Benefits of the Son of God
no. 26
Given Eyes That We Might
See
Rev. Brian Kocourek
Prayer,
25) The Twenty fifth benefit or promise of God to us concerning our believing in
His Son is that we are given eyes to see. We will take the entire ninth
chapter of John for our text this morning. As we read from St. John Chapter
nine, I would like to make my comments
as we proceed through out the chapter.
JOHN 9:1 ¶ And
as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2 And his
disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents,
that he was born blind?
Let’s just stop here for a moment to think about
what these disciples were saying? Notice that these disciples are assuming that
since this man is blind that someone had to be at fault to cause this
blindness. Isn’t that the way people think? Why is it that people are always
looking for fault somewhere. If a person is a little bit different than
everyone else, people want to label that person as off, or not right, or some
name that is disparaging, instead of just being willing to give them a helping
hand.
I believe it was Pavlov the behavioral scientist
that did experiments with animals to see if he could initiate a reaction from
the animal. We have all heard of Pavlov’s dog’s where he would get the dog to
respond to a certain stimulus by rewarding its behaviour with a positive reward
or a negative reward such as a shock. Today they sell a product that trains a
dog to stay in the yard by placing a collar around its neck and if it goes near
the perimeter that has been marked out with electrodes, it receives a shock to
its body which reinforces the dog to stay within the limits of the confined
area.
He also placed a red dot on chickens and found that
if you placed such a dot on a chicken the others would peck it to death. And
that is they way of human nature or the carnal nature of man as well. Let a man
rise up that is a bit different than the pack and they will not receive that
man no matter what God does through that man. And let’s face it, when God is
using a man he is going to be very different from the rest. And the usual
response is like dogs or chickens, the people want to peck that man to
death. Usually it is because they are
afraid themselves, and so they hide within their circle of comfort. The trouble
is, that God usually sends men along that speak in such a way as to destroy
that comfort zone because it is contrary to God’s word. God alone should be our
comfort, and therefore when men build to themselves their organizations, they
do so because they do not trust the comfort of God’s word, and thus they try to
build for themselves a way of ensuring they themselves will be kept safe.
And so we see the disciples looking at this blind
man and then making statements that point to works as their comfort zone. They
are thinking law, and thus when they se a man blind, they automatically think
that he or one of his parents must have done something that resulted in this
man’s blindness. But I want you to look at Jesus answer to such thinking.
Notice what Jesus says, and then I want you to catch the message behind those
words of Jesus.
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: (In
other words, no boys you are wrong, it was not what he did nor what His parents
did that He was born in this condition) but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Now, he did not say that this man was born in this
condition that the works of God should be manifest to him, but that the works of God should be manifested in Him. In other words, this man
was born in the condition he was born for one purpose and that is that the
works of God should be made manifest IN him. Now, the word manifest that Jesus
said that God would do in Him is translated from the Greek word phaneroo. And
that word means to manifest in one’s true character. Now, I want you to notice
how the works of God manifest in this man as we follow the story further. Jesus
just got done explaining that the man was born in a certain condition that God
may work the work of God in this
man, not to this man. You see there
is a difference. If the works were to the man then the work would be the making
him see physically. But the work of God goes way beyond the outward appearance
right down deep into the recesses of the heart and soul.
Now, Jesus continues, 4 I must work the works of him that sent me,
(so we see here that Jesus is not about to do something that he himself wants
to do, but he is about to do something that God alone, the one that sent Him,
wants him to do.)
while it is day: the night cometh, when
no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world. That
is why we are told that if we walk in the light as He is in the Light we have
fellowship together, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all sin or
unbelief. But what if He is not in the world? Then the world is full of
darkness. And what if we claim to be following Him, but we are not in His
Presence? Then we are not walking in the light, and therefore we are in
darkness.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of
the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, Now,
remember, Jesus is not doing what he thinks should be done. He is doing what
God showed Him to do. He said the Son can of Himself do nothing, but whatsoever
the Son seeth the Father do, that doeth the Son likewise. So the Father showed
him to make the clay from his spit.
Now, that is not something you or I would ever dare
to think of doing on our own for fear that people would think we are nuts or
just a filthy person. Who would think in their natural mind that to spit onto
the ground will be good for healing? On the contrary, if someone spits we are
afraid that the spot where they spit is full of germs and perhaps disease. And
we would not step in it much less reach down and pinch it together with our
fingers and place into the eyes of one who is blind. Can you imagine what must
have been going on in the minds of the disciples as they watched this scene
enfold. Can you imagine the thoughts of the people who were standing there as
they watched this man Jesus spit and then put that spit mixed with dust and dirt
that perhaps dogs and animals had walked on into the eyes of this poor blind
man?
