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Supernatural Jesus & Me 08: Moving into the Glory of the Supernatural Jesus

Turn to John 11
John 11 contains the story of Jesus’ ultimate miracle: That of raising the dead!

If anyone had any doubts about the genuine identity of Jesus of Nazareth, this should have settled it. He spoke life to a dead man, and life was the result. Let that sink in.

You’ve been to the graveside. Milling about with family, friends and strangers as the minister says a few words and that’s that. It’s time for cold cuts and potato salad.

As we read in verse 39, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. It wasn’t like he swooned, or was in a coma, he was dead. So dead, that when Jesus tells them to open up the tomb, Lazarus’ sister Martha warns against such a move:

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” V. 39

But that doesn’t stop Jesus – He orders the stone removed from the door of the tomb and in verse 40…
“Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”” John 11:40-44

Where there was death, there is now life. IN CHRIST THE IMPOSSIBLE IS MADE POSSIBLE.

Which is why we read in verse 45:
“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” John 11:45

Wouldn’t you? You’ve stood there in wonder and seen with your own eyes the power of God to resurrect. How could you not place your faith in Him?

Do you know why Jesus resurrected His friend? Look at verse 40 again…
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Read it again – slowly - “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?””
John 11:40

In this one sentence, Jesus lays out the very key to your life:
FAITH BRINGS ME INTO THE GLORY OF GOD!

I can only experience the realities of the Kingdom of God as I live in faith. Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will see His glory! Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will see life from a whole new perspective. Jesus says that as I choose to believe, I will life in an entirely different realm – the realm of glory!

• How does one enter into salvation? By faith.
• How does one move in the power of the Holy Spirit? By faith.
• How does one hear the voice of God? By faith.

Faith is the critical element for a Christian. Hebrews 11:1 says…
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

What do you hope for?
• You hope that you can be authentically connected to your Creator.
• You hope that when you die, you’ll live forever with Christ!
• You hope that even now, in this temporary physical life, you can have a touch of the eternal!

How does that hope turn to certainty?
By faith. As I live in faith, I am able to experience the reality of relationship with my Creator. And the more of Him I experience, the more confident that my faith becomes!

The Apostle Paul wrote…
“Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

In this world, God is not seen as clearly as He will be. We are still in bodies corrupted by sin – we still have to deal with our physical limitations – we are still in a battle against the enemy - but there will be a day when battle is over and we will see Him face-to-face!

What a promise. And the key to the promise is faith. But Jesus makes it easier to believe when He pulls over miracles like this one. Where there was death – there is now life!

Christ tells us in verse 40 that faith opens the door to the glory of God!
“Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

What is the glory of God?
The Bible uses two words that we translate as ‘glory’ – in the OT, it is the word KAWBODE and in the NT it is the word DOXA. Let me combine the two words to give us an idea of what the Bible means by the glory of God.

Glory is honor, abundance, majesty, beauty, brightness, and an exalted state of being, excellence, significance and weight.

To move into the glory of God is to move into an awareness of Who He Really Is. It is to see Him in majesty and excellence. To move into the glory of God is to experience His significance – His weight.

Far too many of us have a two-dimensional Jesus. We have bad paintings of Him that we bought at the Christian bookstore. Even the best paintings – you know – the Leonardo DaVinci type of paintings – are at best only a hint of who He really is.

To move into the glory of God is to move into a present awareness of the three-dimensional Christ! It is to feel Him, to touch Him, to be touched by Him, to hear His voice of challenge in our spirits. Christ still moves. He breathes, He lives. To move into the glory of God is to be somehow lifted up out of our circumstance and into His presence, all the while remaining in the moment and interacting with those around us in the ‘stuff of life’ – but realizing that the ‘stuff’ isn’t all that there is, and that He is wanting us to experience Him in the midst of the ‘stuff’.

When Christ called Lazarus out of the tomb – He was calling all those present to experience His glory. Do you think that you could have been unchanged by what happened in that cemetery that day?

When you choose to live by faith, growing in expectations that what Christ has promised will become your reality – you are moving into glory. On the other hand, when I choose to live by fear, cynical and doubt-filled, I am moving into despair.

