Isn't it great to be in the house of the Lord this morning?
Give this praise team an awesome hand clap of praise. They did a phenomenal job.
There's one thing I've learned is it's always easier to preach after some good
worship. Aren't you glad to be in here in this house tonight or today? Sorry, my
nights and days are mixed up. It's a little nerve-racking standing up here
every some Sundays though. But you guys be in prayer for Pastor Waters and Sister
Kathy. Sister Kathy was ill this over the weekend and Pastor Waters felt it best
to stay home with her today. So unfortunately you're stuck with me. But
the good news is I tend to be quick, right? That's the great news, right? I got
an amen in the middle back here. But thank you all for being here this morning.
It's an honor and a pleasure for me to do and fulfill what God's called me to
do and that's preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen. So in my text today I'm
going to be reading from chapter John verse 35 through 38. It's a very familiar
story you all have probably heard. But if I had to title it I would just title it
a journey to faith. When I got the call, when pastor called me yesterday
afternoon it was probably about 5, 530. I was at Target with family just shopping
and I answered the phone. I said what does Pastor call me? He answered the phone. He said,
well you got it tomorrow. I said do what? I got what? The joy of the Lord? Yes.
What do I got pastor? He said it's you. So I quickly came over here and
began to study and search the Lord for what he would have me preach on today. I
kind of already had a text in my mind that got it I think laid up on my heart
earlier in the week. As you all know this past week was camp meeting. All week
long I had an opportunity to go to every evening service and Wednesday of course
Eric and I was there for completion for our MIP. So we were honored that
Wednesday morning. But what a truly amazing, how many of you guys got to go
to a camp meeting any of the services at all? I know I've seen several people there. It
was an amazing, just an outpouring of God's presence on the leaders of the
church. Pastors and directors and just members that lead this great denomination
I think were truly touched. And I've only been to I think three of the past camp
meetings that we've been to that I went to regularly and in my opinion this one
was by far one of the better ones. And one of the things they did differently
this year was they didn't get speakers from all over the US. They kept
everything within the state of Tennessee which I think was phenomenal
because the state of Tennessee got to edify itself through Christ right? And it
was a powerful time. But my text I think was just kind of laid up on my heart
earlier this week and then I got in there yesterday and began, okay Lord what
what can I say? What does this text mean? And I began to dive in. And if you would
just, well let me start here. Aren't you glad that Jesus came looking for you?
Oftentimes we hear new believers say I found Jesus but in reality it was it was
he that found us right? But Jesus stated his purpose in coming to the earth in
Luke chapter 19 verse 10 where he says the Son of Man has come to seek and to
save that which was lost. In fact there are many examples throughout the Bible
where Jesus personally is seeking and calling out individuals in the
scriptures. Firstly we have Jesus calling Andrew and Peter to be his disciples in
Matthew 418 and Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brethren, Simon called
Peter and Andrew's brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers. And
then in verse 19 it skips down and says and he saith unto them follow me and I
will make you fishers of men. Another example would be Jesus calling James and
John to be his disciples in Mark 1 19 and when he had gone a little further
fence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother and also were in
the ship mending their nets and straight away he called them. We all know the
story of Zacchaeus when Jesus came into the place and he looked up and saw him
and said Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must abide in your
house. Jesus called Saul to be an apostle of the Gentiles in Acts chapter 9 verse
3 where he said Saul journeyed and he came to near Damascus and suddenly
there shined around about him a light from heaven and he fell to the earth and
heard a voice saying to him Saul why persecutest thou me? And he said
who art thou Lord? And the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. The fact is
that we as born again it's because Jesus sought us out. He came looking for me.
He came looking for you. If you haven't been found he's looking for you.
