Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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right in. Amen. Hallelujah. Let's have a seat.
John chapter 14 verse 12. John chapter 14. On
Sunday, we were introduced to our team for the
year. So by the grace of God, I'll just be building
on what we started on Sunday with the foundation
by which We've laid on Sunday and then to build
a little bit. John 14 from verse 12. Most assuredly,
I say to you, he who believes in me, the works
that I do, he will do also. And greater works
than this he will do because I go to my Father.
And whatever you ask in my name, that I will
do, that my Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.
Hallelujah. And we said the theme for the year
is Greater Works. It's Greater Works, and I want
to believe that our hearts are inspired, you
know, for what God we want us to do this year
and beyond. Our hearts are inspired and directed
and stayed up to do the works, you know, that
God has called us to do. So we started by saying
that it is important to, in a bit, to understand
this text. There are some certain questions that
we just want to ask. These questions will help
us to understand the stakes. And one of the questions
we asked was, who is Jesus speaking to? Who is
the audience by which Jesus is speaking to? And
we also asked a question about what the works
of Jesus are. What works did Jesus do? And then
what are the greater works by which He's calling
the disciples to do and invariably calling us
today who are the disciples of the disciples
to do. Hallelujah. So we observe from the scripture,
we will observe from the scripture that Jesus
was speaking specifically or contextually to
his disciples. He was not speaking to the crowd.
All right. He was very particular about the audience
he was speaking to. Not to the crowd, not to
the 5 ,000, but the people he was speaking to
is very, very important. The kind of people Jesus
was speaking to is very important. The timing
of the speech is very important. So, specifically,
he's addressing the disciples. Of course, the
12. the 12, even including Judas Iscariot, because
he was there before he, he didn't wait till the
service finished. He didn't wait till that explanation
finished because in the course of the conversation
we saw, you know, he went out to go and do what,
you know, the devil has inspired in his heart
to do, that is to betray Jesus. So Jesus was
particularly addressing his disciples who he
had. Been with for about over three years. So
in these three years, they have listened to him
teach them. In these three years, they have heard
him taught many things in many ways concerning
his mission and what he will do. And these three
and a half years, they've seen him done many
works. They've seen him perform miracles. They've
seen him done many things. So they've heard him
and they've seen. They've heard, they've seen.
And this hearing Jesus and seeing what he did
was even very important. It's a very important
criteria. Even when Judas was to be replaced,
later on we'll see, you know, they had to go
to look for someone that was with them from the
beginning, right from the baptism of John the
Baptist, right from the teaching of John the
Baptist, right from the ministry of John the
Baptist, to when Jesus, you know, was with them
and they were all through the follow to the end
up onto the resurrection. So this was particularly
important for the mission that they will do.
So by implication, doing greater works is for
those who have become disciples. All right? If
you are not a disciple, then I don't think...
you will be able to do greater works. In fact,
you will not do what Jesus did, talk more of
doing greater. So for us to do greater, for us
to do the works that Jesus have done, or to do
greater works, it means that we must be disciples.
Now, discipleship is not just a cliche. We're
not just telling you just be a disciple because
we won't, no. Discipleship is important. It's
very crucial to doing the works of God. To become
a disciple, you must first believe, right? Because
these people believe Jesus. To become a disciple,
you must first believe that Jesus is who he said
he is. Later on, we'll see that when Jesus rose
up and then he taught them, they later believed
Jesus. And it is in the belief that they believe
Jesus that he was able to hand over a ministry
to them. So fundamentally, you must believe in
Jesus. Who he said he is. The Messiah who came
from God for not only to die for our sins. All
right. The Messiah who came from God to die for
our sins. die for the forgiveness of our sins.
So, they have to come to a point of belief that
this is who Jesus is. We'll see it in their sermons
in the book of Acts. This is the one that God
has sent. This is the one to whom God has appointed.
That through him, we'll see it in their records
in the book of Matthew. They recorded and they
were pointing to Jesus as the promise of the
Father. Because the context of the work that
we're going to do will be related to the identity
of the Messiah, will be related to the identity
of who Jesus is. Hallelujah. Because in the identity
of the Messiah or Jesus, the Savior, we'll find
ourselves in him. Hallelujah. So we are not doing
something separate from what Jesus is doing even
now. We are doing what God in Christ has done
and we see Christ is all in us by the Spirit
doing. So there's a relationship. So they have
been with Jesus and have learned very well from
him. Okay? They've seen him. So he's speaking
contextually to the things they've seen him done.
