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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
APRIL 15, 1923 THE BLIND PHARISEES—John 9:18-41
Golden Text: “One thing I know, th at, whereas I was blind, now I see” (John 9 :2 5 ). Outline: (1 ) The Bewildered P arents, vs. 18-23. (2) The Blind Pharisees, vs. 24-34. (3 ) The Bestowment of Life, vs. 35-41. (1) THE BEWILDERED PAR- •ENTS, vs. 18-23. The paren ts knew th a t the bjind son had been made to see. They were filled w ith fear th a t th e penalty of confession of Christ’s healing would be expulsion from th e synagogue. They were Jews. The'synagogue was dear to them . They had not th e cour age of conviction. They evaded the responsibility and threw it upon th eir son. It takes faith and courage to follow Christ. We may sympathize w ith the weakness of these Jewish parents, but we must also pity th e ir want of g rati tude for the work of grace performed by our Lord, and deplore th e ir failure to w itness for Him. They were constrained by the same fear which is so marked today in so many men and women and in some teachers and preachers, who are afraid to stand fast for the whole Word of God. These parents are thinking of the syna gogue as was P eter whom Paul so righteously rebuked (Gal. 2:11-13). “ B u t w h e n P e te r w a s c o m e to A n tioch» I w ith s to o d h im to th e fa c e b e c a u s e h e w a s to h e b la m e d . “F o r b e fo re t h a t c e r ta in c a m e fro m Ja m e s» h e d id e a t w ith th e G e n tile s j b u t w h e n th e y w e re com e» h e w ith d r e w a n d s e p a r a te d h im s e lf, fe a rin g : th e m w h ic h w e re o f t h e c irc u m c is io n .” Jesus predicted th a t th e tim e would come when th e ecclesiasts would do w hat they are seeking to do today (John 16 :2 ).
“T h e y s h a ll p u t y o u o u t o f th e s y n a g o g u e s ; y e a , th e tim e c o m e th , t h a t w h o s o e v e r k ille th y o u w ill th in k t h a t h e d o e th G o d s e rv ic e .” “F ear h ath to rm en t.” There is but one whom we need fear, provided we are giving for His glory, and th a t is God (Luke 12 :5 ). Let no fear of man keep you from ; living an out and out, definite, practical Christian life (Heb. 13 :6 ), “ So t h a t w e m a y b o ld ly s a y , T h e L o rd is m y h e lp e r, a n d I w ill n o t f e a r w h a t m a n s h a ll d o u n to m e .” (2) THE BLIND PHARISEES, vs. 24-34. Mark the progress of unbelief down ward. These Pharisees were blinded by pride; Jesus did not belong to th eir school. They were blinded by preju dice; He set aside th eir exposition of the Scriptures. It was persistent blindness, for Jesus had met them honestly in discussion. It was th e blindness of passion; they forgot every' principle of th e ir teaching in th eir h atred for Jesus. The question, “How can a sinner do this m iracle?” (v. 16) created a divi sion among th e people. Some of them would not believe th e testim ony of the man, or of his parents, or even of th eir own eyes. They had proof th a t he had been blind. They had proof th a t Moses was of God because of th e m iracles which he w rought. Here was proof th a t Jesus was of God because of »this miracle. But they refused to acpept the testi mony and excommunicated th e man. This is characteristic of infidelity,—^; of the blind unbelievers who attack th e Word of God; who will not listen to testimony, but shut th e ir eyes and th eir ears to th e tru th .
This was fully illu strated in th e a t titu d e of th e Pharisees toward Stephen A PROPOSITION YOU CANNOT AFFORD
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