I Believe

John 9:16,32-38 – Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided… Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 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.

Mark 8:31 – He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.

John 1:7 – He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.

John 20:31 – But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Application:

• ·         The Pharisees started from their entrenched position and ruled out the possibility of Jesus being from God.
• ·         “Son of Man” was Jesus’ most common title for Himself, used 81 times in the Gospels and never used by anyone but Jesus there. The Son of Man is pictured as a heavenly figure who in the end times is entrusted by God with authority, glory and sovereign power. That Jesus considered “Son of Man” to be a Messianic title is evident by His use of it here in contrast to Peter’s use of “Messiah”. The Son of Man must suffer, as predicted.
• ·         The man was giving Jesus the reverence due to God.
• ·         People were not to believe “in” John the Baptist but “through” him. Similarly, John’s purpose was to draw them to believe in Christ; he uses the Greek verb for “believe” about 100 times.
• ·         “That you may believe” expresses John’s evangelistic purpose. The whole Gospel of Joh is written to show the truth of Jesus’ Messiahship and to present Him as the Son of God, so that the readers may believe in Him.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

God Does Not Listen To Sinners

John 9:16,29-31 – Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided…We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

Genesis 18:25 – Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

John 15:7 – If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Application:

• ·         Abraham based his plea on the justice and authority of God, confident that God would do what was right.
• ·         It is impossible to pray correctly apart from knowing and believing the teachings of Christ.
• ·         One group started from the fact of the “signs” and ruled out the possibility of Jesus being a sinner.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Synagogue

John 9:16,19-28 – Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided…“Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!

John 16:2 – They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.

Application:

• ·         Religious people have often persecuted others in the strong conviction that they were doing God’s will.
• ·         Others started from the fact of the “signs” and ruled out the possibility of His being a sinner.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Prophet

John 9:16-18,38 – Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents…Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Application:

• ·         “Prophet” was probably the highest designation the man could think of. He progressed in his thinking about Jesus: from a man to a prophet, who might be followed by disciples, to one “from God” to one who was properly to be worshiped.
• ·         The man was giving Jesus the reverence due to God.
• ·         The Pharisees started from their entrenched position and ruled out the possibility of Jesus being from God.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Signs

John 9:6-16 – After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

John 2:11 – What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Application:

• ·         The Pharisees started from their entrenched position and ruled out the possibility of Jesus being from God. Others started from the fact of the “signs” and ruled out the possibility of His being a sinner.
• ·         John always refers to Jesus’ miracles as “signs”, a word emphasizing the significance of the action rather than the marvel.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

The Light Of The World

John 9:2-5 – His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Exodus 20:5-6 – You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

John 1:4 – In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

John 8:12 – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Application:

• ·         Those Israelites who blatantly violate God’s covenant and thus show that they reject the Lord as their King will bring down judgment on themselves and their households—households were usually extended to three or four generations.
• ·         He is the “light of the world”, who holds out wonderful hope for humanity and for the creation.
• ·         It is also true that “God is light”. And as Jesus’ followers reflect the light that comes from Him, they too are “the light of the world”. “Darkness” is both the darkness of this world and that of Satan. “God is light”, but Jesus is also the light from God that lights the way for life—as the pillar of fire lit the way for the Israelites.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Blind From Birth

John 8:59-9:1 – At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.

Isaiah 42:6-7 – “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

John 20:31 – But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Application:

• ·         When Jesus declares “I am”, there are only two possible responses: to reach for a rock or to fall at His feet.
• ·         “Free…from prison” meant from the prison of Babylon and also from spiritual and moral bondage.
• ·         His Name represents all that He is and stands for.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV