Breath of Life
Ministries Presents
00:00:02.76\00:00:06.94
Sermon B562  Can You See
00:00:06.97\00:00:11.34
[Breath of Life Theme Music]
00:00:11.37\00:00:20.15
Pastor Byrd:  John,
Chapter 9, verse number 1.
00:00:20.18\00:00:23.45
The Gospel according to
St. John, Chapter 9, verse 1,
00:00:23.49\00:00:28.66
if you have it let me hear you
say Amen.  All right, the Word
00:00:28.69\00:00:32.09
says, “And as Jesus passed
by, he saw a man which was blind
00:00:32.13\00:00:37.87
from his birth. And his
disciples asked him, saying,
00:00:37.90\00:00:40.50
Master, who did sin, this man,
or his parents, that he was born
00:00:40.54\00:00:44.27
blind? Jesus answered, neither
hath this man sinned, nor his
00:00:44.31\00:00:50.75
parents: but that the works of
God should be made manifest in
00:00:50.78\00:00:56.72
him. I must work the works
of him that sent me, while it is
00:00:56.75\00:01:00.12
day; for the night
cometh, when no man can work.
00:01:00.16\00:01:02.19
As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the,”
00:01:02.22\00:01:05.19
what, everybody?   Aud:  World.
00:01:05.23\00:01:06.59
PB:  The world. 
“When he had thus spoken,
00:01:06.63\00:01:08.50
he spat on the ground,
and made clay of the spittle,
00:01:08.53\00:01:12.50
and he anointed the eyes of
the blind man with the clay,
00:01:12.53\00:01:15.17
and he said unto him, Go,
wash in the pool of Siloam,
00:01:15.20\00:01:19.94
which is by interpretation,
sent.”  Everybody say sent. Aud:
00:01:19.97\00:01:24.61
Sent. PB:  “Went his way
therefore, and washed, and came
00:01:24.65\00:01:29.25
seeing.” Go down to verse
number 18. “But the Jews did not
00:01:29.28\00:01:33.25
believe concerning him, that he
had been blind, and received his
00:01:33.29\00:01:37.13
sight, until they called the
parents of him that had received
00:01:37.16\00:01:39.96
his sight. And they asked
them, saying, is this your son,
00:01:40.00\00:01:43.50
who ye say was born blind?
 How then doth he now see?
00:01:43.53\00:01:47.90
His parents answered
them and said, we know that
00:01:47.94\00:01:52.07
this is our son.”  We
know “that he was born blind.
00:01:52.11\00:01:55.98
But by what means he
now seeth, we know not;
00:01:56.01\00:02:00.15
or who hath opened
his eyes, we know not.”
00:02:00.18\00:02:03.69
But “he is of age; ask him:
 he shall speak for himself.
00:02:03.72\00:02:11.13
These words spake his parents,
because they feared the Jews:
00:02:11.16\00:02:14.46
for the Jews had agreed
already, that if any man did
00:02:14.50\00:02:17.13
confess that he was Christ,
he should be put out of the
00:02:17.17\00:02:20.57
synagogue.” Put out of the
church. “Therefore, said his
00:02:20.60\00:02:23.57
parents, He is of age, ask him.
 Then again called they the man
00:02:23.61\00:02:28.01
that was blind, and said
unto him, Give God the praise:
00:02:28.04\00:02:32.28
we know that this man
is a sinner.”  Verse 25,
00:02:32.31\00:02:37.82
one of my favorite in the
Bible. “He answered and said,
00:02:37.85\00:02:41.09
Whether he be a sinner or
not, I know not:  But one thing,
00:02:41.12\00:02:47.36
one thing I do know, that,
whereas I was blind, but now I
00:02:47.40\00:02:58.34
see.” Let's skip down to
verse 39.  We often forget this,
00:02:58.37\00:03:00.88
“And Jesus said, For judgment
I am come into this world,
00:03:00.91\00:03:04.11
that they which see not
might see; and they that they
00:03:04.15\00:03:07.08
which see might be
made blind. And some of the
00:03:07.12\00:03:10.69
Pharisees which were
with him heard these words,
00:03:10.72\00:03:12.49
and said unto him, Are we blind
also?  Jesus said unto them,
00:03:12.52\00:03:17.03
If ye were blind, ye should
have no sin:  but now ye say,
00:03:17.06\00:03:23.70
We see; therefore your
sin remaineth.”  Turn to your
00:03:23.73\00:03:29.77
neighbor and say, Neighbor,
say, can you see?  Heh heh.
00:03:29.80\00:03:32.97
Father, in the name of
Jesus through the intercession
00:03:33.01\00:03:36.01
of the Holy Spirit, come
into this sanctuary right now,
00:03:36.04\00:03:39.11
come over the airwaves
right now, that thy people
00:03:39.15\00:03:42.95
not see me, but see Thee
working and living through me.
