Allen Jackson - Can You See? - Part 2
In John chapter 9, this is the chapter where the blind man is healed, the man that Jesus put mud on his eyes. He was born blind. It stirred the whole city. It’s caused the angst of the religious leaders because he’s saying Jesus did it, but he didn’t see him. So they’ve called in his parents. Many of you know the narrative. He says «'We know he’s our son, '» his parents said, «and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He’s of age; he’ll speak for himself». And his parents said this.
John gives us this little parenthetical insertion. He explains why the parents are being so obtuse. You would think a parent who had a child who was born blind and could see would just be like ecstatic. «That’s our boy». But not them. They’re very measured. It’s like they’re filling out an IRS questionnaire. «Well, that’s our boy. Yup, he was blind and apparently he can see, but we know nothing. It’s not our money». «His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. And that’s why his parents said, 'He’s of age.'» They didn’t want to forfeit status. They didn’t want to forfeit a place in the community. They didn’t want to be ostracized.
Gee, that sounds pretty relevant. Cancel culture didn’t start with the 21st century in social media. Misinformation and disinformation are not new terms. In John chapter 12, «The same time many even among the leaders believed in Jesus. But because of the Pharisees they wouldn’t confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God». It’s a very real fear. This isn’t some imagined idea. There would be consequences for being publicly identified with Jesus. «There are some who do, but there are many who don’t. And yes, there are some reports of miracles, but there’s many who say he’s a fraud. What should we do? Let’s just be quiet». That’s been the most prevalent response from contemporary American evangelicalism. «We’ll just be quiet». We’re talking about conversion and salvation.
In John 19, Jesus has been crucified by this point. «Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly,» a wealthy, powerful, influential man, he’s a secret disciple because he feared the Jews. Real pressures. Folks, the message of Jesus brought tremendous division, turmoil, a roiling of the community. Some perceived him as such a great threat that he had to be shut down, he had to be murdered, he had to be silenced, and the people understood that angst and it created great reluctance to advocate for him, to be identified with him. There’s tremendous angst if you’re willing to stand in the public square and say, «I believe marriage is between a man and a woman». They start labeling you. «That God created us male and female». «Well, can’t we just talk about heaven»?
And then we have all these perverted messages that Jesus, his whole message was about unity. In what Scripture? «With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night». Nicodemus brought some things to anoint Jesus with. They weren’t there for him when he was alive, but they helped to bury him. John chapter 20. It’s a pretty pervasive problem in John’s message. «On the evening of that first day of the week,» it’s the first day of the week, it’s resurrection day, «the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.'»
How awkward would that be? You abandoned your best friend. You’re hiding because you’re afraid and the boss steps in the room. That’s worse than having the boss show up on snow day. So I have a question, and I don’t have a predetermined answer other than I think it’s more prevalent than we would like it to be. To what extent have we been quiet? Or have there been times when we knew let’s pray would have been appropriate but we said nothing because we weren’t… sure about the implications or the ramifications? «Maybe it’s not appropriate here. Maybe it’s not allowed. Oh, so they’re legislating against my faith. They’re threatening me with legal action if I bring Jesus to bear».
How is it we’ve made peace with this? I’m not asking you to be obnoxious or belligerent. I’m suggesting that being an advocate for Jesus is disruptive. It has always been. It will always be until he rules and reigns on this earth, and we’ve been cowering in the shadows long enough. We need the light and the truth. It will bring good things to all of those places where it’s introduced. So I wonder if you’d repeat a little prayer with me. It’s not in your notes. It’s not a complicated prayer. You don’t need a written copy. You know the principles. But if you would be so inclined, just repeat this after me. «Heavenly Father, forgive me for being afraid, for being more aware of your enemies than of your presence. Grant me now a boldness to speak the truth. Deliver me from evil. In Jesus’s name, amen».
See, I don’t think there’s a way to understand what we just said about Jesus, what we just read if you leave out the spiritual conflict. He’s raising the dead. He’s opening blind eyes. John puts those two miracle narratives right into the middle of this whole thing. John 9 is the man born blind, and then he introduces a couple of chapters later in the midst of all the confusion and the debate and the turmoil and the hatred Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead right on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Pushes it right into the face of the power brokers that are trying to kill him. Even death is not more powerful than Jesus. It’s a conflict. If you understood that only in terms of the Pharisees protecting or the Sadducees protecting their gold and their power and their elaborate homes, you’re missing the point.
It’s not a matter of whether what he’s doing is legitimate or real. It’s obvious it can’t be denied. It’s plain, but it’s disruptive. There’s a battle that’s illogical. These are the covenant people of God. Jesus is fulfilling what the prophets have said about the Messiah, and yet there’s a hatred, a resistance. We watch it. Why would we be reluctant to take smut out of the libraries in our children’s schools? It’s illogical. Why would we want them to be groomed as very young children in those sexual ways beyond their parents’s influence? Why would we be reluctant around that? It’s illogical, and yet we’re indifferent. We’re busy. We don’t want to be book burners. I couldn’t agree more, but I’m very much interested in age-appropriate learning.
