They brought him in… to kick him out.

Sunday 8-7-2016   Home in Modesto

Scripture Reading:  Zeph 1 - 3    John 9

S=Scripture  O=Observation  A=Application  P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  John 9:13-15 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

So the beggar speaks:

John 9:30-34 Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out. NKJV

O.  Jesus did it again… healed someone on a Sabbath day. The Pharisees bring the formerly blind man in for questioning. They conclude that this Jesus guy is a sinner since he broke their Sabbath traditions. And now this humble beggar did a little teaching to these hardened, well educated, religions elite. His message was too “right-on” for them to handle. So they went into a rage and threw the man out. They brought him in… to kick him out… excommunicated him!

A. The real blind men were these religious elite. They considered themselves the cream of the crop. “How dare this uneducated beggar teach us!”

I had just graduated from Southern California Bible College (Now Vanguard University) with a BA in Theology. But I was an inept preacher. I was trying out for my first position as associate pastor. I preached my best sermon. But I stumbled, fumbled and mumbled. My sermon fell flat and I knew it. Then dear old Brother Murphy comforted me with, “Brother Ralph, someday you’ll be a preacher… maybe.” Well, he really didn’t add the “maybe”, but that was what he was thinking. Oh me! 

P.  Lord Jesus, may I be equipped well enough to teach Your truth to others and humble enough to be corrected by some lowly brother or sister or even a child… anyone that You choose to speak Your words into my heart.  Amen.

Ralph