Esther
INTRO: The story (read it in a Children’s Bible if you don’t know it)
When we move closer into the story we start noticing various themes and sub-themes:
And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that thsose who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” John 9:39-41
INTRO: A few years ago, there was an exhibit of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings in Los Angeles
Imagine a person walking out of the gallery saying, “I don’t get it. What’s with all the swirls and wavy lines? His paintings just don’t look real.”
– at this point in history, such statements say more about the viewer than the artist Continue reading
Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.”
And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. John 9:35-38
INTRO: In 2007 a documentary was released on Google Video that has caused quite a commotion
Zeitgeist, which has been soundly criticized by scholars, represents a new era in the way conspiracy theories can be dispersed through electronic social networks Continue reading
John 9:24-34
INTRO: Have you ever listened to one side of a phone conversation and tried to guess what it was about?
If I told you that I answered a question by saying, “Getting ready,” do you think you would be able to guess the question?
– probably not, but if I added “I was getting ready to go to work,” you might come a little closer
– if I made the complete statement, “I was getting ready to go to word when I heard Barbara say, ‘Is this real?!’” and you connected it with today’s date, then you would likely deduce the question I was answering:
Where were you on 9-11-01 when you heard about the attack on the World Trade Center?
Biblical research is mostly about asking questions–and good research depends on asking the right questions Continue reading
The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”
His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself. John 9:18-21
INTRO: What is implied in the statement, “He who has ears, let him hear”? (see Mt. 13:9) Continue reading
John 9:13-17
INTRO: I spent the past two days with my niece, driving back and forth to Commerce
As we made our way home through the crowded LA freeways Friday evening, my niece, who attended private Christian schools all the way throught the twelfth grade, began to tell me about some of her friends. Having left the shelter of their private schools, their exposure to the many new and different ideas, perspectives, and educated opinions has thrown them into confusion regarding their own beliefs, and many have given up the faith. Continue reading
When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:6-7
INTRO: I came across a folktale this last week in a book written by Simone Weil
A young monk was anxious regarding the salvation of his father, who was a miser and could think of nothing other than money. The Prior of the monastery called for the old man and struck a deal with him. For every time that he would say recite the prayer, “Glory to the Lord of light,” the Prior would give him a penny. All he had to do was show up in the evening and report how many times he had recited the prayer and he would receive his money. Continue reading
We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world. John 9:4-5
INTRO: A couple weeks ago I mentioned Anne Rice, who still follows Jesus although she left “Christianity”–because of Christians
This week The Washington Post (online) printed a “pastoral response” to Anne Rice’s announcement Continue reading
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. John 9:1-3
INTRO: I received an email this morning from a pastor who told me, “A heart attack took me out of ministry two years ago”
He went on to describe
– a security job he recently lost through no fault of his own
– his wife’s extremely painful and debilitating illness
When we hear stories like his, they raise those most difficult of all questions: Continue reading
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 1 Corinthians 10:14-17; 11:23-26
INTRO: It might seem strange – in a letter devoted to spirituality that Paul would spend four chapters talking about food