"Responding To Life's Circumstances"
John 9:1-41
TEXT: John 9:1-16; 24-25
INTRO. How do you respond to life? Each one of us decides with what kind of spirit we will go through life: Critical, complaining, condemnatory, or celebrating! Too many times we find ourselves fitting into one of the first three categories instead of falling into the last which should be the earmark of every Christian! The apostle Paul declared in Philippians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, rejoice." Paul uses two interesting Greek words there. First, "Chairo", our word "rejoice," which means "to be cheerful, calm, happy." And "En Panti Kairo," our word "alway" which means "in every season and at all times." Thus we can rejoice at all times in the LORD!
In John 9, we see a great miracle which Jesus performed on a man that had been blind from birth. Blindness in the Scripture in a picture of spiritual darkness-being in darkness instead of in the Light. Jesus had previously declared in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Our LORD was trying to show the people that though they thought they had light, in reality they were walking in darkness. The blind man, like all the rest of us, is blind to the power and presence of God until Jesus, The Light of the World, reveals God who is able to cure our spiritual darkness!
Jesus by spitting on the ground, making clay with the spittle, anointing the eyes of the blind man, and sending him to the Pool of Siloam to wash, healed the man of his blindness. But it was not the spittle, the clay, the anointing, or the washing in the pool which restored the man's sight. But the obedience and faith on the man's part! If he had not followed the command of Jesus, he would have remained blind!
This miracle of Jesus, recorded only in the Gospel of John, shows us also the blind man's reception among his friends, family, and the Pharisees. It suggests that there are four different ways to respond to life. Which best describes you?
WE CAN BE:
(1)A Nit-Picker
John 9:8-16
- THE PERSONALITY OF NIT-PICKERS. A nit-picker is always noting what is wrong with something rather than what is right! They never can enjoy anything, especially anything with a flaw in it! Many people have the knack of nit-picking down so competently that they feel they must demonstrate their skills on every situation in their lives! We are all human! We all have flaws! We all make mistakes! Let us not throw a spotlight on our mistakes and failures, but by love rejoice in each other's triumphs and victories! Ephesians 4:31-32—“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” 1 Corinthians 13:7—“[charity] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”
B. THE PURPOSE OF NIT-PICKERS (v16). The nit-pickers in John's
story are the Pharisees at their first interrogation of the blind man.
Instead of rejoicing at the great miracle of the man's regained sight,
they can only focus on the how, why, and when the miracle was
performed! An accomplished nit-picker can destroy any celebration.
Statements such as, "the new sanctuary looks wonderful. Of course,
we'll probably never grow enough to fill it or pay for it!" "Our music is
good, but I wish so and so wouldn't sing so many songs or would sing
less songs." "Preacher, you preached a fine sermon, if only you'd cut it
a little shorter." Deflating people's joy, tarnishing great triumphs-
that's what nit-pickers do best!
ILLUS. There are two kinds of people in the world-ducks and eagles:
The ducks are always quacking, always quarreling, always
complaining, always blaming others for their plight, finding
every reason in the book why things can't and won't work.
Then there are the eagles. The eagles soar above the crowd
and go for it. (1).
"We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time
words of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer have kept people on
their feet. Blessed is the one who speaks such a word."--William
Barclay (2).
Proverbs 25:11—“A word fitly spoken islike apples of gold in pictures
of silver.”
Ephesians 4:29—“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your
mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
(2)A Wound-Licker
John 9:17-23
- THE PROBLEM OF WOUND-LICKERS. Do you remember as a child getting a mosquito bite or a small scratch and your parents saying, "Now, don't pick at that"? They had to keep telling us that because the inclination is to scratch or pick at the wound. But by doing so, infection easily sets in. The Pharisees in John 9:18 called the man's parents as possible witnesses to what had happened. By so doing, they were being Wound-Lickers. They could not leave the situation alone, but kept returning to it, trying to find same imagined wrong! Many times in this life we do the same, by bringing up past hurts or wrongs and then dwelling on them! Until we can forget the past and go on, the past will continue to haunt US! Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14—“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing Ido, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
- THE PURPOSE OF WOUND-LICKERS. Wound-lickers have a knack of
stirring up problems. They feel as if they have been appointed by God
Himself to bring up people’s past failures, sins, and hurts. To keep picking at the wound!
ILLUS. Let us consider the difference between Wound-Lickers and
Wounded-Lovers. Wounded-lovers allow a scar to form, and
that scar becomes holy ground; wound-lickers only keep it a
scab, and then keep picking at it. Until it becomes raw, oozing,
stinking, and whereby it can infect the whole body! (3).
Hebrews 12:14-15—“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man
fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”
I have never seen so many hurt and bitter Christians as we see in these
days! The littlest of things hurt them or causes them to be bitter!
