Hello, friends,
welcome to 3ABN Worship Hour,
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and a happy
Sabbath to all of you
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that are joining us.
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We are looking
forward to God's blessings
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as He has always
done in the past.
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And we wanna pray that
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you'll remain
focused on the message today
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entitled One Thing.
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Just one thing.
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And before I unpack the
message and go to God's Word,
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join me as I go before the
Lord asking for His guidance
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in this message.
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Loving father in heaven,
thank You for the privilege,
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for the opportunity.
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We pray that as
this message goes forth,
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it will be like the
sun on a bright clear day.
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It will find the
soil, it will penetrate
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the foliage that seeks to block
the nourishment from Your Word.
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It will find those who
are walking in darkness
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and place before them
a beautifully lit path
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of glorious light.
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As we consider
the topic, one thing
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we pray that we could
be in a prayerful mode
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to ask ourselves the questions,
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what's blocking us?
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How are we seeking
to be better in our walk
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and our relationship with You?
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What one thing is
between us and You?
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So now take Your Word
and cause it to be a glory
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to Your name and Your honor,
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in Jesus name, I pray.
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Amen.
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I'm gonna begin with
a passage in John 9:25.
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John 9:25,
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and it fits
perfectly and beautifully
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in the context of
the title, One Thing.
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We're gonna go to
the end of the story.
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Then we're gonna come back
to the details of the story.
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And in that we are
gonna begin to unpack
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one thing after another,
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that may be a factor
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in the development
of your Christian life
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or in the
hindrance of the blessings
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that God intends to
expose you to recognizing that
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each one of us is
just one decision away
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from our best life.
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John 9:25 unfolds as follows.
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"He answered and said,"
and you'll find out who he is,
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"whether he is a sinner or not,
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I do not know.
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One thing I know
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that though I was blind
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now I see."
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I'm smiling in
anticipation of amazing story
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that's gonna unfold before you,
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but I'd like to
begin with a story.
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A story that was
featured in the Washington Post,
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May 27th, 1979.
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Now I like air travel.
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I've actually grown
to enjoy air travel,
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but I look back on the date
and I can tell you back then,
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I didn't really know
much about air travel at all.
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But on May 27th, 1979,
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a DC 10 style plane,
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an American airlines
jet flight number 191
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bound for Los Angeles
with 271 passengers on board
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plunged to the ground
shortly after takeoff.
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According to
the flight recorder,
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the plane had reached the point
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of no return.
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That means, when
the plane is taking off
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there is an
audible acknowledgement
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by the plane
notification system.
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And when the pilot here is V1,
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the plane has
reached speeds beyond
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which the plane can safely stop.
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And the next
audible announcement
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either by the pilot
or by the co-pilot is VR.
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Meaning the pilot has to follow
through with velocity rotation.
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And that's the point
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where you begin to
sense the plane nose up
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and you begin to
ascend off the ground.
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The plane is now
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in what's called
the speed condition
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to lift the nose off the ground.
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When going back on
this terrible incident,
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according to the
voice recorded content,
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one of the pilots said something
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completely out of character
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as he noticed a
disaster was in the making.
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According to the records,
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38 seconds before
the plane crashed,
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the left engine fell off
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rendering the
plane uncontrollable.
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At the same time, the
air traffic controller
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watching and guiding the
plane in his takeoff maneuvers
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shouted something.
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"Look at that! Look at that!"
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He thought that the
plane had blown an engine
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about a half mile from
Chicago O'Hare's Airport.
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Sadly enough, the
plane plunged into a field
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killing 271 on board
and two on the ground
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in a pickup truck.
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The fire they
said was so intense
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that the rescuers
had to wait for hours
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before they could
move on to the site,
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hoping to rescue someone.
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The sad reality is no
one survived the incident.
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The thing that
strikes my attention was
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that same plane
took off a few days
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earlier after also
reporting engine trouble.
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And then it
returned to the airport
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to get whatever that
incident concern was resolved.
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At least they
thought they resolved it.
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The NTSB, which is the National
Transportation Safety Board
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investigation concluded.
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This is amazing.
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That one bolt, I repeat
that one bolt was missing.
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It's called the
nacelle mounting bolt.
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They said that it
fell off the plane
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when the plane
was in the hangar.
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And they suggest that
during the time of maintenance,
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the bolt either rusted
off or somehow just fell off
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or maybe the maintenance
crew forgot to put it back on.
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It was known as
the positioning bolt
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affecting the
position of the engine.
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And unfortunately that
one bolt was the reason
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why 273 people,
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271 on the plane
and two on the ground
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lost their lives
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on that May Day in 1979.
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It's a tragic story,
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but I like to look at
stories that leave an impact.
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And I know as you're thinking
through the loss of life,
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people looking for a
vacation, thanking the Lord,
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that they could take
some time out and relax.
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They never made it
to their destination,
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young and old together
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perished in this fiery incident,
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not too far out of Chicago.
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The reality is,
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it's amazing how one thing
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can make a major difference.
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When I begin to make application
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about how this begins to
broaden in its application.
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Many of you miss the
life that God has for you
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by just one thing,
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not two, not three, not four.
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Some people build
their own roadblocks
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by refusing to let
go of just one thing.
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Others miss the beauty
of the Christian journey
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by refusing to
abandon just one thing.
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Once again, it is
amazing how much of a difference
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one thing can make.
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So John the Apostle,
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who gives us the
preamble to the sermon
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I'm proclaiming
today, the sermon
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I'm sharing with you today,
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gives us a view
into the life of a man
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who was blocked by one thing.
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John records one of
the most detailed miracles
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performed by Jesus.
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It's also one of the
most debated miracles
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because oftentimes when
Jesus performs a miracle,
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you hardly find
people questioning
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what Jesus had done,
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but this par none
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is one of the
most debated miracles
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ever performed by Jesus.
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After the great debate
about how Jesus did it,
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it came down to
one thing, one thing.
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Now let's unpack the story.
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The Bible story has
three main characters.
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You find this story in
the Book of John Chapter 9.
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John is the
youngest of the disciples.
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He is the one often referred
to as the one that Jesus loved.
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And this story
unfolds in a beautiful way
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in the Book of
John, many, many verses
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apply to the story.
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But let me go ahead
and outline the cast.
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You find three main
characters in the story.
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You find one, a blind man.
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Secondly, the Pharisees, a
group of religious leaders,
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remember religious leaders.
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And the third
one, you find Jesus.
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But the total
cast is the blind man,
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his parents, the neighbors,
the Pharisees and Jesus.
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I mentioned Jesus
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because I always
save the best for last.
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Jesus is the only
character in the entire scenario
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that made all the
difference in this man's life.
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The main theme is,
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do you believe that
Jesus can do anything?
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And the great question is,
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what difference
can one decision make
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in the direction of your life?
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Now understanding this story
in the context of my own life,
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because I was born
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in a very unique
set of circumstances,
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and one decision in my life
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at three months
old catapulted me
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from disaster to a dynamic life.
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One decision catapulted me
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from abandonment to
the most glorious life
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that I could ever have imagined,
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because at the tender
age of only three months old,
00:10:27.32\00:10:29.26
my mom and dad
decided to abandon me
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and leave me at a
home of a babysitter
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and never come back.
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But God worked it
out that that babysitter
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was a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian lady.
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And she and her
husband raised me
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to become the
man that I am today.
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What a difference one
decision could have made.
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They could've made
a different decision.
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They could have said,
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send this child
to a foster care,
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turn it over to the government.
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But somehow they
made the right decision
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and my life is a blessing today.
00:10:58.52\00:11:00.79
But the story brings out
three significant observations,
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one, birth issues,
secondly, life's issues
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and thirdly, faith issues.
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Birth issues, life
issues, and faith issues.
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Then the Bible highlights a man,
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although different from us.
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When you begin to see
the components of his life,
00:11:21.51\00:11:24.08
he's in so many
ways, very much like us.
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Let's look at John Chapter 1
00:11:27.98\00:11:29.92
as we begin to
unpack this amazing story.
00:11:29.95\00:11:32.99
We read in John Chapter
1, John 9:1 these words.
00:11:33.02\00:11:38.79
It says "Now,
as Jesus passed by,
00:11:38.83\00:11:42.26
He saw a man
00:11:42.30\00:11:43.87
who was blind from birth."
00:11:43.90\00:11:48.47
Now, not only do I
have an active imagination
00:11:48.50\00:11:51.64
as a pastor who has
preached thousands of sermons,
00:11:51.67\00:11:54.94
I can see things that
you may have forgotten.
00:11:54.98\00:11:57.45
One of the first things
that the Bible reveals is
00:11:57.48\00:12:00.05
Jesus passed by.
00:12:00.08\00:12:01.75
Well, I wanna say this.
00:12:01.78\00:12:03.52
I am so glad when I
was three months old,
00:12:03.55\00:12:05.82
Jesus passed by.
00:12:05.85\00:12:07.56
My life would have
been quite different
00:12:07.59\00:12:10.06
if Jesus did not look out for me
00:12:10.09\00:12:11.86
when I was three months old.
00:12:11.89\00:12:13.46
The point is, friends,
Jesus never just passes by.
00:12:13.50\00:12:16.36
When Jesus passes by,
your life begins to change.
00:12:16.40\00:12:20.54
Every step that Jesus takes
00:12:20.57\00:12:23.91
is a life of a missionary.
00:12:23.94\00:12:26.57
Jesus is never on
an arbitrary journey.
00:12:26.61\00:12:30.08
Every step He
makes in your direction
00:12:30.11\00:12:32.51
is one that is a
transforming step,
00:12:32.55\00:12:34.85
a life changing
step, a door opening step,
00:12:34.88\00:12:39.12
Jesus never just passes by.
00:12:39.15\00:12:41.92
This story is also not
about how well we can see,
00:12:41.96\00:12:45.06
because blind
people can't find Jesus.
00:12:45.09\00:12:47.53
But the good news is,
Jesus can find blind people.
00:12:47.56\00:12:53.37
I'll say amen myself.
00:12:53.40\00:12:55.10
Jesus can find blind people.
00:12:55.14\00:12:59.31
I'm mindful of the
quotation from Helen Keller,
00:12:59.34\00:13:01.91
a young lady who was blind.
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.55
She struggled all her
life with the inability to see.
00:13:03.58\00:13:06.82
She couldn't see,
00:13:06.85\00:13:08.28
but she wrote something
that's very insightful.
00:13:08.32\00:13:10.19
She said the only thing worse
00:13:10.22\00:13:13.32
than being
blind is having sight,
00:13:13.36\00:13:17.49
but no vision.
00:13:17.53\00:13:18.99
Think about that.
00:13:19.03\00:13:20.36
I look at some of the most
prolific accomplished people
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.80
in our society today.
00:13:22.83\00:13:24.33
And although they
may not do something
00:13:24.37\00:13:25.90
that I necessarily
agree with, they have talents.
