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good morning everyone a couple of announcements before we begin worship this morning first just a reminder for anyone who's was able to come if you're here at the evening service tonight and you're you're able to come to the Lynnwood him sing we're doing that after the evening service so some have offered to make sandwiches and soups that will have sandwiches soup coffee water and other stuff upstairs after tonight's evening service and then with about maybe around just after 650 around 650 we're gonna clean up some stuff and then head over to the Lynwood it starts at 7 o'clock for anyone who's done it or who hasn't done it before what we do is we go and we we read a few passages from the Scriptures we sing some hymns you know the old folks over there at this time of year excited for Christmas so we like to bring some truth with regards to the coming of Christ into the world to save sinners to them share with them the joy of the Savior and sing some hymns that that touch upon that so you're welcome to join us for food and drinks afterwards and then to head over it's just eight hundred and twenty three meters away that way all right oh and secondly the the next youth or young persons meeting will be January 4th Thursday January 4 so there won't be one next week but there will be one the Thursday the first Thursday in the new year there January 4th details to follow well let's begin worship if you'll turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm thirty two Psalm thirty two so we open the worship of triune God our great triune God with the reading of his word from psalm 32 beginning in verse 1 a psalm of david a contemplation blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit when I kept silent my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was upon me my vitality was turned into the drought of summer sale ah I acknowledged my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the iniquity of my sin Sayla for this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to you in a time when you may be found surely in a flood of Great Waters they shall not come near him you are my hiding place you shall preserve me from trouble you shall surround me with songs of deliverance say law I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go I will guide you with my I do not be like the horse or like the mule which have no understanding which must be harnessed with bit and bridle else they will not come near you many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he who trusts in the Lord mercy shall surround him be glad in the Lord and rejoice you righteous and shout for joy all you upright in heart amen well let's stand and sing we're gonna sing there our first hymn in the large Trinity hymnal that is him 56 well it stand as a church and sing together 56 [Music] let's go to our God in prayer let us pray Heavenly Father we come to you now in prayer rejoicing in our living and true God rejoicing and Father Son and Holy Spirit we thank you once again God that you've caused us to arise on a new day we rejoice again that it is your Lord's Day Sabbath and we thank you for this day that you've given us to come in from out of the world to rest to rejoice in you to worship the Father Son and spirit and we do pray for that that you would help us to worship you were right we do pray once again that your name would be hallowed in this place we pray that Lord with genuine hearts seeking to worship you as you ought to be worshiped we pray that you would help us to give you praise we pray for the ministry of your Holy Spirit that our hearts would be stirred that our souls would be aroused to a proper worship of our great God we thank you for your gospel we rejoice in the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ our Lord and we rejoice in that righteousness which is his that avails alone for sinners and we thank you for that blessed truth that in the fullness of the times you did send forth your son born of a woman and born under the law to redeem those who are under the law we thank you Lord God that we have adoption as sons by Jesus Christ through the perfection of his saving work we know that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God we know Lord God that there is wholesome severity do divine justice and divine wrath do unto all those who sin who violate your holy law we thank you that Christ our Savior came into the world to deliver those who were full of sin dead in their trespasses and in their sins that he came into this world his people to save sinners to say we thank you that we can be counted among that number not by deeds of righteousness which we have done but according to your mercy we thank you for His perfect life his glorious death his glorious resurrection the fact that he's ascended to your right hand and we rejoice that he ever lives now to intercede for his people we rejoice that he ever lives now to rule to reign over his enemies we thank you Lord God that he subdues the hearts of his elect bringing them to himself by amazing in victorious grace and we do pray that you'd cause our hearts to rehearse these truths and to rejoice in you our God we do pray that you be with those who need prayer for many things Lord we think of those struggling with illness and disease and sickness and injury we I think of Dawn Neufeld we pray that you bless this brother we thank you for this surgery that he was able to go through we pray for these things that have come about and following the surgery these side-effects and these other issues Lord we do just pray that you'd strengthen and heal that you'd give him much in Doris endurance in the face of these things watch over Don and Karen as they travel back to abbotsford and we do pray Lord God that you would just give them much joy we do pray that Don wood with no seasons of reprieve from these faces pains in his faces and in his face and we do ask Lord God that you just strengthen and help him and we do pray that you'd be with Karen giving her strength and endurance to to help her husband come alongside him and be of great aid we do pray Lord that you would be with many others affected by it by many things Lord we do pray for a Wilma favor and good news with regards to her ears in the skin took place a number of weeks back we do just pray that you'd be with her and that you'd strengthen her and that good reports would come from these tests and we do pray Lord for many who struggle with illness and disease that you'd strengthen them in body that you'd help them in the midst of all of these illnesses and all of these trials of the of the body - nevertheless in the spirit and the inner man rejoice in Christ to sing the praises of so great a God that even in the midst of affliction in the midst of trials the strengthens his people and gives them much grace to endure we do pray Lord that you be with all those who are still with child who are pregnant we thank you for these gifts we know that they are gifts from on high that you gift your people with the blessing of children and we do pray that you'd watch over mothers that you'd strengthen them daily we do pray that you'd be with babies in the wombs that you'd strengthen them as well we do just pray that in due time all would be brought forth with great rejoicing and in good health we pray again for not only these but for all the young ones in our midst those who are outside of Christ that in due time Lord you would bring them forth from the darkness of sin to light in Christ that at a