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Teaching Notes

BLIND, BUT NOW I SEE!

ISAIAH 43:7-13

Maybe some of you have heard of the story of several blind men coming upon an elephant, and each of them trying to describe what he felt. The first grabbed the elephants leg and said, "This is a tall, sturdy tree." The next man, grabbing the tusk of the elephant, said "No, this is a spear." Another grabbed the elephants tail, and he too disagreed, and said, "Your both wrong, this is a rope!" Another grabbed the trunk of the elephant and said to them, "No, this is a giant snake!" All these men were very sincere in what they believed they felt. And each man believed he was right, and the others were wrong. But they all were wrong, it was an elephant!

The same is true in regards to religious beliefs, faith in God, or god's and-so-on. There are many sincere people out there grappling with the questions of life, death, why we are here and where are we going! And most will come to a conclusion that will satisfy them, make them comfortable. The only problem is, outside of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they are approaching faith blindly, they can't see, in a spiritual sense. Yes, they are very sincere in what they believe, but sincerity is worthless if it is not based on truth!

For example, I can be very sincere that even though the sign says "BRIDGE OUT!" I still believe it is there. Now my faith is strong, it is real, it is very sincere, but it is not based in truth. And, in a sense, I have blinded myself to the truth, ignoring the signs that have been placed their for my safety, and continue down a path that leads to destruction. You see, I was sincerely wrong but did not find that out until it was too late! And that is the same with our faith in God,He has given us so many signs pointing us to Him, and telling us of the dangers outside of Him, but many have ignored Him, and find out, in the end, they were wrong.

There are more people in America today that are spiritually blind to the truths of God, and yet it doesn't seem to bother them. The New York Times reported: "A thread of alternative thought...Scholars say is working its way increasingly into the nation's cultural, religious, social, economic and political life...Evidenced by a surge of interest in new metaphysical religions, [spirit] mediums, the occult, reincarnation, psychic healing, Satanism, 'spirit guides'..Leaders [in the movement] contend they are ushering in what they call a New Age of understanding and intellectual ferment as significant as the renaissance."

Now as sincere as these people may be, they are sincerely wrong. And this morning, as we look at Isaiah chapter 43, we will see God opening the eyes of those who are in spiritual blindness, and the result of that in their lives as the truth of God sets them free from the bondage they were in! So if you would, please turn to Isaiah chapter 43, and lets begin reading in verse 7.

ISAIAH 43:7-13

One of the questions that man tries to understand is, "Why am I here?" And in Isaiah 43:7, God answers that question for us. He tells us the reason HE created us, formed us, was to bring Him glory. Revelation 4:11 says the very same thing. We read "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Now some may feel that is unfair, that they don't want to bring glory to God, in fact they don't even care about God, let alone do they want to worship Him. They are more concerned about self or whatever else they want to worship, whatever else is the passion of their life. Understand this, God won't force you to worship Him, you do have a free will to do whatever you want. But also understand this, you will never find that joy, that satisfaction in doing anything else other than worshipping God and bringing glory to Him. It is the reason we were created!

Think of it this way. A saw was made or created to cut wood and there is great satisfaction in using that saw for what it was created to do. But, being a free-spirited tool man, you decided that was unfair and you want to use the saw to drive nails into wood. You could try it, but you would only become frustrated because that is not what the saw was created to do, a hammer on the other hand would do the job perfectly!

The same is true for every man, woman and child. We have been created to bring glory to God, like it or not. When we refuse, we place ourselves in bondage, we are spiritually blind and deaf to the things of God. But again, we have a free will to chose, we have no one else to blame but ourselves!

Now in verses 8 & 9 God puts out a challenge. He calls for those who are spiritually blind, spiritually deaf, to gather together. He then makes a call to the idols, the gods to come forward and speak of things that would come to pass before they happen. To tell the future with accuracy, 100% accuracy. Let them declare what they have to say as truth! And if they have any witnesses of their great truths, bring them out for all to see. And as the people of the nations of the world look on, they see nothing happening, for these idols, these gods could do absolutely nothing. The challenge wasn't for the benefit of God. He knew they could do nothing. It was for the people to awaken them out of their spiritual sleep.

Notice what God said in Isaiah chapter 41, beginning in verse 21. He said "'Present your case,' says the LORD. 'Bring forth your strong reasons,' says the King of Jacob. Let them bring forth and show us what will happen; Let them show the former things, what they were, That we may consider them, And know the latter end of them; Or declare to us things to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, That we may know that you are gods; Yes, do good or do evil, That we may be dismayed and see it together. Indeed you are nothing, And your work is nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination." Isaiah 41:21-24. Again it is a challenge and the result is these idols, these gods that the people were worshipping could do absolutely nothing. And for those who trust in these things, God says they are an abomination to Him. It is detestable to God!

It is out of all this that God says to the people who had gathered around that they are His witnesses! Now, what are they witnesses of? Of who God is, what He is able to do! They saw the idols, the gods not able to even speak before the true and living God, that they were nothing. In contrast, when God speaks and what He speaks does come to pass.