00:13:25.93\00:13:30.14
I think of a young man by
the name of Stevie Wonder,
00:13:30.17\00:13:32.51
he affected my life
when I was a young boy,
00:13:32.54\00:13:34.28
when I was out on the world,
00:13:34.31\00:13:35.64
he couldn't see,
but he is considered
00:13:35.68\00:13:37.18
one of the most prolific
songwriters in modern times.
00:13:37.21\00:13:41.12
And people like Jose
Feliciano and Ray Charles,
00:13:41.15\00:13:44.45
these are musicians
00:13:44.49\00:13:45.82
that shaped a
lot of my past life,
00:13:45.85\00:13:47.66
but they could
not physically see.
00:13:47.69\00:13:49.89
And then a young man that I know
00:13:49.92\00:13:51.26
that's powerful in
the Lord, Neville Peters.
00:13:51.29\00:13:53.60
He's often featured on 3ABN.
00:13:53.63\00:13:55.56
He cannot see, but
boy, can he play that piano.
00:13:55.60\00:13:58.90
And a number of
other good friends
00:13:58.93\00:14:00.97
that have not
the ability to see,
00:14:01.00\00:14:03.97
but surely can use their
gifts to the glory of God.
00:14:04.01\00:14:07.48
You see, having vision
is sometimes more important
00:14:07.51\00:14:11.81
than having sight
00:14:11.85\00:14:13.18
as Stephanie Dawn, my
good friend can tell you,
00:14:13.21\00:14:15.45
she cannot see,
but boy, can she sing?
00:14:15.48\00:14:18.12
And every time
she opens her mouth,
00:14:18.15\00:14:20.02
the glory of God is revealed.
00:14:20.06\00:14:22.26
So what is the most important,
00:14:22.29\00:14:23.89
having sight but no vision
00:14:23.93\00:14:26.16
or sometimes having no vision,
00:14:26.19\00:14:28.26
but having insight?
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.30
In John 9:2, the
story continues to unfold.
00:14:30.33\00:14:34.07
The Bible says,
00:14:34.10\00:14:35.44
"And His
disciples asked him saying,
00:14:35.47\00:14:38.07
'Rabbi, who sinned?'"
00:14:38.11\00:14:42.24
Now, they're
looking at the condition
00:14:42.28\00:14:43.61
of this blind man.
00:14:43.65\00:14:44.98
And they're saying, who
sinned, this man or his parents
00:14:45.01\00:14:49.35
that he was born blind.
00:14:49.38\00:14:50.82
It's a very significant question
00:14:50.85\00:14:52.95
because the disciples
00:14:52.99\00:14:54.32
and the thought leaders
of that society were affected
00:14:54.36\00:14:58.56
by the doctrine
of transmigration.
00:14:58.59\00:15:01.83
Now you may have said,
00:15:01.86\00:15:03.20
what on earth is the
doctrine of transmigration?
00:15:03.23\00:15:06.43
Well, that's the
framework of the question.
00:15:06.47\00:15:09.27
The doctrine of transmigration
teaches the following.
00:15:09.30\00:15:13.04
It teaches that the
souls of men were sent
00:15:13.07\00:15:15.34
into other bodies
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.51
for a punishment of their sins,
00:15:17.55\00:15:19.95
which they had committed
in a preexistent state.
00:15:19.98\00:15:24.69
The Pharisees, the
Greeks, the Asiatics,
00:15:24.72\00:15:28.49
they held to this belief.
00:15:28.52\00:15:29.92
So when the disciples saw
this young man blind, they say,
00:15:29.96\00:15:32.83
who sinned that
he was born this way?
00:15:32.86\00:15:35.36
Was it him?
00:15:35.40\00:15:36.73
Was it his parents?
00:15:36.77\00:15:38.27
In other words,
you've got to be a sinner
00:15:38.30\00:15:40.80
to be born blind.
00:15:40.84\00:15:42.17
This disease would not
affect you he is saying,
00:15:42.20\00:15:45.07
unless you did something wrong.
00:15:45.11\00:15:48.14
Well, there are
many children born blind
00:15:48.18\00:15:50.55
that have no idea what sin is.
00:15:50.58\00:15:52.65
They've never
stolen anything, never lie.
00:15:52.68\00:15:54.65
They didn't take anything.
00:15:54.68\00:15:56.65
But sometimes we are
affected by birth issues,
00:15:56.69\00:15:59.82
without anything
having to do with our actions.
00:15:59.85\00:16:03.16
You know, many cultures today
still hold to these beliefs.
00:16:03.19\00:16:06.23
Many cultures and religions
00:16:06.26\00:16:07.96
still believe in the
doctrine of transmigration.
00:16:08.00\00:16:11.23
And they profess
to believe to pinpoint
00:16:11.27\00:16:14.47
the sins of the past
00:16:14.50\00:16:15.84
that are connected
00:16:15.87\00:16:17.21
to the
sufferings of the present.
00:16:17.24\00:16:18.57
They say,
00:16:18.61\00:16:19.94
"If you didn't do this,
00:16:19.97\00:16:21.31
then that wouldn't
be happening to you."
00:16:21.34\00:16:23.88
I'm so glad that's not the case
00:16:23.91\00:16:25.71
because sometimes we
are totally innocent victims
00:16:25.75\00:16:28.95
simply being in the
wrong place at the wrong time.
00:16:28.98\00:16:31.95
Sometimes being
born into circumstances,
00:16:31.99\00:16:34.32
we have no control over.
00:16:34.36\00:16:35.79
Going back to my story,
00:16:35.82\00:16:37.16
I didn't choose to be abandoned.
00:16:37.19\00:16:38.59
I just came into
the world as any child
00:16:38.63\00:16:41.10
that's being born.
00:16:41.13\00:16:43.00
But they pointed
out some amazing things
00:16:43.03\00:16:44.67
about this
doctrine of transmigration.
00:16:44.70\00:16:47.17
For example, they said,
00:16:47.20\00:16:49.07
if a person was
suffering from severe headaches,
00:16:49.10\00:16:51.64
they said that that
person in their last life
00:16:51.67\00:16:54.88
spoke irreverently
against their mother or father.
00:16:54.91\00:16:58.21
So now they're living
alive, suffering with headaches.
00:16:58.25\00:17:01.18
They also say about this
doctrine of transmigration,
00:17:01.22\00:17:03.69
if that person was
mad, out of his mind,
00:17:03.72\00:17:06.55
he was disobedient to
his mother, his father,
00:17:06.59\00:17:10.86
or maybe his spiritual guide.
00:17:10.89\00:17:13.06
And then they also
say, and this is sad,
00:17:13.09\00:17:14.83
but they believe according
to this disease and belief
00:17:14.86\00:17:18.57
that if you had epilepsy,
00:17:18.60\00:17:20.74
you were being
punished for poisoning someone
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.87
at your master's table.
00:17:22.90\00:17:24.77
Can you imagine?
00:17:24.81\00:17:26.14
And then they said
if you had eye pain,
00:17:26.17\00:17:28.04
this made me smile.
00:17:28.08\00:17:29.51
They said, you're
suffering with eye pain
00:17:29.54\00:17:31.88
because you are
coveting another man's wife
00:17:31.91\00:17:35.05
while you were in another body.
00:17:35.08\00:17:38.69
Something you did in the past.
00:17:38.72\00:17:40.76
And then they say,
00:17:40.79\00:17:42.69
this points to
this young man's life.
00:17:42.72\00:17:44.59
If you were
fighting with blindness
00:17:44.63\00:17:46.03
or suffering from blindness,
00:17:46.06\00:17:48.46
they say that you are
punished for having killed
00:17:48.50\00:17:51.67
your former mother.
00:17:51.70\00:17:53.87
However, before your birth,
00:17:53.90\00:17:56.27
how could you
have killed someone?
00:17:56.30\00:17:59.04
Because you were not
living in a past life.
00:17:59.07\00:18:02.18
And they say there
are two possibilities
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.05
for this blind man's condition.
00:18:04.08\00:18:05.81
They said, he is being punished
for the sins of his parents,
00:18:05.85\00:18:08.52
or he is being
punished for the sins
00:18:08.55\00:18:10.55
of his former existence.
00:18:10.59\00:18:12.45
But, friends, you and I
know there is no such thing
00:18:12.49\00:18:15.82
as living in a former world,
00:18:15.86\00:18:18.99
living in a former condition.
00:18:19.03\00:18:22.46
And furthermore, when
you look at the story,
00:18:22.50\00:18:24.57
Jesus never explained
00:18:24.60\00:18:26.97
the reason for
this man's condition,
00:18:27.00\00:18:29.10
which brings me
down to birth issues.
00:18:29.14\00:18:30.94
And this is so vitally important
00:18:30.97\00:18:32.54
because I talked to many people
that suffer with birth issues.
00:18:32.57\00:18:36.04
They are so hung up
00:18:36.08\00:18:37.41
on what happened to
them in their lives,
00:18:37.45\00:18:38.81
that they can't get past
the things of their past.
00:18:38.85\00:18:41.45
Birth issues.
00:18:41.48\00:18:42.82
But they forget
that how we were born
00:18:42.85\00:18:44.75
is not as important
as that we were born.
00:18:44.79\00:18:48.49
Now, I couldn't change my
circumstances of my birth,
00:18:48.52\00:18:51.36
but I can surely do
something about my future.
00:18:51.39\00:18:53.73
I can't go back and
undo anything in the past,
00:18:53.76\00:18:56.30
but I can make
conscious decisions
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.07
about my future.
00:18:58.10\00:18:59.43
Here's my point.
00:18:59.47\00:19:00.80
Many of us are
bound by birth issues
00:19:00.84\00:19:03.47
because we forget
something vitally important,
00:19:03.51\00:19:06.07
who we are is not as
important as who we can be.
00:19:06.11\00:19:11.45
And the question is,
who do you wanna become?
00:19:11.48\00:19:13.92
What do you wanna become?
00:19:13.95\00:19:15.35
What do you wanna accomplish?
00:19:15.38\00:19:17.15
You can't be blaming your past
00:19:17.19\00:19:18.89
if you fail to use the
gift that God has given you.
00:19:18.92\00:19:21.52
And that is the power to choose.
00:19:21.56\00:19:24.03
And we often focus on
what has been done to us
00:19:24.06\00:19:26.46
because we failed to realize
what Jesus has done for us.
00:19:26.49\00:19:31.30
And I know I wish I had
my mom at three months old
00:19:31.33\00:19:34.87
and I wish my dad was
around, but I'll tell you what.
00:19:34.90\00:19:37.87
I look back on my
upbringing in the life
00:19:37.91\00:19:41.21
that I had instead of being
with my mom and dad of birth.
00:19:41.24\00:19:44.05
And I can tell you, I
didn't miss any blessings.
00:19:44.08\00:19:46.41
I was raised by two people
that gave me a solid footing
00:19:46.45\00:19:49.92
on the understanding of life.
