Let's open our Bibles this evening
to John chapter 9. John chapter 9. Let's read verse
35 first of all. Jesus heard that they had cast
him out and when he, that is Jesus, when he had found him
He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? Last Sunday
evening we began with verse 1 of this chapter where we are told,
And Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth. He
saw, Jesus saw a man that was blind from birth. And tonight
this verse tells us that he found him. Many things, as we're going
to see this evening, many things had transpired during this interval
from the time that the Lord Jesus Christ first saw Him until He
found Him. And I thought about this this
past week. It was brought out to me in this
passage of Scripture. If you turn back in your Bibles
to Genesis, Genesis chapter 1, Genesis chapter 1, verse number
31, we read, And God saw. You read through this first chapter
of Genesis, we are told seven times. This is the seventh time. God saw. Let's look at these
in this first chapter. In verse 4, And God saw the light. In verse 10, at the very end,
it says, And God saw that it was good. And then in verse 12,
at the end, And God saw that it was good. Verse 18, again
at the end of the verse, And God saw that it was good. And
then at the end of verse 21, And God saw, of course these
are all the days of creation. As God created, and then He saw
that it was good. Verse 25, And God saw that it
was good. And then in verse 31 we read,
And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was
very good. But now look over to chapter
6 of Genesis. The very next time, the very next time that we read
in our Bible, God saw. What a difference. From those
first seven times when the Lord God saw, And what he saw was
good, very good. But the next time we read in
the scripture, God saw, here in Genesis chapter six and verse
five, and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was
only evil continually. Doesn't that beg the question,
what happened? What happened in the interval
between Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 6? In chapter
1, where God saw everything was good, very good, until in chapter
6, God saw that the wickedness of man was great. Now you know
tonight, those of us who are part of this congregation, at
least in our heads, all of us know what had happened. We call it the fall. The fall. That Adam, the first man, the
man that God created, who is the head of all men, because
we all descend from him, And He stood as our head and as our
representative before God. He was created upright. He sinned. He disobeyed God. That's what
happened. There is a teaching in the Word
of God, and men may deny this, and men may want to believe that
everyone who comes into this world is born innocent. But that's not what the Scripture
teaches. That's not what the Word of God
declares. The Word of God declares that
there has been a fall in which holy Adam became unholy Adam. And Adam, who was created in
the image of God, brought forth a son, the Scripture says in
chapter 5, not in the image of God. but in His own image, a
fallen image. So I just noticed that a lot
happened, right? Between Genesis 1, when God saw
everything was good, and Genesis 6, when God saw the wickedness
and the evil of all flesh. The same we see tonight in this
passage of Scripture that we're looking at in John chapter 9. A lot took place between the
Lord first seeing a man who was born blind and then finding that
same man. Let's look. Let's look here in
John 9. The first thing that happened
The Lord Jesus worked a miracle in opening his eyes. Now we looked
at this last time in verses 6 and 7. The Lord Jesus worked a miracle
in opening this man's eyes who had been born blind. When he
had thus spoken, he sped on the ground and made clay of the spittle,
and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with clay, and said
unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation
sin. He went his way therefore, and
washed, and came seen." The Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, manifests
in the flesh. And we know as God, He created
man. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and all things
were made by Him. And without Him was not anything
made that was made. As the eternal Son of God, He
created man. And He created, yes, this very
marvelous part of our bodies, the eye. The eye. He created the eye. He created
the body. from the dust of the ground.