young age they would own our God and rejoice in so great a redeemer we do pray Lord that you'd be with the persecuted Church watch over them strengthen them help them we do pray Lord God that you would deal with their persecutors and we do pray God that you'd save many in those lands where there is such hatred and opposition we pray that you bring them forth from the madness of their false religions to the religion of Jesus Christ by grace and caused them to know so great a Savior we do pray that you'd be with those who rule over us those who govern over us God we pray that you would cause them to rule and righteousness we pray that they would no longer uphold and pass laws that are wicked and abominable but rather and you would even take those out of the way who would seek to do such things and you would replace them with those who would uphold a proper righteousness and justice in the land we do pray Lord God that you would keep us ever Parral prayerful for these things that we would daily come before you seeking your face in bringing many petitions and supplications and Thanksgivings and praises and before the triune God of heaven and earth the dew be with us now in worship Lord we would ask that you would watch over Mike as he preaches your word help him Lord to know the aide of Father Son and spirit and this pulpit give him much confidence and much strength and we do pray God that - we in the pews would be well fed a well nourished and strengthened by your spirit through the proclamation of the word we would leave this place rejoicing in you our God and that we would leave this place seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of free grace we do pray that you'd be that your spirit would be active here as well unto the salvation of sinners I bring forth many Lord God from death to life in Christ that they might leave with all the Saints singing hallelujah what a savior do you be with us now and Lord God we pray that you'd be honored that you would be glorified and that our Savior Jesus Christ would be exalted upon the praises of this gathered people we pray in Christ's precious name Amen now let's stand again and sing this time one twenty two as we stand we'll sing to God to each other a reminder that when we do sing hymns as the Bible says we sing to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs so we are singing to God and praise and we are encouraging one another unto a faithful walk and unto glorying in God 1:22 let's stand together [Music] you turn in your Bibles to Luke for for our New Testament scripture reading Luke 4 beginning at verse 22 Luke 4 beginning in verse 22 the Word of God so all bore witness to him and marveled the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth and they said is this not Joseph's son he said to them you will surely say this proverb to me physician heal yourself whatever we have heard done in Capernaum do also hear in your country then he said assuredly I say to you no prophet is accepted in his own country but I tell you truly many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a great famine throughout all the land but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath in the region of Sidon to a woman who was a widow and many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian so all those in the synagogue when they heard these things were filled with wrath and rose up and thrust him out of the city they led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built that they might throw him down over the cliff then passing through the midst of them he went his way then he went down to Capernaum the city of Galilee and was teaching them on the Sabbath's and they were astonished at his teaching for his word was with Authority now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon and he cried out with a loud voice saying let us alone what have we to do with you Jesus of Nazareth did you come to destroy us I know who you are the Holy One of God but Jesus rebuked him saying behold excuse me be quiet and come out of him and when the demon had thrown him in their midst it came out of him and did not hurt him then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves saying what a word this is for with authority and power commands the unclean spirits and they come out and the report about him went out into every place in the surrounding region now he arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house but Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever and they made requests of him concerning her so he stood over her and rebuked the fever and it left her and immediately she arose and served them when the Sun was setting all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them and demons came out also came out of many crying out and saying you are the Christ the Son of God and He rebuking them did not allow them to speak for they knew that he was the Christ now when it was day he departed and went into a deserted place and the crowd sought him and came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them but he said to them I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also because for this purpose I have been sent and he was preaching in the synagogue's of Galilee Amen well let us pray God we thank you for this the reading of your Holy Scriptures we rejoice in these opportunities we have to do so corporately we do thank you for the revelation here of Jesus Christ and his mission when he was incarnate going about doing good showing forth his authority who he was speaking concerning the kingdom of God and speaking concerning Redemption and we thank you for these truths we thank you for what we see in this passage and we thank you for the fact that the Scriptures open up for us the triune God and the purpose and the plan in Christ Jesus the Lord to save a multitude of sinners which no man can number we do pray that you would always give us an appetite a thirst for your Holy Scriptures and that from reading we might learn much that we might gain much that we might grow by your spirit in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ we do pray Lord God for the surrey Bible study in the church plant in a month's time we do just pray that you continue to guide this watch over it the strength and the people who gather bring new people into the midst Lord we do pray that as this church plant takes off officially in January that you would having already knit hearts together that you would continue to do so that you'd unify them in the gospel that you'd be with Mike as he pastors as he preaches as he does all those things he's been called to do we do just pray that you would bless this work Lord God that you would grow it that you would nourish it and that we might even see more in the Lower Mainland and NBC we do just pray that your name would be glorified in all of this and that you would again now be with us strengthen us in worship that cheer our hearts and might we return to You Father Son and Holy Spirit the praises do your name we pray in Christ's name Amen our final hymn then before the preaching if you'll stand with me is 151 let's stand and sing that 151 [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh good morning you can turn with me in your Bibles to John chapter 9 that's John chapter 9 last time I preached in the morning we looked at I am the bread of life today we're gonna look at how Christ says he is the light of the world I am the light of the world we alert we're gonna look at verses 1 through 12 this morning but I will read all of