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Series A – Fourth Sunday in Lent – Sunday, March 19, 2023 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:22	The holy Gospel
0:29	According to Saint John the 9th chapter [Music]
0:36	as Jesus passed by he saw a blind man from birth and his disciples asked him Rabbi who sinned this man or his parents
0:43	that he was born blind Jesus answered it was not that this man sinned or his parents but that the works of God might
0:49	be displayed in him we must work the works of him who sent me while it is day night is coming when no one can work as
0:56	long as I am in the world I am the light of the world and having said these things he spat on the ground and made
1:02	mud with the saliva and then he Anointed The Man’s eyes with the mud and said to him go wash in the pool of Siloam which
1:10	means sent so he went and washed and came back seeing the neighbors and those
1:15	who had seen him before as a beggar were saying is this not the man who used to sit and beg some said it is he others
1:22	said no but it is like him and he kept saying I am the man so they said to them
1:27	well how were your eyes opened he answered the Man Called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me go
1:35	to Siloam and wash so I went and I washed and I received my sight they said
1:40	to him well where is he he said I don’t know so they brought him to the
1:45	Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes
1:51	so the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight and he said to them he put mud on my eyes and I washed
1:58	and I see some of the Pharisees said well this man is not from God for he does not keep the Sabbath but others
2:04	said well how can a man who’s a sinner do such signs and there was a division among them so they said again to the
2:10	blind man what do you say about him since he has opened your eyes he said well he’s a prophet and the Jews did not
2:18	believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his
2:23	sight and they asked them is this your son who you say was born blind how then
2:29	does he now see his parents answered we know that this is our son and that he was born blind but how he now sees we do
2:38	not know nor do we know who opened his eyes ask him he’s of age he will speak for himself his parents said these
2:45	things because they feared the Jews for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be the
2:51	Christ he was to be put out of the synagogue therefore his parents said he’s of age ask him so for the second
2:58	time they called the man who had been blind and said to him give glory to God we know this man is a sinner he answered
3:04	whether he’s a sinner I don’t know one thing I do know is that though I was blind now I see and they said to him
3:11	well what did he do to you how did he open your eyes he answered I’ve told you
3:17	already and you would not listen why do you want to hear it again do you also want to become his disciples and they
3:24	reviled him saying you are his disciple disciple but we are Disciples of Moses we know that God has spoken to Moses but
3:31	as for this man we don’t even know where he comes from and the man answered why this is an amazing thing you don’t even
3:37	know where he comes from yet he opened my eyes we know that God does not listen to Sinners but if anyone is a worshiper
3:43	of God and does his will God listens to him never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes
3:48	of a man born blind if this man were not from God he can do nothing they answered
3:54	you were born in utter sin and you would teach us and they cast him out
4:00	Jesus heard that they cast him out and having found him he said do you believe in the son of man he
4:07	answered and who is he sir that I may believe in him Jesus said to him you have seen him and it is he who is
4:13	speaking to you he said Lord I believe and he worshiped him Jesus said for
4:18	judgment I came into this world that those who do not see may see and those who see may become blind and some of the
4:24	Pharisees near him heard these things and said to him are we also blind and
4:30	Jesus said to them if you were blind you would have no guilt and but now that you say we see your guilt remains this is
4:38	the gospel of the Lord do any of you enjoy a good Western yeah good I mean
4:44	not a bad one I’m talking about really good Western not like now we can probably have a debate as to which are
4:49	the Best Westerns out there and I’m not talking about the hotel chain by the way um sorry Pastor joke Pastor joke just
4:57	calm yourself down okay but all of that being said two of my favorite movies like that are westerns number one tombs
5:04	Stone okay it’s legitimately at the top of my list and the close second is the
5:10	outlawed Josie Wales right but the thing is we’ve become so used to how westerns work right West the Western American the
5:18	frontier was a lawless place and bad people did bad things to good people right this is how this all works one of