00:19:49.95\00:19:51.85
And Jesus made it clear
that the man's blindness
00:19:51.89\00:19:54.22
was not related to
any particular sin,
00:19:54.26\00:19:57.09
but, friends, keep this in mind.
00:19:57.13\00:19:58.46
This sinful world
predisposes us to everything.
00:19:58.49\00:20:02.86
Anything could happen to you,
00:20:02.90\00:20:04.73
not because of
anything you've done wrong,
00:20:04.77\00:20:06.70
but because of the
world that we live in.
00:20:06.74\00:20:08.60
You can be going to the
store and get hit by a car.
00:20:08.64\00:20:11.81
You can just
step out of your house
00:20:11.84\00:20:13.17
like I did on one
morning, going to work
00:20:13.21\00:20:14.91
and be attacked by a dog.
00:20:14.94\00:20:17.01
And you had
nothing to do with that.
00:20:17.05\00:20:18.41
That's just the
kind of world we live in.
00:20:18.45\00:20:20.35
Be ready at any moment
00:20:20.38\00:20:22.62
to deal with anything
that you have not seen coming.
00:20:22.65\00:20:26.02
There are
conditions that often affect us
00:20:26.05\00:20:28.12
that have nothing to
do with what we have done,
00:20:28.16\00:20:31.23
but I've learned something
very significant as I grow up,
00:20:31.26\00:20:34.63
as I get older, or can I
say, as I continue to get older.
00:20:34.66\00:20:38.67
Sometimes God uses our curse
00:20:38.70\00:20:42.47
to reveal His blessing.
00:20:42.50\00:20:44.87
Sometimes God
reveals our failures
00:20:44.91\00:20:48.64
to introduce His successes.
00:20:48.68\00:20:52.75
Now, while
you're chewing on that,
00:20:52.78\00:20:54.35
look at verse 3
of John Chapter 9,
00:20:54.38\00:20:57.59
a curse to a blessing,
a failure to a success.
00:20:57.62\00:21:01.39
Listen to the words of Jesus.
00:21:01.42\00:21:03.16
John 9:3,
00:21:03.19\00:21:05.29
"Jesus answered,
00:21:05.33\00:21:06.76
'Neither this man
nor his parents sinned,
00:21:06.80\00:21:10.17
but that the works of God
should be revealed in him.'"
00:21:10.20\00:21:15.60
Did you know, friends,
what Jesus said about this
00:21:15.64\00:21:18.27
blind man is
also true about you.
00:21:18.31\00:21:21.68
It's true about me.
00:21:21.71\00:21:23.04
We were born, get this,
so that the works of God
00:21:23.08\00:21:28.02
should be revealed in us.
00:21:28.05\00:21:31.85
You just heard me right.
00:21:31.89\00:21:33.72
You are not born for
arbitrary, temporary things.
00:21:33.76\00:21:38.03
You young lady, you
young man, you father, mother,
00:21:38.06\00:21:41.70
you husband, wife,
00:21:41.73\00:21:43.26
you, that person who feels
the world has shut you out.
00:21:43.30\00:21:46.07
You were born
00:21:46.10\00:21:47.44
so that the power
and the works of God
00:21:47.47\00:21:50.21
could be revealed
through your life.
00:21:50.24\00:21:52.87
And what are you waiting for?
00:21:52.91\00:21:54.51
There's one thing that's
00:21:54.54\00:21:56.01
between you and
the most wonderful life
00:21:56.04\00:21:58.55
you can ever never imagine
00:21:58.58\00:22:01.28
you were born
that the works of God
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.55
should be revealed in you.
00:22:03.59\00:22:05.32
So don't get
distracted by who you were
00:22:05.35\00:22:08.69
because of Adam.
00:22:08.72\00:22:10.06
Get excited about who you can be
00:22:10.09\00:22:12.73
because of Jesus.
00:22:12.76\00:22:14.43
The Apostle Paul in
1 Corinthians 15:22,
00:22:14.46\00:22:18.70
he tells us that there
is a difference between
00:22:18.73\00:22:21.10
the natural birth
and the spiritual birth.
00:22:21.14\00:22:23.51
There is a difference
between your humble beginnings
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.11
and your magnificent future.
00:22:26.14\00:22:28.64
He says in 1
Corinthians 15:22, these words,
00:22:28.68\00:22:32.51
"For as in Adam, all die."
00:22:32.55\00:22:35.68
Everybody is subject to death.
00:22:35.72\00:22:37.89
But that's not
the end of the text.
00:22:37.92\00:22:39.89
"Even so in Christ
00:22:39.92\00:22:42.86
all shall be made alive."
00:22:42.89\00:22:46.76
Hmm.
00:22:46.80\00:22:48.13
What does that mean?
00:22:48.16\00:22:49.50
That means God
has not created you.
00:22:49.53\00:22:51.40
God has not given you
birth to have a dead morning,
00:22:51.43\00:22:55.57
a dead afternoon.
00:22:55.60\00:22:57.31
Your life is going nowhere.
00:22:57.34\00:22:58.71
Your future is dead.
00:22:58.74\00:23:00.94
I've run into young
people that are very young,
00:23:00.98\00:23:04.15
but seems like they
are ready for the grave.
00:23:04.18\00:23:06.82
I remember meeting a
young man, just 25 years old.
00:23:06.85\00:23:09.98
And I was in
the middle of my 50s
00:23:10.02\00:23:12.22
and he said, I'm too
old to play basketball.
00:23:12.25\00:23:14.89
And I thought, I'm 30
years older than you are.
00:23:14.92\00:23:17.86
He said, "Oh, I'm
too old for the sport."
00:23:17.89\00:23:20.23
And I thought to myself,
00:23:20.26\00:23:21.60
so what are you
going to do next?
00:23:21.63\00:23:23.50
He said, "I'm just
going to take it easy
00:23:23.53\00:23:25.23
because I don't even
think I'm going to live
00:23:25.27\00:23:27.54
to get to 55."
00:23:27.57\00:23:29.60
And I though
what a sad existence.
00:23:29.64\00:23:31.37
He's living with a
mindset that at 25 years old,
00:23:31.41\00:23:34.04
he's nearing
the end of his life.
00:23:34.08\00:23:35.74
And he doesn't even
have plans for 55 years old.
00:23:35.78\00:23:39.51
That's a sad reality.
00:23:39.55\00:23:41.28
But Jesus pointed out
that in this blinds man life,
00:23:41.32\00:23:45.15
as in yours,
00:23:45.19\00:23:46.72
while Jesus is planning
to change your condition,
00:23:46.76\00:23:50.26
there's something that
He wants to change first.
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.79
Look at John 9:6-7.
00:23:52.83\00:23:55.20
And I want you
to hear that again.
00:23:55.23\00:23:56.70
Before Jesus
changes your condition,
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.57
before He changes
your circumstances,
00:23:59.60\00:24:02.20
there's something that
He's gonna change first.
00:24:02.24\00:24:05.57
John 9:6,
00:24:05.61\00:24:08.38
"When He said these things,"
00:24:08.41\00:24:10.31
that is Jesus speaking,
00:24:10.35\00:24:11.71
"He spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva.
00:24:11.75\00:24:16.45
And He anointed the
eyes of the blind man
00:24:16.48\00:24:19.19
with the clay."
00:24:19.22\00:24:20.76
In verse 7,
00:24:20.79\00:24:23.49
"And He said to him,
00:24:23.53\00:24:24.86
'Go wash in the pool of Siloam,
00:24:24.89\00:24:28.76
which is translated, Sent.
00:24:28.80\00:24:32.43
So he went and washed,
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.64
and came back seeing."
00:24:35.67\00:24:39.44
Now this is something
that I cannot overemphasize.
00:24:39.47\00:24:42.78
I want you to
kind of shake your head
00:24:42.81\00:24:44.58
because here's a
powerful point of the message.
00:24:44.61\00:24:47.35
Before Jesus
changed the man's condition,
00:24:47.38\00:24:50.92
before He restored
or gave him his sight,
00:24:50.95\00:24:55.19
He changed the man's direction.
00:24:55.22\00:24:58.59
I'm going to repeat
that slowly one more time.
00:24:58.63\00:25:00.70
Before Jesus gave the
man his physical sight,
00:25:00.73\00:25:04.63
He changed his direction.
00:25:04.67\00:25:08.20
You see the point is,
a change in our direction
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.64
is the precursor to a
change in our condition.
00:25:11.67\00:25:16.44
Did you hear that?
00:25:16.48\00:25:17.98
A change in your
direction is the prelude
00:25:18.01\00:25:22.12
to a change in your condition.
00:25:22.15\00:25:24.45
Well, let me add
another component
00:25:24.49\00:25:25.85
that's even more beautiful.
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.36
A change in your
direction is the precursor
00:25:27.39\00:25:30.53
to complete
restoration to the revelation
00:25:30.56\00:25:35.33
of first time getting
a chance to see Jesus.
00:25:35.36\00:25:39.03
Do you know how amazing it was?
00:25:39.07\00:25:40.84
Do you know how exciting
that young man must have been?
00:25:40.87\00:25:43.57
That the first
time he got his sight,
00:25:43.61\00:25:45.67
the first person
he saw was Jesus.
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.54
The Bible says,
he went and washed,
00:25:48.58\00:25:51.11
and he came back seeing.
00:25:51.15\00:25:52.65
Notice, when the
Lord gives you direction,
00:25:52.68\00:25:55.38
you can't stand
still expecting a change.
00:25:55.42\00:25:58.05
You gotta go as God sends you.
00:25:58.09\00:25:59.99
And when you
go, you'll come back
00:26:00.02\00:26:02.29
with the blessing of God
being unfolded in your life.
00:26:02.32\00:26:05.39
He went, he washed,
00:26:05.43\00:26:07.73
that means the
cleansing of his past,
00:26:07.76\00:26:09.76
and he came back seeing.
00:26:09.80\00:26:11.27
What an amazing transition
00:26:11.30\00:26:12.97
to take you from who you were
00:26:13.00\00:26:14.80
to who you are now
becoming in Christ.
00:26:14.84\00:26:17.31
But the problem is
00:26:17.34\00:26:18.67
many are bound in
the same condition
00:26:18.71\00:26:20.61
because they desire
a change in condition
00:26:20.64\00:26:23.68
without a change in direction.
00:26:23.71\00:26:25.98
There are some
people that are living
00:26:26.01\00:26:27.35
the same way every day.
00:26:27.38\00:26:28.72
And you may be one of them
00:26:28.75\00:26:30.35
wondering why your
life hasn't changed.
00:26:30.39\00:26:32.45
Jesus will never
change your life.
00:26:32.49\00:26:34.46
Jesus will
never change your life
00:26:34.49\00:26:38.73
until He first
changes your direction.