I can think of all the accusations that must have
been going on in their minds, and I can also think of all the things that satan
no doubt was whispering into the ear of Jesus as he was acting out what His
Father told Him to do.
Ooh!!!! Gross, how filthy, ohhh!!! That poor man
doesn’t even know what this man Jesus is putting into his eyes. Or perhaps this
man heard Jesus Spit on the ground, and then felt this wet mud go into his
eyes. What do you think he was thinking? I am sure the hoards of hell were
shouting into the ears and hearts of many people that were eye witness to this
scene that on the outward appearance looked to be a filthy act by this man
Jesus taking advantage of this poor blind man.
And yet Jesus didn’t flinch one bit knowing the
thoughts and intents of their hearts, but he proceeded with the instruction God
had given him by vision, and reached down into that dirt and spit, and pinched
a wad of it and molded it in his fingers and made clay out of it and placed it
in the mans eyes.
Oh, how, contrary to mans way of thinking the Holy
Ghost will make a man to do things in such a way that it is just so contrary to
what man himself would do.
7 And said unto him, Go; wash
in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation, Sent. He went his way
therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Now, what if this man had not obeyed Jesus command
to go wash in the pool of shiloam. What if he would have tried to rub that out
of his eyes, and thought that Jesus was just making fun of Him? Do you think he
would have been healed?
8 ¶ The neighbors therefore, and they which
before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and
begged? 9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. 10 Therefore said
they unto him, How were thine eyes
opened? 11 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.
Now, notice this man was aware that Jesus made the
clay, and to make the clay he must have heard him spit and then place that clay
into his eyes. But something was working in that man to take that what would
seem like a disgraceful thing and accept it as the Lord’s doing. Something was
at work within this man for Jesus said, that this man was born blind that the
works of God might be manifested IN
him.
So we must ask ourselves what is the works of God? Back
in John chapter 6 the people asked Jesus this same question.
John 6: 28Then said they
unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
So we see here that when they asked Jesus why this
man was blind and they tried to lay the fault on someone he said, it is not for
a fault that he is blind, but rather that the works of God might be manifested IN him.
And we see that the works of God is to believe on Him whom God has sent.
So the works or believing of God was in Him, and Jesus said that the
very purpose for his condition was to manifest that belief IN him.
Now, the word manifest means to make known or
manifest in ones true character, and thus this man when he was manifested to be
a true believer, it was made known outwardly to all.
Once God does the work of God in you and you
profess your belief outwardly, then comes the
test. Now, as we read the next few verse
of scripture we see how this man himself was put to the test and we also see
that it was not only his eyes physically that were opened but his spiritual
eyesight as well. Now, watch the test unfold here. And notice that the test is
never just to the person being tested but the pressure also comes down on their
loved ones which puts even more pressure on the person being tested, because
not only are you involved with the test but others that you love must also
suffer on your account making the pressure upon you even greater. But that test is given to prove that you are genuine and is actually given for the
purpose of being approved.
I PETER 1:6 ¶ Wherein ye greatly rejoice,
though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and
honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Let me read this to you from the Wuest translation
because the wording for this passage is very concise and perfect for this day
in which we live. “In
which last season you are to be constantly rejoicing with a joy that expressed
itself in a triumphant exuberance, although for a little while at the present
time if perchance there is a need for it, you have been made sorrowful in the
midst of many different kinds of testings in order that the approval of your
faith, which faith was examined by testing
for the purpose of being approved, that approval being much more precious
than the approval of gold which perishes , even though that gold be approved by
fire testing, may be discovered after
scrutiny to result in praise and glory and honor at the time of the revelation
of Jesus Christ; …
So you see the trial is for the purpose of
approval. He said we would not be tested beyond that which we could endure, so
therefore the trials and tests are for the purpose of approval. Now, let’s look
at the tests and trials that proved the quality of this son of God who was
given sight both physically and spiritually.
12 Then said they (the neighbors) unto him, Where is
he? (speaking of the Christ, the Son of God) He said, I know not. (now, notice the
testing does not stop with just the neighbors )13 ¶ They brought to the Pharisees him that
aforetime was blind. 14 And it was the
Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15 Then again the
Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He
put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 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. 17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of
him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 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. 19 And they
asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth
he now see? 20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our
son, and that he was born blind: 21 But by what means he now seeth, we know
not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall
speak for himself. 22 These words spake his parents, because 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.
Notice that this man is tested first by his
neighbors, and then by the Pharisees and Jews, and then his parents are
subjected to his trial, to see if he will react to the shame and pressure
placed upon his loved ones, and so we se that the man is tested in every way to
see if he will break or not, but knowing by election that he will not break,
for no trial can be placed upon us that is greater than what we are able to
endure, always remember that.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. 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. 25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner
or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26
Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27
He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would
ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? In other words, this man
gets right down to motive, and says basically what is your motive, why are you
asking me these questions, why do you make this blessing to me an ordeal, what
is your motive, and so in an offhanded way he asks them if their motive is to
be a disciple of Jesus knowing that they will become irritated with this and
throw him out for asking the question.