00:03:42.98\00:03:45.82
Tonight give this Word
to somebody who needs it.
00:03:45.85\00:03:48.89
Open our eyes that we might
see. Forgive me of my sins,
00:03:48.92\00:03:52.09
we pray, in the name of Jesus.
Let everyone say Amen and Amen.
00:03:52.13\00:03:57.20
Let me start off by saying this.
I've learned this in my life
00:03:57.23\00:04:03.67
and I believe I've got
some witnesses to this as well.
00:04:03.71\00:04:07.74
Everyone is not
happy when you're blessed.
00:04:07.78\00:04:12.48
Let me say it one more
time. Everybody's not happy
00:04:12.51\00:04:19.59
when you're successful.
 Let's tell the truth.
00:04:19.62\00:04:25.63
Some people are not all
that happy when they see
00:04:25.66\00:04:29.53
you at alumni weekend and you're
doing well and they're not.
00:04:29.56\00:04:34.60
Do I have a witness in
this place?  Now, I met all
00:04:34.64\00:04:37.44
the young people here at
the college and they helped
00:04:37.47\00:04:39.34
me learn the everyday
vernacular, and they say,
00:04:39.37\00:04:41.78
we call this, Pastor,
cating. Not hating, cating.
00:04:41.81\00:04:47.75
We often want and expect
that our so-called friends,
00:04:47.78\00:04:50.99
former classmates,
and the people around us,
00:04:51.02\00:04:53.82
and even the family,
would appreciate the journey
00:04:53.86\00:04:56.52
that we've gone
through in order to get where
00:04:56.56\00:04:59.33
we are and that they
would be glad and they
00:04:59.36\00:05:01.33
would be happy for us. 
But more times than not,
00:05:01.36\00:05:04.67
I've learned in my life
that the best moments in
00:05:04.70\00:05:07.20
your life can become the
greatest moments of envy,
00:05:07.24\00:05:09.60
jealousy, and frustration
in somebody else's life.
00:05:09.64\00:05:13.04
But I've learned, you
know, they say, don't hate
00:05:13.07\00:05:16.85
the player, hate the
game.  Do I have a witness
00:05:16.88\00:05:20.12
in this place? 
Learn to be a cheerleader,
00:05:20.15\00:05:23.08
because I've learned, if
God is blessing somebody else,
00:05:23.12\00:05:26.79
if God is blessing Dr.
Pollard, if God is blessing
00:05:26.82\00:05:30.59
Dr. Watkins, if God is
blessing our Pastor, uh,
00:05:30.63\00:05:34.10
Burton, right here,
it's just a matter of time
00:05:34.10\00:05:37.20
before God starts
blessing me, because God must
00:05:37.23\00:05:41.90
be in the neighborhood. 
Are you hearing what I'm saying?
00:05:41.94\00:05:44.61
The people are mad
because Jesus healed the man.
00:05:44.64\00:05:48.51
The people are mad because Jesus
has changed the man's life.
00:05:48.54\00:05:52.81
Mad because the man's
life has turned around.
00:05:52.85\00:05:56.15
Mad that he has given
his life to Jesus Christ.
00:05:56.18\00:05:59.09
Mad that he's no
longer what he used to be.
00:05:59.12\00:06:02.29
Mad that he's now what he
should be.  Who healed you?
00:06:02.32\00:06:07.36
Where is he?  You must have
sinned.  And if you didn't sin,
00:06:07.40\00:06:12.67
your parents must have sinned
because you were born blind.
00:06:12.70\00:06:16.04
And how could a person have
sinned before they were born
00:06:16.07\00:06:19.37
anyway, so it had to be your
parents.  They must have sinned.
00:06:19.41\00:06:24.88
But I love my Jesus.  Because
my Jesus clears all of this up.
00:06:24.91\00:06:29.65
And he clears it up by
saying, the man's blindness
00:06:29.68\00:06:32.99
had nothing to do with some
sin in his life or his parents'
00:06:33.02\00:06:37.73
life. Nothing the man did
brought this upon him.  Nothing
00:06:37.76\00:06:42.43
his parents did brought this
upon him.  God was not punishing
00:06:42.46\00:06:47.64
them. God was not angry with
them. God was not mad at them,
00:06:47.67\00:06:52.11
but sometimes bad
things happen to good people.
00:06:52.14\00:06:57.15
Jesus said, “Neither hath this
man sinned, nor his parents,
00:06:57.18\00:07:00.95
but that the works of God
might be made manifest in him.”
00:07:00.98\00:07:04.85
In other words, you're
asking the wrong question.