00:26:38.76\00:26:41.66
And you know the saying,
00:26:41.70\00:26:43.53
the definition for insanity
is doing the same thing,
00:26:43.57\00:26:48.07
expecting different results,
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.11
going in the same
direction like Jonah did
00:26:50.14\00:26:53.68
when God is saying
go in that direction.
00:26:53.71\00:26:55.94
Jonah was told to go to Nineveh,
00:26:55.98\00:26:58.15
but he tried to
run away to Tarshish.
00:26:58.18\00:27:00.18
And, boy, what a
delivery God gave Him.
00:27:00.22\00:27:03.45
He was burped up
along the shores of Nineveh,
00:27:03.49\00:27:06.05
smelling like a fish.
00:27:06.09\00:27:07.46
Is that the kind
of future you want?
00:27:07.49\00:27:09.09
Smell like a fish
running from God's blessing,
00:27:09.12\00:27:11.79
going in the wrong direction
00:27:11.83\00:27:13.33
and causing the
people around you
00:27:13.36\00:27:15.10
to experience the
turbulence of your disobedience
00:27:15.13\00:27:18.33
like the Prophet Jonah.
00:27:18.37\00:27:22.54
To have a different outcome,
friends, I'm saying to you
00:27:22.57\00:27:25.17
requires a different direction.
00:27:25.21\00:27:27.64
We cannot go in
the same direction
00:27:27.68\00:27:29.78
while expecting a
different destiny.
00:27:29.81\00:27:33.82
You wonder why your
life is not working out.
00:27:33.85\00:27:37.09
How could your life work out
00:27:37.12\00:27:39.52
without allowing
Jesus to come in?
00:27:39.55\00:27:41.82
How can you ever hope
00:27:41.86\00:27:43.19
to have any
kind of bright future
00:27:43.22\00:27:45.16
when you are turning
off the light of the world?
00:27:45.19\00:27:47.50
How can you ever
hope to be filled
00:27:47.53\00:27:50.30
when you don't hunger and
thirst after righteousness?
00:27:50.33\00:27:54.47
And let me tell you, like,
00:27:54.50\00:27:55.84
as a young man that
was out on the world,
00:27:55.87\00:27:57.61
dancing, partying,
gambling, pool hustling,
00:27:57.64\00:28:00.08
living a loose life.
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.11
Let me tell you today.
00:28:02.14\00:28:04.88
You'll never know
00:28:04.91\00:28:06.25
what it really means to have joy
00:28:06.28\00:28:08.05
until you turn your
life over to Christ.
00:28:08.08\00:28:11.59
My wife and I can tell
you, and we can testify.
00:28:11.62\00:28:13.66
I can stop the sermon right here
00:28:13.69\00:28:15.09
and take the rest of the time
00:28:15.12\00:28:16.46
telling you the
blessings in my life.
00:28:16.49\00:28:18.43
But it didn't happen
until there was a change
00:28:18.46\00:28:21.46
in my direction.
00:28:21.50\00:28:23.13
So I had to go from birth issues
00:28:23.16\00:28:25.80
and then I had
to go to life issues
00:28:25.83\00:28:28.17
before I got to faith issues.
00:28:28.20\00:28:30.14
Secondly, the life issues,
00:28:30.17\00:28:32.34
unless we have an
encounter with Jesus,
00:28:32.37\00:28:34.78
there will never be a
change in our direction,
00:28:34.81\00:28:37.88
and the strength of our
sight will never be restored.
00:28:37.91\00:28:42.52
That's why David the Psalmist
00:28:42.55\00:28:43.92
prayed the
prayer in Psalm 119:18.
00:28:43.95\00:28:46.35
He said,
00:28:46.39\00:28:47.72
"Open my eyes
00:28:47.76\00:28:49.96
that I may behold
wondrous things from Your law."
00:28:49.99\00:28:53.83
The reason why people don't see
wonderful things in God's law,
00:28:53.86\00:28:56.53
is they keep
their own eyes closed.
00:28:56.56\00:28:58.43
And Jesus said to the Pharisees,
00:28:58.47\00:29:00.10
"You're the one
that closed your eyes.
00:29:00.14\00:29:01.80
I didn't block your vision.
00:29:01.84\00:29:03.24
You're the one
that said you cannot see
00:29:03.27\00:29:05.74
because you are a
disobedient people."
00:29:05.77\00:29:08.64
When we pray for
God to open our eyes,
00:29:08.68\00:29:11.58
we will see wonderful things.
00:29:11.61\00:29:13.88
You know, Matthew
reiterate the condition of those
00:29:13.92\00:29:17.49
that lead to the
rejection of God.
00:29:17.52\00:29:20.56
He said,
00:29:20.59\00:29:21.92
"The problem is God
never closed their eyes.
00:29:21.96\00:29:24.56
They made the decision
to close their own eyes."
00:29:24.59\00:29:26.83
Listen to Matthew 13:15,
00:29:26.86\00:29:29.56
the words of Jesus once again,
00:29:29.60\00:29:31.10
He says,
00:29:31.13\00:29:32.47
"For the hearts of
this people have grown dull.
00:29:32.50\00:29:34.50
Their ears are hard of
hearing, and their eyes
00:29:34.54\00:29:38.54
they have closed,
00:29:38.57\00:29:40.14
lest they should
see with their eyes
00:29:40.18\00:29:42.84
and hear with their ears,
00:29:42.88\00:29:44.68
lest they should understand
with their hearts and turn,"
00:29:44.71\00:29:48.65
notice a change in direction,
00:29:48.68\00:29:50.59
"so that I should heal them."
00:29:50.62\00:29:52.75
When you can see with your eyes
00:29:52.79\00:29:54.59
and hear with your ears
00:29:54.62\00:29:56.39
and believe and embrace
00:29:56.42\00:29:57.83
what God is saying
to you with your heart,
00:29:57.86\00:29:59.73
there will be a
change in your direction.
00:29:59.76\00:30:03.13
And I can say,
00:30:03.16\00:30:04.50
as one who knows
this by experience,
00:30:04.53\00:30:06.47
your future will be more amazing
00:30:06.50\00:30:08.90
than your past by far.
00:30:08.94\00:30:11.94
But I also say the reason
why we cannot see the life
00:30:11.97\00:30:14.44
that Jesus has for us
00:30:14.48\00:30:16.04
is because we haven't prayed
00:30:16.08\00:30:17.41
and asked the
Lord to open our eyes.
00:30:17.45\00:30:19.11
But when the Lord open our eyes,
00:30:19.15\00:30:20.95
He also provides
something for us.
00:30:20.98\00:30:23.42
When He opens our eyes,
He provides something for us.
00:30:23.45\00:30:27.69
Let's take a peek at
the neighbors in the story.
00:30:27.72\00:30:30.16
The neighbors in the story.
00:30:30.19\00:30:31.53
John 9:8-10.
00:30:31.56\00:30:34.23
When the neighbors saw
what happened to the young man,
00:30:34.26\00:30:36.50
notice what the Bible says,
00:30:36.53\00:30:39.17
"Therefore the neighbors
00:30:39.20\00:30:40.54
and those who previously
had seen that he was blind,
00:30:40.57\00:30:45.41
they said, 'Is not
this he who sat and begged?'
00:30:45.44\00:30:49.34
Some said, 'This is he.'
00:30:49.38\00:30:51.31
Others said, 'He is like him.'
00:30:51.35\00:30:54.85
He said, 'I am he.'"
00:30:54.88\00:30:57.55
Now watch this.
00:30:57.59\00:30:58.92
A witnessing opportunity.
00:30:58.95\00:31:00.66
They didn't know who he was.
00:31:00.69\00:31:02.02
It looks like that beggar.
00:31:02.06\00:31:03.39
It looks like that
one that was sitting down
00:31:03.43\00:31:04.76
on the ground begging,
00:31:04.79\00:31:06.13
looks like that one.
00:31:06.16\00:31:07.50
This looks like him.
00:31:07.53\00:31:08.86
He said, oh, hey,
don't get confused.
00:31:08.90\00:31:10.23
This is me.
00:31:10.27\00:31:11.60
What was he saying?
00:31:11.63\00:31:12.97
I am not how I used to be.
00:31:13.00\00:31:14.74
I'm not the same.
00:31:14.77\00:31:16.10
I may be the
same man physically.
00:31:16.14\00:31:17.87
Well, let me even add,
00:31:17.91\00:31:19.24
he's not the
same man physically,
00:31:19.27\00:31:20.61
because God not only
changed his direction,
00:31:20.64\00:31:23.21
changed his circumstances,
00:31:23.24\00:31:25.01
but gave him an
opportunity with open eyes
00:31:25.05\00:31:27.48
to testify I am he.
00:31:27.52\00:31:30.52
Therefore they said to
him, listen to how verse 9 ends.
00:31:30.55\00:31:34.92
"When he said, 'I am he.'
00:31:34.96\00:31:36.29
They said to him, "How
were your eyes opened?'"
00:31:36.32\00:31:39.69
Wow.
00:31:39.73\00:31:41.06
A lot of people ask me that
00:31:41.10\00:31:42.43
when they look at how
God has transformed my life
00:31:42.46\00:31:43.90
and my wife's life.
00:31:43.93\00:31:45.27
They said, "What happened?
00:31:45.30\00:31:46.63
You were raised in
the same neighborhood
00:31:46.67\00:31:48.00
in Brooklyn like I was,
00:31:48.04\00:31:49.37
what happened?"
00:31:49.40\00:31:50.74
I made a decision to get
out of that neighborhood.
00:31:50.77\00:31:52.27
I made a decision to put my life
00:31:52.31\00:31:54.54
in the hand of the Lord.
00:31:54.58\00:31:55.91
My wife and I got baptized
together at 19 years old,
00:31:55.94\00:31:58.95
got married at 25.
00:31:58.98\00:32:00.32
And I can tell you, our lives
have not been mundane since.
00:32:00.35\00:32:04.22
God has taken us
around the world to talk
00:32:04.25\00:32:06.39
about His goodness, His grace,
His blessings, His mercies,
00:32:06.42\00:32:09.96
and the blessings just
keep on, as one songwriter said,
00:32:09.99\00:32:13.19
all the evidence of his goodness
00:32:13.23\00:32:15.50
is all over my life.
00:32:15.53\00:32:17.33
I love that song.
00:32:17.37\00:32:18.70
The evidence of God's
goodness is all over my life.
00:32:18.73\00:32:22.47
God gave this
young transformed man,
00:32:22.50\00:32:25.07
an opportunity to testify.
00:32:25.11\00:32:27.48
He said, "Tell your
neighbors about me."
00:32:27.51\00:32:30.68
Personal testimony.
00:32:30.71\00:32:32.05
Look at verse 11
and 12 in John 9.
00:32:32.08\00:32:35.12
This young man couldn't stop
00:32:35.15\00:32:36.72
talking about the
goodness of Jesus.