Let's stand while I read my scripture today chapter 9 verse 35 in John and
Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto
him dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said who is he Lord that
I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him thou thou hast both seen him
and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said Lord I believe and he worshipped
him. Because father thank you today I love you I praise you for your word that
was broken here in this moment Lord I ask that you would just anoint me with a
fresh anointing to preach your gospel God that it would be edifying unto you
and that your spirit would help us to hear what you would have your people here
today amen you can be seated. Because of his marvelous grace Jesus calls us unto
salvation. For someone here this may for someone here this may be the day he
calls your name. As we walk through this passage I'd like to preach on the
thought a journey to faith as this scripture give us a description of that
walk into knowing Jesus and becoming to know who Jesus Christ is. Let's begin
when we consider what happened to this man earlier in earlier in the day. It
says Jesus was walking through the area and noticed a beggar who had been blind
since birth. The disciples were trying to figure out was it him that sinned or
was it his parents that sinned because the blindness had to be related to sin
of some kind. Jesus reassured them that neither was the case. That it was that
the works of God should be manifest through him. That God would
be glorified through his healing. Jesus then spit on the ground made some clay
and put it in the man's eyes then instructed him to go and wash in the
pool of Siloam. The blind man obeyed and received his sight. When the townspeople
saw him he was he was they didn't understand if he was still the blind
beggar. They thought who is that man? They questioned it. The townspeople began to
ask him what happened and he answered and said a man that is called Jesus made
clay and anointed in my eyes and said unto me go to the pool of Siloam and I
washed and I went and washed and I received my sight. There's something
about being obedient unto God right? There's something about when at this
moment he knew him as a man named Jesus. He didn't know him as the son of God. We
don't get there till later. He didn't know him as a son of God. He knew him as
a man named Jesus but there's something about that when you're in that moment of
desperation. Here's a blind man been blind since birth. He has no clue what
anything looks like but he was at a place where he had an opportunity. He had
a chance. I don't know this guy for Matt. He didn't know who Jesus was but there
was a chance and he obeyed. They brought the man to the Pharisees and questioned
him about his healing. The Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. He
told them that Jesus what Jesus had him do had him go to the pool and wash but
they claimed this man could not be of God because he did not keep the
Sabbath. This was the Sabbath when this happened. The Pharisees accused Jesus of
being the sinner and then wondered how he could do such miracles and I love
what the blind man responded and said I don't know whether he's a
sinner or not but I was blind once and now I see. Praise God. Do you want to
become... and then the Pharisees asked him again what did he do to thee? How did he
open that eyes? And he said I've already told you once and you didn't listen. Why
do you want me to tell you again? Do you want to become his
disciples also? And they said no. They were refiled. They said we were disciples
of Moses. They kept the Jewish law. We know that God's speaking to Moses for
this fellow we know not whence he is. The man who had been healed went on to
testify about Jesus and said in verse 30 why herein is a marvelous thing? Now we
know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of God and doeth
his will him he heareth. Since the world began it's not heard that any man open
the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God he could do
nothing. They answered and said to him thou was
altogether born in sin and thus thou teach us and they cast him out. The
Pharisees didn't want to accept the fact that he could be healed on the Sabbath
because that wasn't in their law that couldn't be done. They didn't claim he
was of God because God couldn't do it had to be God that did this miracle. One
important thing that that sticks out to me in this specific is it says since
the world began it is not heard that any man open the eyes of one that was born
blind. So prior to this event not one person on the face of the earth since
the world began was ever healed of blindness when they were born blind. This
man was the first and at the same time we're hearing the story we haven't
gotten to the text where he knows who Jesus is yet. We're just to the point
where he's excited and happy about the miracle that took place. When Jesus heard
that they had cast the man out he went looking for him. When Jesus found him he
did something greater than he had done before. Earlier that day Jesus healed
this man physically. Now Jesus is about to hear him spiritually and eternally. I
want you to know that what Jesus did for this man he can and will do for you
today and it starts with an invitation. That invitation comes in verse 35 where
it says Jesus heard that they had cast him out and we had found him he said unto
him, does thou believe on the Son of God? That's a simple question right? Notice
the phrase when he had found him. Jesus heard that this man had been cast out by
the Pharisees and Jesus cared enough for him that he took time to
search him out and when he found him Jesus asked him a very important
question. He said, dost thou believe on the Son of God? This is an invitation to
salvation. Jesus when conversing with Nicodemus back in chapter 3 Jesus
explains that belief in him is necessary for salvation. John 3 16 we all know it
for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever
should believe on him would not perish but have everlasting life. Then 17 says