chapter 9 for us to set the context John 9 begin reading at verse 1 now as Jesus passed by he saw a man who was blind from birth and his disciples asked him saying rabbi who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind and jesus answered neither this man nor his parents sinned but that the works of God should be revealed in him I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when no one can work as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world and when he said these things he spat on the ground and made clay with saliva and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and he said to him go wash in the pool and the pool of Siloam which is translated sent so he went and washed and came back seeing therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was but was blind said is this not the one who sat and begged some said this is he others said he is like him but he said I am he therefore they said to him how were your eyes open and Jesus sorry and he answered and said a man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me go to the pool of Siloam and wash and so I went and washed and I received sight then they said to him where is he and he said I do not know they brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight he said to them he but clay on my eyes and I washed and I see therefore some of the Pharisee said this man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath others said how can a man who is a sinner do such things and there was a division among them they said to the blind men again what do you say about him because he opened your eyes and he said he is a prophet but the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents of him who had received his sight and they asked them saying is this your son who you say was born blind how then does not how then does he now see and his parents answered them and said we know that this is our son and that he was born blind but by what means he now sees we do not know or who opened his eyes we do not know he is of age ask him he will speak for himself and his parents said these things because they feared the Jews for the Jews had agreed already that if any one confessed that he was Christ he would be put out of the synagogue therefore his parents said he is of age ask him and so they again called the man who was blind and said to him give God the glory we know that this man is a sinner and he answered and said whether he's a sinner or not I do not know one thing I know though I was blind and now I see then they said to him again what did he do to you how did he open your eyes and he answered them I told you already and you did not listen why do you want to hear it again do you also want to become his disciples then they reviled him and said you are his disciple but we are Moses his disciples we know that God spoke to Moses as for this fellow we do not know where he is from the man answered and said to them why this is a marvelous thing that you do not know where he is from yet he has opened my eyes now we know that God does not hear sinner's but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his will he hears him since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind if this man were not from God he could do nothing they answered and said to him you were completely born in sins and are you teaching us and they cast him out Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said to him do you believe in the Son of God and he answered and said who is he Lord that I may believe in him and Jesus said to him you're both seeing him and it is he who is talking with you then he said Lord I believe and worshiped him and Jesus said for judgment I have come into this world that those who do not see may see and that those who see may be made blind then some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these words and said to him are we blind also and jesus said to them if you were blind you would have no sin but now you say we see therefore your sin remains amen well let us go to our God in prayer Oh Lord God Almighty we thank you that you're the God of heaven and earth we thank you that you are light we think that Christ is the light of the world he is light of light we thank you that he came in the world to save sinners we thank you that we thank we thankful to you that he came in the world to reveal the God of heaven and earth to try you and God Father Son and Holy Spirit if we see the Sun we see the father we thank you O God that the Sun came that he might save sinners that he might preach concerning the truth that hand him all the the law and the prophets find their fulfillment for he is the true and the Living God he is also the true Messiah Israel's Messiah the one who came to save his people from their sins but we thank you O God that he is the light of the world that he reveals the truth to people to blind people this blind man O God we thank you O God that you were pleased in your in your in history o God in and into your plan and your eternal purpose to call many of us out of darkness into marvelous light o God that we were blind but now we see we thank you that we see the Messiah we've seen the truth and you were pleased to reveal him to us by your spirit father God may this give us comfort may this give us hope I mean this caused us to proclaim and share the mysteries of the gospel share the truth of the gospel with others that they might hear and see as well that you be pleased to work through the proclamation of your word and father God for those that do not know Christ may you give them eyes to see and ears to hear the truth that is found here when you show them their sin but you show them their blindness that they are in darkness though they do not they're in darkness convict them Oh God give them that new heart that they might look and see and believe on the Lord Christ and find everlasting life they may also sing Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found I was blind but now I see father God we thank you that you were pleased to help us and strengthen us by your word to understand these things would you continue to loom in our hearts concerning the glory the mystery of our Lord Christ the glory and the mystery of your great plan of redemption as it's fulfilled in Christ we understand these things all the more may you give us strengthened aid this day in the name of Christ amen well John like first John gives us the purpose for why he is writing if you remember we're doing first John in the evenings first John is meant to be an assurance for his hearers in first John but in the Gospel of John John writes that he might spur people on to believe that they might have faith in the Son of God namely as he unfolds for us who Christ actually is and one unique thing about the Gospel of John are these I am statements with the predicate these I am statements that describes something concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ last time we looked at I am the bread of life today we're going to look at how Christ is the light of the world and just perhaps by way of a preconceived notion a presupposition as we go into this text I am comes from Genesis or sorry Exodus 3:14 where word Yahweh appears to Moses says I am Who I am you tell them that I am has sent you and Christ says in John 8:58 most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was I am that is he is confessing that he is the true and the Living God he is Yahweh of Israel and you with these predicates he's further describing something concerning who he