Alumni Bible Study

A Bible study initially set up for alumni of the Senior Sunday School Class at the First United Methodist Church of Lufkin, Texas. It is our hope and our prayer that this study touches the hearts of those who participate and helps spread the love and grace of Our Lord and God. All who want to learn more about God are welcome

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Location: lufkin, Texas, United States

I am a Christian family man, Lay Pastor and writer from Deep East Texas. I love life, and I enjoy working with young people. I have published two books; "A Small Mind Among Tall Trees" and "God If You Are Not Too Busy, Can You Give Me a Hand". If you want to obtain a copy drop me an e-mail or go to amazon.com or barnesand noble.com . I have been a salesman, cowman and athlete in my past. I still have a strong sense of humor and am not afraid to use it.

Monday, March 29, 2010

John 9:18-34

Relax, Read and Reflect

Prayer- Lord, Open our hearts and open our minds and help us learn. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.

18The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19"Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

20"We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christa]'> would be put out of the synagogue. 23That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

24A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God,b]'>" they said. "We know this man is a sinner."

25He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

26Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

27He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"

28Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."

30The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

34To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

Spiritual Blindness
35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

37Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

38Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

39Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"

41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

The saga of the blind man continues. In the last lesson we learned that Jesus healed a blind man who had been without sight from birth. Jesus did this on the Sabbath, and because he had made mud that he used on the mans eyes, he had violated Jewish law by working on the sabbath.Now the interrogation begins.

First; the Pharisee's wanted to make sure the man was really blind, (it could have been a trick, a well thought out stunt.) They call in the mans parents to ask them. They admit that the man was born blind but were so scared of being excommunicated they would not share if he could see or not."He is of age-ask him." Do we find it difficult to see the truth today if it may cost us ridicule or social standing?

The Man is brought back in and grilled once more. If confesses that he can see because of the miracle that Jesus had performed. The pharisees blame him for sinning and excommunicate him. Jesus hears about this and ministers to him. Re-read vs. 40-41. The Pharisees have visual ability but are blind to the truth.

We fall into the same traps. we can become so jaded to the world that we miss real miracles. We want to see proof, we become driven to prove miracles are hoaxes. Why? Most of us have pretty good physical vision, how is our spiritual vision?

Questions:

1. Why did the parents insist that the pharisees ask their son if he could now see?

2. How did the pharisees justify the miracle?

3. What did Jesus mean when he said "For judgement I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see will become blind."

Prayer- Lord, open our eyes that we may see all of the vision You have for us. Give us the wisdom and strength to share that vision with others. Go-Fight-Win. Amen.


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