There are some phrases John introduced that are hard just to walk away from. There are places where it says Jesus’s hour had not yet come. What’s that mean? It’s not about the time of day, it’s about the unfolding spiritual purposes of his life. It’s that dimensional living. Are you aware that there’s a spiritual hour for your life? There are times and places in your physical development and your physical maturing that require of us changes in behavior and attitudes. There are corresponding times in your spiritual maturity. And if we don’t respond to those seasons, it diminishes us physically, intellectually, emotionally. The same is true spiritually. There’s confusion and tension in Jerusalem. Because of Jesus, there is no consensus.
Some people believe in him and some are very opposed to him. Many powerful people with great influence are opposed to him. It was not easier in the 1st century to stand up against powerful, influential people than it is in the 21st century. Think of the arena of your life, the influence that surrounds you professionally, and the hobbies of your choice, and the places where you want your children to be approved. Powerful, influential voices that oppose the gospel, what do we do with that? Do we knuckle under so we get an opportunity? Do we capitulate? Do we think our faith is private? Do we say, «Well, I go to church»? Can we support that from the Scripture?
Look in John 7:25. «At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, 'Isn’t this the man they’re trying to kill? Here he is, speaking publicly, and they’re not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he’s the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he’s from.'» John gives us this little backstory. He said, «This is the conversation that’s happening in the street». There’s this debate. «He doesn’t seem to check all the boxes».
And look at the next sentence. Verse 28, «Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out,» John’s telling us something, and language matters. Jesus is crying out in response to what the people are saying to one another. He doesn’t just begin a discourse on Scripture. He’s crying out in the temple courts. «You know me, and you know where I’m from. But I’m not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You don’t know him, but I know him because I’m from him and he sent me». It infuriated his opponents. «How dare he add a significance to his life? Who does he think he is to put himself above our regulations, above our structure, above our authority»? «And at this they tried to seize him,» verse 30, «but no one laid a hand on him because his time had not yet come».
John doesn’t describe it. I don’t believe John saw it, but it’s not hard for me to imagine a contingent of angels guiding Jesus through the crowd. There’s more in play here than the temple guard. There’s more in play here than the attitude of the Sadducees. «Still, many in the crowd put their faith in him, and they said, 'When the Messiah comes, will he do more miraculous signs than this man? ' The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him».
This is very, it’s a public setting, and the crowd is clearly trying to sort it out. You can feel it. It’s uncertain. «What should we believe? Who is he? I’m not sure he meets all the criteria. And the people we trust to lead us, they’re mad at him. They’re angry about him. They’re going to arrest him. Here comes the guard. But he’s done miracles. Surely the Messiah’s not going to do more miracles». It isn’t clear. Folks, we’re living in a season where it isn’t clear. If you’re not reading your Bible, if you’re not thinking about it and meditating on it and submitting to its authority, I do not know how you escape deception. I couldn’t. We’re either going to decide to see what God is doing or we’re going to stay so focused on our carnal self that we’ll walk over miracles and supernatural transformation and deliverances and go, «I haven’t seen anything».
It’s too easy to come to church and go through the routine. It’s not an easy time. Remember, there’s a conflict around us. Have you noticed? We’re terminating our children. We’re mutilating others. There’s so much fraud rampant amongst us that it’s almost beyond our ability to process, and our primary concern is, «Well, if it’s rectified, if it’s corrected, is it going to have a negative impact on me»? This is our watch. We didn’t ride the streets of Boston with Paul Revere. I didn’t stand and listen to Lincoln at Gettysburg. But this is our watch. John goes on. This tension, the opposition to Jesus, the resistance, the confusion, the division of the audience, it’s a consistent thing through the whole Gospel.
Again, we’ve had this mythical conversation about Jesus, the great unifier. Exactly where? That’s not at all what the Gospel presents. In John 7 and verse 20, «The crowd answered,» speaking to Jesus, «you’re demon-possessed. Who’s trying to kill you»? That’s not subtle. I mean, if you convene a spiritual warfare, a small group and the group comes together and they say, «We thought about you since last week and we think you’re demon-possessed,» that’s not an overwhelming endorsement. In John 8, very next chapter, Jesus is speaking. He said, «He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God».
He’s talking to the Jewish people. They keep kosher. They celebrate Passover and Sukkot. They’re doing all the things, daily sacrifices. They understand they’re the chosen people. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is their God. And Jesus says to them, «The reason you don’t hear is that you don’t belong to God». The equivalent of that is to say to people who sit in churches, I mean, this is uncomfortable stuff. «And the Jews answered him, 'Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan and demon-possessed? ' Jesus said, 'I’m not possessed by a demon. I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I’m not seeking glory for myself; but there’s one who seeks it, and he’s the judge. I tell you the truth, '» here we go. «If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death».