When I choose to live by faith, growing in my experience with the Living Christ, I am becoming more alive than ever before! Surely in our lives there are places in need of resurrection. Surely in our lives there are dead zones. And the only hope is that we’d allow Christ to call us out of death and into the glory of His life!

Someone has said: “The glory of God is man fully alive.”

God showed His glory when Lazarus walked out of the tomb. And God shows His glory when you overcome fear, doubt, addictions, insecurities, anger, rage, bitterness and other lesser gods – by faith in Him.

When you become fully alive – you demonstrate the glory of God!

Glory can mean two things – either it means “FAME” or it means ‘LUMINOSITY’. The glory of God is all about luminosity. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14

Of course that makes sense – when you’ve been touched with the resurrection power of Christ, your life takes on a luminosity that positively glows!

Moses met with God on the mountain, and the glory of God was so strong that Moses had to cover his face – He was literally glowing in the dark!

When I move into the glory of God by faith, the quality of my life is changed:
• Where others have anxiety, my faith moves me into peace.
• Where others strive and sweat, my faith gives me rest.
• Where others hold on to control and power, my faith allows me to stay surrendered.
• Where others are confused and aimless, my faith steers my life into safe harbor!

Christ said – Here’s the offer: “You can have death, or you can have life! Choose life!”

No one would consciously choose death – but every time we life ‘as if’ we were alone, ‘as if’ we were in charge, ‘as if’ Christ were not present – we choose death.

And every time that we live in faith, we choose life.

Turn to 2 Samuel 6
• King David is on a mission to return the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.
• The Ark of the Covenant represents the Presence and the Glory of God
• But it has been misplaced for some sixty years.
• While they were bringing it back to Jerusalem something really bad happened.

Verse 6
“When they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.” 2 Samuel 6:6, 7

You weren’t supposed to touch the ark. The penalty for doing so was death, and Uzzah died that day.

Look at verse 8:
“Then David was angry because the LORD’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?” He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.” 2 Samuel 6:8-10

David ‘wasn’t willing’ to go any further, so he asks his friend Obed-Edom to take care of the Ark of the Covenant until they figured out what to do.

Now, look at verse 11:
“The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.” 2 Samuel 6:11

I want you to see something. For 90 days, Obed-Edom has the Ark of the Covenant in his living room. For 90 days, Oded-Edom has the Glory of God in his home. For 90 days. Three months.

Can you imagine what would happen in your life if for the next three months you openly pursued the glory of God? Can you imagine the changes? Can you imagine the insights? Can you imagine the power?

Look what happens to Obed-Edom: “and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.”

I can only imagine what this blessing looked like. But, imagine with me:
• His marriage took on a beauty and intimacy like never before.
• His children saw the change and were changed themselves.
• His crops grew without weeds, without bugs and were larger and sweeter than ever!
• Whatever Obed-Edom touched turned into blessing!

I want some of the blessing of Obed-Edom.

And the blessing comes not by my efforts – but by moving into the glory of God through faith.

Lazarus lived again, but eventually died again. But, don’t you agree that this second lease on life had a dimension of glory to it that the first did not? Don’t you think that like the man healed of blindness, Lazarus spent the rest of His life giving glory to Christ!? Don’t you think that Lazarus lived very differently this time?

What about you? Have you been touched by the glory of God?

God has spoken to me and told me that through the cancer in my body – He would be glorified. I’m counting on it. And I’m beginning to figure out that glory spreads to those around Him. So, if I stay in close with Him by faith, I believe that His glory will touch my life as well.

It’s time to move out of our ordinary life and into His life-giving glory!

How? Through faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says…
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

I want the reward.
I want to be fully alive.
I want the glory of God to be revealed in me.

And the good news is that this desire within me aligns with God’s will. My hunger for life and for glory lines up perfectly with His plans.

CONCLUSION:
What Christ did for Lazarus – He’ll do for you!
He is the Supernatural Jesus calling you to His places of glory!
Christ is calling to you in your tombs – “Lazarus come forth!
Christ is calling to you in your places of deadness – “Come forth!”

Can you imagine Lazarus standing inside the tomb stubbornly holding on to the stone?

It’s time to let go of that that masquerades as life but in actuality is death. It’s time to fall to your knees and to pursue the life that Christ offers!