Let me give you an example of what I mean. In Isaiah chapter 41 God is speaking words of comfort to a people who were going into captivity. In just about 100 years the Babylonians will come and take the Southern Kingdom of Judah and bring them into captivity. And they will be in captivity for some 70 years and in that time some are going to feel that God forgot about them. But in chapter 41 of Isaiah, beginning in verse 2 we read "Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow? Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet? Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? 'I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.'" Isaiah 41:2-4.

God is telling His people that He has not forgotten about them, that He is still working even though you may not see it yet. For this one from the east is Cyrus, king of Persia, who is not even born yet, not for another 125 years or so, and yet in Isaiah chapter 45 God calls him by name and told him that he would not only defeat the Babylonians and how he was going to do it, but that he would let the Jews return from their captivity.

And God is calling for them to check this out, don't forget what He has said, for no other idols, no other gods can do what he has done, for He is the first and the last and knows the beginning form the end. Now some 25% of the Scriptures are prophetic, which some of the things God has said have already come to pass and we can verify it, and others are still in the future. For instance, we can check out the over 330 prophecies of Christ's first coming and see how they all have come to pass. No other god, no other religion deals with prophecy like the Bible does, for God tells us that prophecy points to who He is and it shows us that the Scriptures were not just mans thoughts but the Scriptures were written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

Now we have seen God speak of why He created us, for His glory, for His pleasure. He also tells us that we are spiritually blind and deaf to the things of God. That He alone is God, there is no other and He brought the people together as a witness of who He is and what He is able to do, as these other gods were silent before them. They couldn't speak a word.

Now He tells us that He is our Savior! What is He saving us from? Why are we blind, deaf and in bondage? Well, God is a holy and righteous God and can't look upon sin or sinful man. Thus, our sins have separated us from God. As Paul said in Romans 5:12, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned."

So God is saving us from our sins, those things that have separated us from God and made us spiritually dead. It is as John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Now Isaiah 43:11 is very important for it is telling us that Jehovah, "LORD" in capital letters, is our Savior. Now for Jehovah Witnesses, that can't be Jesus, because to them, Jesus is not Jehovah, just a mighty god, not God Almighty. But that is not what the Scriptures teach us. Let me give you just one example of what I mean. In Luke 2:11 we are told, "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

You see, Jesus and God the Father are one in being. If you have seen Jesus, then you have seen the Father. Yes, they are two distinct persons of the trinity, but they are identical in nature. Jesus is Jehovah, He is God! And He has come to set us free from our sins, to open our eyes that are blind.

Remember the story of Jesus healing the man who was born blind in John chapter 9. From birth this man could not see, and those around him were very familiar with his problem. It was no secret. Now the mentality of that day, which has continued on in the minds of many even today, is if you are sick, handicapped in some way, then it is because of sin in your life or your parents life. And the disciples asked Jesus whose fault it was that this man was born blind? Was it his parents or this man himself?

Jesus answered them and said in John 9:3, "...'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.'" You see, it was no one's fault and God was going to use the affects of sin in the world that set the aging process, sickness and-so-on in motion, to bring glory to God in the healing of this man. Yes, there are times that we bring things upon ourselves by our sin, but I think many times people use that to put others down instead of encouraging them.

So Jesus spat on the ground, made some clay out of it, and placed it in the eyes of the blind man and told him to "...'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.'" John 9:7. The man could see!

Then the controversy began. Was this really the man who was born blind? Some thought it was. Others thought it looked a lot like him. And they talked back and forth in front of this man, until he finally said "I am he." Now they wanted to know how this thing happened and the man told them what Jesus did to him, and he was healed. He didn't know how it was done, but he could now see.

And you would think there would have been rejoicing in the streets, not so! You see, it was the Sabbath and you could not heal on the Sabbath, or so they taught. And now the religious leaders were arguing if this was of God or not, because how can someone not of God do this?

So they called this man's parents in and drilled them, trying to get to the bottom of this story. You see, even though they knew him when he was blind, the people were having a hard time accepting the fact that he was healed. And his parents, not wanting to get kicked out of the synagogue, told them that this was there son, and yes he was born blind, and how he now sees they have no idea, but he does. And they tell the religious leaders to go and ask him for themselves for the child is of age and can answer their questions. He could speak for himself.

Listen to what took place as this man appears before them once again. In John chapter 9, beginning in verse 24, we read "So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, 'Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.' He answered and said, 'Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.' Then they said to him again, 'What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?' He answered them, 'I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?' Then they reviled him and said, 'You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.' The man answered and said to them, 'Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.' They answered and said to him, 'You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?' And they cast him out." John 9:24-34.

Do you see what happened here? This man, touched and healed by Jesus became a witness of Jesus. He didn't have all the theology down, he didn't have all of the Scriptures memorized but all he could share is "Though I was blind, now I see."