They've seen him done. Give me that text, verse
12. John chapter 12, chapter 14, verse 12. It
says, the works that I do, he will do also. The
works that I do, which means that they might
have seen the works that Jesus have done. That
same work, that person will do also. Hallelujah.
So, these are those who have seen and know his
works. Alright? They've been with him, so they've
seen his works and they know his works. Okay?
They know his purpose. They know his will because
in his works they will know his will. They know
his purpose and thereafter they will do his will.
So for us to do his work and to do greater, we
must be intentional about building a life around
knowing Jesus. We must be intentional this year
and beyond. We must be, listen, Church shouldn't
be church as usual for us. Knowing God should
not be as usual for us. We must, as the brother
was leading us in prayer, we must seek to heighten
our desire. We must make knowing God a top priority.
If knowing God or knowing Jesus Christ must be
a top priority for us, then there will be a need
for arranging our priority, our programs, our
schedules, and give knowing him a top priority
in our lives. If your desire, number one, is
to do greater works, then knowing God, being
a disciple actually, being a student, being a
disciple must be your topmost priority. It must
be greater than any other thing. Even greater
than your academics. Even greater than life itself.
Because it's not going to be for passive people.
So we must give priority to learning and to knowing.
Because there's only one pathway by which we'll
know Jesus. We'll know God. There's only one
way that God has revealed himself to us, through
Jesus Christ. And how can we know about Jesus
Christ by the scriptures? Hallelujah. So the
story of the word, the written word particularly,
preached and taught and practiced must be our
priority. We cannot do greater works outside
the knowledge of God that we have, outside what
is written for us in scripture. There is no new
revelation that we can have beyond what has been
given. So we will understand the character of
God. We will understand the will of God. We will
understand the desire of God. We will understand
what God is doing now in our season. So you must
also be intentional about the time of fellowship
because in the fellowship as this, as a fellowship
together, you know, we learn the word together.
We must be intentional about the time of fellowship
with other Christians, with other believers,
and also a time to fast and pray as an individual.
Listen, if you will do greater works, your spiritual
life, you know, you must change, let me use the
word, you must change gear this year. You cannot
be doing what you've been doing all along the
years and expect another result. And that is...
That is stupidity. You've been doing something
in a particular way and then you are seeing one
result and you are expecting that you continue
that way like the way you've been doing last
year and then to see another result. I mean,
that's no wisdom. So there must be a rearrangement
of our priority to knowing God, to knowing the
Word, to fasting. Listen, basic disciplines.
That is necessary to knowing God. We must go
back to the basics. Relationship with believers.
You know. The word of God. Spending time to pray.
Spending time with God. You and God alone. These
are basic disciplines that we must go back to.
These are basic disciplines. If you've been doing
it last year, praise God for that. This year.
You must seek to have a quality time than ever
before. There's always room for growth because
consistency will bring about perfection in that
particular exercise. So it is important that
we know that God will work with us based on the
knowledge. we have about him. This is how we
build ourselves for greater works. This is how
we build ourselves for greater works. So discipleship
is key. And each and every one of us must be
disciples of Jesus. Disciples simply means you
must be a student. And a student doesn't skip
classes. A student doesn't earn, it is no graduation.
You can't say, okay, for the next three months,
I'm going to be a disciple and after that I've
graduated. No, no, no. Discipleship is a lifelong
thing. For the rest of your life, you must continually
grow. You must continually keep on learning the
things of God. It is in this learning that we
get better, that we get our mind transformed,
that we get ourselves acquainted with the plan
of God, that we get ourselves acquainted with
the will of God, and then we are able to do.
what God is calling us to do. I went on to begin
to ask, okay, what are the works Jesus did? This
was where we started to know what are the works
that Jesus did, right? So we said that the work
Jesus did includes the things Jesus did, practically,
right? And also the things he taught. His teachings
and his actions, and we made reference to what
Luke wrote in the book of Acts, chapter 1, verse
1 to 3. Luke, Acts, rather, chapter 1, as he
was writing to Theophilus, he says, the former
things I made, oh, the former accounts I made,
oh, Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both
to do and to teach. So Jesus did some things
and he taught. All right? Until the day in which
he was taken up after he, through the Holy Spirit,
had given commandments to the apostles whom he
had chosen, to whom he also presented himself.
