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Bob Davis: Here's what I love about the disciples: they're just like me. I was going to say just like you, but I don't want to offend you. Notice they only give Jesus two options: him or them, who is it?

Could it be something else? By the way, it is something else, right? But you only give him two options. It had to be him or his parents. I mean, he's blind, whose sin is it? When you ask God a question, leave it open-ended.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Apply Within, a verse-by-verse study of the Word of God with Pastor Bob Davis of North Country Chapel. We invite you to join with us as we, by the power of God's Holy Spirit, apply his Word within our own hearts as we study line upon line, precept upon precept, verse by verse through the Bible.

Jesus heals a man who was born blind, as our study of John continues in chapter nine. Here's Pastor Bob.

Bob Davis: Jesus and his disciples are walking out of the temple area, or at least somewhere near the temple because if you recall, they would bring the ones that were lame, that were blind, the ones that couldn't function, handicapped in some way, and they would lay them near the doors of the temple.

As people were coming in and going out, then those who couldn't earn their own living would ask for help from others as they walked in and out of the temple. So they laid them by the doors of the temple.

Well, so Jesus and his disciples are walking by, and not just Jesus, his disciples see him too. But Jesus sees a man that has been blind from birth. Do you remember early on in chapter eight where there was this woman taken in the very act of adultery?

Jesus dealt with her after all her accusers were gone. There were no witnesses. He says, "Does any man condemn you?" and she says, "No man," and he said, "I don't either." Verse 12, chapter eight, he said this: "Then spake Jesus unto them, saying, I am the light of the world. He that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Life—that's eternal life, the light of life, okay? So remember that, because he's going to say it again in a moment, that he is the light of the world. Now he's got a blind guy here. He cannot see, he's never ever seen anything ever.

And so his disciples, they ask him, and we can't judge a heart, but this is not the first blind guy they've ever seen. They're always at the temple area. This is not when Jesus healed that lame man, this is not the first lame man they'd ever seen, right?

But here they take this opportunity to ask, "Master, what sin caused this man to be born blind?" Interesting question. They know that sickness, trials, struggles, being blind, being unable to walk or being unable to use your limbs correctly or unable to hear, etc.

They understand that sin came into the world there in the garden. And death came into the world with sin. They understand that. And because they understand it, they want to know. This is a great theological moment: what caused this man to be born blind? Whose sin?

Was it his parents' sin or was it his own? Well, if he was born blind, when would he have sinned? Thank you for asking that, because some believe and teach that this verse proves reincarnation. Clearly they wouldn't have said he's sinned if he's born blind—maybe it was in a past life, people say.

So they use this verse to prove reincarnation. Well, let me just promise you: God's Word teaches resurrection and resurrection only. Never reincarnation. Never ever has it, never will it. People say they used to teach it and they took it out. No, it was never taught there.

You see, they think, "Well, if he must have sinned in a past life." No, because the Bible teaches nothing like that. It's either reincarnation or resurrection, and you can't have both. You see, reincarnation is specifically taught in the Far East, and of course America has adopted it.

We Westernized it, but many Americans believe in reincarnation. Some of them think that they were President Lincoln and some of them think they were Mary Magdalene. It goes on and on, and that's without drugs.

But the Bible clearly says no, it's got to be one or the other. You see, resurrection is rising from the dead. Reincarnation is coming back after dying, coming back into another body. You could come back as a kumquat or a cricket or you could come back as somebody important.

But by the way, most of the people that I've ever dealt with who believe they're reincarnated, they were never anybody that was just a shoe salesman or just a pastor or just a normal guy. They were always Mary Queen of Scots, Caesar, one of the Caesars. That just lets you know something's up.

It's got to be one or the other and the Bible says it's resurrection. Hebrews 9:27 is a simple verse to go to: "As it is appointed unto individuals once to die, but after this the judgment." You're not going to come back because remember reincarnation, the purpose of it supposedly is to work off bad karma, sin.

