|
INTRODUCTION
ILLUS: How many of you today have talked about your health to someone? “I have a headache”
“Got in the back” “Tired” “Cold.” We have a long prayer list of
health needs. Our health and the health of others is a major concern for us all.
Today’s text addresses some of the issues of the sicknesses of mankind and the sovereignty of
God. John’s Gospel records 7 miracles, this is miracle #6. Jesus is the Master over fate.
The healing of a man born blind.
TEXT: John 9:1-7
1. What is the Cause of Sickness? vs. 1-5
- One word answer: “Sin.” To the disciples it was “who sinned”
vs. 1,2
- Debate among Jews - it was believed that all sickness was a direct result of
someone’s specific sin. So who sinned? Was it his parents fault? Or did he sin
himself (in the womb)? Or did know God he will sin?
- Bible gives examples of both causes: Sickness because of specific sin:
- Children of Israel all died in wilderness because of unbelief Deut.
- Miriam got leprosy for rebelling against Moses Num. 12:10
- Jesus healed the man by the pool John 5:14 “you have become well, do
not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
- Paul tells the Corinthians to eat of the Lord’s Supper in worthy matter
because “Many are weak and sick, and a number sleep.”
- Be honest we can think of examples of sins that cause sickness and death
- Also examples of sickness because of the specific sins of parents:
- Ex.20:5 “visiting iniquity of fathers on the children”
- Nation of Israel - the parent’s sin often causes great suffering for
children, bondage to heathen nations, captivity in Babylon.
- Yet 2 Chronicles 25:4; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezekiel 18:20 “The person who
sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s
iniquity...the wickedness of the wicked will be upon them.”
- Who sinned? Where is the root cause? Sickness, pain, suffering, decay and death, are
first a result of the fall: “As in Adam all die...” (1 Cor 15:22)
We are made from dust (Psalm 103:14), and to dust we return (Gen. 3:19).
- No matter how careful or health conscience we are, no matter how advanced our medical
technology can become, sickness and death ultimately will claim our physical life. We
are thankful for medical advances which can prolong life - mine included, those
treatments can diminish suffering and pain. We should be careful about diet and exercise
also, but eventually “it is appointed for man to die once...” (Hebrews 9:27)
- What is the cause of sickness and suffering - generally sin in general.
- The disciples wanted to point blame, we really don’t have the right to point
blame. We are not God. Sometimes the sickness is a direct result of sin, other times sin
in general. We live in a fallen, sin cursed world.
QUOTE: In Hurtling Toward Oblivion by Richard Swenson: G.K.
Chesterton: “the doctrine of the fall is the one Christian belief that is
empirically verifiable.” Because our world is fallen there is at least
something wrong with everything, inherent defectiveness...There is moral evil caused
in human acts of wrong doing. There is natural evil - the negative consequences of
unexpected, unanticipated circumstances of life.”
ILLUS: Spafford Family. Song: “It is well with my soul” was written by
H. Spafford after the death of his 4 daughters in a mid-ocean ship collision.
Afterwards, their church blamed the disaster on their sin, and they were banished
from the church. Sad, unnecessary belief. In his hymn he notes what has happened to
our sin: “My sin, O, the bliss of this glorious thought, my sin, not in part
but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise
the Lord, O my soul.”
- We can safely say that sickness and suffering and death are results of the fall of
mankind, universal sin that plagues us in some form or other. We live in a fallen world.
- Then to make matters more confusing, we do the - Did God cause? Or Did God allow?
- I do believe God causes bad things to happen: Isaiah 45:7 “The One for light
and creating darkness; causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does
all these.”
Yet, I do believe God allows bad things to happen. Job 1 - God allowed Satan to inflict
Job. Yet, Job even said in 2:10 “shall we indeed accept good from God and not
accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
- From Job, the Spafford’s, maybe even crises in your life - we can see there is not
always a direct link between specific sin and sickness and suffering.
ILLUS: The hardest to answer is birth defects, like this man. Why? I think of little
Hope Catlett, defective heart and lungs... Life is so often unfair.