for God sent not this son into the world to condemn the world but that the world
through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned but
that he that believeth not is condemned already because he has not
believed the name of the only begotten son of God. Jesus cared enough to give
this blind man his sight but even greater is the fact that he was willing
to give a dead man new life. You see why that song this morning touched me and
gripped me so hard because I'm talking about dead men getting new life and we
were talking about I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm louder and louder
you're gonna hear my praise roar death is defeated death is defeated he can
restore Jesus has the power to do anything he chooses in your life he can
restore your marriage he can bring you financial blessings into your life he
can heal you physically he can deliver you from addiction he can break the
chains of worry doubt fear and discouragement your life he has the
power to do these and many more things but the greatest thing he can do for you
is to save your soul the Bible tells us that Jesus came to seek and save the
lost you may not believe it's possible for you today you may believe that all
the things that I've done in my life all the things that I've been through all
the things that I've seen all the things that I participated in has kept me and
and and identified me as an outcast but can I share with you that Jesus called
the outcast above others to do his will why because there was a willing vessel
that had to take place God is looking for you God is inviting you unto the
salvation dust thou know the Son of God that's an invitation to your salvation
that's an invitation to you identifying and understanding who God is in your
life so I asked you that question dust thou know the Son of God the man in this
passage has actually been cast out by his own religious crowd does that sound
familiar there's hurt in the church right it happens hopefully it doesn't
happen on purpose but it happens this man was cast out by his religious family
I'm sure he thought of but can I share with you that Jesus will never abandon
you that Jesus will never leave you that Jesus will never forsake you and will go
with you to the very end of the earth give him praise in this house second
Peter chapter 3 verse 9 says the Lord is not willing that any should perish but
the all should come under parents how will you respond to his invitation of
salvation we accept the offer we reject it let me encourage you to put your
faith in the one who came looking for you
this past Friday night at camp meeting they had a youth it was a youth centered
service Scotty Hager who's been here and preached multiple times youth and
discipleship director preach the word they had a choir that was filled with
youth and I think I heard after the service that it was like 300 something
youth was in that choir they there was no room for them they were just standing
up here the band you couldn't even see the band because they were just all
over the stage and you had leaders out front with the microphone but they look
like they blended into the choir there was just so many kids up there but one
powerful thing amongst all that service that happened and I don't know hunter if
you were able to get those slides put up or not go ahead and throw one up there I
don't know if you can see this real well but you can see just the mass of people
and kids these are all youth by the way up there on stage except for Scotty
it's all you see is youth and I don't know if you can read those signs if you
can I'll read some of them to you lost spiritual desert alone fear doubt I want
to control struggled with lust misunderstood anxiety depression abused
neglected diagnosed with chronic seizures at eight years old addicted to
pornography these kids these youth paraded across the front with these
signs of not who they are but what they once were you see this blind man once
was blind but now he has his sight these kids right here go to the next one now
they flip their sign and you get to see the power of what God did in their life
you get to see the relationship they have with Jesus Christ you get to see
that the things that burden them down in this world are forever washed away not
once not twice but forever by the blood of Jesus Christ you have God delivered
me and gave me peace you have I am free indeed instead of addicted to porn you
have called into ministry can somebody give God praise in this house can I
tell you that after being a part of that service the future of this church is
okay the church will survive I think we were to give God another
praise just for that right there
once we have received the invitation now comes the revelation you see God asked
us the question earlier does thou believe the Son of on the Son of God in
verse 26 he gets verse 26 36 and 37 he gets to answer it he said who is he Lord
that I might believe on him and Jesus said unto him thou has both seen him and
it is he that talketh with thee after Jesus asked this man if he believed on
the Son of God he asked Jesus who is he Jesus said I am he Jesus in this passage
is clearly revealing himself as the Son of God he is the Messiah he is the
Savior he is God in the flesh Jesus is the very source of our salvation he said
in John 14 verse 6 I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto
the Father but by me Jesus is God's son who became man who walked on this earth
as a human being who bore the weight of the sins of the world who went to the
cross to pay the price for your debt he died on that cross and was buried in a
grave and then on that third day you should know what happens he was raised
from the dead in resurrection that we might be resurrected with him one day
and go to meet him in the air and forever shall we be with him the
revelation comes when you identify when Jesus tells him who I am he's not talking
to just the man named Jesus anymore he identified him early in the scripture as
the man named Jesus told me to do these things I went and did them and I was I
have received my sight now he's telling the man I am thee I am the Lord Jesus