is and so with respect to the light of the world than when he refers to himself as the light of the world in John 9 there is a problem and that problem is blindness it's very evident very clear with the way in which Christ reveals who he is in it's physical blindness with this one man with this blind beggar but perhaps more importantly we need to consider is the reality of spiritual blindness you see throughout john 8 and john 9 and john 10 and aloud throughout a lot of john he's describing and setting forth for us the blindness of the pharisees they claim to know the truth they claim to have the truth but they are in delusion they do not know the truth they are blind to it so perhaps we need to ask ourself the question how might one see how might one look how might one look and believe it is through the revelation of the Son of God that's what light of the world is referring to here in John 8 and John 9 when Christ says I am the light of the world he's referring to himself as the revelation of God so as we seek to answer that question how one might seem that we've answered it we're gonna answer it fuller as we go through we're gonna look at two headings this morning first of all the blind man sees in verses 1 through 7 and then secondly the blind man speaks in verses 8 through 12 so the blind man sees and the blind man speaks notice firstly the blind man sees notice the occasion for which this miracle comes about verse 1 now as Jesus passed by he saw a man who was blind from birth now that's important information for us to see you see certainly there's sin in the world but there are the effects of sin in the world death comes into the world disease comes into the world those ailments that we face in this world the weariness that we have a result of sin and so we see the effects of sin with this man who was blind from birth but think about that from birth that is he never saw the light he never looked at the mountains he never saw the colors he was blind from birth this is important information for us to see to highlight for us that this is and in terrible disease according to the manner of men there's nothing that anyone can do to give this man sight he cannot see he cannot look he must beg he must be at the temple begging for his livelihood because he could not do any thing else and this is important for us because it signifies what's about to happen it signifies the great power of our Lord Christ as Christ heals this one but this one is blind from birth darkness I don't know about you but when the power goes out I got pretty freaked out for a moment you know it goes out and you're kind of feeling your way out that's like this man's life for this like this man for his entire life very claustrophobic I don't know that I feel very claustrophobic when it's very dark out can you imagine for your entire life never seeing any sort of light that's what this man's lot in life was and so they see this one this man blind from birth and then the disciples asked a question to our Lord concerning this one notice in verse 2 and his disciples asked him saying rabbi who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind you see why is he like this why was it the case that he was born in blindness and he see according to Jewish thought this is actually a legitimate question we don't mean how we would argue in highlight that it's perhaps there's not a close cause-and-effect relationship with sin but in Jewish thought there certainly was that cause and effect relationship if something bad happens it's probably cuz you sin or your parents sinned think of job-job for especially with his friends all these bad things happen to job what do jobs friends conclude job you're a sinner and these things have fallen upon you because of your sin so there is this cause-and-effect relationship one sins and then something bad happens but notice is it this man or is it his parents is it something this man had done even kind of thinking about that how could he have been I mean this man even before he was born he he was blind from birth you know that means we're born and conceived in corruption and that kind of thing but it's interesting this man or his parents that he was born blind so they asked is it his sin or is it his parents sin that he was born blind but notice Christ's response with respect to this man's blindness jesus answered neither this man nor his parents sinned he see brothers and sisters it's not always the case that because something bad happens that's because of sin brothers and sisters sometimes we do this a little too often in our lives we become interpreters of Providence we're just observers of Providence we see things happen we cannot necessarily conclude that it's because of our sin necessarily sometimes people do this with big major events that happen though God is bringing judgment on that side of the country or this part of the country or this area because of certain sins they're engaged in what about other parts of the world what about other places that engage in sin isn't all of humanity sinful so he's Christ is saying it's not necessarily the case and if you've read job and you know that's not the case as well in joke but Christ here neither this man nor his parents but notice why but that the works of God should be revealed in him this is very similar language to what Jesus says with respect to Lazarus in John 11 for when Jesus heard that that he was sick he said this sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God may be glorified through it so what's the purpose of this man's blindness it's so that the Son of God might be manifested in him and so that the works of God might be seen in him and so that he might testify concerning the works of God Almighty and so Christ even further highlights this in verse 4 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when no one can work the language of do the works of God that need to be revealed need to be seen Christ working the work of him who sent me this is very much Trinitarian language brothers and sisters covenant of redemption language where the Father Son and Holy Spirit covenant 'add before the foundation of the world to save sinners in Christ the Lord the father sends the son that the son that he might give the son of people should he do what he says the son willingly offers to do that and does so purchasing a people are doing what the father requires purchasing a people for him self rich language concerning the great plan of redemption even as we talked about this morning with respect to the Incarnation it's according to the eternal purpose of God Almighty before the foundation of the world that he would become incarnate that's the point the pre-incarnate christ covenant 'add with father's dying holy spirit to become incarnate that he might save wretched man like you and i and so he's revealing himself to others he's revealing the works of god that's what the purpose of this man's blindness is he probably didn't understand that and he has we'll see in the text that Christ never says these things to that man and we'll highlight that in just a moment but he never says these things to this man but Christ is speaking to his disciples we kind of get insider information concerning what's going on in the text here in verses 3 through 5 the works of God should be revealed in him I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night coming when no one can work that language it is day the night is coming when no one can work probably highlights the reality of urgency the reality that Christ came in the