5:24	the things I love about westerns is that the bad guys are really really bad right and the good guys as flawed as they are
5:31	they legitimately have principles and they’re standing up to do what’s right they they represent you know the law and
5:37	bringing back Law and Order and things like this and so if you remember in the movie Tombstone the bad guys were
5:43	actually called the Cowboys right they wore red sashes what a gay thing to do
5:49	anyway anyway back in the day they were black hats you
5:56	know what’s with the red sash right and why it’s while preaching with a
6:01	pink [Laughter]
6:06	serving isn’t going the way I expected thank you but all of that being said you’ll note
6:14	that in the character development phase of the the movie in the in act one of the movie they show just how bad the
6:21	Cowboys are they they uh they they crash a wedding and end up murdering the groom
6:27	right just to let you know just how bad these guys are and so if you were to
6:33	kind of think about these terms of like a western as we read through some of like my favorite texts last week’s text
6:40	was awesome this week’s text is brilliant next week’s test is over the
6:46	text is over the top amazing right the Gospel of John these gospel texts they’re kind of like watching your
6:52	favorite movie over and over again because Jesus is that good right and so
7:00	I like to think of this gospel text in terms like we think of like a western it’s maybe not in the beginning scenes
7:08	but this is one of those things where the good guy has shown up and he’s shown
7:13	up in a place where the bad guys are literally in control and the bad guys are of all things religious leaders and
7:22	you’ll note that when you read the Gospel of John chapter 9 as we will do today it flows perfectly into the next
7:30	chapter chapter 10 and Jesus makes it clear that all who came before him they
7:36	were thieves and robbers right thieves and robs sounds like a western right and
7:42	he’s talking about the Pharisees and so over and again we must remember this the
7:48	Pharisees do not equal people who read their Bible and hold to Christian
7:54	Orthodoxy all right so I’ve been called a Pharisee so many times it’s like
7:59	insane and I’ve gotten to the point where I’ve we’ve actually have a web page and a video dedicated to the topic
8:05	and say you’ve just played the Pharisee card please read and watch this resource to help sort you out out because you
8:12	don’t even know what a Pharisee is right that’s kind of the point they are thieves and they are robbers and in our
8:19	day we still deal with thieves and robbers who jump the fence and who make
8:25	merchandise of Christ’s sheep over the past couple of weeks I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention down in
8:31	Australia a member of the parliament of Australia has released documents
8:37	financial documents talking about just how exorbitant of a lifestyle
8:43	extravagant of a lifestyle Brian Houston and Bobby Houston have engaged in over
8:48	the decades and he released no kidding in these documents Financial records
8:54	that show that bills for like stays in five Diamond Resorts that added up to a
9:02	hundred grand flights on private jets that were like 25 35 50 000 I mean huge amounts of
9:12	money and of course I’m sitting here going I’ve been warning you guys about this guy for a long time and everyone’s
9:18	shocked I’m saying haven’t you seen the video where where Brian Houston says you need more money right and he this is
9:26	what he’s been teaching and now they’re shocked that he was out there spending money like well he was a he was royalty
9:33	but the thing is this is what these false teachers do and here’s the thing
9:39	they not only exploit you for money they legitimately
9:45	oppress you in a way that you could potentially end up in hell and over again I’m surprised by how when
9:52	Christians who actually have biblical discernment say that guy is a wolf they
9:58	are the guy pointing out that he’s a wolf they’re shouted down oh you’re just being too judgmental you’re being
10:05	narrow-minded why do you think that your interpretation of scripture is inspired
10:11	there’s a bazillion different ways in which we can interpret the scriptures what makes you think that your
10:17	interpretation is correct right and all the while then the these wolves
10:23	continue doing the wolfy things that they do because you know you know Sheep
10:28	bar and wolves well they eat sheep that’s what they do and I think to our epistle text here
10:35	that scripture is clear that this laissez-faire attitude towards false
10:41	teachers is not permitted he said they go how do you figure Pastor listen to
10:47	what Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit an apostle of Jesus Christ for at one time you were Darkness
10:56	Darkness remember the bad guy wears a black hat because of Darkness that’s the theme Darkness but now because of your
11:04	baptism because you have been washed in the blood of the Lamb because you’ve been brought to penitent faith in Christ