So what commandment did he give them? Of course,
we know the commandment. Matthew 15, 16. All
right? The commandment he gave them to remain,
they will be in due with power and all that will
happen. By the coming of the Spirit. So, the
works of Jesus has to do with the things he did
and the things that he taught. And we say that
when we go through the Synoptic Gospels, we can
see summarily that Jesus revealed the Father
through the powerful works he did. Okay? The
powerful works that confirms his divine identity.
Jesus performed works. Works has to do with the
miracles he did. Including healing the sick.
He cast out devils. He raised the dead. We see
him in the gospels exercising authority over
nature. Speaking to the storm. Walking on water
and all these things were miraculous things Jesus
did. Turning water into wine, miraculous activity
that Jesus did. He accomplished redemption. You
know, the forgiveness of our sins. These are
what Jesus did. We see him proclaiming and demonstrating
the kingdom. Of course, by the miracles he did,
he demonstrated the kingdom. And then he proclaimed
the goodness. of salvation. And what we also
see him do is laying the foundation of the church.
You know, commissioning the apostles, the foundational
apostles, you know, bringing, ushering them into
the era of the church. These are what Jesus did.
Hallelujah. So in Matthew chapter 11, verse 1
to 4, we also, you know, looked at a sign that
proves Jesus' identity as a Messiah. Matthew
chapter 11, verse 1, when John was arrested,
Matthew 11, Now it came to pass that when Jesus
finished, Matthew, yes, when Jesus finished commanding
his 12 disciples, that he departed from there
to teach and to preach in their cities. And when
Jonah heard in the prison about the works of
Christ, he heard about the works of Christ. And
these works of Christ, including... the teaching
of Christ, right? Including the miraculous things
he was doing. When John had heard in prison about
the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
and said to him, are you coming? Are you the
coming one? Or do we look for another? So if
I was Jesus, I would simply say, yes, I'm the
one that has been promised to come. And I'm here,
right? It's as simple as that. But Jesus gave
him a coded communication. It's a code by which
when he decodes as a prophet of God, he will
know what Jesus is referring to. And what was
the coded language Jesus gave him? Jesus answered
and said to them, go and tell John the things
which you hear and the things which you see.
So what are they hearing? They're hearing the
teachings of Jesus, all right? And they're hearing
about the works of Jesus and they are seeing
the works of Jesus. So, what are these? Verse
5. The blind see. Okay? And the lame work. The
lepers are cleansed. The deaf hear. The dead
are raised up. And the poor have miracle money
transferred to their bank accounts. The what?
they heard the gospel preached to them. So these
things were literal things that happened, but
in their literal nature, they communicate something
spiritual concerning the Messiah. Hallelujah.
So Jesus graciously explained about himself.
This about himself. John chapter 5, verse 36.
John chapter 5, verse 36. That I have a greater
witness than John's. Or rather, let's read from
verse 35 to give us a better understanding. He
was the burning and shining lamb. He's talking
about John. And you were willing for a time to
rejoice in his light. Concerning John, he's speaking
concerning John. But I have a greater witness
than John's for the works which the Father has
given me to finish. The very works that I do,
what do they do? They bear witness of who? Of
me. So the works Jesus was doing or Jesus do
bear witness of who he is. That the Father has
done what? Has sent him that he is a Messiah.
John chapter 10, verse 22. So the works that
Jesus did reveal his identity. That's what we
are establishing. The works that Jesus did reveal
who he is. Verse 22. Now it was the feast of
dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter. And
Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
Then the Jews surrounded him and said to him,
How long do you keep us in doubt? If you are
the Christ, tell us plainly. Which means that
they were expecting the Christ, right? Jesus
answered them, I told you and you do not believe.
The works that I do in my Father's name, what
do they do? They bear witness. Of who? Of me.
But you do not believe. Because you are not of
my sheep. As I said to you. My sheep hears. My
voice. And I know them. And they follow me. And
I give them eternal life. And they. Shall never
perish. Neither shall anyone snatch them out
of my hand. My father who has given them to me.