The scripture in Proverbs says that the hearing ear and the
seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them. He who created
the eye had the power to make the eyes of this man that had
never seen to see. The Lord, this is the first thing
that happened between these two times. When the Lord saw him
and the Lord found him, the Lord Jesus Christ worked a miracle
in giving this man sight. No one doubts, no one questions
in this building tonight the power of our Savior. As God,
He worked this miracle. And it's amazing. I know it's
amazing to me and it's amazing to you as well. that there are
men and women in this world who have given their lives to study
the eye. That's their specialty. And they
could come before us tonight and they could tell us every
part of the eye, and they could describe to us how it all works,
and yet some of these same people would say it's a product of evolution. To me, it's amazing, isn't it? It's amazing if it were not true
what we saw. The fall. The fall. When man sinned, his mind became
darkened, which allows men to believe such a foolish thing
as this perfect part of our body that works so well when it works,
and every other part of our body. And yet man may attribute that
to evolution. As someone one time said, it's
sort of like saying there was an explosion in a printing shop
and out came Webster's Dictionary. Who would believe that? No one. And yet men and women will fall
for Satan's lie that man is just the product of evolution. He had the power. He exercised
the power. Just like when he stood on that
ship, bowed and said, peace, be still. and the winds obeyed
his voice. So that's the first thing that
we see took place. The Lord Jesus worked a miracle
in opening this man's eyes. Secondly, the second thing we
see is the man's neighbors could not believe their own eyes. Notice
in verse 8 through 12. The neighbors therefore And they
which before had seen him, that he was blind, said, Is not this
he that said and begged? Someone said, This is he. Others said, He's like him. But he said, I am he. I don't know why, but to me that's
always somewhat comical. When he had to convince his neighbors
that he was who he was. They couldn't believe their eyes.
They might have thought, well, he's a spitting image of a man
we've known all of his life. He looks exactly like him. And
we know this man has always been blind. We've seen him for years
sitting and begging. Well, he looks like him. He looks like him, maybe he is.
They could not believe their eyes. And he had to convince
them that he was himself. No, I am he. I am he. I'm your neighbor. I'm the man that you've known
who was born blind. I'm the man you've seen set begging
all of my life. Yes, I am he. They couldn't believe their eyes,
some of them. They could not believe their
eyes. How can this be? They questioned
him. How can this be? You say you're
that man, but you were blind. You were born blind. How can
this be? How were your eyes opened? He
confessed that his sight was given to him by the Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore said they unto him,
How were thine eyes opened? You say you're the man who was
blind? How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that
is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said
unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash. And I went, and washed,
and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where
is he? Where is this man? And he had
to confess, I do not know. I don't know where he is. So
that's the second thing that took place. His neighbors, they
couldn't believe their eyes. He had to try to convince them
that yes, he was the man who was born blind, but now he could
see. Third, the third thing we see
is that the man was brought to the Pharisees. He was brought
to the Pharisees beginning in verse 13. They brought to the
Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. Now he told the Pharisees who
had opened his eyes. Notice in verse 15 when the Pharisees
questioned him. Then said the Pharisees, who
asked him how he had received his sight, he said unto them,
he. Notice that, he. He confessed
who had opened his eyes. He didn't give any credit to the clay or
to the spittle, it was he. And this is a very important
lesson that's taught us in the Word of God. It's not just learning
doctrine and things about Christ, it's knowing Christ. He. The Apostle Paul didn't say,
I know what I believe, although he did. But he said, I know who. I have believed, and I'm persuaded
that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him
against that day, Christ. This man, he told the Pharisees
who had opened his eyes. In that passage in John chapter
4, when our Lord spoke to the woman at the well there, the
Samaritan woman. He said to her at one point there,
if thou knewest who, if you knew who was speaking
to you, do you know who is speaking? If you knew who was speaking
to you, then you would ask him and he would give you eternal
water that springs up in you unto eternal life. Know who He
is. He answered the Pharisees' question,
confessing that it was Jesus who had opened his eyes. And
the Pharisees, they came to the conclusion that this man who
had opened his eyes, who had wrought this miracle, was not
of God. And the reason they said that
he's not of God is because he had worked the miracle on the
Sabbath day. He's not of God. That was their conclusion. And
then notice, if you will, in verse 16. Therefore said some
of the Pharisees, this man is not of God because he keepeth
not the Sabbath day. Others said, how can a man that
is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division. among them. The Lord Jesus Christ
is the great divider. All men are divided at Christ. Either you believe Christ and
are saved or you do not believe Christ and are lost. There was
a division. There's a division in this group
tonight. There's a division between those
who know Christ who believe in Him, and trust Him, and love
Him, and serve Him, and those who do not know Him. There's
a division. There's always a division in
this world, and it is always around the person of Jesus Christ. Well, the next thing we see,
this man was asked what he thought of Jesus. Verse 17, they say
unto the blind man again, what sayest thou of him that he hath
opened thine eyes? He said, he's a prophet. And
no doubt he said this because he was familiar enough with the
Old Testament scriptures where prophets were known to have wrought
miracles. We think of Elijah and Elisha
especially as those Old Testament prophets that had worked miracles. He must be a prophet. A miracle
clearly has been wrought upon me. I say, that's what I think,
he's a prophet. Well, the Jews did not believe
that he was born blind. They could not, that's the best
they could come up with. You really wasn't born blind
to begin with. They didn't believe that the
Lord Jesus Christ had worked that miracle. How could a man
work a miracle on the Sabbath day and be of God? No, you never
were blind to begin with. Verse 18, But the Jews did not
believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received
his sight until they called the parents of him that had received
his sight. We don't believe you. We're just
going to check with your parents. We're just going to ask them.
