Sermon Tone Analysis

The problem of suffering… If God is so good and loving, how can there be such suffering in our world?

Another of Jesus’s signs… Pointing beyond what happened to something bigger.

Boy born blind… but now a man.

Parents can no longer care for him so his only option is to go out and beg.

I want us to notice here, first, blindness is a common reality in Jesus’ world yet nowhere in the OT and in only one place in NT did anyone heal blindness; yet there are multiple healings of Jesus for the blind…probably why the bible connects it to ignorance and Jesus bringing light.

The man didn’t ask for help.

He wasn’t a believer.

He was living totally on the generosity of others.

He was intelligent and well spoken.

Sadly, he was a stranger to his neighbors because, living in the shadows, they hadn’t taken time to know him.

Why is there suffering?

Jesus saw him

Disciples questioned

Option 1: General vs specific sin and suffering

Option: All suffering is caused by sin Genesis 3,

Option: Some specific suffering is caused by specific sins: Acts 5:1-10,

Option: Preach a sermon

Option: keep going, not wanting to draw attention

Option: Why is there suffering in this world?

He explained instead that this is an opportunity to show what God can do… This suffering exists for the work of God to be seen.

Our Wesleyan roots tell us that yes suffering happens, but instead of dwelling on why; our focus is to focus on how… how it can become an opportunity to display the love and power of God.

Jesus displays healing power

He went on to explain it to them exactly what happened...

Theologians have offered many reasons to explain why Jesus healed as he did, Making it darker - dust of creation - but the point is, the man was blind and Jesus healed him.

God’s purpose of healing:

Our desire for understanding why won’t prevent us from suffering, but it might prevent us from seeing what to do.

There is a purpose of non-healing:

We tend to get focused on how God healed, but instead we should look at the healing is… a display of God’s love.

Sickness and suffering are opportunities for us to show the love and compassion of God

At camp this week… seeing kids who were desperate for connection…

John 9:13-34

The blind response

Are you open to God doing something in your life he hasn’t done before?

or do you need Jesus to stick to the script that you are familiar with?

They are so focused on their religion, on their pursuit of Jesus, they miss out on the opportunity to celebrate a miraculous healing...

They got so offended by the healed man’s testimony that they threw him out.

Church today not receiving those God is working in their life because

if we aren’t willing to take the healer out into our community, what does that say about me?

I’m blind…i’m wrong

Total healing only found in Jesus

He probably thought sitting there, if only I could see, my problems would be solved… but it actually brought on a whole other set of problems.

His healing led to his isolation spiritually… then Jesus steps in.

I remember when I had this realization.

It was November of 1996.

I remember praying, God if you would just fix my marriage....

But Jesus stepped in and said, I would but that would solve your real problem…Gary your real problem is a spiritual problem… you aren’t blind, but you have closed your eyes to what i’m trying to do in your life.

I had become blind.

Seeing yet blind spiritually

Man was blind physically and spiritually, but invited Jesus in

Pharisees were blind spiritually but not physically, they refused to invite Jesus in

Was invited by Terri M to come to Camp Fairlee on Friday night to help lead a worship service for the camp staff who can’t get to church on Sunday’s…it was great

We shared how the kids who come to camp there are so responsive to caring adults