Is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch
them out of my father's hand. I and my father
are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to
stone him. Why? Jesus answered them, Many good
works I have shown you from my father. For which
of these or which of those works do you stone
me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good
work we do not stone you. But for what? For blasphemy.
And because you being a man, make yourself God.
That statement of saying that he and the father
are one simply means that he and the father have
the same nature. They understood his communication.
That was why they pick up stones to stone him.
Because that is blasphemous. How can you that
we know your father, we know your mother, we
know your siblings, we know your house, we even
know your business, we know your shop, your carpentry
shop. and then from nowhere you wake up and you
tell us that you and the Father are one? I mean,
let's not be too quick to judge them. But some
of us would have done even worse. So Jesus answered
them, Is it not written in your law, said you
are gods? If he called them gods, to whom the
word of God came, and the scripture cannot be
broken, do you say of him whom the Father sanctified?
and said into the world, you are blaspheming
because I said I am the son of God. If I do not,
if I do the works of my father, if I do not do
rather the works of my father, do not believe
me. All right? Listen, because there are many,
many people that have come up in the name of
God. There are many people. We even see in the
statement of one of the fathers, is it Gamaliel?
He was trying to defend Jesus or the apostles.
He was saying that if these people are fake,
they will fade away. Which means that many that
have come have gone. And many will see, come
and go. There are many fake people, even in our
generation. There are many people that this year,
they will be exposed. Because by their works,
we will know who they are. Hallelujah. By their
deeds, we will know. Alright? So he says, but
if I do, if I do, that is the works of the Father.
Though you do not believe me, believe. If you
don't believe me, as I'm saying that I'm from
the Father, all right, believe the works. Believe
the works because the works I do from the scripture,
the works I do. Believe the works that you may
know and believe that the Father is in me and
I in him. By the works, they should believe.
Therefore, they sought again to seize him. But,
He escaped out of their hand. Hallelujah. So
the works that Jesus did was very, very crucial.
Amen? It was very crucial to revealing his identity.
It was very important in revealing who he is.
And even when Jesus rose from the dead, let's
look at the testimony of his own disciples. Luke
24 from verse 13. Luke 24 from verse 13. Now
behold, two of them were traveling when Jesus
was killed and then they were scattered. They
were disappointed. Now behold, two of them were
traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus,
which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they
talked together to all these things which had
happened. All right. So it was while they conversed
and reasoned that Jesus himself drew near and
went with them. But their eyes were restrained,
so that they did not know it was Jesus. And he
said to them, What kind of conversation is this
that you have with one another as you walk, and
your faces are looking sad and disappointed?
Then the one whose name was Caiaphas answered
and said to him, Are you the only stranger in
Jerusalem? And have you not known the things
which have happened there in these days? And
he said to them, what things? So they said to
him, the things concerning who? Concerning Jesus
of Nazareth, who was a prophet. Okay. Now this
is the explanation of who Jesus is. Who was what?
Was a prophet. Mighty in works. That's the same
word for works. Mighty in works. And word. what
he spoke before God and all the people. Jesus
was mighty in works and mighty in words. Okay?
And how the chief priest and our rulers delivered
him to be condemned to death and crucified him.
That we were hoping. What was their hoping? That
it was he. who was going to redeem Israel. So
they saw the characteristics of him who was to
deliver Israel in Jesus. How? By his works and
by his words. Okay? Indeed, besides all this
today, it's the third day since these things
happened. So the way of hoping was he who was
going to redeem them as the Messiah. Because
Jesus was a prophet to them, mighty indeed, and
worked before God and all the people. So they
could see that Jesus fit into the description
of the Messiah as promised in the scripture.
So how? His works, by words and by his deeds.
Hallelujah. Now, let's look at another example
in Acts 2, verse 22. when Peter was also preaching
the first sermon. This is what he said about
Jesus. Men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus
of Nazareth, a man, what? Attested by God. How
did God attest of Jesus? To them. A man attested
by God to you, by what? By miracles, right? Wonders
and signs which God did through him in your midst,
as you yourself also know. So he reminded them
of what? Of the signs and the miracles that Jesus
did was God actually attesting of who Jesus was.