says or just as the blind men realize that Jesus is the Son of God we must
realize that Jesus is our only hope for salvation there was nothing this man
could do to help himself physically or spiritually everything that happened to
him happened because Jesus because of Jesus you can't do anything about your
spiritual situation but Jesus can he is the only answer for our sin problem and
I encourage you to trust in him and receive the salvation that he's
offering you today we've received an invitation we've seen the revelation now
comes the transformation in verse 38 the first part of verse 38 and he said Lord
I believe Lord I believe early in the day Jesus changed this man's life forever
he was blind from birth never saw color never saw his family his loved ones
anybody or anything he was a beggar but Jesus changed his life forever and he
will change his eternal destiny now Jesus reveals to him that he was the
Son of God he extended an invitation to receive salvation and this man gladly
accepted the offer notice that he didn't have to do anything to be saved other
than to put his trust in the Son of God don't we make it too complicated
sometimes don't we make it there's these rules and regulations you have to have
to be saved this my Bible just says all I got to do is believe on the Son of God
as the Messiah as the Son of God that the Christ that came and bore the weight
of my sins that I might have a way of escape that's what my Bible says all
that has to be we make it too complicated so basic values soon is by
faith alone and Christ alone if you will trust in Jesus you can pass from death
unto life there is no doubt in my mind that this man's life was never the same
you have the opportunity to receive a life-changing miracle just like he did
listen to what Jesus said in John chapter 5 verse 24 verily verily I say
unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath
everlasting life was there criteria in there for that salvation I didn't hear
any what I heard was belief
he that heareth my word and believe on him that sent me hath everlasting life
and shall not come into condemnation but his path from death unto life second
Corinthians 517 says if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation old things
have passed away and behold all things have become new he got a fresh start in
life he was blind now I can see that was before he knew who Jesus was now the
new Jesus and he was dead and now he's alive I don't know about you but I am so
thankful today that I when I was once dead God gave me an invitation he brought
me his revelation he transformed me from death unto life and I praise him for it
this morning you've heard me tell talk about my brother several times from
behind this pulpit but when I was typing up this sermon I couldn't get away from
specific things that happened throughout his transformation most of you know that
he spent 12 years addicted to drugs different type of drugs he batted with
it he fought it he knew right from wrong but the day came not by my might or mom's
might or in this man's situation the Pharisees they didn't know how he got
healed it wasn't by us that he got healed it was by the power of God and he
got to a point of such desperation such desolation at the very bottom of where
he could be and he cried out to God yes he received help of course but he cried
out unto God and the transformation started happening because he didn't go
to rehab he didn't seek a doctor he didn't seek medical help he did what he
was raised and knew to do and that seek that man named Jesus who could provide
for me who can save me who can cleanse me who can heal me who can restore me who
can be my Redeemer now just like he was many years before do we not believe that
God has that same power today so the transformation took place my brother
stood behind a podium and preached a sermon before he passed away total
transformation just like the blind man the blind beggar total transformation I
was blind I can see I was dead now I'm alive total transformation and I praise
God for that I praise God that my brother found his way back but I praise
God for doing the work a very specific thing in that story I want to tell you
about which leads me to my final point at the time my brother was going through
withdrawals because again he didn't seek medical help he curled up in a bed in my
mama's house and that's where he laid as he was going through those withdrawals
as the pain and the agony and everything in him was saying go get that drug and
they'll make you feel better but the transformation started happening there
was no way he was going back to that but the beautiful thing that happened he
cried he moaned he wept he was in pain he was in agony but you know what he
started doing singing praises unto God there was a song what was the song ma
Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary he it was in a bed curled up in the fetal
position crying weak hurting and in pain and he said Lord prepare me to be a
sanctuary I don't know about you but I feel the Holy Ghost in this place
because God is powerful we don't give him enough credit to bring us from where
we are over to where we're meant to be would somebody stand and give God praise
in this house we were here and now we're there we were dead and now we're alive
we were sick and now we're healed we were bound down and in bondage and now
we've been freed and redeemed in Jesus name
oh
when he was going through his worst time he was singing praise unto God which
leads me to my last point and that's adoration after we've gone through the
transformation in our lives now there's nothing more to do but to adore God and
give him adoration for what he did in our life and what he performed in our
life here's a man who's been cast out he's been pushed aside nobody believes
what happened to him but Jesus invited him to be saved the man accepted Jesus
offering was changed immediately and he responded by worshiping Jesus verse 38
the second half of that verse it says and he worshiped him immediately once he
believed he worshiped him you know why I think he did that immediately I think
right after he says he believed the first part of that script says and he
