1. Asking the Right Question Who's Really Blind?

2. Jesus has just said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” - John 8:12

3. Jesus has just said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” - John 8:12 And then they tried to kill him…

4. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. Beggar, No Prospects

5. As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. And the blind man hears this:

6. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

7. Chronology

8. Steeped in Religion Law=Blessings and Curses

9. Steeped in Religion People become objects of disdain Or heroes to be adored

10. Steeped in Religion People become objects of disdain Or heroes to be adored Rather than people made in God's image Equal Ground

11. They ask, "Why?" They should ask, "How?"

12. What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved What Jesus sees: A man created in God’s image, in need of compassion

13. Why did she leave the faith? Was she a believer who lost it? Or a pretender who never was? How can we reach out and show love?

14. Why do I have to go through this? Is God punishing me? Is God being mean? Does he not care? How can I reach out and find God's comfort- Even in this?

15. Why does he have to go through this? Doesn't God care? How can I reach out and give God's comfort- Even in this?

16. Why? is self-centered (usually based on comparison) and creates: Bitterness and Anger Self-righteousness De-personalization

17. How? is God-centered and gives: Perspective Direction Strength and Healing

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

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

20. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” Jesus shifts from Cause to Purpose

21. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” What? All of it God did not cause the man to be born blind

22. Fallenness coming from Free Will

23. "Why?" is a fine question As long as you move to "How?" Or "What?"

24. "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.”

25. What is the work? Doing what we can while we can In a way the sheds light On God's glorious Son

26. "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.”

27. Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.

28. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

29. For the very first time!

30. No good deed…

31. 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.”

32. But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded.

33. 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.

34. “I don’t know,” he said.

35. 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.

36. 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.”

37. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” What question are they concerned with?

38. Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” They care about "When?" Not "What?" or "Who?"

39. But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.

40. 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.”

41. 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?”

42. When you reject Truth for the sake of your beliefs You'll do whatever it takes to get the answer you want

43. “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.”

44. Where Faith produces Freedom Religion manufactures Fear

45. 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.”

46. 30 Day vs. Permanent Faith, Family and Friends, Work Blessings and Cursings

47. 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!”

48. 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?”

49. You'll never hear the right answer If you're focused on asking The wrong question

50. 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.”

51. "…but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from" Yo Mama!

52. Religion can't be questioned The Faith begs investigation

53. 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…

54. “Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

55. How do you drown a blonde?

56. Taking a stand Against the religious Can cost you

57. To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

58. Did anyone celebrate and thank God That a blind man Could now see?

59. 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.”

60. Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

61. - Some guy who put mud in my eye - Prophet - Son of Man (Messiah) - Worthy of worship

62. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

63. Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” - John 9

64. You'll never be rescued from the problems You refuse to own

65. It all comes down to what questions you ask "Why do I have to have…?" "Why do other people have more $$?" "Why can't I have a better spouse?" Self-defeating, dumb questions

66. It all comes down to what questions you ask "How can I glorify You in this?" "Can I be content and grateful with what I have?" "How can I be a better spouse?" Empowering Questions

67. "Who are You?" "Who did You create me to be?" "What is the Purpose of my life?" "How can my life have meaning?"