00:07:04.89\00:07:08.46
You're looking for somebody
to blame.  But quit looking
00:07:08.49\00:07:11.49
at the problem and
look to the solution.
00:07:11.53\00:07:14.10
Jesus stoops down, spits on
the ground, rubs mud together,
00:07:14.10\00:07:20.40
puts the mud on the man's
eyes, and then tells him, “Go,
00:07:20.44\00:07:24.61
wash in the pool of Siloam.”
Now remember, friends of mine,
00:07:24.64\00:07:28.61
God is all powerful.  Which
means Jesus could have just
00:07:28.64\00:07:31.25
spoken the word and He
could have just said to the man,
00:07:31.28\00:07:34.08
I command you to see. 
But Jesus didn't do that.
00:07:34.12\00:07:37.49
Jesus could have put His
hands on the man and said,
00:07:37.52\00:07:40.62
In the name of Jesus I
command your eyes to open up.
00:07:40.66\00:07:45.63
But Jesus didn't do
that either. Jesus could have
00:07:45.66\00:07:47.96
anointed the man and said, be
healed.  But He didn't do that.
00:07:48.00\00:07:52.27
When Jesus got ready to heal
the man, He spat on the ground,
00:07:52.30\00:07:58.44
made mud out of spit,
and then told the man to go
00:07:58.47\00:08:03.01
wash in the pool of
Siloam. Lesson number one for us
00:08:03.04\00:08:07.12
tonight, friends, is sometimes
God's method of bringing you out
00:08:07.15\00:08:12.05
may not be the way you wanted
to come out.  But you ought to
00:08:12.09\00:08:15.29
just be thankful God brought
you out.  Do I have a witness
00:08:15.32\00:08:17.66
in this place?  I've learned
in my life too many of us
00:08:17.69\00:08:21.80
want to be delivered in the
way we want to be delivered.
00:08:21.83\00:08:24.77
But God doesn't always
bring you out the way you want
00:08:24.80\00:08:27.50
to come out.  When God
brings ya out, sometimes you've
00:08:27.54\00:08:31.34
got egg on your face.  Sometimes
you've got mud in your eyes.
00:08:31.37\00:08:35.31
Sometimes you end up in a pig's
pen.  Sometimes you go bankrupt.
00:08:35.34\00:08:40.35
Sometimes you lose the house.
Sometimes you are embarrassed.
00:08:40.38\00:08:43.52
You see, there are some people
who want change in their life
00:08:43.55\00:08:46.69
as long as it doesn't cost them
anything.  But God's blessing
00:08:46.72\00:08:51.06
sometimes costs you something.
But here we go.  I want to
00:08:51.09\00:08:55.26
lose 20 pounds, but I want to
eat cake and ice cream late at
00:08:55.30\00:08:59.43
night. Young people at Oakwood,
I want a degree, but you don't
00:08:59.47\00:09:04.44
want to study. I want to get out
of debt, but you don't want to
00:09:04.47\00:09:08.61
pay anybody off. But better yet,
I want a wife, but you don't
00:09:08.64\00:09:12.25
want to work. Please, Pastor
Byrd, I'm doing the best I can. 
00:09:12.28\00:09:18.89
[Laughter] PB:  I want a
husband, but I don't want to
00:09:18.92\00:09:27.60
submit. [Audience exclaims] 
PB:  I want the church to grow,
00:09:27.60\00:09:39.74
but I don't want to
knock on doors.  I don't want
00:09:39.77\00:09:43.81
to give Bible studies. 
I don't want to be nice.
00:09:43.85\00:09:48.22
I don't want to be flexible.
 I don't want to change.
00:09:48.25\00:09:53.99
You'd be surprised at
people who want things,
00:09:54.02\00:09:56.46
but they're not willing
to go through what it takes
00:09:56.49\00:09:58.49
to get it.  But how bad
do you want it?  Because when
00:09:58.53\00:10:03.13
you really want change, you
have to tell somebody, look,
00:10:03.16\00:10:05.60
I'm past what you think
about me.  I'm past what you
00:10:05.63\00:10:09.67
going to say about me.  You
don't have a heaven or hell for
00:10:09.70\00:10:14.11
me. You don't put beans in
my pot. Spit, mud, pig's pen,
00:10:14.14\00:10:19.31
whatever it
takes, Jesus save me.
00:10:19.35\00:10:24.32
But lesson number two,
I've also learned that sometimes
00:10:24.35\00:10:27.99
when you decide to change
your life and follow the Lord,
00:10:28.02\00:10:31.43
folk will talk about
you and won't let you forget
00:10:31.46\00:10:34.40
where you come from. 
They won't let you forget what
00:10:34.46\00:10:38.10
you used to be.  They
won't let you forget where you
00:10:38.13\00:10:41.87
used to go.  But let me give
you some advice this evening.