Let’s move into the Glory of the Supernatural Jesus!

Supernatural Jesus & Me 07: The Danger of Spiritual Blindness

Turn to John 9

Do you know what a “Paradigm Shift” is? Think of a Paradigm Shift as a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.

When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they undergo a paradigm shift – they move from unfaith to faith, from not believing to believing, from living as if the natural world is all there is to living in the realm of the Holy Spirit of God!

Paradigm shifts take time. But, in order to grow in Christ, you cannot stay the way you are – you’ve got to move forward.

We’ve spent a great deal of time in the last two years making a paradigm shift – from a naturalistic principle driven form of Christianity into a more spiritually aware, supernatural faith.

Graham Cooke, a prophet out of England says that on average it takes three years to make this shift. We are in the second year of the shift. And God is moving.

Today, I want to focus in on the danger of being blind to the Supernatural Jesus. This is a message of warning – that none of us would miss out on the reality of the Supernatural Jesus!

PRAYER

Last week, we studied the healing of the man who had been born blind. Today, we are going to see the response to the healing.

Look at verse 13…
“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 do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.” V. 13-16

The Pharisees, as the reigning religious powers in first century Israel, were brought into the picture. Somehow, in order for this miracle to be REAL, they had to give their stamp of approval. So, the man tells them what happened. But look at the divided response:

“This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.”

For the Pharisees it was vital that the Law of Moses be kept perfectly – according to their understanding of it. We’ve seen this before from these characters – they were more interested in the letter of the law than the spirit of the law. And because, in their opinion, Jesus did not keep the Sabbath, He couldn’t be from God. Yet, some of them realized that a sinner couldn’t possibly do such miraculous signs. So they were divided.


Many times people miss out on the Supernatural Jesus because He doesn’t fit into their preconceived notions of what they think He should be.

There is the first danger: 1. Preconceived notions.

We can easily become blind to what God is doing, because God doesn’t fit into our preconceived expectations. We get our expectations from a great many sources:
• Family
• Culture
• Education
• Church experience

One of the things that happens to us through these sources is that we are in danger of saying: “God can’t…” because we’ve never seen Him do it!

When the Charismatic movement of the late 60’s and early 70’s began to spread across California, my church said: “God can’t!” and guess what – God didn’t! God doesn’t work in environments who allow their preconceived notions to rule!

One of the best things you can do is to ask the Holy Spirit to help you become aware of your preconceived expectations – and then ask Him to help you see Jesus as He really is!

Now, look at verse 17…
“Finally 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.” The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “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 Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.””
V. 17-23

So, the Pharisees are unhappy with the man’s response, so they pull in the parents. The parents – who had the miracle right in their own family – refused to deal with the Pharisees because – vs. 22 tells us that ‘they were afraid of the Jews…’

This is the second danger sign that we are becoming blind to the Supernatural Jesus – 2. Fearing man more than God!

The Pharisees had the power to make life pretty miserable for people who went against them, and that is exactly what the parents were afraid of.

In our lives, we can be tempted to fear men for what they can do to us, but to do so, hardens your heart and causes you to miss out on what the Supernatural Jesus is doing! For many years, because I was afraid, I kept my ‘prayer language’ in the closet, and that is to my shame.

Isaiah 51:7 warns us… “Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.” Isaiah 51:7
And again - “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.” Isaiah 35:4

We’ve learned early in life to fear each other – but ultimately, we must put our trust and hope in the One who is above all others – in might, power and glory!

Now, look at verse 24…
“A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” 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?”” v. 24-27

These Pharisees are becoming quite a pain. They are relentless in their pursuit, but unfortunately, they aren’t pursuing truth – they are looking for ways to discredit the formerly blind man.

This is the third warning sign that you are becoming blind to the Supernatural Jesus: 3. Rejecting the Truth that is right in front of you!

They just weren’t satisfied with the answers they were getting. Why? Because it didn’t fit their paradigm. They had decided that Jesus was a sinner. Therefore, He could not doing anything good. Yet, they were standing face-to-face with something Jesus did - but, instead of changing their paradigm, they were rejecting the truth!

Why doesn’t the national news media tell the stories of the miracles happening across the world through the power of the Holy Spirit? Because it doesn’t fit their paradigm. So they reject the truth!