That he is the one. So Peter in his sermon speaks
of how God attested that through the miracles
Jesus performed, The signs and wonders, they
speak of who Jesus is. So the miracle of Jesus,
the works of Jesus, the things Jesus spoke about
himself, the teachings, because all that Jesus
taught was about himself. All right? About himself.
He expanded the scriptures to them of all the
things concerning who? Concerning himself. This
was the context of his ministry. This was the
basis of his teaching. the things concerning
himself. So it means that the works that he did
and what he was saying align together with his
purpose on earth. Hallelujah. So the miracles
of Jesus prove not only that he is the Messiah,
but they also foretold what he did in redemption.
All right? Or what we will do in redemption.
Now, let's look at one example of his miracles
quickly. Let's look at one example of the miracles
he did and let's see how he speaks more concerning
him. Now, John chapter 9. Let's go to John chapter
9. In John chapter 9. Now, as Jesus passed, he
saw a man who was blind from birth. And his disciples
asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned? This man
owe his parents that he was born blind. I mean,
this kind of mindset. Jesus answered, neither
this man nor his parents sinned. but that the
works of God should be revealed in him. I must
walk the works of him who sent me while it is
day. The night is coming when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light
of the world. You know, people easily associate
bad things that happens to us or to them or to
others with sin. You know, the reason why your
life is not working is maybe because something
is wrong. You are not doing something that God
is not happy with you. Or someone has done something
that God is not happy with. So, it's as though
the bad things that happen is God dealing with
us. God is the one punishing us for either one
sin or the other. And they are associating this
blindness on this man to actually sin. And clearly
we can see Jesus Christ. answering them and saying,
neither the man nor his parents were the ones
that sinned. But then the verse that followed
sometimes gets us confused. Alright? Give me
verse 4. Verse 3. Jesus answered, neither this
man nor his parents sinned. but that the works
of God should be revealed in him. Some translation
will say that he was blind. He was born blind
or he was made blind so that God's work will
be established in him. And the question is, you
mean God decided and God planned in all eternity
that he will create a blind man? So that he will
heal him to show his power to people. I mean,
think about the character of God. It's just like
saying God created sin. Listen to this. It's
just like saying God created sin so that he will
forgive us, so that we will know the love of
God. Alright? It would be unfair For the character
of God to say that he created the man blind to
show his power. This does not in any way align
with the character of God all through the scriptures.
Okay? It will mean that God created sickness.
Alright? It will mean that God created the blindness.
It will mean that God created the evil things
we see. The wickedness. We see. And this will
not be a justification to the character of God.
Because the scripture says that God is a good
God. In him there is no darkness. In him there
is no evil. And blindness is not good works.
Are we together? Is it something good to be blind?
That is why you open the blind. The blind eyes.
God's work is to open the blind man's eyes, not
to make him blind. Are we together? So blindness,
both physical and spiritual, is a work of Satan.
That's what I want to establish from this, even
though it's not our focus. Maybe we can go back
and study again the Greek and the Hebrew and
contextual interpretation of that verses. But
I want you to know that blindness, whether it
is physical, All is spiritual is not from God.
Alright? It is the work of Satan. Jesus came
to undo the works of darkness. That is God's
character in Christ. We see him undoing the works
of darkness. So neither the man nor his parents
sinned, but the works of God, regardless of where
that particular blindness is coming from, whether
it is as a result of sin or whatever it is, God's
responsibility or God's work in that situation
is to bring what? Is to bring solution. Is to
bring healing. That is God's work. Is to see
that the man is met well. And concerning every
situation that must have happened, listen, sometimes
Let me deviate a bit. Sometimes you may look
at your life and your situation and things that
happened to you. And sometimes we quickly begin
to look, where did I get it? What sin did I commit
that I'm facing this? As though God treats us
based on our behavior, right? It's because we
are good to God, so we enjoy his goodness. And
when we are bad, or when we do something wrong,
or when we sin, then we see God's other side.