And you come back each time and you try to do better until you reach perfection and then you become part of the over-soul. They call it Nirvana. So there's what you're shooting for. You get better and better and better until you're nothing, part of the over-soul.

Hebrews 9:27: "As it is appointed unto individuals, men and women, once to die, but after this the judgment." You're not going to come back and try to get another shot at it and get it better. You're not going to come back and be somebody more important.

You're not going to come back. A lot of teens are falling for this reincarnation thing thinking their IQ's not very good, if they take their own life then they'll come back smarter or you'll have better parents or whatever. That's a lie of the devil.

The Bible teaches resurrection only. So, once to die, after that straight to the judgment. You're not going to get another shot at this, neither am I. We need Jesus before we leave here.

Well, here's what I love about the disciples: they're just like me. I was going to say just like you, but I don't want to offend you. But if the shoe fits, you're welcome to put it on right now. Watch this: whose sin was it? Was it his parents' or was it his?

I think we're all prone to do that kind of thing. Notice they only give Jesus two options. You only have two options: either him or them, who is it? Could it be something else? By the way, it is something else, right?

But you only give him two options. Well, it had to be him or his parents. I mean, he's blind, whose sin is it? When you ask God a question, leave it open-ended. Like, "God, why did you allow this?" and wait to see.

Is it because I was dumb or is it because you thought I was so cute? Give him another option, please. They're giving him two choices and as far as they're concerned—listen closely—as far as the disciples are concerned, it has to be one or the other. That's all it could be: him or them.

The Jews, I thought this very interesting, the rabbis, the Jews taught and still teach that a child in the womb can sin. We all that are Christians would say that is a real live baby girl or baby boy. That's a life that God himself has a plan for, true? We would say that.

The Jewish say it even better than us. They insist that self-will can be manifested in an unborn child. And I thought, "Okay, can it?" and then I thought, "Well, there are quite a few points to make the case." But one of them you're so familiar with, I'll just choose that one: Genesis 25.

And I'll just read verses 22 through 26. Rebekah is going to have a baby. It's been a long time and finally she's going to have a baby. And there was something wrong she felt. Because Genesis 25, starting in 22: "The children struggled together in her," in Rebekah.

She had twins or she had at least two. And she said, "If it be so, why am I thus?" And she went to inquire of the Lord. In American that means something is going on in there! I've never been pregnant, but this is something's up. Is there something wrong?

And so she asks the Lord. And the Lord answers her, verse 23: "Listen closely, believer." And the Lord said to her, "Two nations, two separate nations are in your womb at the same time. And two manner or two completely different kind of people shall be separated from your body."

The one people shall be stronger than the other, and the elder, the oldest, will serve the youngest. And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. And the first came out red, kind of just bright red and hairy, and they named him hairy.

Esau means hairy. Esau. And after that came out his brother, and his brother had his hand holding onto Esau's heel trying to pull him back so he could come out first. And so his name was called Jacob, heel catcher.

That's easy. And Isaac was 60 years old when those two boys were born. One of them was fighting to get out first and he happened to get out second. So the Jews insist that self-will could be manifested in an unborn child.

It was back there in Genesis. But America says it's not even a life. Never mind that there's a plan. God says those are two complete nations. America says it's nothing. Well, as if you go to certain places, they just tell you: "We'll help you take care of the problem." This is not a baby, this is a problem.

So if I'm going to lean toward one, I'd lean toward the Jewish, what they think. I'm not convinced that all the kids are fighting to get their way, but they certainly were in that case. And I do believe it's a baby.

So America may say it's not a life and you can terminate it, but God says it is. And he's got a plan for that little one and all those little ones that have been terminated.

Verse three, Jesus answered. See how patient he can be with you and me and his boys and his girls? See how patient. "Neither has this man sinned nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day. The night comes when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. That's a repeat of way back there inside the temple: I am the light of the world.

And he gives you the light of life. Life—that's eternal life, the light of life, okay? Look at the heart of the Lord compared to his disciples. They're called disciples because disciples are learners. They are learning.