world assumed human flesh he would die be buried he would be raised and he would ascend on high but the reality is the bridegroom would not be with the disciples for very much longer so there's a sense of urgency with respect to his work that's the best way to take it there's going to be a time when Christ will be taken away he will be raised but nonetheless while he's on earth his mission doing what he's supposed to do according to his mission he's revealing the God of heaven and earth he's revealing this God and even the though I must work the works of him who sent me namely the father brethren a high Trinitarian language here as well you see when we see the thought of the son we see the father when we see the works of the Son and the spirit it reveals something to us concerning the Blessed Holy Trinity doesn't it one God three persons as we see the work of the son or perhaps as theologians call the missions of the Son and the Spirit we see something concerning the God of heaven and earth this great mystery but for our benefit in our salvation and that's what he does that's so so the language of the works working in the day the night it's highlighting a sense of urgency Christ will die and be raised but notice verse 5 when he says the language I am the light of the world as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world you see Christ has already said he's the light of the world in John chapter 8 verse 12 in 8:12 he says then Jesus spoke to them again saying that as he's speaking to the Pharisees I am the light of the world he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of Life light is an important theme in the Bible isn't it it's a very all-encompassing theme in a lot of ways various texts unfold various aspects of what light means light is speaking to us in the manner of men then we might understand something concerning the Lord God Almighty but there's it's it's a full word a full theme a full reality and one theologian highlights the all-encompassing theme of it very well he says this biblical theme that is light indicates the fullness of Revelation the source of life the brightness of holiness and the radiance of the divine nature that excludes all imperfection you see when we looked at first John 1:5 and we're very much was referring to how Christ is holy and pure and there is no imperfection how can her imperfect man dwell within a God who is perfect how can a wicked man dwell with a holy God but here in John 8 and John 9 it's highlighting the fullness of Revelation that's the point that's the thrust because what goes on in eight twelve through 20 he's revealing who he is to these Pharisees they ask him to bear witness in 13 you you bear witness of yourself you write your witness is not true but then Jesus goes on to say even if I bear witness of myself my witness is true for I know where I came from and where I'm going but you do not know where I come and where I am going you judge according to the flesh I judge no one and yet if I do judge my judgment is true for I am NOT alone but I am with the father who sent me it is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true I am the one who bears witness of myself and the father who sent me bears witness of me we're seeing the revelation brothers of God we're seeing the revelation when Christ says I am the light of the world he's the one revealing himself to his people he's revealing himself and expose not only revealing himself in a good way but exposing the blindness of these Pharisees in this text as one writer says Jesus is light for the world revealing God to man and exposing the darkness of the heart that rejects revelation so he's we see this revelation he bears witness to himself in 8 12 through 20 and any further bears revelation in chapter 9 concerning and using this man this blind man to show how he reveals truth to those who are blind and so and as I said already notice that the blind man is not mentioned here or sorry the the Christ words in verses 3 through 5 are not mentioned to the blind man that's gonna become very important as the texts move on because when this man sees the Messiah he will then bear witness concerning the Messiah he'll then testify concerning the Messiah he will speak about this one even though the Son of Man will be lifted up he'll the Christ will be raised in the sand on high he still bears witness through the preaching through the teaching through the proclamation of those who have been saved through the proclamation of the gospel and so Christ reveals himself this man doesn't even know this purpose but we know that purpose and so this is what happens Christ is the light of the world revealing himself to mankind and I should say even though in verse 5 it says as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world Christ still remains the light of the world even though he ascends on high as one writer says this does not mean that Jesus stops being the light of the world once he has ascended it means rather that the light shines brightly while he lives out his human life up to the moment of his glorification he exposes the world judges the world and saves the world this is our Lord this is our Christ revealing himself to us in this blind man in this miracle so that's what Christ is doing as the light of the world and notice how he does it in verses 6 and 7 with respect to the miracle performed notice in verses 6 and 7 when he had these when he had said these things he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva and he anointed the eyes of the blind with a blind man with the clay notice the procedure he spits on the ground makes a ball of clay with saliva knowing to anoint it on his eyes and then he says to him go wash in the pool of Siloam so he went and washed and came back seeing now with respect to the spit and the clay some theologians and some commentators make a big deal out of it they they perhaps highlight maybe saliva refers to healing properties clay maybe perhaps you would normally blind someone with clay but rather it's used in this instance to heal someone I don't know if that's necessarily - I think the best way to take it is the connection with verse 16 of 9 you see in the Jewish writings with respect to the Sabbath remember how they didn't want to break the Sabbath but they ended up breaking the Sabbath and sinning by having all these other laws around the Sabbath one of the things found in their laws concerning the Sabbath is makings clay with spit you know making those types of things so I think the connection is found in 9 6 13 through 16 these Pharisees see that this Christ supposedly is breaking the Sabbath that this one is sinning by breaking the Sabbath but the irony is these religious leaders don't see who this true God is this Christ is they look so much at their minut details that they missed the point entirely I think that's the point I think that's what's Christ is highlighting for us as John masterfully puts this text together and structures it the way he does it so much so that he highlights further the blindness of the Pharisees but we're gonna get to that a little bit more in just a moment so he says he puts to spit on him and then in verse 7 he says go wash in the pool of Siloam which is translated sent now this verse here has got a lot of Old Testament references brothers and sisters several we're gonna unpack right now perhaps one that most theologians see a connection with we'll just go is is the the healing of name and in 2nd Kings chapter 5 naman goes naman goes to Elisha seeking healing for leprosy