Message Notes

SUNDAY SCHOOL SPECIAL 9 January 2022

Text: John 9:35-41

Subject: Evangelism

Focus: “A man who was blind from birth” V

INTRODUCTION

1. A brief review of the story of the man born blind

a) He was healed by the Lord Jesus

b) He was interrogated by the Pharisees

c) He held his own against his interrogators

d) His faith in the Lord

i) It was limited

ii) But it was genuine

iii) He held fast to his new-found faith in the Lord

2. The former blind man

a) He was reviled by the Pharisees (John 9:28)

b) He was cast out by them (John 9:34)

THE LORD JESUS AND THE FORMER BLIND MAN

1. The Lord Jesus heard that the man was cast out (John 9:35a)

2. He sought for the former blind man (John 9:35b)

a) The Pharisees would have taken up some measures against the man

b) He would have to find accommodation

c) He would have to look for a job 

3. A question put to the former blind man

“Do you believe in the Son of God?” John 9:35c

a) The former blind man’s knowledge of the Lord Jesus

i) Limited

ii) He needs to be instructed further

b) Faith in the Lord Jesus

i) “Do you believe?”

ii) “In the Son of God?”

4. An honest response

He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”  John 9:36

a) He was humble

b) He does not know but would like to learn

c) He wants to believe if he is instructed

5. The Lord’s Response

And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” John 9:37

a) The Lord Jesus was the Son of God

b) He is speaking to the former blind man

6. Instantaneous Response of the former blind man

Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him. John 9:38

a) Confession of faith

b) Worship given spontaneously

AN IMPORTANT REMARK OF THE LORD JESUS

And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” John 9:39

1. There was a time when the Lord Jesus said

“I judge no one” John 8:15

a) The context was one where the Lord was being judged by the Pharisees (judgmental problem)

b) The Lord’s approach was not to be judgmental

2. Qualification of this statement

“And yet if I do judge, my judgment is true” John 8:16

a) If the Lord has to make a judgment

b) His judgment would be true!

3. The current statement (John 9:39)

a) “For judgment I have come into this world”

i) This is an inevitable reality

ii) Judgment would be obvious result

b) “That those who do not see may see”

i) Case in point, the former blind man

ii) He could not see once (physically and spiritually)

iii) He could now see (physically and spiritually)

c) “And that those who see may be made blind”

i) Those who see (the Pharisees)

ii) They are blind

THE RESPONSE OF THE PHARISEES

Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” John 9:40

1. Some of the Pharisees

a) Some were outrightly hostile

b) Some were not very hostile

2. Their remark

a) Are we blind also? 

b) This is a deliberative question

c) The speaker is not looking for an answer

d) The question is raised only for effect!

THE REPLY OF THE LORD JESUS

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.” John 9:41

1. If you were blind, you would have no sin

a) The person who is blind cannot see

b) The man born cannot be charged with sin

2. But now you say, ‘We see.’ 

a) If the Pharisees had confessed that they were blind

i) That they were spiritually blind

ii) Thus, they could not see who the Lord Jesus was

iii) No sin would be attached to them

b) But they had declared

i) “We see”

ii) This was the intended meaning of their deliberative question

3. Therefore your sin remains

a) Their sin was rejection

b) Their sin was refusal to accept what was the obvious truth

i) That the Lord Jesus was the Son of God

ii) That He had power to heal the man born blind

c) The guilt of their sin would remain!

i) They were blind

ii) They are confirmed blind (spiritually)

CONCLUSION

1. Things to emulate (the man born blind)

a) Genuineness of faith

b) Gratitude

c) Growth

d) Humility

2. Things to avoid (Pharisees)

a) Arrogance

b) Stubbornness

c) Abusiveness