28 Then they reviled him, (that means they
vilified him, which means they tried to make him a criminal himself.)and said, Thou art
his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. (You can’t be Moses
disciple because you are Jesus Disciple, but we have Moses, yeah right they
think they do but they don’t. ) 29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we
know not from whence he is. (And just like man always praising God
for what he has done, but failing to see what God is doing today.) 30 The man answered
and said unto them, Why herein is a
marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened
mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a
worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that
any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not
of God, he could do nothing. (This is one of my favorite passages of
scripture because we see this humble man standing up to the big shot Pharisees
who think they have all the answers and this man makes minced meat out of them.
He plainly is saying, You guys think you are so smart and yet a man comes along
and does what has never been done before since the world began and you don’t
know by whose power he is doing it? You might claim to be of Moses but you are
idiots.)
Now, notice that when they can not answer by
scripture they always attack the character.
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they
cast him out.
Now, notice then what Jesus does, and what question
he asks the man? 35
¶ Jesus heard that they had cast him
out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who
is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that
talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord,
I believe. And he worshipped him. Right
there he passed the test.
39 ¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might
see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the
Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye
should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Now, this is where I wanted to get to in this
message this morning. Notice that the Presence of the Lord is to bring sight to
those in darkness and darkness to those who think they have the light. What I
see in this Message as with any age that proceeded before us is that when God
comes on the scene, he always goes to those who are of a humble and contrite
spirit and opens the eyes of the humble. But those with proud and arrogant
spirits, He shuts their eyes, lest seeing he would have to heal them.
MATTHEW
So the whole thing does not boil down to what they
hear or see, but rather what understanding they get from what they hear and
see, because it all comes down to whether they are converted by what they hear
and see or not. And that means it all comes down to whether what they see and
hear brings about a new birth and an infilling of the Spirit of God. “For what man can
know the things of God except the spirit of God be in Him,” 1Cor 1
In Ephesians
Now, let’s continue…16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and
your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and
righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen
them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. 18 Hear
ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the
kingdom, and understandeth it not,
then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.
In other words, unless you hear it and understand
it and are converted by what you hear and understand, then what you heard will
not last and you will loose it. That is why we have so many that follow the
message and yet have not a clue what they are following. And yet when you look
at those people at one time they seemed to have something, but today they have
very little if anything at all concerning the message.
This is he which received
seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the
same is he that heareth the word, and
anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for
a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by
and by he is offended. (Now, this word offended was
translated from a Greek word that means to stumble at, and also means to come
to the place of distrust, and thus to become hindered and fall away) 22 He also that received seed among the thorns
is he that heareth the word; and the
care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he
becometh unfruitful. (Now, this is the saddest condition because
it is not the Word itself that offends them, but they are so carried away with
materialism that they loose sight of the word and it becomes choked off and
produces nothing in them.) 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth
[it]; (notice that not only do they hear it but they understand
it, and because they genuinely understand it, it does something to them and
within them… they produce fruit, and we know the fruit is the teaching of the
season, so this produces in them what the season calls for.) which also beareth
fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
In Noah’s day the fruit of believing God’s message
was to build an ark. In Moses day it was to follow that Pillar of fire not only
out but into the land of promise. And in this day it is to produce in us
adoption qualities and characteristics fit for being adopted and given a
glorified body.
So you see, the Word is to have an effect upon us.
It is to produce in us the manifestation of the works of God which is an
evident token that we have not only heard but have become effectually changed by what we heard and seen. Those that
heard and truly believe are those who will understand and will also produce a
fruit that is to manifest in and for the season which they live. Outside of that you can talk it all you want
and say you believe it all you want but just saying it doesn’t make it
so…Unless that Word becomes alive in you and you are being transformed by the
renewing of your mind, you are not even born again, and the word has had not
effect upon you. Then you are still lost in your sin.
39 ¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might
see; and that they which think they see, might be made blind. 40 And some
of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye
should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin (unbelief)
remaineth.
Let’s bow our hearts and heads in a word of prayer.
Dear Father we are thankful for your Word today knowing
that Your word is a seed and therefore within your word is Life, eternal Life,
Your very own life. Thank you Father for releasing your Life upon us through
the reading and hearing of your Word, and thank you for breaking open that Seed
of Your Word to us today that Your Life might come into manifestation in and
through us by the understanding which you have released from your Seed
Word. Grant to us Father a special
endowment of your Knowledge knowing that Grace and Peace are multiplied to us
through the knowledge of You oh God and of your Son Jesus Christ amen.