11:10	for the Forgiveness of your sins you are no longer of the darkness you are in the
11:15	light you are of the light and Jesus is the light we are to walk or conduct Our
11:21	Lives as children of light for the fruit of the light is found in
11:26	all that is good all that is right and all that is what’s the last word true
11:36	No Lie is of the truth we as Christians do not get the
11:42	privilege as children of light to cast a blind eye or not look at when somebody
11:49	is In a Pulpit or leading a movement within the visible Church no matter how popular it is and what they’re preaching
11:56	and teaching isn’t true I recently took my wife on a date and
12:02	I’m being ridiculed for doing this took her on a date and we went to the movie The Jesus Revolution
12:10	I’m being accused of spousal abuse at this point but
12:15	here’s the thing is that watching that movie was difficult because on the one
12:21	hand as much as you want the the name of Christ to be proclaimed and you want to
12:28	Rejoice with the historical movement where many drug addicted LSD tripping
12:34	hippies were taught about Jesus Christ and we are to
12:41	preach the gospel to All Nations including our own and all the subsets of it including hippies and woke folks and
12:49	people like that that’s you you want to Rejoice with that but one of the things that the movie accurately depicted is is
12:55	that the guy at the Forefront of that Lonnie frisbee he was a wing nut whacker doodle I mean
13:02	his theology is right up there with Bill Johnson and all of today’s Nar Apostles
13:07	and Prophets and it’s not it is not something that is a coincidence that Lonnie frisbee died of AIDS because the
13:16	theology that he was preaching the holy spirit that he was listening to doesn’t
13:21	produce in a person the fruit of the spirit it produces something else and so when we get to our gospel text today you
13:29	know rather than The Good the Bad and the Ugly which will be a good Western theme right here we need to focus on the
13:35	good the right and the true as Christians that’s where our focus is and again consider just absolutely how
13:43	heroic Jesus Christ is he has put himself on Earth at a time when well
13:50	evil is running rampant politically it’s a complete mess I mean
13:56	Rome is in charge don’t even get me started about whether Rome was a great
14:01	was a great political system it wasn’t you think things are bad here in the states I’ll take what’s going on right
14:08	now over what was going on in Rome at the time of Christ so politics is a complete mess and as a result of that
14:15	people’s let’s say moral lives were in complete turmoil which is basically is
14:21	the standard operating procedure but the worst bit in all of this and I think the
14:27	most duplicitous the most satanic and the most evil is that during the inter-testamental period you have this
14:33	this group of people the phariseeoy they legitimately were you super usurpers you
14:40	can go into your Old Testament and you can read from Genesis to Malachi the Italian Prophet right the last of the
14:47	prophets and you will never see a single Pharisee there not one
14:52	because they didn’t exist they rose up during the 400 years in between Malachi
14:58	and the the time of Christ and these are people who had a very very very
15:05	stringent religion they were all about obeying God’s law but they added to the
15:13	word contrary to the commands of Christ they added to it that whole tradition of the elders which becomes the mishnah and
15:21	the talmuds that whole thing that whole system was extra biblical Revelation that they claimed was on par with the
15:30	written Torah they were like Mormons and other things kind of all mixed up
15:35	together they added to the scriptures a whole bunch of Commandments that weren’t even there in fact when they accused
15:42	Jesus of not keeping the Sabbath uh one of the things I note little litmus test
15:49	if you ever hear a preacher say well it says in the the Bible that Jesus didn’t keep the Sabbath so Jesus was a sinner
15:56	well you don’t know what you’re talking about you are not qualified to be preaching and teaching yes it’s true
16:02	that they claim that Jesus didn’t keep the Sabbath the Shabbat but the reality is is that Jesus kept it perfectly he
16:10	never broke the Sabbath not even a little bit but he did break their rules
16:16	regarding the Sabbath and the Shabbat you’ll note that when you look at the talmuds and the mishnas and you get to
16:23	their discussions and questions and the way they dialogue with this idea about keeping the Sabbath they actually get
16:31	down to the dirt level all right so if in one of the I forget if it’s in the
16:36	mishna or not probably but you if you owned a table at a chair and you had a
16:43	dirt floor which was a common thing back then you know they didn’t have Ikea right okay and you had a dirt floor and
16:49	while you were eating your meal the Sabbath began again you were not permitted to push your chair back
16:57	because you would create furrows in the dirt and everyone knows that’s the first stage of of farming because that’s