00:32:36.75\00:32:38.62
"He answered and said,
00:32:38.65\00:32:40.39
'A man called Jesus made clay
00:32:40.42\00:32:42.72
and anointed my
eyes and said to me,
00:32:42.76\00:32:44.46
'Go to the pool
of Siloam and wash.'
00:32:44.49\00:32:47.80
So I went and washed
and I received my sight."
00:32:47.83\00:32:51.07
He's saying, the
reason I am the way I am today
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.27
is I obeyed the Word of God.
00:32:54.30\00:32:57.64
It amazes me how many
people think this book
00:32:57.67\00:32:59.61
makes no difference.
00:32:59.64\00:33:01.04
And I can tell
you the difference
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.41
between who you
are and who you can be
00:33:02.44\00:33:04.21
is in this book.
00:33:04.25\00:33:05.58
It's in the
living Word of this book
00:33:05.61\00:33:07.48
because it's backed
by a man who never dies,
00:33:07.52\00:33:10.49
is backed by an
ever living Savior.
00:33:10.52\00:33:12.55
It's backed by He
who is alive forevermore.
00:33:12.59\00:33:16.26
It is backed by the risen Lord
00:33:16.29\00:33:18.36
who is coming back
00:33:18.39\00:33:19.86
to take those who testify
about a transformed life.
00:33:19.89\00:33:24.57
He said, "I went and I
washed and I received my sight."
00:33:24.60\00:33:28.07
And look at verse
12 of John Chapter 9,
00:33:28.10\00:33:30.37
"Then they said to
him, 'Where is He?'
00:33:30.41\00:33:32.77
He said, 'I don't know.'"
00:33:32.81\00:33:35.18
They were looking for Jesus.
00:33:35.21\00:33:36.61
They were missing
the miracle of Jesus.
00:33:36.64\00:33:38.81
And then they said,
well, "Where is He?"
00:33:38.85\00:33:40.72
Which now takes
us to category two.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.58
You see the
neighbors, the man's parents,
00:33:42.62\00:33:45.49
now the Pharisees come in
00:33:45.52\00:33:47.26
and you know, I'm amazed
how sometimes religious people
00:33:47.29\00:33:49.86
can be your
biggest stumbling block.
00:33:49.89\00:33:52.13
People that are religious,
but that don't know Jesus
00:33:52.16\00:33:55.40
can be sometimes the ones
that make your life miserable.
00:33:55.43\00:33:59.73
It's not about
religion, friends,
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.14
it's about knowing Jesus.
00:34:01.17\00:34:02.60
So the Pharisees come
in and they try to throw
00:34:02.64\00:34:05.01
shadings in the
engine with the questions.
00:34:05.04\00:34:07.74
The Pharisees, this
young man's testimony
00:34:07.78\00:34:12.38
clashes with their theology.
00:34:12.41\00:34:14.72
You heard me right.
Look at verse 13 to 15.
00:34:14.75\00:34:18.22
This young man's testimony
is now irritating the Pharisees
00:34:18.25\00:34:20.92
because they just
don't like the fact,
00:34:20.96\00:34:23.16
first of all, they reject Jesus.
00:34:23.19\00:34:24.93
And then they
say, how could a man
00:34:24.96\00:34:26.29
who I consider a
sinner do such things.
00:34:26.33\00:34:29.56
John 9:13,
00:34:29.60\00:34:32.23
"They brought him
00:34:32.27\00:34:33.60
who formerly was
blind to the Pharisees.
00:34:33.64\00:34:37.04
Now it was a Sabbath
when Jesus made the clay
00:34:37.07\00:34:39.41
and opened his eyes.
00:34:39.44\00:34:41.08
Then the Pharisees
also asked him again,
00:34:41.11\00:34:44.15
how he had received his sight.
00:34:44.18\00:34:46.82
He said to them,"
00:34:46.85\00:34:48.75
this is his third testimony,
00:34:48.78\00:34:50.89
"'He put clay on my eyes
and I washed and I see.'"
00:34:50.92\00:34:56.22
He was probably
getting exhausted by then
00:34:56.26\00:34:59.26
telling one person after
the other, Jesus did this.
00:34:59.29\00:35:03.03
You see the problem was
not only what Jesus did,
00:35:03.06\00:35:06.17
but get this, my friends,
00:35:06.20\00:35:07.54
the problem to
these Pharisees was that
00:35:07.57\00:35:09.37
Jesus did it on the Sabbath.
00:35:09.40\00:35:11.87
And they try to say that
Jesus violated the Sabbath.
00:35:11.91\00:35:15.58
You see, the Sabbath
is a day of celebration.
00:35:15.61\00:35:18.41
What better day to
celebrate than the life of a man
00:35:18.45\00:35:22.58
who was once blind?
00:35:22.62\00:35:24.29
What better day to
celebrate freedom from darkness
00:35:24.32\00:35:27.59
than the Sabbath day?
00:35:27.62\00:35:29.56
The Lord Jesus
opened this man's eye
00:35:29.59\00:35:31.66
on a day of celebration.
00:35:31.69\00:35:33.06
He says from evening to evening,
00:35:33.09\00:35:34.93
shall you celebrate the Sabbath
in the Book of Leviticus.
00:35:34.96\00:35:38.97
So this young man
decided, I'm gonna celebrate.
00:35:39.00\00:35:42.24
I'm gonna praise the Lord
and I'm gonna do it on the day
00:35:42.27\00:35:44.71
that God has blessed.
00:35:44.74\00:35:46.07
And the
Pharisees didn't like that.
00:35:46.11\00:35:47.54
And there's some people today
00:35:47.58\00:35:48.91
that have a twisted vision
00:35:48.94\00:35:50.48
about what the
Sabbath is all about.
00:35:50.51\00:35:52.21
They think it's
the day of bondage.
00:35:52.25\00:35:53.62
No, it's the day of freedom.
00:35:53.65\00:35:55.22
They think it's the
day that's connected
00:35:55.25\00:35:56.58
to the old law.
00:35:56.62\00:35:57.95
No, it's
connected to the risen Lord.
00:35:57.99\00:36:00.59
It's not a day of bondage,
00:36:00.62\00:36:02.22
a day of where
you can't do anything.
00:36:02.26\00:36:05.06
It's a day of freedom.
00:36:05.09\00:36:06.56
It's a connecting day with
us and our ever living Creator.
00:36:06.59\00:36:12.23
But this is where the ability
of Jesus to perform miracles
00:36:12.27\00:36:15.44
meets with the Pharisees'
00:36:15.47\00:36:16.81
inability to believe.
00:36:16.84\00:36:18.54
They didn't wanna believe it.
00:36:18.57\00:36:19.91
They refused to believe it.
00:36:19.94\00:36:21.48
So they decided
to argue with the man
00:36:21.51\00:36:23.61
who had received his sight.
00:36:23.65\00:36:26.51
But the proof
was too overwhelming.
00:36:26.55\00:36:28.68
To accept the miracle
would mean that they admit
00:36:28.72\00:36:30.72
that Jesus is the miracle worker
00:36:30.75\00:36:32.99
and they took
this young man to task.
00:36:33.02\00:36:35.66
And the Pharisees wanting
to shut this young man up,
00:36:35.69\00:36:39.43
they needed support for
their rejection of Jesus,
00:36:39.46\00:36:43.00
and look what they did.
00:36:43.03\00:36:44.37
So they called the
young man's parents,
00:36:44.40\00:36:46.94
which now brings us
to the third category,
00:36:46.97\00:36:49.87
parental issues.
00:36:49.90\00:36:52.17
Doors of earth chosen
over the doors of heaven.
00:36:52.21\00:36:56.14
John 9:18-21.
00:36:56.18\00:37:00.28
An amazing story.
00:37:00.32\00:37:01.65
I hope you're following me.
00:37:01.68\00:37:03.12
The Pharisees now,
00:37:03.15\00:37:04.49
who don't like Jesus
00:37:04.52\00:37:05.85
takes this young
man to his parents
00:37:05.89\00:37:07.76
to see if they could
get the parent support
00:37:07.79\00:37:10.09
against this young
man who was blessed.
00:37:10.13\00:37:12.49
Verse 18 of John 9,
00:37:12.53\00:37:14.36
"But the Jews did not
believe concerning him,
00:37:14.40\00:37:17.80
that he had been
blind and received his sight
00:37:17.83\00:37:20.57
until they call
the appearance of him
00:37:20.60\00:37:22.64
who had received his sight.
00:37:22.67\00:37:25.44
And they asked them saying,
00:37:25.47\00:37:28.31
'Is this your son who
you say was born blind?
00:37:28.34\00:37:32.81
How then does he now see?'"
00:37:32.85\00:37:38.45
So you're saying
that he was blind.
00:37:38.49\00:37:40.39
Am I correct?
00:37:40.42\00:37:41.76
How then does he now see?
00:37:41.79\00:37:44.63
Now, this was a
great opportunity
00:37:44.66\00:37:46.33
for his parents
to say Jesus did it,
00:37:46.36\00:37:48.50
but they were so terrified
of the religious leaders.
00:37:48.53\00:37:50.87
Look at what their
response was in verse 20.
00:37:50.90\00:37:54.87
"His parents answered them
and said, look what they said,
00:37:54.90\00:37:58.81
'We know that this is our son,
00:37:58.84\00:38:00.98
that he was born blind.'"
00:38:01.01\00:38:06.25
They could have gone on
and given Jesus the glory,
00:38:06.28\00:38:08.58
but look at verse 21.
00:38:08.62\00:38:10.29
"But by what means he
now sees, we do not know
00:38:10.32\00:38:14.76
or who opened his
eyes we do not know.
00:38:14.79\00:38:17.53
He is of age, ask him,
he will speak for himself."
00:38:17.56\00:38:22.96
Chicken
parents, fearful parents,
00:38:23.00\00:38:26.30
parents that can't
even support the blessings
00:38:26.33\00:38:28.17
in the life of their child.
00:38:28.20\00:38:29.97
Are you standing there today?
00:38:30.01\00:38:31.61
God is blessing
you and your parents
00:38:31.64\00:38:33.38
can't even support
you in God's blessings.
00:38:33.41\00:38:35.44
You decided as a
young man or young lady
00:38:35.48\00:38:37.41
to give your life to Christ
and your parents are mute.
00:38:37.45\00:38:39.65
They can't even say,
00:38:39.68\00:38:41.02
look at what God is
doing in my child's life.
00:38:41.05\00:38:43.49
Young lady, young man, fear not,
00:38:43.52\00:38:45.85
your parents may
not stand with you
00:38:45.89\00:38:47.32
when you choose to do right,
00:38:47.36\00:38:49.06
but Jesus will never forsake you
00:38:49.09\00:38:50.76
when you choose to do right.
00:38:50.79\00:38:52.43
You may lose all your friends
and people that surround you.
00:38:52.46\00:38:55.00
Your neighbors may be confused
00:38:55.03\00:38:56.67
about how God has
transformed your life,
00:38:56.70\00:38:59.23
but keep on testifying and
Jesus will never leave you.
