Why? – John 9: 1 - 12

Intro:   10 months ago when our twin granddaughters, Amelia and Elizabeth were born almost 4 months premature, I wondered, “Why?”

I.    Why is a great question word. 

   A.  If God is good, why all the evil in the world?  Why sin?  Why suffering?  Why loss?  Why agony?

   B.  The Jews at the time of Jesus believed bad things happened because the person had done something to displease God.

   C.  This is why the disciples were asking Jesus, “Who is to blame?”

II.   Read verses 1 & 2

  A.  What are some possible answers to the disciples’ inquiry?

            1)         parents’ or his sin

            2)         dumb question

            3)         what difference does it make?  He’s blind.

 B.        What did the disciples want to hear?

            1)         blame the parents – that’s always the convenient thing to do.

            2)         blame the man

            3)         blame God – that’s the most common thing to do.

 C.   But, what did Jesus say?  Read verse 3

III.       From the response of Jesus, we discover the answer the “WHY” of the disciples and to many of OUR OWN whys.  It doesn’t matter!

 A.      “This man was born blind in order that God’s works might be openly shown in him.”

 B.        It was blindness that gave the man the chance to be of service.

 C.       When I was in my second year of college, my father suffered an accident in which he broke his neck.  He suffered paralysis over about 80% of his body.  One day when he was in rehab he happened upon a lady sitting in a wheelchair crying.  He leaned down and whispered into her ear and she immediately stopped crying and moved out of his way.  When the orderly asked my father what he had said my Dad answered, “I told her to stop the pity-party, get on with what was left of her life and get out of my way or I was going to shove her wheelchair into the nearest door.”

Conclu:   We often face tests and trials.  --- It seems to us that God has put mud in our eyes and life is a blur.  --- Obedience when obedience is not easy --- faith were faith comes hard.

 Wash the mud from our eyes and see!

Gaither Bailey

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First Presbyterian Church, Georgetown, Kentucky, is a member of Transylvania Presbytery of the Synod of Living Waters in the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.