Bitterness is Sin (Psalm 66:18)! And it must be forsaken! Dad always
told us boys, "If you walk around with a chip on your shoulder someone
will knock it off!" In other words, forget it and go on! The Pharisees in
John's account didn't realize by re-opening the wound they were just
showing themselves as they really were (v18)!
"It's easier to say what someone else should do than it is to be what
someone else should be."--Kenneth L. Wilson (4).
(3)Goodness-Sakers
John 9:24-34
- THE VISION OF GOODNESS-SAKERS. Goodness-sakers are the self-appointed crusaders for righteousness. They consider themselves-and want all the rest of us to know-they are super-spiritual! Galatians 6:3—“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” The Pharisees haughtily proclaim their relationship to Moses as a sign of spiritual superiority (v28). But little do they realize that they are just as blind as the blind man was when it comes to spiritual things! The goodness-sakers are those who are notorious for saying, "For good-ness sake, why doesn't somebody do something." Or "For goodness sake, look at what they're doing (or not doing)".
- THE VERDICT OF GOODNESS-SAKERS. The Pharisees called again for the man that was blind, saying, "Give God the praise..." which is a Jewish “swearing in”at court. But they "the judges" prejudiced everybody from the start! “We know that this man is a sinner!" (v24). It is not our place to put ourselves in judgment of others! Only God can seethe heart! We must first consider our own selves!
Matthew 7:1-5—“Judgenot,thatyebenotjudged. Forwithwhat
judgmentyejudge,yeshallbejudged:andwithwhatmeasureye
mete,itshallbemeasured to you again. Andwhybeholdestthou
themotethatisinthybrother'seye,butconsiderestnotthebeam
thatisinthine owneye? Orhowwiltthousaytothybrother,Let
mepull outthemoteout ofthineeye;and,behold,abeamisin
thineowneye? Thouhypocrite,firstcast outthebeamoutofthine
owneye;andthenshaltthousee clearlytocast outthemoteout
ofthybrother'seye.”
If we were all busy with the LORD'S work as we should be; we would
have little time to condemn others. And more Lime to continue in
prayer for them! "Before you criticize another Christian, tell him how
much you love him and you may have second thoughts about your first
thoughts."--William J. Johnson (5).
(4)Arm-Wavers
John 9:35-38
- THE BLESSINGS OF ARM-WAVERS. Thank God that besides the nit-pickers, wound-lickers, and goodness-sakers, there are the arm-wavers! These are the people who celebrate victories and lend support in times of defeat! Romans 12:15—“Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” These are the Pastor's Joy, whereas the nit-pickers, wound-lickers, and goodness-sakers give him many hours or hurt and headaches!
- THE BASIS OF ARM-WAVING. It is not that the arm-wavers don't see all the imperfections in life, but that they focus on all the beauty that surrounds the flaws instead of on the flaws themselves! Philippians 4:11—“...For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." It is almost beyond belief that there have been no arm-wavers in this account until now! We see a stunning miracle-a man blind since birth given back his sight-yet no one celebrates! Not his neighbors who are doubtful. Nor his parents who are worried about religious and legal ramifications. Nor the Pharisees who see it as threatening and foreboding! Not until the man himself realizes who Jesus is and what His presence means do we see celebration! When this man realizes who Jesus is, then he worships Him(v38)! The word "worshipped" in the Greek means "to prostrate oneself before," in other words, "to kneel and worship"! All of us should be arm-wavers for each other! Hebrews 12:12—“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” This is our duty to each other! This the strength of our Church!
ILLUS. In Exodus 17:11-12, we see the conflict with Amalek at
Rephidim, when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and
when he let them down Amalek prevailed. After a time Moses'
hands grew heavy, so they took a stone and set him upon it.
Aaron set on one side and Hur on the other side and held up
his hands thus his hands remained steady. We need people
today who are willing to encourage instead of discourage
others!
Deacons, your pastor needs your support. Our Sunday School teachers
need the support of those in their classes. Our members need the
support of each other. We all need to pray for each other, encourage
one another and love one another! Paul told the Church at Philippi in
Philippians 1:27—“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the
gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I
may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
CLOSING:Are you a nit-picker, wound-licker, goodness-saker, or an arm-
waver? We need more arm-wavers! 1 Corinthians 12:26 tells us,
"and whether one suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one
member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” Will your be an
encourager or a discourager? The choice is yours! How will you
respond to Life's circumstances?
When we die people tend to remember us for the things in our lives
which are most dominate. What will people remember about you?
A critical, condemning spirit? or A rejoicing, encouraging one?
NOTES: 1. Stan Purdum. Homiletics. Volume 5. Number 1. January-March
1993. Pg. 50.
2. Purdum. Pg. 50.
3. Purdum. Pg. 50.
4. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations~Contemporary &
Classical. Pg. 20.
5.Wells. Pg. 20.