Asking the Right QuestionsAsking the Right Questions

JoysuckersJoysuckers(And other Religious Folk)(And other Religious Folk)

You just got your license!You just got your license!

And…And…

Let's take the relationshipLet's take the relationshipto the next level?to the next level?

Or…Or…

That first paycheck…That first paycheck…

Oooppsss!Oooppsss!

Joysuckers…Joysuckers…

To get the right answers…To get the right answers…Ask the right questionsAsk the right questions

Blind from birthBlind from birth

Blind from birthBlind from birth

Who sinned…this man or his Who sinned…this man or his parents, that he was born blind?parents, that he was born blind?

Neither this man nor Neither this man nor his parents sinnedhis parents sinned

Neither this man nor Neither this man nor his parents sinnedhis parents sinned

But so that the work of God might But so that the work of God might be displayed in his life be displayed in his life

From CauseFrom CauseTo PurposeTo Purpose

From "Why?"From "Why?"To "How?"To "How?"

To get the right answers…To get the right answers…Ask the right questionsAsk the right questions

Loogies and MudLoogies and Mud

Sight!Sight!

Incredible Incredible joy!joy!Life!Life!

Family!Family!

No good deed…No good deed…

His neighbors and those who had His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, formerly seen him begging asked,

“Isn’t this the same man who used “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some to sit and beg?” Some

claimed that he was.claimed that he was.

Others said, Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”“No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”“I am the man.”

“How then were your eyes “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded.opened?” they demanded.

He replied, He replied,

“The man they call Jesus made “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see”then I could see”

“Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind.

Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.

What does that tell you?

What are they gonnaCare about?

Therefore the Pharisees also asked Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. him how he had received his sight.

“He put mud on my eyes,” the “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, man replied, “and I washed,

and now I see.”and now I see.”

Some of the Pharisees said,Some of the Pharisees said,“This man “This man is not from God, is not from God, for he for he does not keep the Sabbath.”does not keep the Sabbath.”

They care about "When?"But But Not "What?" "Who?" "How?"

Religion always asksReligion always asksThe wrong questionsThe wrong questions

"I placed my faith in Jesus!""I placed my faith in Jesus!"

Where?Where?

"God pressed on my heart""God pressed on my heart"

Why did it take this long?Why did it take this long?

"I found a church home at Layman""I found a church home at Layman"

You crazy?You crazy?

““This man This man is not from God, is not from God, for he for he does not keep the Sabbath.”does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, But others asked, “How “How can a sinner do can a sinner do

such miraculous signs?”such miraculous signs?”

So they were divided.So they were divided.

Great question!Great question!

When?When?Was it on our religious schedule?Was it on our religious schedule?

How?How?Could God be in this?Could God be in this?

To get the right answers…To get the right answers…Ask the right questionsAsk the right questions

Finally they turned again Finally they turned again to the blind man, to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, The man replied, “He is a “He is a prophet.”prophet.”

400 Silent Years!400 Silent Years!

The Jews still did not believe that The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had he had been blind and had received his sight until received his sight until they sent they sent for the man’s parents.for the man’s parents.

When people reject Truth When people reject Truth for the sake of their beliefsfor the sake of their beliefs

They'll do whatever it takesThey'll do whatever it takesto get the answer they wantto get the answer they want

““Is this your son?” they asked. Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born “Is this the one you say was born

blind? How is it that now blind? How is it that now he can see?”he can see?”

““We know he is our son,” the We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know parents answered, “and we know

he was born blind. But how he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who he can see now, or who

opened his eyes, we don’t know. opened his eyes, we don’t know.

Ask him. He is of age; Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.”he will speak for himself.”

Where Faith produces FreedomWhere Faith produces Freedom

Religion manufactures FearReligion manufactures Fear

His parents said this because they His parents said this because they were were afraidafraid of the Jews, for of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ that Jesus was the Christ would be would be put out of the synagogue.put out of the synagogue.

30 Day vs. Permanent30 Day vs. Permanent

Faith, Family and Friends, WorkFaith, Family and Friends, WorkBlessings and CursingsBlessings and Cursings

That was why his parents said, That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”“He is of age; ask him.”

And there goesAnd there goesThe Parents' joyThe Parents' joy

A second time they summoned A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. the man who had been blind.