00:10:41.90\00:10:45.34
When your past calls,
don't answer because it has
00:10:45.37\00:10:48.21
nothing new to say. 
Because you can't start the next
00:10:48.24\00:10:51.51
chapter of your life if you
keep re-reading the last one.
00:10:51.55\00:10:55.02
People who can't
forget your past, aren't worth
00:10:55.05\00:10:57.39
having in your future.
 Speaking of your past,
00:10:57.42\00:11:00.42
this is alumni weekend,
somebody trying to hook up,
00:11:00.46\00:11:02.42
but let me give you some
advice. Some of you can't
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.83
move on to your next, because
you keep fooling with your ex.
00:11:04.86\00:11:07.73
I wish I had a witness
in this place.   [Applause]
00:11:07.76\00:11:11.63
PB:  Forget people.  Do
what God tells you to do.
00:11:11.67\00:11:16.87
Go where God tells
you to go. Don't give up.
00:11:16.91\00:11:20.28
Don't give in.  Hang
on in there.  The race is
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.98
not given to the
swift or to the strong,
00:11:23.01\00:11:25.91
but to the one
that endures to the end.
00:11:25.95\00:11:28.38
Sometimes you have to
go through something to
00:11:28.42\00:11:30.52
get something. 
Sometimes you have to go through
00:11:30.55\00:11:32.82
something so God can
get the glory.  No battle,
00:11:32.85\00:11:34.96
no blessing.  No
testimony without a test.
00:11:34.99\00:11:38.59
The man is blind. 
Jesus healed the blind man
00:11:38.63\00:11:42.33
with spit and mud. 
But the Pharisees are mad.
00:11:42.36\00:11:45.67
Why?  Why would they
be mad? The man's healed.
00:11:45.70\00:11:48.87
The Pharisees are mad
because Jesus didn't go
00:11:48.90\00:11:51.07
to them for the
healing.  That Jesus didn't ask
00:11:51.11\00:11:54.38
them for permission to
heal him. That they didn't
00:11:54.41\00:11:57.28
take a vote to approve
Jesus' method of healing.
00:11:57.31\00:12:03.02
But that's the lesson
from the test that I learn is,
00:12:03.05\00:12:05.12
some people will get
mad when they can't claim
00:12:05.15\00:12:07.56
rights to your healing.
 They can't claim rights
00:12:07.59\00:12:11.69
to your
accomplishments, your successes.
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.13
If Jesus, think
about it, friends,
00:12:13.16\00:12:15.10
if Jesus had sent the
man first to the Pharisees,
00:12:15.13\00:12:19.07
the Pharisees could
have said, we did it.
00:12:19.10\00:12:22.30
And then it would
have been all right for
00:12:22.34\00:12:25.44
the man to be
healed.  But because the man
00:12:25.47\00:12:28.24
got healed outside the
system, outside the box,
00:12:28.28\00:12:33.05
the Pharisees have a
problem and now they're
00:12:33.08\00:12:36.22
going to fight it
because they can't accept that
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.92
God did it.  But
somebody knows God is sovereign.
00:12:38.95\00:12:42.29
God can do what He
wants, when He wants,
00:12:42.32\00:12:45.79
where He wants, how
He wants, and He doesn't
00:12:45.83\00:12:49.66
have to ask you or me for
permission to do as He wants.
00:12:49.70\00:12:53.27
So, the Pharisees ask,
is this your son who you say
00:12:53.30\00:12:58.51
was born blind?  How then
does he now see?  His parents
00:12:58.54\00:13:03.24
answered them and said,
well, we know this is our son.
00:13:03.28\00:13:05.55
He was born blind.  But,
verse 21, “But by what means
00:13:05.58\00:13:08.58
does he now see, we know
not, or who opened his eyes,
00:13:08.62\00:13:11.85
we know not.  He is of
age, ask him.”  I could preach
00:13:11.89\00:13:18.63
a whole sermon on that right
now.  He can speak for himself.
00:13:18.66\00:13:23.40
Then they called the former
blind man.  Who healed ya?
00:13:23.43\00:13:29.37
You ought to be
giving God the praise.
00:13:29.40\00:13:32.54
Not this man you
claimed who healed ya.
00:13:32.57\00:13:34.91
The man you're
speaking of is a sinner.
00:13:34.94\00:13:37.91
He broke religious law
and healed you on the Sabbath.
00:13:37.95\00:13:42.92
Isn't it funny how we can care
more about policy than people?
00:13:42.95\00:13:46.86
Isn't it interesting we
care more about religion than we
00:13:46.89\00:13:53.19
do relationship?  Blind
man said, look, I don't know if
00:13:53.23\00:14:03.30
he's a sinner or not.  I
don't know where he was born.
