Our Theology Determines the Testimony

So I'm just going to read a word of God

first to us. John chapter nine. It's good to begin

with the word of God jehn chapter nine, and I'm

going to read let me see verses one to maybe

all the way to twenty five, and we'll see what

we can do with the time we have this morning.

This is the word of the Lord. John chapter nine,

Verse one. Now, as Jesus passed by, he saw a

man who was blind from birth, and his disciples ask him, saying, Rabbi,

who's sin this man or his parents that he was

born blind. Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents sin,

but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

I must work the works of him who sent me

while it is day. The night is coming when no

one can work. As long as I am in the world,

I am the light of the world. When he had

said these things, he spat on the ground, make clay

with the sliver, and he anointed the eyes of the

blind man with a clay. And he said to him,

go wash in the pool of siloam, which is translated scent.

So he went and washed and came back. Seeing Therefore

the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he

was blind, said, it's not this he who sat and begged.

Some said this is he, others said he is like him.

He said, I am he. Therefore they said to him,

how were your eyes opened? He answered, and said, a

man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and

said to me go to the pool of siloam and wash.

So I went and washed, and I received sight. Then

they said to him, where is he? He said, I

do not know. They brought him, who formerly was blind,

to the Pharisees. Now it was a sabbath when Jesus

make the clay and open his eyes. Then the Pharisees

also asked him again how he had received his side.

He said to them, he put clay on my eyes,

and I watched, and I see. Therefore, some of the

pharisee said this man is not from God because he

does not keep the sabbath. Others said, how can a

man who is a sinner do such signs? And there

was a division among them. They said to the blind

man again, what do you say about him? Because he

opened your eyes? He said, he's a prophet. But the

Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been

blind and received his side, until they called the parents

of him who had received his side. They asked them, saying,

is this your son, who you say was born blind?

How then does he now see? His parents answered them

and said, we know that this is our son and

that he was born blind. But by what means he

now sees, we do not know. Or who opened his eyes?

We do not know. He's of age. Ask him he

would speak for himself. His parents said these things because

they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already

that if anyone confessed that he was Christ, he would

be put out of the synagogue. Therefore, his parents said,

he's of age. Ask him. 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's 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 again? Do you also want to become his disciples? Then?

They reviled him and said, you are his disciples, but

we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spoke to Moses.

As for this fellow, we don't know where he's from.

The man answered and said to them, why this is

a marvelous thing that you don't know where he's from.

Yet he has opened my eyes. Now we know that

God does not hear sinnus. 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. They cast him out all right, God add

his blessing to the reading of his precious word. The

theology or our theology determines the testimony. The theology determines

the testimony. The other title that I thought were suitable

also is an opportunity in every obstacle. An opportunity in

every obstacle I believe God wants is to have that

kind of attitude to see every obstacle as an opportunity.

And you know, our church has been faced with different

kinds of obstacles and challenges through the year, through the years,

but God has brought us thus far because He's also

given us a spirit perspective, an attitude of always being

able to see opportunities even in the midst of obstacles.

I think if we didn't see that, or couldn't see that,

we would not be here. And many people are also

not where they should be because of their response to

the challenges and obstacles they have. How many of you

understand this note, ten percent of life is what it

throws at us. Ten percent of our lives is what

life throws at us. But ninety percent of where we

are and who we are is our response to it.

So many people still stand there complaining about a ten

percent that happened to them. Why this person said this,

Why this person did that? Why me? Why now? Why?

How life is unfair? And how life you know is, yeah,

just so cruel and evil. And they are where they

are because of their response to that ten percent that

is thrown at them. But we are also where we

are because of you know, our response the same truth.

We have responded differently I saw recently a atto of

two guys, and you know, the photo had a very

obvious difference between the two guys. One was holding a

can of beer and the other one a can of

fruit juice. And you know, their health was very clearly

defined between two friends. Their size and all that so,

but it was very clear on that picture the words

same age, different choices, you know, uh, and one looks

so unhealthy and one looks really healthy, and both are

in their fifties, and just that word, you know, same age,

different choices. And really we are where we are because

of the choices we make. Now, as Jesus passed by,

he saw a man who was blind from birth, and

his disciples ask him, saying, Rabbi, who sin this man

or his parents? There was one blind. Jesus answered, neither

this man nor his parents sin. Either this man nor

his parents sin. I want to give you five things

to consider as we think about working the works of God.

Even in every tough situation, Jesus calls it the works

of God. That I'm here to work the works of God.

And so Jesus was saying to his disciples that it

was neither his parents sin or this man's sin that

has caused this man to be blind, but that the

works of God should be revealed in him. And I

like that, and I hope that all of us can

see life from that perspective, that no matter what it

is that we are going through, it is so that

the works of God might be revealed, no matter what

happened to us this year, last year, the years before.