“Give glory to God,” they said. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know “We know this man this man is a sinner.”is a sinner.”

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know.

I was blind but now I see!”

Then they asked him, “What did Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he he do to you? How did he

open your eyes?”open your eyes?”

Great joy at eyesightGreat joy at eyesightTo defending his healing…To defending his healing…

Joysuckers!Joysuckers!

At some point,At some point,Pleasing people has to endPleasing people has to end

Then they asked him, “What did Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he he do to you? How did he

open your eyes?”open your eyes?”

We'll never hear the right answerWe'll never hear the right answer

If we're focused on askingIf we're focused on askingThe wrong questionThe wrong question

He answered, He answered, “I have told you already and “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, want to become his disciples, too?”too?”

I'll follow I'll follow him!him!This guy healed meThis guy healed me

All you guys have ever doneAll you guys have ever doneIs disdain meIs disdain me

Then Then they hurled insults at him they hurled insults at him and and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”know where he comes from.”

"…but as for this fellow, we don’t "…but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from"even know where he comes from"

Yo Mama!Yo Mama!

Religion can't be questionedReligion can't be questioned

The Faith begs investigationThe Faith begs investigation

The man answered, “Now that is The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who He listens to the godly man who does his will…does his will…

““Nobody has ever heard of Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man opening the eyes of a man

born blind. born blind. If this man If this man were not from God, were not from God,

he could do nothing.”he could do nothing.”

Harry MuddHarry Mudd

Taking a stand Taking a stand Against the religiousAgainst the religious

Can cost youCan cost you

Take the StandTake the Stand

"It is for freedom"It is for freedomThat Christ has set us free…"That Christ has set us free…"

To this they replied, To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at “You were steeped in sin at birth;birth;

how dare how dare youyou lecture lecture us!” us!”

And they threw him out.And they threw him out.

Rhymes with…Rhymes with…"Missed Poff!""Missed Poff!"

Did anyone celebrate Did anyone celebrate and thank Godand thank God

That a blind manThat a blind man

Could now see?Could now see?

‘‘God rejoices. Not because the God rejoices. Not because the problems of the world have been problems of the world have been solved…solved…

……not because all human pain and not because all human pain and suffering have come to an end…suffering have come to an end…

……nor because thousands of nor because thousands of people have been converted and people have been converted and are now praising him for his are now praising him for his goodness. goodness.

No, God rejoices because No, God rejoices because oneone of of His children who were lost has His children who were lost has been found”- Henri Nouwenbeen found”- Henri Nouwen

The Faith celebrates GodThe Faith celebrates GodAnd what he's doingAnd what he's doing

For people made in his imageFor people made in his image

Regardless…Regardless…

Religion only celebrates itself…Religion only celebrates itself…And sucks the joyAnd sucks the joy

Out of everything elseOut of everything else

Jesus heard that they Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and had thrown him out, and

when he found him, he said, when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the “Do you believe in the

Son of Man?”Son of Man?”

““Who is he, sir?” the man asked. Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”believe in him.”

Jesus said, Jesus said,

“You have now seen him; in fact, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking he is the one speaking with you.”with you.”

Then the man said, Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” “Lord, I believe,”

and he worshiped him.and he worshiped him.

Great Question:Great Question:

Who is this guy???Who is this guy???

- A Guy who put mud in my eye- A Guy who put mud in my eye- A Prophet- A Prophet- The Son of Man (Messiah)- The Son of Man (Messiah)- One Worthy of Worship- One Worthy of Worship

Who is this guy???Who is this guy???

Answer that questionAnswer that questionAnd you've determinedAnd you've determined

Your next stepYour next step

It all comes downIt all comes downto what questions you askto what questions you ask

Who is Jesus?Who is Jesus?

Do I ever stealDo I ever stealThe joy in others? The joy in others?

Or do I look for ways to celebrate Or do I look for ways to celebrate it?it?

Why? What needs to change?Why? What needs to change?

To know joyTo know joyWalk deeply with GodWalk deeply with God

This week:This week:5 Chapters of Truth5 Chapters of Truth

To know joyTo know joyPray:Pray:

Who can I encourage?Who can I encourage?Pray for?Pray for?

Show love to?Show love to?