00:14:03.34\00:14:11.15
I don't know where he came
from. I don't know where he
00:14:11.18\00:14:18.25
is right now.  I
don't know where he's going.
00:14:18.29\00:14:24.43
I don't know his
family.  I don't know his mother
00:14:24.46\00:14:31.53
or his father.  I
don't know if he's a doctor,
00:14:31.57\00:14:34.90
a dentist, a lawyer,
teacher, or preacher.
00:14:34.94\00:14:38.51
But all I know is I once
was blind, but now I see.
00:14:38.54\00:14:50.59
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:14:50.62\00:14:52.89
Now, most preachers
when we preach this we
00:14:52.92\00:14:54.66
preach and we stop
there, we whoop, the
00:14:54.69\00:14:58.56
Hammond organ gets to
playing, we get everybody
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.50
up in a frenzy, and then
we sit down.  We say, ooh,
00:15:01.53\00:15:04.03
they preached today.  But
the story doesn't stop there.
00:15:04.07\00:15:09.20
The chapter doesn't end
with verse 25.  The chapter
00:15:09.24\00:15:15.18
ends at verse 41.  You
see, in the text there are
00:15:15.21\00:15:19.15
two kinds of blind
people. Number one, the man who
00:15:19.18\00:15:23.39
was born blind whom Jesus
made see, and, number two,
00:15:23.42\00:15:27.26
the Pharisees who
thought they were seeing when
00:15:27.29\00:15:29.56
they were actually
blind.  You see, it's one thing
00:15:29.59\00:15:32.99
to be blind and to know
it, it's another thing to
00:15:33.03\00:15:37.07
be blind and not know
it.  You do know there is a
00:15:37.10\00:15:40.84
thing called a blind spot. 
You know what a blind spot is.
00:15:40.87\00:15:45.81
If you're driving your car
and you're looking out your
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.51
rearview mirror as to catch
and see who's changing lanes,
00:15:48.54\00:15:51.68
there are some spots you
can't see.  The back right
00:15:51.71\00:15:55.35
corner you can't see.  The
back left corner you can't see.
00:15:55.38\00:15:59.62
These are blind spots. 
Blind spots are created by the
00:15:59.65\00:16:03.69
fact that we don't have
eyes in the backs of our heads
00:16:03.73\00:16:06.36
and it's physically
impossible to see everything
00:16:06.39\00:16:09.00
at the same time.  In
the text, the Pharisees have
00:16:09.03\00:16:13.94
blind spots, but
they're spiritual blind spots.
00:16:13.97\00:16:17.51
They can't see what
God is doing.  God has just
00:16:17.54\00:16:21.24
performed a miracle,
but they can't see it.
00:16:21.28\00:16:24.15
And when you've got
spiritual blind spots,
00:16:24.18\00:16:27.22
you might miss out on
what God is doing right
00:16:27.25\00:16:29.78
in front of your face. 
What am I talking about?
00:16:29.82\00:16:32.59
Somebody graduated from
Oakwood that should have
00:16:32.62\00:16:37.96
never even made it to
Oakwood. Somebody right now
00:16:37.99\00:16:42.43
is in Oakwood that's not
supposed to be in Oakwood.
00:16:42.46\00:16:47.60
Somebody's got a job
they didn't apply for.
00:16:47.64\00:16:52.21
Somebody's living in a house,
you know you can't afford.
00:16:52.24\00:16:56.64
Somebody has cancer, but
they're being healed right now.
00:16:56.68\00:17:01.05
Somebody has a child
that's on dope, but God is
00:17:01.08\00:17:04.75
healing them right
now. Somebody's been out on
00:17:04.79\00:17:08.66
the streets, but God
is healing them right now.
00:17:08.69\00:17:12.26
Somebody was
heading to bankruptcy court,
00:17:12.29\00:17:15.20
but God is
healing them right now.
00:17:15.23\00:17:18.10
Somebody's marriage was
headed to divorce court,
00:17:18.13\00:17:21.40
but God is healing
that marriage right now.
00:17:21.44\00:17:24.64
So, don't wait till that
battle is over, shout now.
00:17:24.67\00:17:28.08
God is healing His
people now. God is delivering
00:17:28.11\00:17:31.48
His people now.  God is
raising up His people now.
00:17:31.51\00:17:35.55
God is restoring His
people now. God is saving
00:17:35.58\00:17:39.29
His people, right
now.   But not only that,
00:17:39.32\00:17:45.46
in the text I
learned something else.
00:17:45.49\00:17:47.93
Not only will a
blind spot keep you from
00:17:47.96\00:17:51.07
seeing what God is
doing, but a spiritual blind
00:17:51.10\00:17:54.80
spot will keep you from
seeing what you're doing.