17:04	plowing and therefore that you would be guilty of farming on the Sabbath if you did that I am not making this up so if
17:12	you were if you were sitting in your chair on a Sabbath and you had a dirt floor you had to legitimately grab this
17:18	thing and then sit up and scooch it back and put it down so that you wouldn’t create furrows and break the Sabbath
17:24	this is nuts it is absolutely Bonkers and here’s the other bit is that in
17:31	their theology they didn’t make a proper distinction between law and gospel they
17:36	didn’t really understand the mercy of God at all and as a result of it their view of sin sounds a lot like today’s
17:44	Prosperity preachers which is a much more akin to what you get in the concept of Karma right and so when the disciples
17:52	asked Jesus who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind they’re
17:58	echoing the horribly awful Theology of the Pharisees
18:04	the reality is this is that there’s a reason why people are born blind and it
18:10	goes all the way to Adam and Eve and you’ll note that the kind of the capricious and nature of the
18:17	consequences of sin we don’t know how it’s going to strike anybody in any particular way we can say in that sense
18:23	that somebody did Sin and it was Adam and Eve and we all fell in Adam’s fall
18:29	but they legitimately thought that this guy had committed sin then that was the reason why he was born blind and when
18:35	you hear him hear them pushing him out and casting him out of the synagogue you’ll hear them speak as if they were
18:43	not born in sin as if they are not Sinners and that’s a
18:50	big problem those who are self-righteous are absolutely self-deluded and so
18:57	think of this now as a western a tumbleweed has just gone by right and Jesus has come into town and the fellow
19:05	that we’re about to meet this blind man he’s one of the favorite whipping boys of the bad guys known as the Pharisees
19:12	right he’s been pushed down he’s been called a sinner everyone’s speculating
19:17	as to why he’s suffering miserably the way he is who sinned him or his parents
19:23	and deal you’ll note that he is in bondage by these thieves and robbers who
19:29	have come in and Jesus is going to clean up the religious town if you would
19:34	so as Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth his disciples asked him Rabbi who sinned this man or his parents that
19:41	he was born blind Jesus answered it was not that this man sinned or his parents but that the works of God might be
19:47	displayed in him I wonder how Kenneth Copeland deals with that phrase right because in Kenneth Copeland’s
19:54	theology any kind of physical ailment is from Satan in this particular case you’re going to
20:00	note that Christ says the reason why this fellow was born blind is not really because of sin but that the works of God
20:07	might be displayed in him in other words before the foundations of the earth Christ had worked this out that this man
20:14	would be born blind specifically for this reason that we’re reading today so Jesus says we must work the works of
20:22	him who sent me while it is day night is coming no one when no one can work as long as I am in the world I am the light
20:28	of the world beautiful play by the way you’ll think about why is Jesus talking about being the light of the world
20:33	because this blind man the only thing he knows is Darkness
20:38	one of the things I hate doing is trying to navigate through my house at night and I’m thankful for the places where we
20:45	have strategically set up Night Lights because otherwise I am prone to stubbing
20:51	my toe hitting my shins or even worse falling down the stairs okay I hate
20:58	going down the stairs in the dark because I don’t remember how many stairs I have to navigate and so I have to kind
21:05	of you know work out have I reached the bottom yet because if I don’t do that I’m going to be face first on the ground
21:12	and I’m not saying I’ve done that before maybe I have maybe three or four times but it always freaks my wife out when
21:19	that happens and it does hurt but all that being said we know you can’t navigate in the dark it’s difficult to
21:26	do and that’s all that this guy has known his entire life and so Jesus is making it clear he is
21:32	the light of the world and he is about to allow this person to see light for
21:39	the very first time have you ever seen a video where somebody was born deaf and
21:47	they get that cochlear implant and they literally are filming them with an iPhone when the first time they switch
21:53	it on right ah those are great videos it’s especially when it’s kids or it’s
21:59	kids for the first time because they have never heard a single sound their
22:05	entire life all they’ve heard forever their entire existence is silence and then
22:11	the doctor turns it on and not only do they hear sounds they hear their name
22:17	for the first time they hear their mother’s voice the first time
22:25	and I always cry at those videos and so does the kid and so does the parents