But they are just like you and me and there's this natural, our human nature, right here. Look at Jesus' heart compared to the heart of the disciple. To the disciples, this is an opportunity to discuss theology.

Here's a man that can't see, Jesus Christ is God Almighty, and they want to discuss their theology. "What do you think about this, Jesus? Hey, this guy can hear you! It didn't say he couldn't hear, it said he couldn't see, right?"

Dr. Wiersbe wrote: "Our sin nature finds it much easier to discuss an abstract subject like sin than it is to minister to a concrete need in the life of another individual." We'd rather discuss how you had your car accident instead of trying to stop the blood there on the middle of the road, true?

"Well, why did they hit this? How come why did who is well, did you use your blinker?" "I'm dying here, can you get me some help?" right? There's a different kind of heart it takes to minister. A different kind of heart.

It takes a servant's heart and it takes love. And you can't fake that. You can't make pretend like it's there. You can't fake it and his boys have got a lot to learn.

Jesus starts out by saying that the blindness—I'm going to paraphrase—this blindness was not a direct result of some specific sin in their lives, either him or theirs. Sin, of course, is how all these deaths and all this ugliness and all this trouble, etc. is happening, yes.

But Jesus says specifically in this case, because he's God and he knows, it is not a direct result of some specific sin in their lives. Neither this man sinned—that didn't mean he wasn't a sinner, of course he was a sinner.

And his parents didn't sin—didn't mean they weren't sinners, it's just that this blindness wasn't specifically caused by them. But this is that the works of God should be made manifest in this man.

And what does he say? "I must work the works of him that sent me while it's day." So let me say it this way: while somebody's trying to figure out why this person is suffering, Jesus says: "I just want to stop the suffering."

We need that. We catch someone says, "Man, my marriage is struggling." And you sit down and before you pray for them, you say, "Why? Are you a lousy wife or are you a terrible husband? What are you? Whose sin is it? The girl or the boy?"

Whereas Jesus would say: "Come to me. I'll give you peace. I'll put peace in her heart. I'll do this, I'll do it." Jesus said that's why I'm here. I'm here to do this. I'm the light of the world, you'll see he'll say in a minute.

The heart is not to figure out what their problem is—everybody's got problems. And Christians, we're good at that. You don't help, you just pile the guilt back on top of them because they know they're idiots and now you just make it clear for them.

And Jesus didn't do that. Here's the heart: this man is blind and I am right here looking at him. This is what my Father sent me to do. This is what my Father wants me to do right now. It is so simple.

The one who sent me here, this is what he wants me to do. Where everybody else wonders why he doesn't have shoes on or what the guy's problem really is, Jesus wants to help him.

We can really worry about down the road how long he's been blind and what colors he can see once he can see. We'll work this out! But there's a time to minister here and that's what he's saying.

Isaiah 42, verses six and seven. Listen to this prophecy: "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness." He's talking about his Messiah, he's talking about his Son. "I'll hold your hand and I will keep you and give you for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles."

So the Messiah is going to be a light even to the Gentiles. "To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

What did Jesus say? "This right here is what I'm here to do." And he does it. He doesn't let them slow him down or get them into some kind of theological argument that will have to be taken up because we're fighting, we're mad at each other.

We'll cool down and we'll talk about it tomorrow. We're Christians. I need that heart. I need the heart of Jesus when someone comes and says, "We're hurting." Okay, let's pray, what can we do?

And you say, "Well, you've got to be good stewards." Well, okay, that goes without saying. Of course you've got to be good stewards. If they're in debt three million dollars, probably couldn't help much anyway, true?

Might give them ten bucks and say, "Best I could do, go for it!" But don't you get the point? I hope you do. You understand Jesus is teaching it to us that way. And what does he say? "I'm the light of the world."

He is light and he gives light freely to others. He's going to give light to this blind man and life, the light of life as well. So look at verse six. When he had thus spoken—notice he's finished now, he's not going into a debate with them, he's got something to do here.