00:38:59.27\00:39:03.20
And He will never forsake you.
00:39:03.24\00:39:05.07
You find here, the parents lost
their opportunity to testify.
00:39:05.11\00:39:08.88
And instead of testifying
00:39:08.91\00:39:10.25
about the goodness of God
00:39:10.28\00:39:11.71
to their son,
00:39:11.75\00:39:13.25
they differed and said,
00:39:13.28\00:39:14.85
you ask him, don't
try to get us in trouble.
00:39:14.88\00:39:18.25
You get him in trouble.
00:39:18.29\00:39:19.75
Look at verses 22 to 24.
00:39:19.79\00:39:23.63
Wow.
00:39:23.66\00:39:24.99
I'll read this and tell
you how beautiful it is.
00:39:25.03\00:39:27.36
Verse 22 of John Chapter 9,
00:39:27.40\00:39:29.10
"His parents said these things
00:39:29.13\00:39:32.27
because they feared the Jews,
for the Jews had agreed already
00:39:32.30\00:39:37.64
that if anyone
confessed that He was Christ,
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.81
that is that
Jesus is the Christ.
00:39:40.84\00:39:43.18
He would be put
out of the synagogue.
00:39:43.21\00:39:46.75
Therefore his parents
said, 'He is of age, ask him.'"
00:39:46.78\00:39:51.85
Verse 24,
00:39:51.89\00:39:53.22
"So they again called
the man who was blind."
00:39:53.25\00:39:58.43
Are you getting
exhausted like I am?
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.10
When somebody simply
believe me, the Bible says,
00:40:01.13\00:40:03.87
and they said to
him, give God the glory.
00:40:03.90\00:40:08.10
We know that
this man is a sinner.
00:40:08.14\00:40:10.14
They said, give God
the glory because Jesus,
00:40:10.17\00:40:12.74
the Pharisees are
saying, he's a sinner.
00:40:12.77\00:40:15.24
Now you see why
Jesus later would say,
00:40:15.28\00:40:18.31
"You believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:40:18.35\00:40:22.88
You see God sent His Son.
00:40:22.92\00:40:24.55
You cannot separate
the Father from the Son.
00:40:24.59\00:40:27.19
To acknowledge the Father
is to acknowledge the Son,
00:40:27.22\00:40:30.69
to embrace the Son is
to embrace the Father.
00:40:30.73\00:40:33.66
And the Pharisees said,
get rid of this Jesus stuff.
00:40:33.70\00:40:37.30
Just give God the glory.
00:40:37.33\00:40:38.93
Do you know today, friends,
00:40:38.97\00:40:40.30
that there are
religions in the world
00:40:40.34\00:40:42.00
that have rejected Jesus,
00:40:42.04\00:40:43.87
but they claim to
be believing in God.
00:40:43.91\00:40:46.01
They look to God, but
they say we don't need Jesus.
00:40:46.04\00:40:48.61
There are so many
movements on the earth denying
00:40:48.64\00:40:51.01
the existence and
the power in Jesus.
00:40:51.05\00:40:53.28
But the Bible says,
00:40:53.31\00:40:54.65
"There is no other name
00:40:54.68\00:40:56.05
given among men
whereby we must be saved
00:40:56.08\00:40:59.69
than the name of Jesus."
00:40:59.72\00:41:01.46
And the Apostle Paul says,
00:41:01.49\00:41:02.82
"The day is coming
that every knee will bow,
00:41:02.86\00:41:05.46
and every tongue will confess
00:41:05.49\00:41:07.23
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of the Father."
00:41:07.26\00:41:11.83
So don't be like the Pharisees
or the parents or the neighbors
00:41:11.87\00:41:15.94
that deny the power of Jesus.
00:41:15.97\00:41:17.97
Be like the young man.
00:41:18.01\00:41:19.91
The Pharisees were more focused
on the process than the result.
00:41:19.94\00:41:24.05
The restored man was
focused not on the results,
00:41:24.08\00:41:27.12
but on the process.
00:41:27.15\00:41:28.68
Notice what he says
in verse 25 of John 9.
00:41:28.72\00:41:34.16
Verse 25 of John Chapter 9,
00:41:34.19\00:41:39.23
"He answered and said,
00:41:39.26\00:41:41.23
now they're looking
back to this young man.
00:41:41.26\00:41:43.30
And I can imagine I
just got my sight back.
00:41:43.33\00:41:45.17
And here I am.
00:41:45.20\00:41:46.53
Nobody really paid attention
to me when I was blind.
00:41:46.57\00:41:48.70
But I just got my sight back.
00:41:48.74\00:41:50.57
Everybody is up in arms
00:41:50.61\00:41:52.14
about the blessings
of the Lord of my life.
00:41:52.17\00:41:54.14
When I was blind, nobody
even paid attention to me
00:41:54.18\00:41:56.75
where my life was
going over the deep end,
00:41:56.78\00:41:58.41
nobody even called on me.
00:41:58.45\00:42:00.18
And some of you
may feel that way.
00:42:00.22\00:42:02.15
When you are living in sin,
00:42:02.18\00:42:03.52
nobody cared about
the sin in your life.
00:42:03.55\00:42:05.69
When you were
drinking and smoking
00:42:05.72\00:42:07.09
and living for
darkness, nobody paid attention.
00:42:07.12\00:42:09.76
But all of a sudden,
00:42:09.79\00:42:11.13
you wanna turn
your life over to Jesus
00:42:11.16\00:42:12.63
and everybody's concerned.
00:42:12.66\00:42:14.20
Don't give your life to Jesus.
00:42:14.23\00:42:15.56
Have you ever noticed that?
00:42:15.60\00:42:16.93
When people wanna accept truth,
the neighbors get concerned.
00:42:16.97\00:42:19.83
Your friends get concerned.
00:42:19.87\00:42:21.20
You know why?
00:42:21.24\00:42:22.57
Because they know that
giving your life to Christ
00:42:22.60\00:42:24.21
is the first step in the
chains of Satan being broken
00:42:24.24\00:42:28.31
and the blessings of God
being poured in your life.
00:42:28.34\00:42:31.35
That's why all
this confusion is there.
00:42:31.38\00:42:33.58
Religious folk,
parents, neighbors,
00:42:33.62\00:42:36.55
everybody denying
the power of Christ.
00:42:36.58\00:42:38.59
But this young man, I
praise God for his boldness.
00:42:38.62\00:42:43.06
He came out and
look at what he said.
00:42:43.09\00:42:45.73
It's a long story,
00:42:45.76\00:42:47.23
but I'm diving right to verse 25
00:42:47.26\00:42:49.46
because listen to
what this young man said,
00:42:49.50\00:42:51.67
and I could feel the
passion in his voice.
00:42:51.70\00:42:54.30
I could feel the tenacity.
00:42:54.34\00:42:56.30
I could feel the angst.
00:42:56.34\00:42:57.91
I can feel the
frustration in his words.
00:42:57.94\00:43:00.28
And I can reach back
through the pages of time
00:43:00.31\00:43:03.01
and say, I'm
standing with you my brother.
00:43:03.04\00:43:05.41
I'm so glad that
nobody around you,
00:43:05.45\00:43:08.08
even the powerful in
society could shut you up.
00:43:08.12\00:43:12.69
John 9:25,
00:43:12.72\00:43:14.46
He answered and said, speak.
00:43:14.49\00:43:18.16
"He answered and said
whether he is a sinner or not.
00:43:18.19\00:43:21.56
I do not know."
00:43:21.60\00:43:24.40
But look at this.
00:43:24.43\00:43:26.13
"One thing," I'm
gonna say that again.
00:43:26.17\00:43:28.70
One thing I know,
00:43:28.74\00:43:33.31
that though I was
blind, now I see."
00:43:33.34\00:43:38.85
That's right, go ahead
and stand up on your couch
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.35
and praise God.
00:43:40.38\00:43:41.72
Yes, he is saying
00:43:41.75\00:43:43.08
I used to be
blind, but now I see.
00:43:43.12\00:43:45.29
You go ahead and
fight with all the issues
00:43:45.32\00:43:46.82
of whether or
not He is the Christ
00:43:46.86\00:43:48.19
or whether or not He's a
sinner or where He's from.
00:43:48.22\00:43:50.19
You go ahead
00:43:50.23\00:43:51.56
and sort that
out on your own life.
00:43:51.59\00:43:52.93
But what I know is
when Jesus showed up,
00:43:52.96\00:43:55.10
my life changed.
00:43:55.13\00:43:57.13
When Jesus showed up,
00:43:57.17\00:43:58.50
I went from an insignificant man
00:43:58.53\00:44:00.07
on the ground begging,
00:44:00.10\00:44:01.44
to a man standing
on my own two feet
00:44:01.47\00:44:03.87
with my future clearly in sight.
00:44:03.91\00:44:06.37
When Jesus showed up, my life
went from a humdrum to amazing.
00:44:06.41\00:44:10.28
My life went from stagnant
to, I don't know what to do next
00:44:10.31\00:44:14.08
because the sight
that God has given to me
00:44:14.12\00:44:16.18
has unfolded for me.
00:44:16.22\00:44:17.62
And before me a vision
00:44:17.65\00:44:19.52
that is far more amazing
00:44:19.55\00:44:20.92
than all the
little controversies
00:44:20.96\00:44:22.42
about those people
00:44:22.46\00:44:23.79
that choose to reject the power
that is available in Christ,
00:44:23.83\00:44:27.03
which now brings me
down to the faith issues.
00:44:27.06\00:44:30.07
You see the faith issue
is a powerful illustration
00:44:30.10\00:44:33.23
in all of our lives.
00:44:33.27\00:44:34.60
Every one of us
00:44:34.64\00:44:36.14
has to confront the faith issues
00:44:36.17\00:44:38.94
either before we are
saved or before we are lost.
00:44:38.97\00:44:43.45
You will not be
able to be lost or saved
00:44:43.48\00:44:47.38
until you
confront the faith issues.
00:44:47.42\00:44:49.48
And I wanna tell you today,
00:44:49.52\00:44:50.89
the Lord will
bring the faith issues
00:44:50.92\00:44:52.39
face to face with you
00:44:52.42\00:44:53.92
so you can decide to be lost.
00:44:53.96\00:44:56.42
Let me make a point.
00:44:56.46\00:44:57.79
Do you know it's hard to be lost
00:44:57.83\00:44:59.96
than it is to be saved?
00:45:00.00\00:45:01.76
It is harder to be
lost than it is to be saved.
00:45:01.80\00:45:05.93
Jesus has made every
provision for you to be saved.
00:45:05.97\00:45:09.60
Why would you settle
for wanting to be lost
00:45:09.64\00:45:13.07
when Jesus wants to
do the same thing for you
00:45:13.11\00:45:15.41
that He did for this young man,
00:45:15.44\00:45:17.21
that He did for me,
that He did for my wife.