What about us? Are we open to the truth – even when the truth requires us to change? Are we willing to submit ourselves to Him, regardless of the requirements? Are we willing to accept that our way of thinking – just might be wrong?

People who are going to move into the power of the Supernatural Jesus must be willing to embrace the truth.

Unfortunately, the Pharisees were not willing – look at verse 28:
“Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” V. 28-29

Do you know what their problem was? Here it is – and it’s the fourth warning sign against spiritual blindness: 4. Expecting God to Fully Explain Himself!

These guys wanted to know everything – they couldn’t handle the fact that Jesus didn’t come up the ranks through their system! They couldn’t handle that Jesus didn’t look for their approval. And they couldn’t handle that they weren’t ‘in the know’.

Many times, we want God to tell us the full story – before it unfolds. We expect God to fully explain Himself to us!

I don’t mean to be offensive, but how arrogant of us!

There are plenty of times in our journey into faith, that God asks us to do things that do not make sense to us. He asked Abraham to kill his son Isaac. That doesn’t make sense. He asked Noah to build a boat and start a zoo – that doesn’t make sense. Jesus told His disciples not to take extra clothes or money went they went out into the villages ministering, but to trust Him to meet the needs – that doesn’t make sense.

A life of faith in the Supernatural Jesus requires that we are willing to let God not fully explain Himself.

One more blindness warning – verse 30…
“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 man who does his will.
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.” V. 30-34

Do you see what they say in verse 34? They go right back to the Conventional Wisdom of the day: “You were steeped in sin at birth!” – Remember last week how the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned – the man or the parents – because he was blind. And remember last week how Jesus said: “No, this isn’t because of sin, it’s because God’s Work is going to be shown!”

The Pharisees refused to be changed. They stubbornly dug in. They held their original position, regardless of what they saw right before their faces.

How tragic. And that is the next warning sign: 5. Refusing to be changed, regardless of the evidence!

I could put it another way: Being hard-hearted.

The Bible warns us numerous times against hard-heartedness. Listen to the Apostle Paul’s words:

“They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.” Ephesians 4:18

Tragic. And all too common.

To reject the works of the Supernatural Jesus is to harden your heart and to move towards spiritual blindness.

Now, look at verse 35… and see the remedy:
“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 worshipped him.” V. 35-38

Do you see the remedy? It’s found three times in these verses. It’s the word: BELIEVE.

Jesus says: Do you believe?
The man says: Who is he? Tell me so that I may believe!
Jesus says: You have seen him, I am Him!
The man says: Lord, I believe!
And the man acts: and he worshipped him!

This is the Remedy to spiritual blindness – to BELIEVE and to WORSHIP!

Oh, how simple. Oh, how beautiful. Oh, how available. We can see the Supernatural Jesus – by believing! Put aside doubt, put aside fear, put aside preconceived notions, put aside expectation – and see Him for Who He really is – BELIEVE!

Are you struggling with believing in the Supernatural Jesus?

• Is it because He doesn’t fit into your previous experience and expectations?
• Is it because you fear the opinions of man more than God?
• Is it because you are rejecting the Truth that is right before you?
• Is it because you want Him to fully explain Himself?
• Is it because you are refusing to be changed, regardless of the evidence?

God is calling us to one simple thing: BELIEVE.

• Believe that because He can heal the blind, He can give me eyes to see Him!
• Believe that because He can walk on the water and calm the storms, He can be the Solution to my problems too!
• Believe that because He can provide food for thousands, He can meet my needs for provision!
• Believe that because He can heal the lame, He can set me free to walk in Him!
• Believe that because His Words have power to heal, He can speak life to me!
• Believe that because He can take ordinary water and make it into extraordinary wine, He can take ordinary me and make me into something extraordinary too!

Do you believe in the Supernatural Jesus?

Supernatural Jesus & Me 06: The Glory is in Your Story!

Turn to John 9

One of the oldest questions that people struggle with is: Why does bad stuff happen?
One of the most personal questions that people struggle with is this: Why does bad stuff happen to ME?

Jesus addresses this issue in our text today.