22:31	it’s such an experience that it’s amazing that we get to vicariously see such a thing right that’s the closest
22:37	thing that you can think of this guy is about to see things for the first time
22:43	he’s going to see the sunshine he’s going to see the trees and the faces of people for the first time
22:50	and so Jesus then and boy does he pick an interesting way to do this Jesus spat
22:57	on the ground and made mud with the saliva he Anointed The Man’s eyes with
23:02	the mud and said to him you go to you go and wash and the pool of Siloam now why why did Jesus do this all right
23:11	I can’t help but think of Genesis chapter 2. where God took dust of the
23:18	Earth right and he formed Adam’s Body from it you know kind of if you were to
23:24	think of it as like the guy who invented something right and put it all together he knows how it works how it operates
23:31	and Jesus knows exactly what to do in the situation and he’s going to fix this guy’s eyes with some new dust and his
23:39	own saliva and anoint him in such a way and restore to him his sight it’s kind of a type and Shadow also of this of the
23:46	sacraments if you think about it so he anointed this man’s eyes with the mud and he said to him you go wash in the
23:51	pool Siloam which means sent and so he went and washed and he came back seeing
23:58	now I could I couldn’t be a good Lutheran Pastor without sitting there going have
24:04	you thought about the implications here regarding baptism right because we were
24:09	all born dead in trespasses and sinned in the darkness of the Dominion of
24:15	Darkness blinded by the devil and in the waters of baptism we were United with
24:21	Christ in his death and his resurrection and there is the place where we were
24:27	first able to truly see God gave us our spiritual sight when he regenerated us
24:33	when we were United to Jesus and his blood washed away our sins in the waters of baptism the connections to us are are
24:40	keen and important so this guy kind of by himself without the Neighbors being
24:47	there when he first opened his eyes he didn’t expect that this was going to be what was going to happen and he now sees
24:54	things for the first time and after going through that initial joy and
24:59	exuberance and the Brilliance of being able to see he heads back to his neighborhood and his neighbors and those
25:06	who had seen him before as a beggar which is about the only thing you can do as a job back in those days if you’re
25:12	blind they were saying isn’t this the man who used to sit here and beg some said
25:19	that’s him it’s him it is others said nah it just looks like him maybe he has
25:24	a twin and they’re they’re playing a joke or something right but he kept saying hey go in me I am the man I am
25:32	him so they said to them well how were your eyes opened he answered the Man Called
25:38	Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me go to Siloam and wash so I
25:43	went and I washed and I received my sight and they said to him well where is
25:49	he I don’t know I legitimately don’t know
25:54	and so far as our Western the scene in our western movies kind of played out Jesus the the one who does good has done
26:02	something kind and loving and Brilliant and praiseworthy for this fellow who was
26:10	born blind but remember the Pharisees point to this guy as an
26:16	example of what happens when you don’t follow their false theology right and so their favorite Whip and boy
26:23	has just been healed and they don’t have a Whipping Boy anywhere in close proximity they’re gonna have to find
26:30	another one and so they’re not going to be keen on having their Whipping Boy and their example of what happens when you
26:36	don’t follow their theology no longer being able to be used for such purposes because they are thieves and they are
26:43	robbers so they brought to the Pharisees the man who had formally been blind
26:49	and my question is why why didn’t they take him to the Levites
26:54	the Levites were the ones who were supposed to be preaching and teaching in Israel they were the ones who were supposed to be sitting on Moses seat in
27:01	the synagogue why the Pharisees well that kind of shows that they had not
27:07	only been firmly embedded in Israel they had taken over where they had no right to take over they were the religious
27:13	authorities now that had to be informed as to what was going on and it was of
27:20	course the Sabbath when Jesus made the mud it opened his eyes so the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his
27:26	sight he said to them well he put mud on my eyes and he washed and I see and some of the Pharisees said this man
27:32	is not from God for he does not keep the Sabbath but others said how can a man who’s a sinner do such signs
27:39	he makes me ask want to ask the question do you guys not see that you are sinners what do the Pharisees think of
27:45	themselves that they were righteous
27:50	so there was division among them I love how Jesus when he does good upsets all their apple carts overturns