00:17:54.84\00:17:58.77
You see, when you're
driving a car and you don't
00:17:58.81\00:18:05.21
check your blind spots,
and you decide to make a
00:18:05.25\00:18:08.62
lane change, you might
not know it, but you might
00:18:08.65\00:18:12.45
run into the car that
is riding right next to ya
00:18:12.49\00:18:15.56
and it's in your blind
spot. And what you'll do is,
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.53
you'll hurt yourself
and you'll hurt the other
00:18:18.56\00:18:22.13
person in the car.  You
all don't hear what I'm saying.
00:18:22.16\00:18:24.83
In the text the Pharisees
are unaware that with all
00:18:24.87\00:18:29.10
of their theological
expertise, with all of their
00:18:29.14\00:18:32.11
debate about the Sabbath,
and whether it was lawful
00:18:32.14\00:18:34.91
to take a put--bit of mud
and smooth it over a blind
00:18:34.94\00:18:38.28
man's eyes for the
purpose of the man seeing,
00:18:38.31\00:18:41.22
with all these legal
ramblings, they still couldn't
00:18:41.25\00:18:44.02
see that they were making
this newly healed man wonder
00:18:44.05\00:18:47.32
about the nature of his
healing. They were trying to
00:18:47.36\00:18:50.73
make him feel like
some ungodly source.
00:18:50.76\00:18:53.46
Some diabolical deity.
 Some, uh, unholy entity
00:18:53.50\00:18:57.77
had brought about his
healing. They were discrediting
00:18:57.80\00:19:00.17
his sight, as if he had no
reason to be happy about his
00:19:00.20\00:19:04.14
miracle. You know what I'm
talking about. Sometimes when
00:19:04.17\00:19:07.18
God comes and heals us and
we come to church and we want to
00:19:07.21\00:19:10.25
clap our hands and we want
to stomp our feet, and there are
00:19:10.28\00:19:13.08
people in the congregation
that mean mug us.  You know what
00:19:13.11\00:19:15.62
I'm talking about.  They
weren't happy about his miracle.
00:19:15.65\00:19:21.09
They were so hung up on
their doctrines that they
00:19:21.12\00:19:23.76
were blind to what their
doctrines were doing to real
00:19:23.79\00:19:26.73
people. They were hurting the
man. Where the man had just been
00:19:26.76\00:19:30.80
healed, spirit, physically, they
were emotionally and spiritually
00:19:30.83\00:19:34.70
wounding the brother.  They
couldn't see it.  They had a
00:19:34.74\00:19:40.38
blind spot. They knew
religion, but didn't know about
00:19:40.41\00:19:44.55
relationships. They knew the
law, but they didn't know about
00:19:44.58\00:19:48.08
love. They knew the
commandments, but they really
00:19:48.12\00:19:50.72
didn't know about Christ.  But
they knew the Lord 's Prayer,
00:19:50.75\00:19:53.59
but they didn't really
know the Lord, because they were
00:19:53.62\00:19:56.22
in the sanctuary but not in
the spirit.  Are you hearing
00:19:56.26\00:19:58.69
what I'm saying?   The
Pharisees spent their lives
00:19:58.73\00:20:01.70
being religious, but
before we're too critical and we
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.83
talk about them, all of us
to some degree are religious.
00:20:04.87\00:20:09.27
Pastor Byrd included. 
Because there's nothing as
00:20:09.30\00:20:12.74
dangerous as turning
yourself over to a room full
00:20:12.77\00:20:15.01
of church folk when you've
messed up.  [Audience responds]
00:20:15.04\00:20:20.25
PB:  We have rules for
which we have no scriptures.
00:20:20.28\00:20:26.42
[Audience responds,
applause] PB:  We have all kinds
00:20:26.45\00:20:33.23
of concepts and ideas
for what is appropriate
00:20:33.26\00:20:36.60
and inappropriate.  We
kill people over things that
00:20:36.63\00:20:39.63
we realize later,
really, it wasn't that deep.
00:20:39.67\00:20:42.20
And where we have
scriptures, we don't search them
00:20:42.24\00:20:45.07
for appropriateness or
contextual correctness.
00:20:45.11\00:20:48.14
Many times we just
hurl them after the fashion
00:20:48.18\00:20:50.85
of our fathers without
questioning the possibility
00:20:50.88\00:20:52.98
that our fathers
could have been wrong.
00:20:53.01\00:20:55.48
So what we do is, we
kill our sons, our future,
00:20:55.52\00:20:59.25
trying to be loyal to
our fathers, our past,
00:20:59.29\00:21:01.96
and our future is
destroyed by our commitment
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.69
to our history
because we love our history
00:21:04.73\00:21:07.00
more than we seek
our destiny. [Applause]
00:21:07.03\00:21:11.47
PB:  We're
spiritually blind. We can't see
00:21:11.50\00:21:15.97
what God is doing. 
