John 9:1­–7 - Cameron Jungels -Sun AM, July 20, 2014

“The Mystery of Suffering and a Compassionate Savior” (John 9:1­–7)

^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/July 20, 2014}

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Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 

 

1.       The Mystery of Suffering 

a.     Why do bad things happen to us? What is the cause? 

                                                             i.      Reject: The Open View of God

                                                           ii.      Reject: A rigid view of God’s justice and righteousness that attributes all suffering to some sin.

                                                        iii.      Accept: A multi-faceted understanding of suffering and God’s sovereignty that leaves room for mystery and faith.

                                                          iv.      Conclusion: Suffering is mysterious. God is sovereign. God is both aware of and in control of the events of this world. Somehow in a way that is mysterious and incomprehensible to us, God uses pain and suffering to accomplish his purposes in this world. 

 

We cannot always explain the reason for our pain, but we can rely on a compassionate Savior. 

2.      The Compassion of a Savior 

a.     Jesus came to minister to us in the midst of our suffering. 

Luke 4:14­–21:

¹⁴ Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. ¹⁵ He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. ¹⁶ He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

¹⁹    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

b.     Jesus has compassion on those who are suffering. 

c.      Jesus is diligent and careful in using his time, knowing that there is limited opportunity to minister to others.

⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:4­­–5)

 

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17, NIV)  

d.     Jesus entered into our suffering by humbling himself as one of us and taking our curse upon himself. 

e.      Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven guarantees the full and final redemption of this sin-cursed world. 

 

Main Idea: Suffering is often unexplainable, mysterious, and difficult, but we have a Savior who is full of compassion for those who follow him.