“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work 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.” Having said this, he spat 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 demanded. 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.” John 9:1-12

The story of the blind man healed by Jesus continues through the entire 9th chapter of John. And we will tackle verses 13-40 next week. But for today, we’ll focus in on the first 12 verses.

Look at verse 1 again:
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.” V. 1

Jesus is walking through the streets and sees this man – born blind. This poor man has never seen for even a moment of his life. He doesn’t know the glory of a sunset or the face of his own mother. He wasn’t blind by disease or accident, he was blind from birth.

Blindness in the Bible can be physical – like this man – or spiritual. All of us in this room have physical eyesight, and we should praise the Lord that we do. How different our lives would be to lose our eyesight. But, the danger for us is to be spiritually blind. You see, I found over 140 instances in the Bible where people are described as being spiritually blind.

Spiritual blindness: Being so preoccupied with the natural world, that you miss out on the activity of God!

Well, you say: “I am a believer. I’m saved. I’m not spiritually blind.” And praise God if that is the case, but let me warn you – spiritual blindness can affect Christians too!

Moses gathered the people of Israel as they were traveling towards the Promised Land and he said: “With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.” Deuteronomy 29:3, 4

Did you get that? We can miss what God is doing!

Elisha’s servant went out early one morning and saw that the enemies had surrounded them. He grew terrified – and we read in 2 Kings…
“And Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all round Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

We need spiritual eyesight to see the activity of God!

The problem is that we can easily become arrogant and complacent. Jesus warns us against this in his letter to the Church at Laodicea:
“You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Revelation 3:17

We need to see what is really happening.

Now look at verse 2:
“His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” v. 2

Apparently, the conventional wisdom of the day was that if a person was suffering from some physical malady it was the direct result of sin. So, the disciples pose this question: “Who is the guilty party?

Can you imagine telling the parent’s of a child born with Down’s Syndrome that it’s there fault?
Can you imagine a religious leader saying: “Too bad about your blindness, what did you do wrong?”

That’s not God. That’s not Who God is.

The interesting thing is that illnesses, diseases and physical maladies ARE the result of sin. We live in a broken world. Sin has really messed things up. God didn’t design the human body to be blind, lame, or disease filled. But when Adam and Eve sinned, things changed. Death and disease entered into the world.

But who is the Author of death and disease? Is God? If He is, I don’t want to know Him. If God is responsible, He isn’t good. We must give credit where credit is due – death and disease come from the enemy. Jesus said: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…”

God doesn’t send disease. God doesn’t cause babies to be born blind.

But God is amazing. He is far bigger than the enemy. And He is able to do something very special through our heartbreak… look at verse 3:

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” V. 3

His blindness isn’t the result of his or his parents sin! And his blindness doesn’t define him – for God is going to display His glory in his life through the blindness.

The Message Translation puts this verse like this:
“Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.”

Look instead for what God can do. Take your focus off the problem and look to the One who is the Solution! Do not look to assign blame – instead look for the Glory of God to be revealed! God will be glorified – in the midst of the problem – when we look to Him to be glorified!

We all have problems. We all are candidates for miracles. We all need Christ’s intervention in our lives. Right now – we could go around the room, and if we’d be honest with each other, there wouldn’t be one person in this room who doesn’t have need for a miracle.

Oh, God, be glorified in our problems! We are crying out for Your Glory to be manifest in the midst of our struggles. Open our eyes to see You in the midst of our pain! Let Your Name be lifted up – far above all of our problems! Take our fingers of blame and guilt and turn them into uplifted hands of praise and worship. For, You, and You alone are able to heal us. And we fall before You in worship and praise.

Now, Jesus goes on in verse 4:
“As long as it is day, we must do the work 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.” V. 4-5

The very reason that Christ came into the world, was to destroy the works of the enemy. He comes with light, with life, with hope, with joy, with redemption and with power – to overcome the impact the enemy has had in our lives. When we encounter the ‘light of the world’ – our darkness is removed.

There isn’t one thing any of us are facing right now – that He cannot overcome on our behalf.

And in verse 6 and 7 we see the miracle:
“Having said this, he spat 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.” V. 6-7

Do you see what matters in this verse? The man ‘came home seeing…’

There is the miracle. Later the man will say: “I once was blind, but now I see…”

The spit and the mud, the washing in the Pool of Siloam – they aren’t what matters here. How God does the healing isn’t important. It wasn’t magic mud! It wasn’t holy water. God can use anyone or anything to do His will.

