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
throughout 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 w3ants
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 one’s 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 verses
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 cannot 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 us before 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
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 lose 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.