Today’s mini-sermon is the 11th of a 12-part series on the 9th chapter of John. It will be appearing in the Saturday, Sunday and Thursday additions of the Answers2Prayer newsletters.
“To this they replied, ‘You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!’ And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.” (John 9:34-38)
Have you ever been rejected by anyone? Maybe your boss, your own son, a colleague…?
I remember the time I was in college. It was cool to take a girl to a campus movie on a date. So out of the blue, I swallowed my pride, took my phone, and called a girl that I never met before.
“Hello. You may not know me, but would you be interested to go to the campus movie with me?”
“Who are you?”
I identified myself and heard all of a sudden a rustling of pages. She was checking my picture in the Cast (a college book with pictures of all the students in it. This is how I knew about her).
“No. I am not interested!” And she hung up.
Boy, was that rejection or what? My ego was deflated to its minimum! I could identify with this poor man who used to be blind.
Try to imagine what the poor blind man must have felt like. He was thrown out of his own church by his own pastors. Why? Because he dared to defend the one who had healed him! Where were they when he was blind? Had they paid any attention to him then? Had they given him any money to help him then? Why was it that now that he was healed, he was considered a backslider? Why was it because he now could see, he was the focus of his pastors’ wrath? Who were the fanatics here? The pastors of his day or the blind man?
Religiosity leads to intolerance. “If other people don’t believe like you do, let’s kick them out! There’s no room for them in God’s church!”
How different was Jesus’ reaction to that blind man! He never throws people out. He hates sin, but He loves the sinner! He welcomed sinners with open arms! This is one of the major differences between being religious and being a Christian. Religiosity rejects and condemns others while Christianity accepts and encourages people!
John 9:35: “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’” Jesus heard what had happened to that poor man. He didn’t read about it in the Daily News and said poor man and maybe decided to say a quick prayer on his behalf. No. As soon as he heard about it, he rushed to that man and offered him true salvation. What kind of love is this? It’s divine love my friend.
John 9:36: “’Who is he, sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’” That poor man was thrown out from his own church because he was accused of following Jesus and he didn’t even know Him!
John 9:37-38: “Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.” It is hard to not believe once Jesus enters your life. He makes such a difference in your life that you would never dream of wandering away from Him. Better be out of a church and have Jesus at your side, than being in a church and not knowing the Christ. Going to church does not guarantee you that you know the Messiah. You need a relationship with Jesus. Once you have that relationship, He will reside in you through His Holy Spirit and will guide you. John 16:13 3: “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.”
Have you met Jesus face to face? Have you experienced His power in your life? Do you know Jesus? Why don’t you invite Him into your life right now? I challenge you to experience Him like you never have before!
In His love,
Rob Chaffart
Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org
(To access the entire “I was Blind, but now I See” mini-series, please click here.)