27:58	all of their theological nonsense and kills their sacred Idols so there was
28:03	division among them so they again said to the blind man what do you say about him since he’s opened your eyes
28:09	they said well he’s a prophet and you’ll note they’re not acting in good faith with these questions but this
28:17	man is acting in good faith in his answers he’s just legitimately innocently giving their answers that
28:24	they’re to the questions that they’re asking and I’m sure he’s puzzled at this point because
28:30	hello he was blind when he woke up this morning and brushed his teeth right and
28:37	now he can see a legitimate Miracle has taken place God has visited his people
28:44	and I’m sure he’s just well of course Jesus is a prophet he has to be the last
28:50	time we heard of any kind of Miracles like these was well from Elijah and Elijah that’s the last time we heard of
28:57	anything like this so the Jews at this point think that they’re on Candid Camera okay and so
29:04	they’re looking all right where’s the camera all right this is a joke right you guys are going to play this next Friday on Candid Camera and and the
29:10	joke’s going to be on us we’re you’re doing this to make us look like we’re fools right
29:16	really all right so they didn’t believe that he’d been blind and that he received a site until they
29:22	called his parents and that they called the parents of the man who had received a site and they asked them and listen to these questions
29:28	look at how listen how sharp these are is this your son whom you say was born
29:34	blind how does he now see do any of you feel safe answering that
29:40	question the way it was put holy smokes I’m surprised they didn’t give him a
29:45	cigarette and a blindfold I mean they are literally under the French fry lights and this is an interrogation this
29:51	isn’t an inquiry this is something different so his parents answered uh uh well we
29:57	that we know that’s our son and he yeah he was born blind how he sees we don’t
30:03	know nor do we no nor would do we know who opened his eyes ask him he’s of age he’ll speak for himself right
30:10	run away run away and the text legitimately says his
30:15	parents said these things because they feared the Jews
30:21	feared them does does any of this make sense to you
30:26	Jesus is the god of the Jewish Tanakh
30:32	inhuman flesh the god they claim to worship has just
30:37	opened the eyes of a man born blind and rather than getting out the praise band
30:43	and singing Hallelujah they are legitimately conducting an
30:48	interrogation as if a crime has taken place
30:55	I think about man I had the opportunity of having a conversation with just last week
31:01	he reached out to me because he used to be on staff at a very well-known mega
31:07	church in Texas and I don’t have permission to reveal which of them if I told you who the
31:13	pastor was you’d know exactly which one and what was fascinating is is that he was kicked off that the staff of that
31:21	mega church and the reason that was given when things started going
31:27	south for him he started reading his Bible I kid you not the way he tells the story
31:34	is he started reading his Bible and it wasn’t too long before he became known
31:41	at this church as the Bible guy
31:47	and that was not a compliment that was legitimately an issue
31:55	which ultimately led to them kicking him off staff
32:00	let that sink in for a second here oh yeah you’re the Bible guy here aren’t
32:06	you well this is a church isn’t it is it right you kind of see how this
32:14	works but I mean that’s the that’s how crazy things are and it’s always that crazy back in Jesus’s time that’s the
32:21	point here we are to focus on what is good right and true isn’t God’s word
32:29	true how can it be a bad thing to be a Bible guy on a church staff
32:36	is isn’t everybody on the church staff supposed to be Bible guys
32:42	and I’m distracted let’s get back to the movie
32:48	so this parents they said these things because they feared the Jews for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be the Christ he
32:55	was to be put out of the synagogue let me translate that anybody who confesses
33:00	that Yeshua is mashiach that he is the Messiah is to be excommunicated
33:07	John Wick style of course right okay excommunicado anybody in a Jewish synagogue who
33:15	believes that Jesus is the Messiah and he is is to be excommunicated
33:23	can’t be a Bible guy at church can’t believe in Jesus the Messiah okay that’s
33:29	you’ll note how evil operates human beings because of our sinful
33:35	nature We Love Lies has the song Go Tell Me lies tell me
33:43	Sweet Little Lies tell me lies tell me lies right right little Fleetwood Mac
33:49	there but there’s something to that and we want to hear it not only outside of the church we want to hear those sweet
33:55	little lies in church too please tell me how good I am please tell me that if I
34:01	just put money in the plate that God’s going to bless me and give me health and wealth and stuff like this oh and and