Elisha doesn't even come out and says go wash in the river Jordan that you might be healed and cleansed similar here go wash in the pool of siloam that you might find healing and cleansing that's one connection perhaps the point is with respect to highlighting the spin of spit and the ground and the clay and all that sort of stuff with as Christ does that not only does he highlight kind of sticking it to the Pharisees in some sense he's also highlighting that it's not so much the crowd that what the tools he uses buts to Christ who is all-powerful in this instance it is Christ who was all powerful not necessarily what he uses we need to focus not on the tools he uses to heal but the one who does the healing is that the point in second Kings five before our brother went on sabbatical he preached on second Kings five in the evening concerning naman isn't that the point Elisha doesn't even come out he says go wash and Naamans out raises this small little River because it's not the point about the river it's about the one who does the healing that's the point that's what he's highlighting for us here it's not so and even as this man goes on he's gonna confess to Christ more than he does how he was healed confessed the one who saved him and worked in him as he goes forward but certainly there's a connection with naman I think another connection is with respect to what's called the Feast of Tabernacles one of the Jewish feasts perhaps have you noticed as you read through John John mentioned several Old Testament festivals doesn't he chapter six he meant that mentions Passover chapter seven he mentions the Feast of Tabernacles chapter 10 he mentions the feast of dedication I think there's a connection here as some theologians highlight with respect to I am the light of the world and also the Feast of Tabernacles if you remember the Feast of Tabernacles remember that the Israelites would remember it would build tents would build Tabernacles would build boos and they would dwell in them as a memorial for them to wandering in the wilderness and so what so what they would do at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles is some important things one there were large lights or coal menorahs that burned each night for this festival but not only that what they would do at this festival is that they would go gather water from the pool of siloam as an offering I think as several theologians Hilah I think there is that connection between the Feast of Tabernacles and Christ who fulfills that the one who is the true Messiah the one in who dwells among men than we might dwell with God I think that's another significant thing here as several theologians have highlighted Jesus is the one who reveals himself certainly as the light of the world but also as the living water in John 7:37 so again Old Testament charged text naman Feast of Tabernacles as John 1:14 says Christ Tabernacles among his people but another important connection is John is revealing Christ as the Messiah and the Pharisees don't even see it notice what he says notice he translate here Siloam which is translated sent I think this refers back to Genesis 49 with respect to Jacob blessing Judah turn with me to Genesis 49 verses 8 through 12 but notice will read a verse a Judah you are he whom your brothers shall praise your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies your father's children shall bow down before you Judah is a lion's whelp from the prey off from the prey my son you have gone up he boughs down he lies down as a lion and as a lion who shall rouse him a noticed first 10 the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh comes to know what Shiloh means brothers sent Christ is this one Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah according to Revelation chapter 5 he is the seed of David David he is as John is highlighting the true Messiah coming into the world to save his people from their sins and as Isaiah highlights in both Isaiah 42 and Isaiah 49 describing this the coming of the servant the servant songs they're highlighting something concerning the Messiah 49 verse 6 and indeed he says it is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jake and to restore the preserved ones of Israel I will also give you what as a light to the Gentiles that you may be my salvation to the ends of the earth but notice also in isaiah 42 with respect to the messiah verse 7 what is the messiah do he comes to open the blind eyes to bring out prisoners from the prison those who sit in darkness from the prison house you see restoring sight to the blind is a messianic activity not only here in isaiah 42 but also other texts isaiah 29 and Isaiah 35 this is the one that all the Old Testament texts point forward to this is the one in whom all the law the prophets find fulfillment and these religious leaders don't see it as he examine straights this using this blind man so we see what he does we see this Old Testament references in verse 7 and then the result so he went and washed and came back seeing can you imagine brothers and sisters darkness forever and then light he comes back seeing as one writer says he says the Evangelist sees Jesus the sent one as the spiritual silo 'im the blind man gains his sight as he washes in the pool of Siloam but he actually received it through the power of the scent one you see Christ has power over blindness and most importantly spiritual blindness perhaps some of you were blind one day you could not see you thought you knew you thought you had the truth but then God in His infinite mercy opened your eyes that you might see and believe doesn't he have power to do this as Ryle says where is the spiritual disease that he cannot take away he can open the eyes of the most sinful and ignorant and make them see things they never saw before he can send light into the darkest heart and cause blindness and Prejudice pass away brethren we were blind but now we see the truth because of the Lord God Almighty revealing himself to us in the Son of God in the Lord Jesus Christ perhaps some of you here though are actually still spiritually blind you have not looked to the Lord you have not believed on the truth you do you have eyes but you do not see you have ears but you do not hear the darkness of this world covers your eyes but Christ is the light of the world as John says in John 1 verses verse 4 he says and the light shines in the darkness but the darkness does not overtake it or comprehend it the hope is that as we proclaim the gospel to you that the Spirit would work that you would see and believe and look on the Lord and have everlasting life because God is pleased to do that through the proclamation of the gospel so this blind man sees this blind man sees the Messiah he believes and has ever lasting life but notice what he does and this is our second point the blind man speaks verses 8 through 12 notice in verse 8 therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said is this not he who sat and begged they question whether it's him or not these these don't know if it's him they knew he had a physical ailment they knew he could not see we know he's walking around perhaps he had a skip in his step he was probably walking with a little more zip perhaps sauntering along he was put a little bit more happy with a smile on his face because he had been saved and he sees now and they would have seen this difference in them they would have seen this change in him and notice they questioned is this not he who sat and begged you see his lawn and life was the one who