questions seeing the truth why would you want to mark up your skin like that??
TRANSCRIPT
Questions
Seeing the Truth
Why would you want toMark up your skin like that??
What do your parents think?
What will you doWhen you get old?
To get the right answers…Ask the right questions
Why is GodDoing this to me?
Where's a girl I canShare my life with?
Why can't I find a good guy?
Why is our marriage like this?
Why am I still here?
To get the right answers…Ask the right questions
Jesus teaches the disciplesTo ask the right questions
John 9As he went along, he saw a man
blind from birth
Beggar
And the blind man Hears this:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?”
And…he's used to it!
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind?”
Parents?Pre-born baby?
Sin had to be involved…
Steeped in Man's ReligionLaw=Blessings and Curses
People become objects of God's disdain
Or heroes to be honored
Rather than people Made in God's image
Imago Dei
Rather than people made in God's image
Imago Dei= Equal GroundNo Heroes, No Disdain
“Rabbi, who sinned…that he was born blind?
They ask, "Why?"
What should they ask…?
They ask, "Why?"
What should they ask…?"How?"
What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved
What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved
What does Jesus see?
What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved
What Jesus sees: A man created in God’s image In need of compassion and help
OUR Religion does this:"Why are you so jacked up?"
instead of…
"How can I help you?"
Why did she leave the faith?
Was she a believer who lost it?Or a pretender who never was?
Was she a believer who lost it?Or a pretender who never was?
How can we reach out and show love?
Man's Religion asksThe wrong questions
And the wrong questions haveReal consequences in the real world
Religion asksThe wrong questions
Why don't people liveLike we think they should?
GraceAsks Life-Changing Questions
How can I/we servePeople made in God's image
To God's glory?
To get the right answers…Ask the right questions
Why do I have to go through this?
Is God punishing me? Is he being mean? Does he not care?
How can I reach out and find God's Presence- Even in this?
Why is he having such a hard time?
Doesn't God care?
How can I be part of God's careand give God's comfort-
Even now?
What makes "How?" or "What?"Better than "Why?"
When life goes sideways?
Why? is self-centered (usually based on comparison) and creates:
Bitterness and AngerSelf-righteousnessDe-personalization
How? is God-centered and gives:
PerspectiveDirection
Strength and Healing
Some of usRight now…
Need to let go of"Why?" and seek "How?"
Suicide
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this
happened so that the work of God might be
displayed in his life”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but that the work of God might be displayed in his life”
Jesus shifts from Causeto Purpose
Jesus shifts from "Why?"to "How?"
"You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do"- Message
Fallenness coming from Free Will
God didn't cause the man to be born blind
But we follow a ChristWho redeems
Don't blame GodFor what God did not do
Don't blame GodFor what God did not do
Or you might missWhat God wants to do
There's Personal Responsibility
Or Opportunity
Don't blame GodFor what God did not do
Or you might missWhat God wants to do
To get the right answers…Ask the right questions
"Why?" is a fine question
As long as you move to "How?" or "What?"
"As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
This is our "What?"
What is the work?
Seeing people, not problems- andDoing what we can while we can
In a way that changes livesAnd points to Jesus
Kills every excuse
Doing what we can while we canIn a way the that changes lives
And points to Jesus
Why can't I...?Becomes
What should I…?How can I…?
Focus changes from selfAnd "poor me"
To God and His Purpose for my Life
To get the right answers…Ask the right questions
"As long as it is day,we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill…- Jesus, Matt. 5
Having said this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud
with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes
“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam…”
So the man went and washed, and came home seeing- John 9
For the very first time!
Who was blind?School of Jesus…
"but that the work of God might be displayed in his life"
Don't get so busyAssigning blame
That you missWhat God wants to do
The cross may be a "why" to us
But to God, it was a "how"And a "what"
What do I need to let go of?
Where do I need to stopAsking "Why?" and move
To "How?" or "What?"
What's my next step?
Questions?
Pray
Easter!9, 10:20 and 11:40
Egg Hunts10:05/11:25