And then we can't see what
00:21:16.00\00:21:19.64
we're doing. 
Today, can you see?
00:21:19.67\00:21:25.68
I hear people all
the time after I preach
00:21:25.71\00:21:28.58
in this church, and I've
got, I preach across country,
00:21:28.62\00:21:31.59
but I hear people
all the time, preach,
00:21:31.62\00:21:33.62
Pastor Byrd, preach
it, tell them.  [Applause]
00:21:33.66\00:21:39.66
PB:  Have you ever
thought that God is trying to
00:21:39.69\00:21:52.87
tell you something?  Can
you not see?  Can you not
00:21:52.91\00:21:58.51
see what God is
doing?  Can you not see what
00:21:58.55\00:22:02.58
you are doing?  The
man was physically blind,
00:22:02.62\00:22:08.32
but the Pharisees
were spiritually blind.
00:22:08.36\00:22:11.83
And spiritual
blindness is worse than physical
00:22:11.86\00:22:15.06
blindness, because physical
blindness can be healed,
00:22:15.10\00:22:18.67
but spiritual
blindness resists healing.
00:22:18.70\00:22:22.40
Here we now have a
blind beggar seeing more
00:22:22.44\00:22:27.01
clearly than the
religious leaders.
00:22:27.04\00:22:29.64
So, Jesus says, as He
closes out the chapter
00:22:29.68\00:22:32.21
in verse 39, For
judgment I have come into this
00:22:32.25\00:22:36.25
world so that the
blind will see and those who
00:22:36.28\00:22:40.89
see will become blind.
 For all their knowledge
00:22:40.92\00:22:46.39
of scripture, for all of
their religious practice,
00:22:46.43\00:22:50.40
for all of their experienced
information and expertise,
00:22:50.43\00:22:54.24
they still missed the kingdom.
A poor, blind man found it.
00:22:54.27\00:23:00.68
Their eyes were
closed.  His eyes were opened.
00:23:00.71\00:23:06.61
You can enter the kingdom
if you're physically blind.
00:23:06.65\00:23:11.89
But, friends, you can't
get to the kingdom if you're
00:23:11.92\00:23:14.79
spiritually blind. 
Somebody is blind in this place.
00:23:14.82\00:23:20.90
Not physically blind,
but spiritually blind.
00:23:20.93\00:23:25.40
Somebody needs to
see.  Can you see?
00:23:25.43\00:23:32.84
We are Oakwood, eager
to learn, depart to serve,
00:23:32.87\00:23:38.71
can you see?  When you
go back to your home church,
00:23:38.75\00:23:44.49
when you go back to
your home city, can you see?
00:23:44.52\00:23:49.52
God by the power of the
Holy Ghost brought you to
00:23:49.56\00:23:53.73
alumni weekend just so
you can hear the Word being
00:23:53.76\00:23:57.17
preached this weekend.  God
is about to set somebody free.
00:23:57.20\00:24:01.57
Something's about to happen.
Something is about to move
00:24:01.60\00:24:05.97
in this place.  Something
is about to take hold of you.
00:24:06.01\00:24:09.31
You've cried long enough. You've
been depressed long enough.
00:24:09.34\00:24:13.28
You've been talked about
long enough.  You've been
00:24:13.31\00:24:16.32
blind long enough.  But
God is about to do something.
00:24:16.35\00:24:20.52
Mud and all, I'm in, any way
you bless me, I'll be satisfied.
00:24:20.56\00:24:29.46
You see, I refuse to live
in misery and die in misery.
00:24:29.50\00:24:34.90
I refuse to live in a
earthly hell, then die and go to
00:24:34.94\00:24:39.57
an eternal hell.  That's
too much hell.  Are you hearing
00:24:39.61\00:24:41.84
what I'm saying?  A
breakthrough has got to come.
00:24:41.88\00:24:45.51
You see, I've learned
in my life that I've got to
00:24:45.55\00:24:48.92
praise God, not because
of, but I've got to learn
00:24:48.95\00:24:52.92
how to praise Him in
spite of. You've got to get
00:24:52.95\00:24:56.09
to the point in your life
where you have to say, God,
00:24:56.12\00:24:58.69
I praise ya, in
spite of my circumstances.
00:24:58.73\00:25:01.76
In spite of my situation. 
In spite of my unemployment.
00:25:01.80\00:25:06.57
In spite of my finances.
 In spite of my feelings.
00:25:06.60\00:25:10.81
In spite of my illnesses.
 In spite of my sicknesses.
00:25:10.84\00:25:15.54
In spite of them, I will
bless the Lord at all times
00:25:15.58\00:25:20.35
and His praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
00:25:20.38\00:25:24.12
My soul shall make
her boast in the Lord.