And they asked them saying, is this your son who you say, you
say was born blind? How then doth he see? Well, the
parents were intimidated. They had already been told that
if any man confessed that Jesus was the Christ, they would be
put out of the synagogue. Now, excommunication of the synagogue
was a very serious thing in that day and in that time because
you would not be able to associate with others. You would not be
able to come back into the synagogue. Most likely, you would be unable
to buy and sell. They were intimidated. So they
asked his parents, is this your son whom you say was born blind? How then doth he now see? His
parents answered them and said, we know that this is our son.
We do know that. We'll guarantee you that. This
is our son. This is our son. And we know that he was born
blind. We know that. But now, you ask us how he was
made to see? By what means he now seeth? We don't know that. We don't
know that. Or who hath opened his eyes?
We know not. But we do know this. This is
our son. He was born blind and he's of
age. Whatever that was. 21 years old. He's of age. Ask him. He can
speak for himself. Ask him. He shall speak for himself. These words spake his parents,
and then John informs us they did so. They feared the Jews,
for the Jews had agreed already that if any man did confess that
he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. They called the man back. They
called the man back, and they tried their best. to convince
him that Jesus could not be of God. He cannot be of God because
he had worked this miracle on the Sabbath and because they
were dead set against ever confessing that he was the Christ. So they called the man back. Verse 24. Then again called they
the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise.
We know that this man is a sinner. Really? We know this. We know that he's a sinner. He
answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or not. I know not,
but one thing I know. And with all of their intimidation
tactics and everything else they had to bring leverage against
this man, they could not convince him differently. One thing I
know, I know I was born blind and I
now see. I know that. You'll never convince
me any differently. One thing. He knew one thing,
and all their arguments could not convince him any differently. Whereas I was born blind, I now
see. And they cast him out of the
synagogue. Verse 34. They answered and said
unto him, Thou wast altogether, altogether, born in sins, and
dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. And now
we come to the place the Lord Jesus found him. Verse 35 and
36. Jesus heard that they had cast
him out, and when he found him, he said unto him, dost thou believe
on the Son of God? He answered and said, who is
he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him,
Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. Was he
one of Christ's sheep? He was, wasn't he? He was one
of Christ's sheep who had been given to the Lord Jesus Christ
by the Father in that eternal covenant of grace. And remember
this, our Lord told, at least on two different times, that
the shepherd goes to find his sheep, and he seeketh till he
finds it. And yes, this man was one of
his sheep, and he found him. Just like today, he finds his
people, his sheep, and he finds them through the preaching of
the gospel. In Luke chapter 15, you know
the first part of that parable, it begins with a shepherd who
had a hundred sheep, but one was missing. He left the ninety
and nine and went after the one. And then it goes on to the woman
who had ten pieces of silver, and she lost one of them, and
she searched the house till she found it. And then we come down
to the man that had the two sons, and one of them was lost. It's
all one parable, isn't it? But it all speaks to us of the
truth that the Lord Jesus Christ finds His sheep. He finds them. He found this
man. And He asked this man this all,
now listen to me, all important question. Do you believe on the Son of
God? You will never be asked a more
important question than this question. Do you believe on the
Son of God? Do you? I say it's all important
because the scripture says without faith it is impossible to please
Him. I say it's all important, this
question, because if you do not believe on the Son of God, you
will die in your sins and spend eternity separated from God. The Lord Jesus Christ revealed
Himself to this man. This man said, who is He, Lord?