If there's another side of God, apart from goodness,
they will begin to see the wrath of God, the
punishment that comes with what? With living
contrary to his will and his purpose. So no matter
what happens or what will happen in your life,
or no matter what situation you are facing, God's
work must be revealed in your life. And what
does God reveal in your life? He takes away every
darkness. All right? God's work in every temptation,
in every trial is to bring an escape route. It's
to create an escape route for us. It's to bring
us to a place where we understand him. He brings
order to every darkness. So darkness must be
cast away by light. So Jesus will go on to say
that he is a light, right? Jesus said he was
a light that entered the world. Reference to
1 John 4, verse 1, when John was giving testimony
about Jesus as the light that entered the world.
Not 1 John, John 1, verse 4. In him was life,
and the life was the light of men, Jesus himself.
Okay? Verse 5. And the light shines in darkness,
And what happens when light shines on darkness?
Darkness leave, right? Darkness disappear. Genesis
1 .1. Darkness does not comprehend it. Jump to
verse 8 and verse 9. Verse 8. He was that light.
He was not that light. Talking about John. John
the Baptist was not that light, but was sent
to bear witness to that light. Verse 9. That
was the true light which gives light to every
man coming into the world. That light was coming
into the world. This is the gospel. So let's
continue our reading. Chapter 6, verse 6 of John
chapter 9. When he had said these things, he
spat on the ground and made clear with the saliva
And he anointed the eyes of the man. Anointed
means he rubbed it on the eyes of the man. All
right. Let's be very deliberate about what we're
explaining here. He rubbed it. That is, he anointed
the eyes of the blind man with a clay. Okay.
And he said to him, go wash in the pool of Silom,
which is translated scent. So he went and washed
and came back seeing. Hallelujah. There was an
instruction. Jesus did something, right? And
when Jesus did, he gave an instruction. And the
instruction is to go and do what? And wash. You
familiar to something that was done in the Old
Testament? Who can remember? Is it Elijah or
Elisha? Elisha? And Naaman, right? He was asked
to go and dip himself in the pool. How many times?
Seven times. And then he would be made whole
of leprosy. And then he was angry. He mean upon
all the luxury and all the resources we have
in my country land. Instead for you to just come
out and do the things you're supposed to do.
Lay hand on me. Perform some gymnastics and let
healing take place. So I should go and wash myself
in the river. And then he took the servant girl,
right, to speak sense into him. Forbear. And
when he lived in obedience, we see that he was
made whole. So similarly to this, Jesus said,
go and wash yourself. Go and wash. Verse 7. And
he said to him, go wash in the pool of Siloam,
which is translated sin. So he went and washed
and came back seeing. He came back what? Therefore,
the neighbors and those who previously have seen
those who seen that he was blind said, isn't
not this he who sat and begged? Some said, this
is he. Others said, it's like him. He said, I
am he. Hallelujah. And listen, this year, right,
that will be the testimony of God concerning
your life, that men will begin to ask, is it
not God the fruit that we know? Do you know why?
Because God has done something in your life.
Amen? And listen, what God will do in your life
is founded upon obedience. All right? Some of
us here, listen to this carefully. The reason
why we've tarried on a mountain for so long is
because we've not applied the instruction that
God has given us. It's simply because everywhere
you turn, the same word this brother Chris will
give you, it's the same word Pastor Victor will
give you, it's the same word Pastor Chidi will
give you, but you've listened and you've refused
to obey. And you're expecting you see a different
result in your life. I'm speaking to somebody.
So you must be intentional to follow the leading
in obedience to what God is saying part -time,
part -season. You know, sometimes we hold on
to one method that God has done something in
your life. Or maybe something that God has said.
It's not everywhere we see Jesus putting spirit
and healing the blind. Alright? is sometimes
some people, by touching the hems of his garment,
they were made whole. Alright? You must seek
to know what God is saying per time, per season,
in order for you to enjoy in your living the
goodness of God. It's in obedience that you will
see the manifestation of greater things in your
life. Because instruction comes. It's encoded
in instructions. You pray and then you have a
leading. Alright? And then you're loved by the
leading of the Spirit. You have God spoken to
you, instructions given to you. And when you
don't obey, you don't expect to see. Hallelujah.
I don't know why we're debating, but... Therefore,
they said to him, How will your eyes open? He
answered and said, A man called Jesus made clear,
anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to the pool
of Siloam and wash. So what happened? I went.
