’t believe, for as Isaiah also said, “ The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts— so their eyes cannot see, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory.

16. John wants us to know that he believes that Jesus is the promised Messiah…. … and that he believes that Jesus believes he is the promised Messiah….

17. ..the Messiah's light brings healing … but it also brings judgment..

18. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment - to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

23. the judgment of God’s people is based on the way they have responded to the poor ..

27. v3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him”. what do you see? V34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.