So when he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground and he made mud. And he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the mud. And he said to the man, "Go wash in the pool of Siloam," which is interpreted Siloam means "sent."

He went his way therefore and washed and he returned being able to see. He could see, he's never seen anything in his life. But he did what Jesus told him to do and he rinsed off and he could see. Think that through.

Jesus spits on the ground, makes some mud and smears it in the guy's, on the blind guy's eyes. He just smears it on there. And he says, "Now go and wash in the pool of Siloam." Right there is going to take what? Faith.

"You know, what I'm doing here? I'm trying to earn a little bit of money to get some food for this day. That's going to I'm going to stop now? You want me to stop what I'm doing and go to the pool of Siloam?"

It's not right across the street, it's quite a ways to the south of the temple area there. Going to take him a good five, ten minutes, or maybe slower because he can't see. And so he's going to have to go.

What am I trying to tell you? I think that the point is this: it's going to take faith. "Why would some guy rub mud in my eyes and tell me to go wash it out? What'd you do that for? Now I've got mud in my eyes and I can't see anyway, so anybody else want to help me?"

No, it's going to take a little faith to get up and ask someone to take you, help you to get to the pool, right? To wash off the mud. Will he obey? Bible says he did. Will he simply obey or will he try to wipe that mud off?

"That's really sick and gross." You know, he's probably thinking someone's making fun of him. He could have! It's going to take a little bit of faith here. Just washing mud that somebody made with spit is going to make me see?

What have you got to lose? It took some faith and he did it. He obeyed Jesus in faith. He walked to the pool, I'm sure someone had to lead him there, rinsed his eyes and he could see perfectly clear.

But you know what he—now that he sees everything, you know who he never got to see? Jesus, right? He's never seen Jesus. He's talked with him, he is healed by him, but he's never seen him.

Verse eight: the neighbors therefore, people that knew him, they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" "Isn't that guy? Looks like him."

Some said, "This is he." Others said, "It's just someone who looks like him." But he said, "No, it's me." They're kind of saying, "Looks like that guy, but it can't be, he's blind and he's been blind from birth. Well, I'm pretty sure it's him!"

"Can't be him, he can't see!" And he goes, "It's really me!" Therefore they said, "How were your eyes opened? How come you can see now?" And he answered and said, "A man that is called Jesus made mud and smeared it in my eyes, anointed my eyes and he said to me, go to the pool of Siloam and wash. And I went and washed and I received sight. I can see!"

Then they said to him, "Where is he?" And he says, "I don't know." Because while he walked on down to dip his head in the pool and rinse it off, Jesus went on his way. He's got other things he wants to get done.

That's just amazing to me. He's walking, walking around just seeing the sights, probably walking back toward the temple thinking Jesus may be there. He knows the man's name that did it, but he's never seen him. He was called Jesus. That's all I know.

He didn't know anything about him. And people thought they recognized him, but they weren't sure. "That looks like the beggar." "Can't be the beggar, he's blind." "I know, but it looks just like him." And he goes, "It is, it's me. I can see now!"

"How is it possible you can see?" And he tells them, "I don't know. A man named Jesus made some mud, smeared it on my eyes and my face, told me to go wash the mud off and I did and now I can see."

"Where is he?" Man said, "I don't know. You see, because I was blind and I wandered down to the pool like he told me to, rinsed off and now I can see. I don't know what he looks like, I don't know who I'm looking for. So I don't know where he is."

The man, having no idea who Jesus was, took Jesus at his word: faith.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening to Apply Within with Pastor Bob Davis. Apply Within is a radio outreach ministry of North Country Chapel. Our Sunday morning Bible studies are at 9:00 and 11:00 AM.

We also have a Friday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM and a Monday evening Bible study at 7:00 PM. You can download today's message in its entirety at northcountrychapel.com/studies. That's northcountrychapel.com/studies.

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