- But is there a definitive answer? We want something to settle our mind. Look at Jesus’
words. His words go beyond cause and effect to conclusion vs. 3-5
- The concern for Jesus “this sickness is an occasion for God to work”
- Our human tendency is to focus backwards to the cause, Jesus’ concern is to look
forward, putting God’s power on display for man’s benefit. Our crises are
circumstances for God’s compassion. Our sicknesses are situations for God’s
service to us. How can we honor God in this?
- 2 Cor. 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you for power is perfected in
weakness.” In our weaknesses Christ’s power is strongly made evident.
- v. 4 This miracle that Jesus was willing to do showed His compassion, was a
teachable moment to the disciples to show them the urgency of His ministry. v. 5
Jesus is the light of the world, this miracle He gives physical light to a blind man, He
gives eternal light to sinners.
- That was an attempt to answer the unanswerable - Jesus’ answer helped.
- I trust this helped you. But honestly, I still don’t like pain.
- What is your pain? Your sicknesses? Your suffering?
- Instead of looking back, look forward - How God can you be honored? How can you help me
through this? How can you help my family?
- What do you want to do in my life, life of my family, my church?
2. What is the Cure for Sickness? Vs. 6-7
- In this case, unique means - Jesus made the clay and put it on his eyes, sent the man to
the Pool Siloam to wash.
- Imagine first time in his life he saw... “came back seeing.” Clearly
a miracle - rest of text is the controversy.
- Miracles clearly show Jesus’ compassion, and how the will of God ruled this
man’s life, even from birth. This man’s mission in life was to be a
testimony of the power and love of God.
- What is the cure for sickness and suffering? Always divine intervention.
- Our health is a concern to God. As with all life, He is perfectly sovereign over health
and sickness, life and death (Deut. 32:39). God has done miraculous healings:
Old Testament, Life of Christ, ministry of apostles.
- We believe God is still in the healing business - work miracles, made our bodies to heal
themselves often, given doctors abilities to help us. The ultimate cure for our
sicknesses is taking us home to heaven.
QUOTE: Philip Yancy, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, “In
short, there is no magic cure for a person in pain. Mainly, such a person needs
love, for love instinctively detects what is needed.” (Why Would a
good God Allow Suffering, RBC, 29)
QUOTE: Martin DeHaan “We cry out for complete answers. God offers Himself
instead.”(Ibid)
- Sickness and suffering, pain and perplexity needs divine intervention, we need God to
step in and work His power and compassion. That is why we pray, ask for prayer, seek
support among fellow Christians.
ILLUS: We have been through a lot, but there are many great people we have loved who
are fully healed today in heaven.
SONG: “What a day that will be when the face of Jesus I will see, when I look
upon His face, the One who saved me by His grace. Then He will take me by the hand
and lead me to the promise land, what a day, glorious day that will be.”
“Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King...”
- The Lord can come anytime - today would be Ok - Business Meeting…
CONCLUSION
Jesus is the Light of the world. Physical blindness is a terrible thing. Spiritual blindness is far
worse, so many people are still blind to the truth.
ILLUS: Over the noon hour at 12:30 p.m. I often walk on treadmill, and watch some TV. There
is a weekly show on 11.3 PBS called “Closer to Truth” by Robert Lawrence Kuhn.
He interviews people to figure out truth about the Cosmos - where we came from, (one day he
talked about black holes, and another day he talked about the possibility of time travel);
Consciousness - how we think; and God - is there a God, who is God, can we know God? Poor
guy can’t figure it all out. He is spending a lot of money and time asking questions
but not coming up with many answers. He might be an atheist or agonistic, I am not sure, but
I think he is trying to be religious - at least every week he concludes his program by
saying he is “closer to truth.”
Jesus saw a blind man, and gave him sight. Didn’t bring him closer to light, He gave him light.
Jesus doesn’t bring us closer to truth, He gives us truth.
John 14:6 “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except by Me.”
Theme of the Gospel of John: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, who
brings us light, love and life.”
|