We’re expected to keep the Word of God, to yield to its authority, to let it shape our choices. I’m concerned for the church. I’m excited, you know, it’s a remarkable time. There are remarkable things happening, the most incredible expressions of the power of God and the deliverance of God and the hope of God and people waking up in ways I’ve never seen in my lifetime. There are voices God is raising up; influential voices across our country from unlikely places, unlikely characters, people choosing the truth. But I spent my adult life under the umbrella of the organized church, and most of those voices and calls for awakening and awareness are not rising from within the church. I’m grateful for what God is doing, but I don’t want us to miss out.
«'I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he’ll never see death.' At this the Jews exclaimed, 'Now we know that you’re demon-possessed. Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say if anyone keeps your word, he’ll never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are? '» What are they resisting? Well, they’re certainly resisting Jesus, but they’re resisting change. They said, «We have a tradition, and we have a pattern, and we have a habit. How dare you tell us we should change it? How dare you challenge the way we honor the Sabbath? How dare you challenge our dietary rules? You’re demon-possessed. Shut up».
Folks, it’s so easy to look at our traditions and our habits and think, «Oh, well, there’s no room to learn. There’s nothing new to see here». Angels, demons, and you. «You know, we don’t really… I don’t know. I don’t want to think about that». Well, I do. I recognize how desperate we are for discernment, for spiritual awareness, for insight, for understanding because truth is falling in the street and it’s hard to know where to trust and whom to trust. Look in John 10. Jesus said, «No one takes it from me». He’s speaking of his life. «'I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.' At these words the Jews were again,» what? Divided.
Again, as you read through John, there’s this tension. «Who is he? Who do they say he is? Do you know that guy that was blind? I heard him telling his story. He’s more persistent than Mike Lindell. And Lazarus, you know him. He just lives over the hill in Bethany on the other side of the Olive Grove. I saw him in the market the other day. They say he was dead for four days. Could this be? We’ve never seen anything like this». «Yeah, but I know they don’t like him at the temple. Yeah, I know. What do you think»? «At these words the Jews were again divided. Many of them said, 'He’s demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him? ' But others said, 'These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? '»
Folks, we’re living in a time with that kind of tension. Will we have the courage to yield to the authority of Scripture? We have the courage to bring alignment with our own lives, to repent of our immorality, to repent of our casual nature when we stop excusing our family members and begin to tell them the truth. You don’t have to be angry about it, but if we facilitate it, if we fund it, if we support it, if we excuse it, if we cover it, we’re guilty.
We can love and encourage and remind. It’s called discipline. Absent the discipline we face judgment. Discipline is not an expression of anger or hatred, discipline is appropriate expression of love. And it begins not with our view through the windows of the church, it begins with our conversations around our tables. If the church will be the church, we’ll hold out a light in the darkness and we’ll be useful vessels in the purposes of God. The great temptation is to gain the approval of the culture. The great temptation is to succumb to the fear of the consequences of being advocates for Jesus.
«Well, I’m called to be a good provider for my family, and if I advocate for Jesus, it could impact my professional trajectory, and then I would be abdicating on my responsibility,» and we make it so convoluted that we just excuse ourselves into the shadows. Again, I don’t want you to be belligerent or angry or violent or obnoxious, I want you to understand what you believe and why. You’re a supporter of the University of Tennessee driving through Alabama. You wear orange, especially now that Satan has retired. I’m kidding. Don’t send me a note. Can we be less in our advocacy for the kingdom of God? Surely not. How dare they make our faith illegal? How dare they? What has happened to us when we’d rather be inclusive of other religions rather than to be advocates for Jesus? God forgive us. I want you to stand with me. I want to pray.
Oh Lord, thank you for your Word. Without it we would be adrift. Without it we would hold opinions without information. We would lack insight and understanding. But with it and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we have a pathway and a direction and I thank you for it tonight. Forgive us for our ambivalence. Forgive us for when we’ve been afraid. Holy Spirit, give us a new boldness, a new courage to be advocates for you. Thank you that you’ve awakened us, that you called us to this season when you’re moving in the earth, that you’ve trusted us with a pivotal role in the conflict that’s unfolding, that you’d give us the privilege of standing on behalf of the generations who follow us, to be a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves, to be a light in the darkness. We praise you for it. We give you glory tonight that you’ve called us. May we have the courage to say we choose Jesus. May we have the boldness to use our voices and our influence for you, and we’d be willing to say no to ungodliness and yes to godliness. May you be pleased in such a way that you pour out your Spirit in this generation, that our schools will return once again to godliness and holiness and purity and righteousness, to preparing our children to flourish in life. May our universities, Father, be delivered from propaganda and restored to places where the truth is told. We thank you for what you’re doing, and we give you the glory and the honor and the praise, for we ask it in Jesus’s name. Amen.