When our Lord asked him that question, Dost thou believe on
the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is
he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And our Lord revealed
himself to this man and to that woman I mentioned just a few
minutes ago, the Samaritan woman. He revealed himself more clearly
and plainly to these two individuals than anyone else in the gospel. When he asked, Who is he, Lord,
that I might believe on him? Jesus said unto him, You've seen
him, and it is he that talketh with thee. In other words, it's
me. Dost thou believe on the Son
of God? Who is he, Lord? It's me. The
Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes people will tell you,
well, the Lord Jesus never claimed to be God. Well, they don't read
the Bible. He not only claimed to be God,
he confessed that He is God. I am the Father of one. I am the Son of God. This man
responded, I believe and worshiped Him. Now someone may be here
tonight and you might think along these lines. I wish, you might think like
this, I wish the Lord Jesus Christ would work a miracle in me, like
he did in this man, and then I would believe. Let me ask you
this, has he opened your eyes to see your need? Has he? Do you see yourself tonight
as a sinner? As the Word of God declares all
of us to be, as David confessed, shapen in iniquity, conceived
in sin. Has he opened your eyes to see
tonight that you are guilty before God? That you stand condemned
before heaven? Maybe you haven't committed great
deeds of immorality like some. But let me ask you, what about
your thoughts? What about your thoughts? Has
he opened your eyes tonight to see that you are a sinner? Yes,
that you have sinned against God. Has he? A blind man doesn't
see this. Has he opened your eyes to see
how that Jesus Christ, the Lord, saved sinners? As He opened your
eyes to see that, to perceive that, how that He is both God
and man, man that He might suffer and die, God that He might satisfy,
that the law that you had broken, God's justice that you had thwarted,
that He came into this world as a representative man and He
obeyed God's law perfectly? Has He opened your eyes to see
that, that Christ has obeyed God's law perfectly, that He
is a holy Son of God, that He obeyed completely, perfectly,
flawlessly God's law? And not only that, but that He
suffered, that He suffered at the hands of that broken law.
that he suffered, he died for sins and yet he had no sins of
his own. And yet it is clear he was punished,
he was wounded for our transgressions. By his stripes we are healed. He was bruised for our iniquities. That because he is man, he could
suffer and die. And yet because He is God, that
one sacrifice saves, puts away the sins of His people. Has He
opened your eyes to see that? And let me ask you one last question.
Has He opened your eyes to see that Christ alone is all you
need? He's all you need. We are accepted
in the Beloved. Christ is all. We are complete
in Him. Has He opened your eyes to see
that? Well, He's worked a miracle in your heart. If you've answered
yes to these questions, then yes, He's worked a miracle. He's opened your blinded eyes. Because by nature, sinful nature,
fallen nature, man doesn't see these things. He doesn't see
these things. Why? Because he's spiritually
blind. He's opened your eyes. Well,
this man in our text tonight, He believed. And how do we know
He believed? He worshipped Him. He worshipped
Him. True faith is always alive. It's living. And true faith will
always manifest itself. It will manifest itself in several
ways. But in this case, His faith was
immediately manifested He worshipped him, just like that thief that
was crucified alongside the Lord Jesus Christ. His faith was manifested
when he said, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. He believed. He believed that
this man who was dying a felon's death had a kingdom. He told that other man, we suffer
justly, we suffer rightly, we deserve what we are suffering,
what we are getting. But this man, no. Lord, remember me when thou comest
into thy kingdom. His faith was manifest. And your
faith, if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, you will manifest
your faith in many ways. as he did in worshiping the Lord. I pray that the Lord would bless
this word to us here this evening. Some of you tonight, some of you here tonight, you
need to commit yourself to Christ publicly. You just do. You need
to cut all strings to everything else and confess Christ, confess
your faith in Christ. I believe that Jesus is the Son
of God. I cast all my future, all my
hopes upon Him and on Him alone. You need to do that publicly.
Let's sing a hymn and we'll be dismissed.