34:08	tell me that I’m going to go to heaven because I’m a good person just tell me lies tell me Sweet Little Lies
34:17	can’t do that as a pastor in Christ Church I have to preach the truth
34:24	the reason why this stuff succeeds is because we are all sinners
34:29	and we much prefer the LIE over the truth and we’re all guilty of this I’m
34:35	guilty of it you are so this is the reason why his parents said well he’s of age you can ask him so
34:42	the second time they called the man who had been blind and they said to him give glory to God we know this man’s a sinner
34:49	this reminds me of Martin Martin Luther when he’s on trial
34:55	at the the diet of verms right you know Luther do you renounce everything that
35:00	you’ve ever written in these books right and and it’s the same kind of thing they
35:06	don’t they’re not interested in the truth they’re interested in this man recognizing that they are in charge
35:13	theologically and this Jesus guy who breathed into town and opened your eyes oh you shouldn’t have anything to do
35:19	with him forget the fact that he did something kind to you right we know that this guy’s a sinner
35:26	and you’re not uh-huh right pay attention to how that game is played so
35:32	he answered well whether he’s a sinner I don’t know one thing I do know I was blind and now I see
35:38	and they said to him well what did he do to you how did he open your eyes this guy is legitimately on trial
35:46	legitimately he answered them I’ve told you already and you wouldn’t listen
35:51	why do you want to hear it again do you want to become his disciples hmm
35:57	that is a great punch to the face that was brilliant they didn’t see that one coming yeah
36:03	yeah this guy’s standing in his ground I was healed Jesus did good to me
36:10	I was blind this morning I can see what’s wrong with you people
36:15	right that’s the point
36:21	so in answer to this they reviled him check your Bible look up the word revile
36:26	that’s a sin it is a sin to revile somebody it’s an egregious breaking of the eighth
36:32	commandment right in their face they revile this fellow and yet they claim to
36:37	be sinless they don’t know their Bible at all you are his disciple we’re Disciples of
36:44	Moses we know that God has spoken to Moses that’s for this man we don’t even know where he comes from
36:52	as Shakespeare would say thou protesteth too much so the man answered I love this because
36:59	I think he he answered very coolly well why this is an amazing thing you don’t
37:05	know where he comes from and yet he opened my eyes we know that God doesn’t listen to Sinners but if anyone’s a
37:12	worshiper of God and does his will God listens to him right is that part of
37:17	your theology you Pharisees right never since the world began has it been
37:22	heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind I have to correct him wasn’t Adam born blind
37:30	and death and he wasn’t breathing right
37:37	I’ll forgive him this oversight but that’s kind of the point right
37:43	if this man were not from God he could do nothing
37:50	this is the first mic drop before microphones were even invented that’s exactly what just happened here total
37:56	mic drop if he were not from God he can do nothing and here it comes here it comes the Pharisees like a sick cat hack
38:05	up their theological hairball okay and it’s kind of violent too you were born
38:10	in utterson right right outcomes their bad theology like demon spewing you know vomit across
38:18	the room you were born under sin we weren’t you
38:23	were right and you would teach us
38:28	who’s in charge here by the way I love this story Christ is
38:37	so they act ballowed him yeah egg follow it’s a little stronger
38:44	than cast him out you have to think that EK Balo is something that a well a bouncer does to somebody who’s not
38:51	supposed to be in the nightclub they grab him get out of here throw him toss
38:56	him out onto the street that’s what they did they act borrowed him that’s what the text says they cast him out
39:03	excommunication for you well what a lovely day
39:11	all the joy of seeing for the first time but here’s the thing this particular
39:17	miracle him being given his sight was on purpose to show the blindness of the Pharisees
39:24	that was part of the agenda of this because the glory of God is about to be
39:29	revealed and like the true hero that Jesus is
39:34	man I in in all of Cinema I have never seen
39:40	a hero like this never one who legitimately is good
39:46	isn’t it isn’t it notable then that we are as children of light to meditate to
39:52	think upon all that is good all that is right and all that is true
39:57	isn’t that Jesus I can’t think of anything better to
40:03	focus on than him because he is good he’s right and just and he is the truth
40:11	he isn’t just true he is the source of all truth
40:16	so Jesus heard that they had cast him out and
40:22	and so he seeks him out and he finds him
40:27	and here again note the parallel with your own life isn’t it
40:34	true that God has opened all of your eyes and he has but have you seen Jesus
