John 9:1–3
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
1. Suffering is Not Always a Result of Sin
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Job the EXAMPLE
Satan’s Accusation: Job 1:6-11
Testing Job’s Integrity: Job 2:7-10
God’s Sovereignty and Limits: Job 1:12
A Deeper Understanding of Faith and Suffering: Job 13:15
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2. The Presence of Evil Points to a World, Not an God.
All was
Genesis 1:31 – God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came and then morning
the sixth day.
Against God
Genesis 3:6-7: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make onewise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”
Sin Causes
Romans 5:12: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”
The Cosmic of Sin
Romans 8:20-22: “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”
The did NOT make you do it
James 1:14-15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
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3.God’s Ultimate Purpose is to Display His and Bring to Himself
(John 9:3) Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
God’s Power shows up in
2 Corinthians 12:9-10, God tells him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul concludes, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
God wants to be
.Isaiah 43:7 “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
.Romans 11:36 “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
God Uses Suffering to and
1 Peter 1:6-7 says, “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
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COMMUNITY LFE GROUP QUESTIONS
- John 9:1-3 shows the disciples immediately assuming the blind man’s condition was due to sin. How does this reflect a common human tendency, both in Jesus’ time and today? Can you think of modern examples where we might quickly assign blame for someone’s misfortune?
- Genesis 3.” How does the concept of a “broken world” help us understand natural disasters, illnesses, and general brokenness, distinct from individual sin?
- Jesus says the man was born blind “that the works of God might be displayed in him.” What does it mean for “the works of God” to be displayed through suffering, and what are some ways we might see this in our own lives or in the world?
- How does the ultimate display of God’s glory through Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection provide hope when we are grappling with the question of evil and suffering?
- In conclusion, “It calls us to trust in God’s character even when His plan is not fully clear to us.” How can we cultivate this kind of trust, especially when faced with inexplicable suffering?
How can we pray for you?