Now I See

Gary Russell

My eyes are open • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

0 ratings

· 13 views

Notes

Transcript

A few days ago I was watching my favorite movie The Matrix. It is in its deepest sense to me, a Christian allegory. But, one particular scene Neo the hero of the trilogy has just been awakened from his sedated dream prison and as he opens his eyes he says, “why do my eyes hurt?” too which he received the answer, “you’ve never used them before.” This is how faith in Jesus is. At one point you may see the world in certain way but once you meet Jesus you will for the first time see things the way they truly are and how they can truly be.

It takes Jesus to allow us to see ourselves as God sees us, and it takes Jesus to see God as he truly is. I once heard someone say that perspective is everything. You either see things positive or negative, You either see the class half full or you see it half empty. And God is inviting us to not only see things the way that they are, but by faith and trust to see things they way that they can be. Because no matter what we face or what we go through its not always gonna be this way. You need to know today that with God things can and will get better. And in order to see that in the natural you are going to have to see that in the spiritual.

And I wonder if there is anyone watching me right now who knows what its like to have Jesus change your perspective on life.

At first you couldn’t see yourself as free from addiction but now you can’t

see yourself as unique....now you see your fearfully and wonderfully made

see yourself becoming anything…but now you see you were made for a purpose

see yourself as special…but now you see you were bought with price

1. We Misunderstand of our Trials (v.1-5)

So here is the consensus: if you do good, good will follow and if you do bad, bad will follow. This is true, but it doesn’t happen like that all the time. (give history and context the disciples question) Sometimes things will happen of no consequence of your own. You can literally be walking down the street, minding your own business trying to get home to see the ball game and some idiot kill you because you looks suspicious in a hoodie. Or, sometimes you can be minding your own business relocating from one point of the country to the other, get stopped by police for a traffic violation and never make it out the precinct alive. Was that a little too deep? Ok. Sometimes you can be minding your own business living your life in service to the Lord and find out that you have a deadly diseases. You can be living your life, showing up to work every day only to get to work to find that today is your last day because the company is relocating to another country and now you are out of a job. These are real life situations that didn’t happen because you or they or your parents or their parents sinned it happened because life is full of swift transitions.

But, here is where the problem is. People like Jesus disciples, or should I say especially people who call themselves disciples are quick to pass judgment on you and assume that you are getting just what you deserve. These are the people who are supposed to be a helping hand in your time of need but here they call themselves “being smart” as my mom would say, and asking Jesus about this man’s person and family life. And Jesus’ response is classic. He doesn’t discount they the man or his parent are far from perfect but here in this situation God has simply set this man aside so that he could be the recipient of a miracle. God had already planned to use this man’s situation as example of how God can work in your life. In other words Church, Your minor setback is a set up for a major comeback. Jesus tells them its not our job to know why people are struggling but we must do the work while there is still time to do work. Or we must help people as long as we can because there will come a day when we can’t any longer and by that time it’s too late.

2. Miracles should bring Transformation (v.6-9)

So Jesus spits on the ground makes clay or mud and then puts in on the man’s eyes. First thing I think is, “uuh Jesus” why didn’t you just say the word like you did with Bartimaues? But I did a little digging and found that back in these times, the Jews actually believe that saliva was medicinal for blindness and that it could sooth itching eyes. Yeah, so when Jesus spits he is communicating something to his audience that he is about to do something. This leads me to believe that Jesus can heal with a word, and if he can heal with a word he can heal with spit, and if he can heal with spit he can heal with surgery, medicine, and counseling. It is all up to Him but it is always Him at work. This miracle takes on more shape and meaning because its not the first time God has worked with dirt. (preach this)

Now the miracle has to be more than a onetime act and then you’re back to your mess. There is also an element of obedience here and literally “walking by faith and not by sight”. He can’t see Jesus be he trusts Him. It has to be transformative to the point that the people who once saw you down don’t recognize you because now you’ve been with Jesus. When people see how God has blessed you they should have trouble believing it’s you even though they know it’s you. Now I know I should get a few amens from the at least a few brothers on this illustration. This may come as a surprise but I wasn’t the tallest person in grade school. In fact for a while I was short amongst the entire grade and class. But, where it really bothered me I was shorter than all of the girls. And I admit, it took a toll on me for a while, and I adapted. What I lacked in height I made up for in charisma and comedy. That was my life for a long time. Oh, but one summer the Lord smiled on me. And that next school year, I showed up and all of a sudden I was bigger than the girls, had a little bass in my voice, had a little breadth in my shoulders, had a little hair on my face. And I can remember walking the halls and hearing people who I hadn’t seen since last year say, “is that Gary” I say, who else could it be. Well God, has smiled on you too, and when God blesses you he will leave them speechless at how blessed you are. They see you no longer sagging your pants and they are speechless, they see you saved and get speechless, they see you…(run here)

3. The Ministry of our Testimony (v.10-12)

The man impresses me here. He does so because he doesn’t keep it to himself when asked about his new found sight. He takes the first opportunity he has to tell them about the Who of his vision. (read v.10-11a and exegete) (Run with “the man called Jesus”)

And if Jesus has done all this for you, and you can tell the world to “look at me now” but not so they just see you be so that they know it was because of God’s grace that you are where you are. You need to tell somebody that:

When I was depressed Jesus was my psychologist

When my head was low and by back was bent Jesus stood me up and was my Chiropractor

When I was paralyzed in my shame Jesus was my physical therapist and picked me up turned me around, placed my feet on solid ground

When I needed to change my mind Jesus was my Neurologist

When my heart was broken Jesus was my Cardiologist

When I didn’t love the skin I was in Jesus was my Dermatologist

When I felt I couldn’t walk in life’s journeys Podiatrist

When I wasn’t strong enough to handle the of the world Jesus was my Orthopedic specialist

When I was blind and could not see Jesus was my Optometrist

When I couldn’t exhale the spirit of God Jesus was my Pulmonologist

And when I was dead to sin and needed to be re-born Jesus was my Obstetrician

The Messiah, that great physician named Jesus gave us the ultimate healing on Calvary’s cross for Isaiah says

Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed.

Look at me Now.

(Take it too the cross) At the cross

Related Media

Related Sermons