said Lord I believe in the second part of that verse and he worshiped him you
know I think that happened you didn't you didn't he didn't worship the man
Jesus he identified him earlier in the text in chapter 9 that a man named Jesus
told me to do these things and I was I received my sight he did not know at
that point that he was the son of God but he didn't worship the man he was
thankful he was grateful he gave credit to the man named Jesus he told him it
was a man named Jesus who did it he gave him credit but it wasn't until he came
to realize that this man was really our Lord and the son of God that he began to
worship him he didn't worship the man he worshiped our Lord Jesus Christ that's
the difference it wasn't man that performed the miracle it was Jesus
Christ and it reminds me of the story in Acts 3 where Peter and John they healed
the lame man at the temple gate called beautiful says do you believe in the son
of God Jesus all right I'm sorry I'm back up getting ahead of myself
Peter and John when they saw him they said look on us they hollered out at the
guy look on us and the man looked on him expecting to receive arms receive
something from that's what he's doing he's begging he was lame but Peter said
silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give thee in the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk they took him by the right hand lifted him up
and I love this immediately his feet and ankle bones receive strength then the
next part is the best part then he leaping stood up and walked and entered
with them into the temple walking and leaping and praising God this man got
pulled up from his lame position and what did he do he ran into the place
where he knew to go the temple or the house of God and praised the Lord the
guy who was blind since birth didn't know who he was but when he believed who
Jesus was as the son of God he immediately worshiped him you see we
have the invitation we have the revelation who God is we have the
transformation which happens in our life and then we have the adoration where we
get the opportunity to worship and praise him for everything he's done in
our life give him praise one more time if you have ever been touched by the
master if he has sought you out called your name and brought you from death
into life I hope that you spend your days worshiping him Jesus is worthy of
our worship and our adoration come to the use musician musicians come if you
can
in verse 35 Jesus asked the man do you believe in the Son of God this is a
question that we all must answer at some point in time in our journey to faith in
our walk there's a question we all must answer Jesus is our only hope for
salvation in this life he's the only way the truth and the life will you put your
faith in him to receive salvation maybe you have maybe I like to think we're a
room full of believers
maybe you have maybe you maybe you know who Jesus is as the son of God and that
question does thou believe on the son of God you can answer and say I truly do
and that's that's so awesome maybe you find your place in it maybe that's not
you maybe you know who Jesus is and what he's done for you and maybe now you're
just looking for more maybe now it's not just enough knowing Jesus and thanking
him appraising him for the very best that he's given me or maybe I found my
way falling away a little bit maybe I once was right there where I know to be
and I've let some things slip I've let some things get in the way of my
relationship with God what like in this text you have an invitation today not
only an invitation for salvation but an invitation to get some things right that
may not be maybe there's transformation that needs to happen in your life maybe
it is a marriage that's going south or maybe it is a financial situation that's
got you burdened down and you need help from the Lord maybe it's addiction like
my brother maybe it's doubt worry fear one of the beautiful things about those
those youth that walked up there they were parading their problems you know
why I believe because they weren't ashamed there was no shame in the things
that they go through sometimes in the church we act uncomfortable around
homosexuals or we got transgender ism and all this stuff going all throughout
the world today we get uncomfortable the kids are going to school with it every
day that that's not it's not what are they to be ashamed of the sincerity of
their of their unashamedness I'll just that's not a word but I'll just say that
they're unashamed so much and it's so sincere that they're willing to say hey
come sit by me because where else would they need where else would they rather
be where else would we rather have them I've heard redemption stories of
homosexuals that found their way to a loving church and then they were
changed and set free of that and have married and have kids and their life has
been restored because of the power of Jesus Christ the kids aren't ashamed we
don't need to be ashamed either who knows I can't get through this world on
my own I know I can't I face things I have problems I go through not just me
my family and it's not enough that I try to figure it out I need help so the
invitation is for anybody today who maybe need that transformation in their
life and to me one of the most important things is adoration the this altar this
whole big area right here is open for you to come and just worship God you may
have so everything going right in your life and I hope you do I pray he's God
for that but praise him for it give him praise for it I won't tell you long but
let's everyone stand if you if you want to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior
today I invite you to come just as Jesus did the blind man when he gave him
invitation and ask him dust thou know the Son of God I want to give that
invitation to you today if there's transformation that needs to be done in
your life God can do it Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that we would
have life and have it more abundantly and if you just want to come worship him
I encourage that as they sing something come I would love to pray for you