That is the testimony of all of us here. God has touched each of our lives and healed us. We all were blind, but now we can see. The result is, our lives are a witness of what God can and will do to all who come to Him.

You see, we all have come from a variety of different backgrounds, a variety of worldly things that were conforming our lives to this world. But when God touched us, the transformation process began. The Holy Spirit is transforming us into the image of God as Paul said in II Corinthians 3:18. We read "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

When the unsaved approach the Word of God, it is like the blind men who approached the elephant and tried to describe it, understand it. They all came up with different conclusions to what they were feeling. And the same is true when the unsaved come to the Word of God, being spiritually blind, and the conclusions they come to in regards to what the Bible says is bizarre to say the least, and it would be funny if it wasn't so tragic!

Paul makes this point very clear in I Corinthians chapter 2. The only reason we can know and understand the things of God is because the Spirit of God has reveled them to us. The Spirit of man, who is finite, can't understand or know an infinite God unless the Spirit of God opens their eyes. Paul said, beginning in verse 10 of I Corinthians chapter 2 "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2:10-14.

Now, just as the eyes of the man who was born blind were opened by Jesus, and his life became a witness to those around him, so is ours. You see, in Acts 1:8 Jesus said "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." We are to "be" witnesses, not necessarily go out an hand out tracts, or stand on a street corner. To often we go out to witness when the reality is we are to be witnesses!

And the point is this. Jesus is saying that the Holy Spirit will empower you to live a life that will testify of God's power, God's transformation in your life. In Isaiah 43:12 we read "'I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,' Says the LORD, 'that I am God.'" Just by our everyday living, what we do, how we respond in certain situations, is a witness to others that God is working in you, that there is a God who has radically changed your life. Or, that God has not impacted your life and your life is not a witness of Him!

To often, as we go out to be witness of God, we fail. And the reason is simple, it is not something you go out and do, it is something you live! Christianity is not something we turn on and off like a light switch, it is something that burns deep within our heart and is manifested in our lives, the things we do, the things we say!

The Epistle of James is a tough one to read because it is so convicting. James talks about true faith having an impact on our daily lives and that will also impact the way we treat others. In James chapter 2, beginning in verse 14, we can read what faith is all about. We read "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" James 2:14-20.

Now James is not talking about our salvation being of works, not at all. What he is saying is that true faith manifests itself in good works, it is the fruit that is born out of a relationship with Christ. It is as we abide in Him, the vine, that we as the branches will naturally produce fruit in our lives.

Now for many, their faith is dead, or it is a Sunday morning faith that is put on for show, and when the person leaves the church, their faith dies and they reflect the characteristics of the world instead of the nature of Jesus. Those that have no food, no clothing, no shelter, we will pray for them, but the reality is they need food, clothing, shelter, not just our prayers, which many times are just a polite gesture that is meaningless.

What you believe has not affected you life at all if that is the way you feel. But if God has truly touched your life, your life will be a witness of Him, to show that He alone is God, there is no other.

How does God do that? By telling us what is going to happen before it does, with 100% accuracy, not some veiled message, but open and clear for all who honestly search. In Isaiah 44:6-8, that point is made once again. We read "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: 'I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'"

It is a challenge to other gods, other idols to speak forth and tell us what is ahead, what the future holds, and they were silent. Only God knows the beginning from the end and has told us of some of the things that would come to pass. Prophecy is also a witness of God and specifically, the true and living God, not the idols formed from the hands of man.

God alone can save us, we can't save ourselves nor can someone else save us. There is no Savior besides Jesus! And it is Jesus who opens our eyes so that we can see. And out of that we become His witnesses by what we do, what we say, how we live. Our lives are a testimony of the love, the power, the grace, the mercy of God!

Let me close with this story of a man who was truly a witness, and as others saw him, they followed after his witness, they were drawn to where he was going.

BUS DRIVER'S SOFT SELL

A number of years ago, near what is known as the Kingsport Press in Tennessee, a southbound bus made a scheduled midday stops of twenty minutes so that passengers might freshen up and get a bit to eat.

One driver said, as he brought his bus to a stop: "Folks, we'll be stopping here for twenty minutes. This line makes it a strict policy never to recommend an eating place by name, but if anybody wants to see me while we're here, I'll be eating a wonderful T-bone steak with french fries at Tony's first-class, spotlessly clean dinner directly across the street." With that remark he slowly sauntered into the tiny but tidy restaurant.

Naturally, a number of the passengers on the bus took his advice and went into the eating establishment. It came as no surprise to them that the meals they ordered were very good.

Earl C. Willer

May our witness not be unloving, uncaring, but point people to a loving God who loved them so much that He was willing to die for them to set them free from the bondage of sin. This bus driver's life reflected what he loved, the fine food at this particular restaurant and because of his witness, many were drawn to eat there. Does your life reflect what you love, the Lord Jesus Christ? Do people hunger and thirst for what you have, a relationship with the Lord? It should!