had to sit and beg because he could do nothing else that's what he had to do perhaps considered not the greatest job prospect for someone who's blind in this in that day and age I had to sit and beg but now many options were opened for him certainly most importantly that he had salvation so that it's less not the one who sat and begged and some questions some said this is he others said he is like him but they did not see that it was him it looks like perhaps it would be as if someone shaved their beard or shaved their head or something else happened to them we'd probably take a double stat or double take and look but that's probably what's going on perhaps in a way more profound way than that illustration but nonetheless that's what's going on here is this the one and he confirms it he said I am he I am that one I am that man I am the one who's been changed brethren if this man's blindness was healed and certainly to also his spiritual state was healed how much more so even with Darcy his spiritual state is our spiritual state should I not drive us to to highlight the change within us God has changed us God's worked within us should we not sing the praises of God Almighty because he has saved us he we may not have had blindness of our eyes physically but he's taken our dead hearts our spiritual blindness and given us eyes that we might see this is hope brethren this is comfort there are many difficult times you know Christmas isn't always the most happy time is it for people not everyone is singing all the hymns and all the songs because it's difficult sometimes but brethren if there's one thing to be happy about throughout our entire life it is the fact that Christ came in the world revealed himself to mankind and that he saved us from our sins we have many things to sing the praise of God for how much more so that we see this true and living God so he claims to be that man I am he therefore they asked how were your eyes opened they would have never seen this before how would this have happened and so here accounts for them in verse 11 a man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me go to the pool of Siloam and washed so I went and washed and I received my sight he's recapping the events that just happened he's explaining what Christ has done for him he's spreading the gospel he's telling them the gospel he's telling them about this Jesus Christ you know a lot of ways the blind man sees the Messiah then the blind man speaks concerning the Messiah should this be the case for us as well brethren we've been saved we've been called out of darkness should we not share the light of the world with other brothers and sisters I'm not saying they have to go and be missionaries and drop our jobs or do any of that sort of thing but nonetheless should not we not share the good news of Christ like this man is doing and notice this Christ fulfills what even further what he said he would do I'm going to demonstrate that I am the Messiah I'm going to demonstrate the works of God in him and notice Christ or this man is demonstrating those things concerning the Lord Christ and so the crowd wishes to see him but he does not know where he is and perhaps as we've talked about as we've gone through the significance of this texts text highlights true blindness and true vision you see throughout 8 and 9 in many other places he is highlighting the contrast with the Pharisees who do not see they claim to see but they are blind they are oblivious they should know the law in the prophets they should know those things but they do not know those things they do not see those things because they are spiritually blind Christ has actually explained these things for us throughout John John 6 no one comes to me unless the father draws him John 8 you are of your father the devil in John 8 19 you neither know me nor my father excuse me if you had known me you excuse me you would have known my father also that is they do not see the God they do not see this one and this is perhaps setting the stage for in two weeks time when I preached concerning the gate it's going to further highlight how they don't see all the more because Jesus is going to explain to them an illustration they're not going to understand it he they are blind they do not see as one writer says so also he shows himself to be the light of the world by giving sight to the blind man the world and the Jews with it lies in darkness whoever wants to walk in the light must come to Jesus and look to him and believe you want to know what's interesting after Christ heals this man he fades from the scene for a while doesn't he it further highlights that Christ still the gospel is still proclaimed the gospel is still shared Christ may be at the right hand of God now but he works by his spirit through his church through his people that the gospel might go out into the world it might be proclaimed because you see this blind man is the one who proclaims the gospel to his neighbors but also to the Pharisees you see these Pharisees don't even believe this blind man they have to bring his parents in to understand what's going on and so as we see true blindness we see true vision and that's what the following verses highlight in verses 13 all the way through 41 notice the progression he shares the gospel with his neighbors she says a man called Jesus did this to me but then notice with respect notice verse 17 he said they said to the blind man again what do you say about him because he opened your eyes he said he is a prophet what about in 925 he says whether he is a sinner or not I do not know one thing I know that though I was blind now I see notice he invites them to believe in 9:27 I told you already and you did not listen why do you want to hear it again do you also want to become his disciples I notice also in 30 he actually corrects their doctrine and they get offended by this the man answered and said to them why this is a marvelous thing that you do not know where he is from yet he has opened my eyes now we know that God does not hear sinners if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his will he hears him since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind if this man were not from God he could do nothing they don't like that do they no one likes to be told they're wrong especially if there are professionals let's be honest if you're a professional and you're very good and you're an expert at something you don't want someone who's not as experienced telling you how to do a better job or how to do something better no one likes that that's what they're doing but they're doing he's doing it in a rightful way because they do not see and then we see is true in full confession verses 35 and following Jesus heard that they cast him out and we had found him he said to him do you believe in the Son of God and this one he answered and said who is he Lord that I may believe in him and she said to him you've both seen him he sees him because he's been the blind man now sees and it is he who is talking with you and then he said Lord I believe and he worshiped him and notice Jesus says for judgment I've come into this world that those who do not see may see and those who see may be made blind what a wonderful Lord you have seen him you've had this revealed to you you're looking at the God of heaven you were looking at the Messiah the one that all these potestas Old Testament texts point forward to as Christ came in the world to save sinners to do conquest for his people he confesses the true and living God for God has revealed