00:25:24.15\00:25:26.96
The humble shall hear
their love and be glad.
00:25:26.99\00:25:29.49
Oh come and magnify
the Lord with me and let us
00:25:29.52\00:25:33.63
exalt His name
together.  I know what Jesus has
00:25:33.66\00:25:36.83
done for me.  I know
Jesus has set me free.
00:25:36.87\00:25:42.14
And I don't know
where He came from.  I don't
00:25:42.17\00:25:46.68
know if He's a saint
or a sinner.  I don't know
00:25:46.71\00:25:51.15
what school He went to.
 I don't know if He went
00:25:51.18\00:25:54.58
to Oakwood, Andrews,
Southern, Loma Linda, A&M,
00:25:54.62\00:26:00.56
all I know if I once
was blind. You all don't
00:26:00.59\00:26:03.86
hear what I'm
saying.  But now I see.
00:26:03.89\00:26:06.33
I don't know what
the church board said.
00:26:06.36\00:26:08.73
I don't know what
the elders' board said.
00:26:08.76\00:26:11.73
I don't know what the
conference committee said.
00:26:11.77\00:26:14.67
I don't know what the
alumni committee said.
00:26:14.70\00:26:17.44
All I know is I once
was blind, but now I see.
00:26:17.47\00:26:22.21
I don't know whether
he's a saint or a sinner.
00:26:22.24\00:26:25.41
I'm not here to debate
and argue how I got healed,
00:26:25.45\00:26:29.28
when I got healed,
where I got healed,
00:26:29.32\00:26:32.02
or what day I got
healed, or who even healed me,
00:26:32.05\00:26:35.89
all I know is I once
was blind, but now I see.
00:26:35.92\00:26:39.06
So, amazing grace,
how sweet the sound that
00:26:39.09\00:26:42.63
saved a wretch like
me.  I once was lost,
00:26:42.66\00:26:45.77
but now I'm found. 
Was blind, but now I see.
00:26:45.80\00:26:51.54
And when we come
into the house of God,
00:26:51.57\00:26:53.68
we become in God's
presence, we ought to lift
00:26:53.71\00:26:56.88
holy hands in blessing.  I
don't care what's happening
00:26:56.91\00:26:59.88
in your life.  You
ought to lift holy hands and
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.78
worship Him because you may
not be where you want to be,
00:27:02.82\00:27:06.42
but praise God to
not where you used to be.
00:27:06.45\00:27:09.42
[Applause]   PB: 
The car in your driveway.
00:27:09.46\00:27:12.43
It may be a hooptie.
 A hooptie is it means
00:27:12.46\00:27:17.27
it barely, be barely
running. But at least
00:27:17.30\00:27:20.10
you ain't walking.  Are
you hearing what I'm saying?
00:27:20.14\00:27:22.37
You may not have the
house you want, but you've
00:27:22.40\00:27:26.27
got a roof over your
head.  You may not have money
00:27:26.31\00:27:29.98
in your pocket, but at
least you've got some food
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.41
on your table. 
You've had some good days.
00:27:32.45\00:27:36.12
You've had some bad days.
You've had some hills to climb.
00:27:36.15\00:27:40.92
But when you look
around and think things over,
00:27:40.96\00:27:44.89
all of my good days
outweigh my bad days.
00:27:44.93\00:27:48.80
I won't complain. 
Praise ye the Lord.
00:27:48.83\00:27:53.20
Praise God in His
sanctuary. Praise Him in
00:27:53.23\00:27:56.71
the firmament of His power.
Praise Him for His mighty acts.
00:27:56.74\00:28:00.14
Praise Him according to
His excellent greatness.
00:28:00.18\00:28:02.91
Praise Him with the
sound of the trumpet.
00:28:02.94\00:28:05.18
Praise Him with the
psaltery of the heart.
00:28:05.21\00:28:07.52
Praise Him with
the tempo of the dance.
00:28:07.55\00:28:09.62
Praise Him with the
string instruments and organs.
00:28:09.65\00:28:12.39
Praise Him with
the loud cymbals.
00:28:12.42\00:28:14.39
Praise Him with
the high sounding--
00:28:14.42\00:28:16.49
Thank you for joining
us for another exciting
00:28:16.52\00:28:18.63
Breath of Life
television broadcast.
00:28:18.66\00:28:20.80
Tune in next week
at the same time as
00:28:20.83\00:28:23.43
Dr. Byrd will deliver
another dynamic message
00:28:23.47\00:28:25.97
from the Lord, just for you.
00:28:26.00\00:28:28.10
Until next time,
may God bless you.
00:28:28.14\00:28:29.84
END
00:28:29.87\00:28:44.89