00:45:17.25\00:45:19.98
She did not know her father.
00:45:20.02\00:45:21.38
Her father died
00:45:21.42\00:45:22.75
when she was
only three years old.
00:45:22.78\00:45:24.12
Look at her life today.
00:45:24.15\00:45:26.02
I was only three months old
00:45:26.05\00:45:27.39
when my mom and
dad abandoned me.
00:45:27.42\00:45:29.12
Look at my life today.
00:45:29.16\00:45:30.59
God can do amazing things
00:45:30.63\00:45:32.16
if you just give
Him a chance to do that,
00:45:32.19\00:45:34.26
which brings me
down to the faith issues,
00:45:34.30\00:45:36.46
the closing
portion of my message.
00:45:36.50\00:45:38.57
You see, when Jesus
changes our condition,
00:45:38.60\00:45:41.57
He also changes
our responsibility.
00:45:41.60\00:45:45.24
If the Lord has
given you an ability,
00:45:45.27\00:45:47.44
you are
responsible for that ability.
00:45:47.48\00:45:50.05
Acts 1:8 tells us what
that responsibility is.
00:45:50.08\00:45:53.95
Look at the Bible.
00:45:53.98\00:45:56.12
"But you shall receive power
00:45:56.15\00:45:58.45
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you
00:45:58.49\00:46:01.49
and you shall be
witnesses to me in Jerusalem
00:46:01.52\00:46:04.79
and in all of Judea and Samaria
and to the end of the earth."
00:46:04.83\00:46:09.30
What is the Lord saying?
00:46:09.33\00:46:10.67
He says, when I
change your life,
00:46:10.70\00:46:13.30
I dare you to sit
around and do nothing.
00:46:13.34\00:46:16.00
I am not going to give you sight
00:46:16.04\00:46:18.54
for you to be a humdrum mundane,
00:46:18.57\00:46:20.88
stuck on the
couch, inactive Christian.
00:46:20.91\00:46:24.68
I want your life
to mean something.
00:46:24.71\00:46:26.75
I am not gonna give you
My gifts for you to sing
00:46:26.78\00:46:29.55
and use those
gifts for the world.
00:46:29.58\00:46:31.25
I'm not gonna give
you breath every day
00:46:31.29\00:46:33.76
to live your
life under the radar.
00:46:33.79\00:46:36.02
I wanna stand you on a hill,
00:46:36.06\00:46:37.89
so that people can see
the difference in your life.
00:46:37.93\00:46:40.26
And some of you,
young people today
00:46:40.30\00:46:41.63
are so stuck to your devices
00:46:41.66\00:46:43.00
that you can't even look up
and look at the eyes of Christ.
00:46:43.03\00:46:45.60
Some of you think
that it's Instagram.
00:46:45.63\00:46:47.47
No, your life is
not insta-nothing.
00:46:47.50\00:46:49.97
Your life will
change in an instant
00:46:50.01\00:46:52.24
if you put your life
in the hand of Christ.
00:46:52.27\00:46:54.34
Some of you are
so stuck to Facebook
00:46:54.38\00:46:56.38
that you cannot take
time to face the only book
00:46:56.41\00:46:58.91
that can transform the
way that you see the world.
00:46:58.95\00:47:01.78
My friends, it's
not in social media.
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.35
It's in a
relationship with Jesus.
00:47:04.39\00:47:07.16
Some of you are chasing
00:47:07.19\00:47:08.52
the rising and
falling stock market
00:47:08.56\00:47:10.29
hoping that I'll
hit it on a good day
00:47:10.33\00:47:12.63
and I'll make a
whole lot of money.
00:47:12.66\00:47:14.13
I'm gonna tell you,
00:47:14.16\00:47:15.50
I'd rather die in
the hope of Christ
00:47:15.53\00:47:17.47
than die with more money
00:47:17.50\00:47:18.83
and all that
money I have amassed
00:47:18.87\00:47:20.84
can never buy my
way into the kingdom.
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.07
Jesus is saying to you,
confront the faith issues.
00:47:23.10\00:47:26.37
When Jesus
changes your condition,
00:47:26.41\00:47:28.54
He will bring you face to face
00:47:28.58\00:47:30.65
with the faith
issues of your life.
00:47:30.68\00:47:33.15
You see our world is a place
00:47:33.18\00:47:35.12
where the faith issues
have made an impact on society.
00:47:35.15\00:47:38.65
And one of the reasons
why the world is blind,
00:47:38.69\00:47:40.69
the way it is,
00:47:40.72\00:47:42.06
is because they are trying
to ignore the faith issues.
00:47:42.09\00:47:44.89
And Satan is
having a heyday with them.
00:47:44.93\00:47:47.56
Look at 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.
00:47:47.60\00:47:50.37
The Bible makes it clear
00:47:50.40\00:47:51.73
why the world
is in the condition
00:47:51.77\00:47:53.10
it's in today.
00:47:53.13\00:47:54.47
The Bible says,
00:47:54.50\00:47:55.84
but even if our
gospel is hidden or veiled,
00:47:55.87\00:47:59.74
that means if they can't see it,
00:47:59.77\00:48:01.38
it is hidden to
those who are perishing.
00:48:01.41\00:48:04.15
It is veiled to
those who are perishing.
00:48:04.18\00:48:06.98
Why can't they see it?
00:48:07.02\00:48:08.58
2 Corinthians 4:4,
00:48:08.62\00:48:10.92
"Whose minds the god of this age
00:48:10.95\00:48:14.82
has blinded."
00:48:14.86\00:48:17.33
Let me pause for a moment.
00:48:17.36\00:48:18.83
"Who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel
00:48:18.86\00:48:22.43
of the glory of Christ,
00:48:22.46\00:48:24.13
who is the image of
God should shine on them."
00:48:24.17\00:48:27.97
Now you, let me make
00:48:28.00\00:48:29.34
a very
important point right here
00:48:29.37\00:48:30.71
before I close.
00:48:30.74\00:48:32.37
One of the reasons
why you can't see Jesus
00:48:32.41\00:48:34.44
as you use your eyes to
see everything else, but Jesus.
00:48:34.48\00:48:37.81
And the devil has
so confused your mind
00:48:37.85\00:48:40.52
that the god of this age
00:48:40.55\00:48:42.35
has so confused your mind
00:48:42.38\00:48:43.95
that you have been
convinced to believe
00:48:43.99\00:48:47.29
that if I give my life to Jesus
00:48:47.32\00:48:48.99
is all downhill
from there, boring.
00:48:49.02\00:48:53.33
Can't do anything.
00:48:53.36\00:48:54.96
Oh, what am I gonna do tomorrow?
00:48:55.00\00:48:56.80
Man, my life is gonna go south.
00:48:56.83\00:48:58.47
My friends are gonna reject me.
00:48:58.50\00:49:00.00
I'll have nothing to live for.
00:49:00.04\00:49:01.60
Well, let me
make it really clear.
00:49:01.64\00:49:04.87
Not only will
your life just begin
00:49:04.91\00:49:07.48
when you give
your life to Jesus,
00:49:07.51\00:49:09.28
but you have
somehow been convinced
00:49:09.31\00:49:10.95
that this world is it.
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.38
Well, get yourself a telescope
and go out on a dark night,
00:49:12.41\00:49:16.82
find yourself an open field.
00:49:16.85\00:49:18.19
Or maybe if you're
living in a major city,
00:49:18.22\00:49:20.49
go on the internet and
begin to look up stars.
00:49:20.52\00:49:22.69
And you'll discover that
00:49:22.72\00:49:24.06
this planet is a
speck of dust in a universe
00:49:24.09\00:49:28.20
where every
constellation is nothing
00:49:28.23\00:49:30.10
but a speck of dust in
the eyes of everlasting God.
00:49:30.13\00:49:33.20
And astronomers are saying
and meteorologists are saying
00:49:33.23\00:49:36.27
that there are
billions of galaxies.
00:49:36.30\00:49:38.51
And Jesus is saying,
00:49:38.54\00:49:40.08
"I wanna give
all of that to you."
00:49:40.11\00:49:42.18
You have not yet seen
what God has in store for you,
00:49:42.21\00:49:45.15
but you are
incarcerated by the media,
00:49:45.18\00:49:50.69
by Facebook, Instagram,
all these social things.
00:49:50.72\00:49:53.82
Not that they
are inherently evil,
00:49:53.86\00:49:56.16
but that has been as
far as your eyes can see.
00:49:56.19\00:49:58.53
And the Word of God,
00:49:58.56\00:50:00.30
the book that's
trying to show you the map
00:50:00.33\00:50:02.20
to your best future
00:50:02.23\00:50:03.87
is something that you ignore.
00:50:03.90\00:50:06.94
There are those
like the Pharisees
00:50:06.97\00:50:09.20
that are
determined not to believe.
00:50:09.24\00:50:12.21
Oh, friends, let
me encourage you.
00:50:12.24\00:50:15.18
Don't be one of those
00:50:15.21\00:50:16.54
that are
determined not to believe,
00:50:16.58\00:50:18.78
'cause I go back to
verse 26 in John Chapter 9,
00:50:18.81\00:50:21.85
and the latter part of that
and the Pharisees are saying,
00:50:21.88\00:50:25.12
"What did He do to you?
00:50:25.15\00:50:26.82
How did He open your eyes?"
00:50:26.86\00:50:28.92
And the restored
man in verse 20 says,
00:50:28.96\00:50:31.33
verse 27 says,
00:50:31.36\00:50:32.89
"I told you already
and you did not listen."
00:50:32.93\00:50:36.73
I can imagine, this
young man, all of a sudden,
00:50:36.77\00:50:39.40
he gets his sight
00:50:39.43\00:50:40.77
instead of the
neighbors and his parents
00:50:40.80\00:50:43.10
and the religious
leaders in the community saying,
00:50:43.14\00:50:45.77
praise God, no one
could have done for you
00:50:45.81\00:50:48.44
what the Lord has done.
00:50:48.48\00:50:50.11
They're giving him frustration.
00:50:50.15\00:50:52.75
They're giving him heat.
00:50:52.78\00:50:54.48
They are pushing him
beyond the bounds of reason
00:50:54.52\00:50:57.29
because they're
trying to stagnate
00:50:57.32\00:50:58.72
the blessing of God in his life.
00:50:58.75\00:51:00.69
What did He do to
you the Pharisee says,
00:51:00.72\00:51:02.66
how did He open your eyes?
00:51:02.69\00:51:04.03
And the restored man said,
00:51:04.06\00:51:05.39
"I told you already
and you didn't believe."
00:51:05.43\00:51:08.60
And here's the
point I wanna make.
00:51:08.63\00:51:10.47
When the formerly
blind man confessed Jesus,
00:51:10.50\00:51:13.34
the Bible says,
00:51:13.37\00:51:15.00
they put him out
of the synagogue.