A man called Jesus made clear, anointed my eyes,
and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and
wash. So I went and washed and I received my
sight. Did he argue? Did he try to deliberate
the technicality or the cleanliness of this miracle
or how gross or how sanctimonious it is? He moved
in obedience. Hallelujah. And then he received
his sight. When you want to know how God wants
to do it, You want to understand how the miracle
will happen. You want to understand the technicalities
of how God wants to move. I don't want to move
God. Oh, God is the one moving. So when God gives
us instruction, sometimes on the pulpit, sometimes
through pastor, sometimes, you know, by conversing
with people that God has blessed you with, instruction
comes. Our sister was telling us, all right,
instructions will come and instructions are coming.
Right now. And if you will not live in obedience,
don't expect to see. First of all, you are the
first partaker of the greater works of God. Are
we together? You are the first one that will
experience the works of God. Of course, you've
experienced it in salvation. Are we together?
And it doesn't end there. You will continue to
see the work of God in your life. Are we together?
You will see it is in healing, in healing. He
will be healed, alright? Do believers get sick?
Yes. Do we receive healing? Yes. You see it in
God intervening miraculously in your life. But
the scripture will say, don't forsake the garden
of the brethren. You refuse to go to serve. When
your healing will be there to meet your need,
you will not go. When you're living in disobedience,
it's difficult for you to experience. It's the
use of God. So I went and washed and I received
my sight. Then they said to you, where is he?
He said, I do not know. See, you don't need a
depth of revelation to enjoy the power of God
in your life. This man doesn't even know who
Jesus is. You don't need a depth of revelation.
You don't need Greek and Hebrew to not only enjoy
the power of God, but even to walk in the power
of God. You don't need depth of revelation to
walk in power. What we need is obedience. The
one you know. The one you know. The one you already
know. Are you practicing it? The one you already
know. This is how we're going to walk in letter
walks. You don't even need to know the technicalities
of how the miracle will happen. Maybe you have
that on the signing letter. Alright? Obedience.
The works of God will be manifested through your
life. They brought him who formerly was blind
to the Pharisee. You see them? They have a problem.
And the problem they had was that Jesus healed
on the Sabbath. Now, who is the Lord of the Sabbath?
I want to give you some... Some pictures. Maybe
we can go and make research. The blind, Sabbath,
the pool. These are familiar things that as a
Bible student, you know. What do we call them?
They are... I'm forgetting the word. They are
symbols, right? But it speaks of something very,
very spiritual. Okay? The blind, the pool, the
Sabbath, Jesus. I will use the word, violating
the Sabbath rule, because he's the Lord of the
Sabbath. Okay? So, they brought him to who? They
brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.
Now it was Sambath when Jesus made the clay and
opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked
him again how he had received his sight. He said
to them, He put clay on my eyes and I wash and
I sing. Simple. He put clay on my eyes and I
washed and I sing. Therefore, some of the Pharisees
said, this man is not from God because he does
not keep the Sabbath. Others said, how can a
man who is a sinner do such signs? And there
was a division among them, so they were debating.
This man is all from God because he did not keep
the Sabbath. Then I said, okay, if he's all from
God, how did he do this sign? So, there's a problem
here. Alright? With them, not with us, obviously.
Verse 17. They said to the blind man, what do
you say about him? Because you open your eyes?
He said, he is a prophet. Now, I want you to
understand how we are progressing just by reading.
What was the reason of the opening of the eyes
of the blind? This is the reason, not just for
show. Listen, there's no miracle Jesus said that
was just for miracle's sake. Every miracle has
a message. And the message points to his identity.
Revealed in what was done. Are we together? Now,
this man realized that he is a prophet, right?
So he can underline prophet. Because they were
probing, ah, something is wrong here. He is a
prophet. But the Jews do not believe concerning
him that he had been blind and received his sight
until they called his parents, the parents of
him who had received his sight. So Saul was blind.
He told you, I see. He don't believe that he
saw. They called his parents. And they asked
them saying, is this your son who say he was
born blind? How then does he now see? His parents
answered to them and said, we know that this
is our son. Of course, they cannot say they don't
know this is their son. But by what means he
now sees, we have no idea. We do not know. Or
who opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of
age. That means he is mature enough to answer
for himself. Ask him. He will speak for himself.
