9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. - John 1:9 12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” - John 8:12 23 “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” - John 8:23 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires.” - John 8:44 47 “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” - John 8:47 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.” - John 8:58-59 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” - John 9:2 Why Do Bad Things Happen? Bad Things Happen Because We Live In a Broken World 22 “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time”. - Romans 8:22 Bad Things Happen Because We Have An Enemy 8 ‘Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. - 1 Peter 5:8 Bad Things Happen Because of People’s Sinful Choices 23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” - Romans 3:23 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” - John 9:3-5 God Can Use Hard Things For His Glory ‘How are you going to use this hard thing to reveal your glory, God?’ 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.” - John 9:6-7 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” - John 9:8-12 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. - John 9:13-14 17 “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” - John 9:17 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” - John 9:20-23 32 “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. - John 9:32-34 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. - John 9:35-38 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. - John 9:39-41 If We Want to See, We Have to First Acknowledge That We’re Blind ‘Seeing’ Often Comes Through a Process of Faith 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:6