Some people say: “I’m not going to go the Doctors, I’m just going to trust Christ to heal me.” That’s nonsense. Christ can use Doctors. And He can use mud. Either way, it is His will to heal. The means simply do not matter – Christ is what matters.

And the question that is put before us this morning is this:
• Am I trusting Christ to heal me?
• Am I trusting Christ to meet me at my point of need?
• Am I believing Christ for the blessing?

I had a funny thought. Can you imagine if another blind man had heard about this healing and what Jesus did to heal, and so, he comes to the exact same spot, bends down, spits in the dirt, makes mud, rubs it on his eyelids, and goes to the Pool of Siloam – would he have been healed? Don’t be too quick to answer. The obvious answer is “no”. But that may not be the right answer. I think the best answer is ‘maybe’ – and I’ll tell you why: A woman who had bled for 14 years, in faith touched the hem of Jesus’ robe and was instantaneously healed. Why? Because she believed. So, if the second blind man was putting his faith in Christ’s power – not the mud and water – than the answer is ‘maybe.’

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,” Ephesians 3:20

Christ is able to do far more than we ask or imagine. Trust Him.

Now, Jesus said that this blindness was to be for the glory of God. Look at verse 8 to see the glory beginning to be revealed.

“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.” V. 8-9

The stir in the community must have been amazing. They could tell that he wasn’t the same. They could tell that he could see. Some thought: “It can’t be the same guy, he must just look like him…” Other’s said: “No, that’s him, I’m sure of it….”

And the formerly blind man sets them straight when he says: “I am the man.”

Here’s the glory: “I am the man. Yes, I used to be blind, but I’m not anymore. I can see! For the first time in my life – I can see! I can SEE!”

When we are touched by Jesus – we are changed. Forever. Where we once were blind, we can see. Where we once were confused, we have clarity. Where once we looked to sex, money, possessions, power for our meaning, we find in Christ the peace that passes understanding.

Christ wants you to give Him glory through your story. The glory comes through the story! Write that down: The glory is in your story!”

When you are met in your need, when you place your trust in Christ to meet that need – Christ changes you. For the first time in your life, you’ve got something to say that really matters!

When you open your mouth – and tell of the glories of God – people’s faith is built. Look at verses 10-12

“How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. 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.” V. 10-12

How could they not want to know how and who did this miracle? The change was right in their face. It was undeniable. Some in the crowd of people probably were thinking: “If he can heal blindness, maybe he could do something for me…” So, the man tells the story again. He gives testimony. For the rest of this man’s life he’ll have one story to tell: “I was blind, but Jesus gave me sight.” That’s a pretty good story. Who knows how many hundreds – or even thousands of people that’d he tell this story to in the coming years – who knows how many people would come to believe in Jesus as a result of the story.

And do you see their response: “Where is this man?” They want to know where Jesus is. Why? Because where Jesus is is where they want to be.

CONCLUSION:

Friends: The GLORY is in your STORY!

Do you know why Pentecostal and Charismatic – Spirit-filled churches are by far the fastest growing part of Christianity today? Because Christ is moving in power – healing people – and where there is the power of God, there will be people in pursuit of Him!

What do you say that we become a Spirit-filled community of people who are moving in the POWER of the Holy Spirit?

HOW?
• Are you a Christian?
• Are you baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit?
• Are you believing that the same Jesus who healed the blind man can still heal today?

JESUS – I want ALL that you have for me.
JESUS – I don’t UNDERSTAND all of this – but I WANT it.
JESUS – You said that you reward those who earnestly seek you – and I’M SEEKING YOU now!
JESUS – I want to MOVE IN THE POWER of the Holy Spirit!
JESUS – You said that the Holy Spirit is a GIFT – and I RECEIVE YOUR GIFT right now!
JESUS – COME HOLY SPIRIT – FILL ME! BAPTIZE ME! USE ME!
JESUS – Glorify Yourself in my life!

Now – begin to open your mouths and speak praises! Speak faith! Speak confidence!