His parents said this thing. Why? Because they
feared the Jews. For because they feared the
Jews. For the Jews had agreed already that if
anyone confessed that he was Christ, if anyone
confessed that Jesus was the Christ, he would
be excommunicated from the church. Alright? Therefore
his parents said, He is of age. Ask him. So they
called the man who was blind again and said to
him, Give glory to God. We know that this man
is a sinner. Which man are they saying is a sinner?
Jesus is a sinner. Then the man answered, The
man is smart. The blind man is smart. He answered
and said, Whether he is a sinner or not, I do
not know. But one thing I know, that I was blind
and now I see. Can your testimony be denied?
Were you blind? Yes. Can you see? Yes. So your
opinion about who did it doesn't matter. Hallelujah.
Then I said to him again, what did he do to you?
How did he open your eyes? He answered them,
I told you already. And he did not listen. Why
do you want to hear it again? Do you want to
become his disciples? He was poking them in their
hearts. And they reviled him and said, you are
his disciple. But we are Moses' disciples. We
are coming to talk. I was just laughing because
I know that this way we are going to study. You
see, they were saying that they were disciples
of Moses. If they were truly disciples of Moses,
they would have known who Jesus is. If they were
truly following Moses, they would know who Jesus
is. For Moses did what? He wrote about Jesus.
Moses wrote all the teachings of Moses. The ministry
of Moses was about Jesus, isn't it? Then they
reviled and said to him, you are his disciple,
but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God
spoke to Moses. As for this fellow, we do not
know where he is from. The man answered, look
at his answer in verse 30. To them, why is it?
Why? This is a marvelous thing that you do not
know where he is from. Yet he opened my eyes.
Now we know that God does not hear sinners. By
the antichrist, God does not hear sinners. But
if anyone is a worshipper of God and does his
will, he is him. So this man is now schooling
them. By his experience of the goodness of God,
he was better positioned to be a testifier of
who God is. And if you have experienced the goodness
of God, you become equipped. empowered to speak
more about who Jesus is. Hallelujah. So, verse
31, right? Now we know that God does not hear
sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God
and does his will, he hears him. Since the world
began, it has been unheard. That is him speaking
up to now. Or that anyone opened the eyes of
one who was born blind. Okay? If this man were
not from God, he could do nothing. So first of
all, this man in his Bible study to these Pharisees,
he told them that Jesus is a prophet. He told
them that he is from God. That's a team, if you
look at it clearly. He has painted to them the
identity of who the Messiah is. Even without
going to theological seminary like them. Okay.
If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
They answered and said to him, you were completely
born in sins and you are teaching us and they
excommunicated him. So they are now saying that
this man, you were born in sin and you are now
the one to teach us. How dare you? So they excommunicated
him. So Jesus heard that they had cast him out
of the church. All right. And when he had found
him, he said to him, do you, now listen to this.
Do you believe in the son of God? He answered,
who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? Imagine
all the things he said. And see, he doesn't even
know. who Jesus is. He answered and said to him,
Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? And
Jesus said to him, You have both seen him, and
it is he who is talking to you. Then he said,
Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe. And what did
he do? He worshipped him. And Jesus said, For
judgment I have come to this world, That those
who do not see, does that summarize a miracle?
Huh? Does that summarize a miracle? For judgment,
I have come into this world that those who do
not see may see. Is it physical seeing or spiritual
seeing? It's something spiritual. All right?
And those who see may be made blind. Who are
those who see and are made blind? The Pharisees.
They refuse to believe. All right? Then some
of the Pharisees who were with him had these
words and said to him, Are we blind also? Jesus
said to them, If you were blind, you would have
no sin. But now you say, we see. Therefore, your
sins remain. So technically, Jesus told them
that you guys are blind. Hallelujah. So we see
that the miracle Jesus did, the works he did,
speaks of who he is. Speaks of who he is. And
when we do the works of Christ, work in these
dimensions, we reveal the identity of who God
is. We reveal God as who he is and what he's
doing. Hallelujah. I just want to stop here.
There's more to talk about. I just want to stop
here and thank God for what God is planning to
do in our lives, first of all. What God is planning
to do in our lives. We appreciate you being here
today. We hope you carry this word with you throughout
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
for additional insights. Stay connected with
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with someone you care about. Until next time,
stay blessed.