40:41	do you know what he looks like do you know how tall he is how does he wear his hair in his beard
40:46	today what color are his eyes
40:52	how deep is his voice none of us have actually had those
40:59	tactile experiences none of us have seen Jesus but we’ve all had our Eyes Open by him
41:08	and you’ll note that because each and every one of us just like the Pharisees have participated in this wickedness not
41:15	only have we tolerated we’ve all participated in it it’s rank idolatry and we’re all idolaters to the core that
41:22	but rather than leave us in the darkness of sin Jesus instead forgives us and
41:27	pardons us rather than give us hell he gives us life and peace and he reconciles us to
41:35	God by his death on the cross and so you’ll note here the kindness
41:40	that Jesus is showing to this man is the same kindness that he shows to you and there is a day coming when you will have
41:47	an experience very similar to this you know your savior’s voice because you
41:53	hear it in the word of God Jesus tells his Apostles the one who hears you hears
41:59	me the one who hears me here’s the one who sent me and so we who’ve heard the voice
42:05	of Christ in the words of the Apostles we know his voice we are his sheep we
42:11	are attentive to his words and so Jesus finds this fellow and he
42:16	says to him do you believe in the son of man and I have to wonder what happens here does the fellow begin to recognize
42:23	that voice that he had heard of the fellow who when asked the question who sinned this man or his parents that he
42:28	was born blind and the guy who made the mud and said go to the pool of Siloam and wash and be baptized right
42:36	do you believe in the son of man and he answered and who is he sir so that I may believe in him
42:42	this guy has had a day and it’s got a sting
42:47	to have the religious leaders of Israel excommunicate you for being healed of
42:54	blindness and so Jesus comes to him and in in a moment of like legitimate Godly kindness
43:02	and Humanity because that’s the wonderful mystery of the Incarnation is that God is in human flesh there he
43:10	reaches out to him and he says do you believe in the son of man who is
43:16	he sir that I may believe in him and then Jesus makes me wonder what happens at this point
43:23	does he get up in his face and look him in the eyes
43:29	he says to him you have seen him
43:35	he’s the one who gave you your side it’s he who’s speaking to you and he said Lord I believe and he
43:41	worshiped Christ
43:46	although he was cast out of the synagogue we learned in our text from just a
43:52	couple weeks ago that those who worship God will worship Him in spirit and in truth so I’ll cast out of the synagogue he
43:58	cannot go back to worship god there instead Jesus finds him outside the
44:04	synagogue outside of this den of Thieves set up by the Pharisees that only really looks like a synagogue but is instead a
44:10	synagogue of Satan Jesus finds this fellow and he believes in Jesus and
44:16	there on the streets of his neighborhood he worships Christ
44:24	and by doing so his actions show that he confesses that Jesus is his God
44:32	and his savior and Jesus said it’s for judgment that I came into the world so that those who do
44:37	not see may see and by that he’s pointing out the Pharisees who claim that they can see
44:43	but they they can’t and that those who see may become blind
44:48	of course the Pharisees just like the Cowboys from Tombstone are Johnny on the
44:54	spot just waiting for something to get on Jesus so the Pharisees near him heard
44:59	him say these things and said are we also blind and Jesus just takes their Theology and
45:06	shoves it up their nose he says if you were blind you would have no guilt
45:13	but because you say that we see now your guilt remains
45:18	man this is a pitched battle between good
45:24	and evil between truth and lies and this is only one of the early skirmishes
45:31	as you read the Gospel of John in which we will very shortly in just a couple weeks see the conclusion when we get to
45:39	the third Act of this of this account Jesus is going to defeat all of these
45:46	people defeat Satan the world the Pharisees the scribes the Sadducees the
45:53	chief priests he’s going to defeat them all and how does he do that
45:59	well unlike any hero Jesus rather than kill his enemies
46:05	he’s going to lay down his life for them
46:12	so that we who were born blind might be forgiven and pardoned
46:18	Jesus conquers not by killing them but by dying
46:24	for their sins for their idolatry for their reviling for their self-righteousness for their apostasies
46:32	so that the psalm if not all can be forgiven and we too then rejoice and we worship
46:38	this Jesus who is the truly the best hero ever and I don’t apologize that every time
46:45	these gospel texts come around we’re going to rerun this and pre I’m going to preach on these every single time just
46:52	like I like watching Tombstone every few years just to see it again and again
46:58	in the name of Jesus amen

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