WTTW: GOD'S WORD

SUNDAY

“Visible Light Spectrum”

Psalm 95:6

Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

GOD'S WORD: John 9:35-41

Paraphrase

After the Pharisees had banished the man born blind from the Temple, Jesus found him and asked him who the Messiah was.

Indicating he wanted to know so he could worship him, Jesus told him he was looking at and talking with him that very moment which led to the man's immediate confession of belief in Jesus as Messiah and his worship of him.

When Jesus proclaimed that his presence in the world leads to judgment with those not claiming any special spiritual standing being able to clearly see he is the Messiah and those claiming spiritual greatness being blinded by their so called enlightenment they are unable to see who he really is.

When the Pharisees gathered around heard him say this they asked how they could be the blind ones and he responded by telling them they are blinded by their sin which makes them think they are so spiritually discerning when they have outright rejected him as the light of the world!

Principles

Central Idea of the Text (CIT)
Interrogatory (INT)
Answer (ANS)


A. Meaning for 1st Century Readers

I. CIT: John told his 1st Century Readers that the blind man, seeing clearly, believed in and worshipped Jesus as the Light of the World while the Pharisees in their blindness rejected him.

II. INT: How was the man born blind able to believe and worship Jesus as the Light of the World?

III. ANS:: The man born blind was able to believe in and worship Jesus as the Light of the World because he was:

1. Found. vv 35

2. Open. vv 36-38

3. Humble. vv 39

4. Discerning. vv 40-41



B. Meaning for 21st Century Readers


I. CIT: John tells us today that there are some who seeing clearly, believe in Jesus and worship him as the Light of the World and others, who remaining blind reject him.

II. INT: How do some come to clearly see Jesus as the Light of the World?

III. ANS: Some come to clearly see Jesus as the Light of the World because they are:

1. Found. vv 35

2. Open. vv 36-38

3. Humble. vv 39

4. Discerning. vv 40-41


Prayer

Our Father, we thank You for sending Your Son to find us lost in this world.

We give You praise for opening our eyes so we are able to see the Light.

We thank You for humbling us so our pride does not get in the way of our being able to recognize Your Son’s presence.

Lord we worship You and You alone as the Messiah – the Light of the World.

We praise You for opening up our eyes so we are able to discern Light from the darkness of our sin.

We ask that our lives reflect Your Light to the world around us.

Father, receive our prayer in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior,

Amen.