himself to this one and so brothers and sisters the whole point of Christ being the light of the world is the fact it is the revelation of God isn't that what the Incarnation does for us as we celebrate this time of year reveals God to us Isaiah chapter 9 we referred to that this in this morning's Sunday School but it's also one of those holiday texts that people like to look at and refer to I think rightly so there's a lot of connections with the light too Christ with light and darkness notice in verse two the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light those who dwell in the land of shed the shadow of death upon them a light has shined you've multiplied the nation and a creased it's increased it's joy they rejoiced before you according to the joy of harvest as men rejoice when they divide the spoil for you've broken the yoke of his burden and the staff of his shoulder the rod of his oppressor as in the day of Midian for every warriors sandal from the noisy battle and garments rolled in blood will be used for burning and fuel of fire for unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name will be called wonderful counselor mighty God everlasting father Prince of Peace for this Messiah is revealing the true and living God he has come and he might reveal something concerning salvation that he might in him there is salvation and so the the call for us then is for evangelism to preach the truth as dr. rena han distinguishes there's office centered evangelism namely through preaching and teaching on sunday from the pulpit through the office through the pastor through the preacher that as you come on a sunday the hope is we preach the gospel that you hear the truth that you are dead in your trespasses and sin and you would need to believe the truth but there's also messy mess message message centered evangelism that is sharing the gospel with others brothers and sisters if you notice in first Peter 3 that text we use for apologetics it's not wrong to use it for apologetics but says be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within you do you notice it says the hope that is within you now it's you don't necessarily have to know all the mysteries of philosophy and science and all that sort of stuff but says the hope that is within you the gospel the truth the reality I'm sure if you are believer in Christ like this blind man if you have been saved you can share those truths with others as well Christ died for me believe on him you shall be saved Christ came in the world to save sinners Christ lived died and rose again on behalf of his people you need to look and believe and find everlasting hope in him and even as you perhaps notice in first Peter 3 it's be ready to give an answer you see that answer to the hope that is within you when people ask you and the context of that is Christ as Christ did not revile back as Christ did not get angry back as Christ did not speak back if we are to resemble our Lord the hope is we would be different from the world in some sense we would not be revealing back and forth with others but as we say no to those things as we don't revile back they might ask what is going on Christ saved me I was blind but now I see I was blind but now I see I was deaf but now I hear I was lame but now I walk look to this one and you shall believe now we know that we are sinful we know there's difficult things we deal with it in this life we strive on we press on the hope is we would be conformed to art the image of our Lord Christ but sometimes it is difficult but nonetheless we have the truth we have the reality we have the hope within us namely Christ died for sinners and the hope is for unbelievers if you are here today that you would believe this truth you see the reality is you are blind you see Christ is not only revealing the truth to his people but he's exposing the reality that you do not know the truth right now if you do not believe on Christ if you haven't believed on the Lord if you haven't look to him and live if you think that you're good in some capacity you are wrong who is good but God alone according to what our Lord says if you've looked at a person with lustful intent if you've been angry in your heart I don't even go about talk about the Sabbath what about coveting all those things make you culpable before this God and Christ came in the world save sinners who cannot do what the law requires came to save sinners who had to bear so that we wouldn't have to bear the punishment the hope is that God through the proclamation of the truth would expose your hearts that you might believe and have everlasting life that you might see and believe that you might look and live because God is pleased to save sinners through the proclamation of the gospel there is no light within you I don't care what the world says I don't care what Buddhism says or nu ageism says I don't know I hate that stuff it's like oh it's the light with it no there's no light within you believe Christ who is the light of the world and he alone is the light of the world believe on him and you shall be saved and that you might look and live that you might see the fullness the glory the wonder of God of heaven and earth look to this one and you shall be saved one conclusion brothers how might one see is through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the script scriptures he is the source he is the fullness of Revelation he is the perfect one there is no imperfection in him but Christ is the light of the world well let us pray O Lord God Almighty we thank you for your blessed revelation we thank you that we see your word the Lord Jesus Christ who is the one who is before the foundation of the world the word became flesh and dwelt among us in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God we thank you for this blessed reality of God we thank you for this truth we thank you that you are pleased to find the fullness of Revelation in the Lord Jesus Christ and you've recorded the things concerning our Lord in the Bible we thank you for it your word we thank you for your Bible we thank you for what's found in it we thank you for the truth there while the God for those that know the Lord we pray that you would work in us by your spirit all the more thank you O God for saving us thank you that though we are blind we now see thank you for the mercies O God that you grant us in the Lord Christ for we were blind and we did not even know what how God yet you are pleased save us God made us give us comfort made us give us hope maybe we'd be pleased to share the truth of the gospel with others that you might save sinners may we invite others to come into this place to come to your house that they might hear the proclamation of the gospel we thank you for your truth O God and we thank you that you're pleased to work through earthen vessels we thank you that you are pleased to work even through this one blind man to testify concerning the Messiah to testify to reveal the works of God in him probably God for those that do not know the Christ this day we pray that you would work in them give them eyes to see that as they hear the truth as they hear the gospel you'd be pleased to work in them that they may find everlasting life we thank you for this revelation we thank you for this truth O God and may you give us comfort now as we go out and as we seek to love your love you all the more and love others all the more help us by your spirit to resemble our Lord Christ and we pray that you would be glorified in this day in the name of Christ amen you