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Q & A OVERCOME THE WORLD IN HIS GRACE

John0938qa.txt
John: 9:26 - 41
Key Verse: 9:38

1.Read verses 26-27. What was their persistent question?

Verse 26, “Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” They continually asked him about the miracle Jesus did on his eyes, refusing to accept his answer. This question will be asked 4 times in chapter 9. They wanted the man to condemn Jesus as a law breaker.

How did the man born blind challenge the Pharisees?

The man born blind simply told the truth and because he stood on the truth he was able to give strong answers. He did not understand why the Pharisees kept repeating the same question over and over when he had already answered it. He replied in verse 27, rebuking the Pharisees, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” They were asking the question again and again for nefarious purposes. The man gave what seems like a sarcastic or cheeky answer.

Why do you think he was so courageous?

He knew Jesus as the light of the world. He had received Jesus’ grace personally and it was the center of his life. Therefore he was strong because he simply relied on the truth of Jesus. When we rely on the truth of Jesus we can overcome the world.

What was his attitude toward life?

He had a clear identity as a disciple of Jesus. Also he asked them if they wanted to become disciples, which meant that he had already made a decision. The man realized that he was not healed just so he could live a normal life, but as a recipient of Jesus’ grace. Our lives are saved by grace from Jesus so our lives are for Jesus. Just like Paul who saw his new life purpose as a tool to preach to the Gentiles.

2.Read verses 28-34. When they kept on asking the same question, how did he answer?

The man simply told the truth. In verse 30,”The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from but he opened my eyes.” The Pharisees claimed to know about God because they were disciples of Moses, they tried to go to the higher ground of tradition. The man pointed out their lack of knowing about Jesus, even though they were the religious experts. Here the man is talking initiative because he is standing on the truth of Jesus’ grace.

What did he teach them?

The man taught the Pharisees about the Messiah. The man was teaching the Pharisees to see the clues as to who Jesus was from their own words. Verse 31, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the Godly man who does his will.” The man concluded in verse 33, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” If Jesus were not from God, he could not have done miraculous signs. The man in a sense put the Pharisee’s on trial, he was now teaching them. He knew what he believed, but what did the Pharisees believe?

How did they react?

The Pharisees were proud and refused to acknowledge Jesus’ miracle in healing the blind man and also refused to acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah. So in their anger they condemned the man as a sinner from birth and threw him out, excommunicated him from the Community. This was an unfair trial with an illogical conclusion. Man who had blind eyes from birth healed = sinner. Strange indeed.

Why?

Instead of repenting and accepting Jesus as the Messiah, they had been waiting for, they became angry and unreasonable. They tried to silence the truth by threatening to remove anyone who believed that Jesus was the Christ.

3.Read verses 35-38. How did Jesus help this man receive spiritual sight?

Jesus went to the man and introduced himself. He told the man that he was the Messiah. Verse 35 says, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Verse 36,“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. Tell me so that I may believe in him.” Jesus helped the man by believing in the Messiah. Here the man was more than healed just to life a new life, he met Jesus personally, he gained spiritual sight.

What did the man learn about Jesus?

In verse 37, “Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” The man learned that Jesus, standing in front of him was the Messiah. At first it looked like the man lost everything, his family, his community, his church, even his old job of begging. But he gained one important thing. Knowing Jesus as the Messiah personally.

Why did he worship Jesus?

Because he saw God in Jesus. Worship is more than an action or mental state but an expression of love and commitment. Only God can open the eyes of the blind and also the Messiah was foretold to be able to do this. The man realized who Jesus truly was and worshipped him.

What can we learn from this man about how to receive spiritual sight?

We can receive spiritual sight from Jesus when we believe, publically confess, and worship Jesus. When we remember the saving and calling grace as a reason to worship. The man’s life took a definite, obvious change when he began to believe in Jesus. Then he could receive spiritual sight because he knew who the Messiah was.

4.Read verses 39-41. What did Jesus say about the meaning of his coming into the world?

In verse 39, “Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Jesus testified that healing was not his primary mission, but so that those who were sinners could be saved and those who do not repent of their rebellion against God, would be judged. That the blind would see, and those who could see would be blind.

In what way were the Pharisees blind?

They were blind because they were the religious leaders, the shepherds of their time, and should have been waiting for the Messiah. The religious leaders thought they could see, but couldn’t. They did not believe in Jesus because of their selfishness, so they were blind to the way of God’s salvation and blind to spiritual matters.

What did Jesus teach them?

The Pharisees threw the man out and accused him of being a sinner from birth because of his eyes, but Jesus here introduces the real sin problem of being spiritually blind and not recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. Opening your eyes is not a intellectual issue. And that Jesus is the measure of life, not politics or tradition, but the Lord, the Messiah is the measure in which we judge all things.

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