00:51:15.04\00:51:18.14
Some of you may be
fearful of accepting Jesus,
00:51:18.17\00:51:21.14
because if you do so,
your parents may put you out.
00:51:21.18\00:51:24.45
Let me tell you
something, friends,
00:51:24.48\00:51:25.81
when your parents put you
out, Jesus will let you in.
00:51:25.85\00:51:29.85
When the society around
you turns their back on you,
00:51:29.88\00:51:33.49
when they reject
you for doing right,
00:51:33.52\00:51:35.76
Jesus will take us in.
00:51:35.79\00:51:37.59
When we stand with Him,
we will never stand alone.
00:51:37.63\00:51:41.86
Look at John 9:35-38.
00:51:41.90\00:51:45.30
What happened in
this young man's life?
00:51:45.33\00:51:47.84
What effect that the Lord make?
00:51:47.87\00:51:49.80
Changed his direction,
changed his condition,
00:51:49.84\00:51:53.41
gave him a
witnessing opportunity.
00:51:53.44\00:51:55.84
But what was the
ultimate realization
00:51:55.88\00:51:58.58
in this young man's life.
00:51:58.61\00:51:59.95
Look at verses 35 to
38 in John Chapter 9.
00:51:59.98\00:52:04.79
"Jesus heard that
they had cast him out,"
00:52:04.82\00:52:08.56
that is they cast
out the young man,
00:52:08.59\00:52:10.79
"and when He had
found him, He said to him,
00:52:10.83\00:52:13.36
'Do you believe
in the Son of God?'"
00:52:13.40\00:52:15.26
Well, how could you not
00:52:15.30\00:52:16.63
when He just
restored your sight.
00:52:16.67\00:52:18.03
"He answered and said,
00:52:18.07\00:52:19.40
'Who is He Lord that
I may believe in Him.'"
00:52:19.43\00:52:22.80
And verse 37,
00:52:22.84\00:52:24.17
one of the very
few times in the Bible
00:52:24.21\00:52:25.94
that Jesus
revealed His identity.
00:52:25.97\00:52:29.38
In verse 37,
00:52:29.41\00:52:30.75
"And Jesus said to him,
00:52:30.78\00:52:32.31
'You have both seen Him
00:52:32.35\00:52:35.02
and it is He who
is talking with you.'"
00:52:35.05\00:52:39.72
I am the one. I
am the Son of God.
00:52:39.75\00:52:42.72
But look at how that
impacted that young man's life.
00:52:42.76\00:52:46.19
And this to me is
the ultimate measure
00:52:46.23\00:52:49.06
in having a confrontation
00:52:49.10\00:52:51.17
and a meeting
with the real Christ,
00:52:51.20\00:52:53.84
the Jesus, the one
who transforms lives.
00:52:53.87\00:52:56.71
John 9:38, the Bible says,
00:52:56.74\00:52:59.21
"Then he, that is
the blind man said,
00:52:59.24\00:53:02.01
'Lord, I believe.'"
00:53:02.04\00:53:04.31
And what did that
formerly blind man do?
00:53:04.35\00:53:06.82
"And he worshiped Him."
00:53:06.85\00:53:09.98
Wow. Wow.
00:53:10.02\00:53:11.89
Now this is a twist
you didn't see coming.
00:53:11.92\00:53:14.19
Here's the point
I got out of that.
00:53:14.22\00:53:15.86
Here's the point that
the Lord revealed to me.
00:53:15.89\00:53:17.96
In other words,
when I read that verse,
00:53:17.99\00:53:19.33
the Lord opened my eyes.
00:53:19.36\00:53:21.13
Here's what the Lord showed me.
00:53:21.16\00:53:22.60
Until we see
Jesus for who He is,
00:53:22.63\00:53:26.20
we will never consider that
He alone is worthy of worship,
00:53:26.23\00:53:31.47
and worshiping Jesus
is the result of our eyes
00:53:31.51\00:53:36.14
being opened to see His majesty,
00:53:36.18\00:53:39.28
to see His glory.
00:53:39.31\00:53:40.72
He's not just a good
man like some religion say.
00:53:40.75\00:53:43.99
He's not just a
prophet like the other say.
00:53:44.02\00:53:46.45
He's not just a man in history.
00:53:46.49\00:53:48.29
He is the beginning and the end,
00:53:48.32\00:53:49.69
the alpha and the omega.
00:53:49.72\00:53:51.06
He is He who was
dead and is alive
00:53:51.09\00:53:52.83
and He's alive forevermore.
00:53:52.86\00:53:54.56
He is one that conquered death.
00:53:54.60\00:53:56.23
He is the one that has the
keys of death and the grave.
00:53:56.26\00:53:59.17
He is the bright
and the morning star,
00:53:59.20\00:54:00.74
the Rose of Sharon,
the Lily of the Valley.
00:54:00.77\00:54:03.34
He is the only
name that demons tremble
00:54:03.37\00:54:05.54
when that name is uttered.
00:54:05.57\00:54:07.18
He's not just another man.
00:54:07.21\00:54:09.34
He restores sight.
00:54:09.38\00:54:11.05
He changes life.
00:54:11.08\00:54:12.51
He alters our desires.
00:54:12.55\00:54:14.02
He makes the old new,
00:54:14.05\00:54:15.75
He takes away the
past and gives us a future
00:54:15.78\00:54:17.75
that is so bright
that we can only see it
00:54:17.79\00:54:20.16
as we take baby steps.
00:54:20.19\00:54:21.99
What a Lord?
00:54:22.02\00:54:23.66
What an amazing experience?
00:54:23.69\00:54:26.46
The restoration of our sight
00:54:26.49\00:54:28.96
doesn't just
change our direction,
00:54:29.00\00:54:30.93
but it alters how we see Jesus.
00:54:30.97\00:54:33.54
And there's one
other thing it does,
00:54:33.57\00:54:35.54
it changes our direction.
00:54:35.57\00:54:37.64
So here are my closing points.
00:54:37.67\00:54:39.31
My brethren,
00:54:39.34\00:54:40.68
here's the remedy
to your blindness.
00:54:40.71\00:54:42.91
Philippians 3:13.
00:54:42.94\00:54:44.91
Brethren Paul says as
one who was also blind,
00:54:44.95\00:54:48.88
"I do not count
myself to have apprehended,
00:54:48.92\00:54:52.45
but one thing I do,
00:54:52.49\00:54:55.09
forgetting those
things which are behind
00:54:55.12\00:54:58.46
and reaching
forward to those things
00:54:58.49\00:55:00.70
which are ahead."
00:55:00.73\00:55:03.40
What direction
is your life going?
00:55:03.43\00:55:05.43
Are you still stuck
with the things behind you
00:55:05.47\00:55:08.20
or has God changed your life?
00:55:08.24\00:55:09.90
Like Paul says, one thing I do,
00:55:09.94\00:55:13.68
I'm reaching for
those things that are head.
00:55:13.71\00:55:17.21
I'm pressing toward the mark,
00:55:17.25\00:55:18.78
for the prize of the upward call
00:55:18.81\00:55:20.42
of God and Christ Jesus.
00:55:20.45\00:55:21.78
Let me make a point
00:55:21.82\00:55:23.15
that I don't want you to forget.
00:55:23.18\00:55:24.59
Your life will never change.
00:55:24.62\00:55:26.89
And I'm gonna say this again.
00:55:26.92\00:55:28.26
Your life will never change
00:55:28.29\00:55:30.86
until you put
yourself out of the way.
00:55:30.89\00:55:33.13
The Lord wants
to open your eyes.
00:55:33.16\00:55:34.66
He wants to bless you.
00:55:34.70\00:55:36.03
He wants to release you
from the things of your past
00:55:36.06\00:55:38.23
that bind you.
00:55:38.27\00:55:39.60
He wants to give you new
sight, but not only sight.
00:55:39.63\00:55:42.10
He wants to give you vision.
00:55:42.14\00:55:43.64
Where there is no
vision the people perish.
00:55:43.67\00:55:45.84
He wants to unfold to you
00:55:45.87\00:55:48.68
the things He has
always seen for you.
00:55:48.71\00:55:50.45
God says, I know the
plans I have for you,
00:55:50.48\00:55:52.65
but you'll
never know those plans
00:55:52.68\00:55:54.48
if you refuse to accept
Christ and open your eyes.
00:55:54.52\00:55:58.19
And the antidote
to your blindness
00:55:58.22\00:55:59.72
is the prayer of
David the Psalmist.
00:55:59.75\00:56:01.59
Psalms 27:4 he
said, one thing, notice,
00:56:01.62\00:56:05.29
"One thing I have desired
of the Lord that will I seek,
00:56:05.33\00:56:09.90
that I may dwell in
the house of the Lord
00:56:09.93\00:56:11.87
all the days of my life,
00:56:11.90\00:56:14.07
to behold the
beauty of the Lord,
00:56:14.10\00:56:15.70
and to inquire in His temple."
00:56:15.74\00:56:18.07
Friends, today,
there is one thing
00:56:18.11\00:56:20.14
that is keeping you from
being free from your past.
00:56:20.18\00:56:23.48
There is one thing
that is keeping you
00:56:23.51\00:56:25.41
from seeing Jesus for who He is.
00:56:25.45\00:56:28.22
There is just one
thing that is barring us
00:56:28.25\00:56:33.22
from knowing
the power of Christ.
00:56:33.25\00:56:35.22
There's one thing, my friends.
00:56:35.26\00:56:37.16
So the great question
is what is that one thing?
00:56:37.19\00:56:40.50
The need of the
last day Christian
00:56:40.53\00:56:42.36
is to ask for the Lord
to touch his or her eyes,
00:56:42.40\00:56:46.17
to give us a sight
00:56:46.20\00:56:47.54
beyond what the
world is showing us.
00:56:47.57\00:56:49.47
Young man, you
may not know Christ,
00:56:49.50\00:56:51.37
young lady, father, mother,
you may know who Jesus is.
00:56:51.41\00:56:54.54
But let Him touch you
today and He'll open your eyes.
00:56:54.58\00:56:57.51
That's why the
prayer of John the Revelator
00:56:57.55\00:57:00.15
in Revelation 3:18 is,
00:57:00.18\00:57:02.22
"Anoint my eyes
with eyes salve that
00:57:02.25\00:57:05.69
I may see."
00:57:05.72\00:57:07.12
Today my brothers and sisters,
00:57:07.16\00:57:08.82
the difference,
hear me carefully,
00:57:08.86\00:57:11.59
the difference
between who you are
00:57:11.63\00:57:15.23
and who you can be in Jesus
00:57:15.26\00:57:18.37
is only one thing.
00:57:18.40\00:57:20.97
And my prayer for you as
you confront that one thing,
00:57:21.00\00:57:24.47
and then you behold
the beauty of a life
00:57:24.51\00:57:27.14
transformed by
the touch of Christ.
00:57:27.18\00:57:30.31
God bless you.
00:57:30.35\00:57:31.68