In a negative no positive of course. You know, it's

easy to talk about I don't even have to be

a Christian talk about positive. I don't even have to

be a leader dog about the good times. Anyone can

embrace the good times and do well and smile and laugh. Right. Uh,

that's that's a given. So it's the bad times that

really make us. It's the hard times that really define us.

Someone at the end of the day was trying to

teach children about what's inside of us. And you know,

he took just an orange and he squeezed the orange.

He says, children, what do you get when I squeeze

the orange, you know? And they said orange juice. He said,

do you get apple juice? No? Do you get you know, whatever,

fine apple juice? No? So he says, you know, when

you're squeezing life. What comes out is what's already there.

You know, sometimes what comes out could be a bad word,

and then you blame the person who forced you to

bring that bad word out. Actually the bad word has

always been inside, he says. You can never squeeze an

orange tight enough. You can have a pressure and orange

strong enough to bring apple juice out, You'll only find

what's inside coming up. And so bad times, hard times,

tough times do that. It brings out whatever that's inside.

And sometimes the Lord does that so that he can

clean us out and so that he can strengthen us

and all that. So that's very very important people. So

five things to consider. Are you ready before the works

can happen? Before the works of work can happen? Number one,

I call it a theological problem. The question was a

theological question. Think about it for a moment. Who's sin

this man or his parents? I tell you no. Everybody

can answer this is no, and I can. I can. I

can see from just this scripture that actually everything we

face in life starts with a theological question. How is God?

Who is God? What is God? What does he think about?

What does he want me to do? You know? Uh?

And if you look at everything in life firstly with

a theological question, it's actually challenging your theology, you know

it is. And Jesus tackle a theology a theological question

first because you can see the reason why this man

was healed, uh and the reason why the Pharisees couldn't

see it was actually theology. The Pharise's theology was that

this man is a sinner give glory to God. How

can a man you know, who is a sinner, you know,

do so? Really, their theology was walked, and they saw

Jesus very differently. And actually, you think about it. You know,

the way we settle and deal with our problems and

and and difficulties is the way we see Jesus, you

think about it. And and the way we mature and

become better, not bitter, but become better and become brighter

is God forming his Sunniness. God is constantly wanting to

form his son in us so that we become more

like Jesus and look more like Jesus. Is a theological

question that we need to deal with. And if we

deal with with things you know in life about you know,

and we start with another question like why did he

do this to me, What did I do so wrong?

Am I? Is it my skin color? And and a

lot of people ask the first question, and it's the

wrong question. Here's all a question about God and what

he thinks and what he feels, and you know what

he teaches. And so if you want to work the

works of God, even in the midst of blindness, and

this man was blind, there was trouble there, There was

pain there, there was you know, a lack there. But

the theological question is what we start with. And Jesus

answered it, No, it's not this man sin and it's

not this parent's sin. I deal with this theological question.

Why therefore is this happening so that the works of

God may be revealed? Can you imagine all of us

answering this question like this with every problem you face,

no matter what, no matter what, so that the works

of God might be revealed. What a way to start

a problem? Number two is a God perspective? All right?

You answer that theological question with a God perspective. He said,

but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

And I think I dealt with that already. Number three,

How and what do you need to consider when you're

faced with a challenge or problem that the works of

God might might work in that situation. Number one, theological question.

Start with that. Number two, God's perspective is your answer.

See the problem in God's eyes, through God's eyes. Number three,

knowing our purpose, I like words. Four Jesus says, I

must work the works of him who sent me. I

love that now. It was a very simple question. Did

this man sin or his parents in that he's blind

or born blind? And Jesus takes that theological question puts

a God's perspective on it. No, no, no, Hold on,

wait a minute. God will be glorified. Amen. Hold on,

wait a minute. I know I'm down, but God will

be glorified. Hold on, wait a minute. I know you

know that there are a lot of negative words, you know,

coming towards and God will be magnified. Hold on a minute.

I know I'm poor now, but God will still have

his way. You know, we don't have what it takes

now or whatever it is, or my marriage is like

this now, or my children are like you know, Hold

on a minute. God will be magnified. He will have

his way. But right after that is I must work

the works of him who sent me. There is a

purpose that we ourselves must step up to. Amen. It's

not just God. He works in us and through us,

and Jesus is in answering a very you know, unique

geological question goes on into his purpose and he says,

I must work the works of Him who send me.

And I think, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, in

dealing with problems and challenges and wanting and desiring to

see God at work in it, we must know our purpose.

We must remember our purpose. And Jesus said, I must

work the works of him who send me. And number

four is to know the time and the times. Not

only must you know and remember your purpose and step

up to it and work with God, partner with him, Amen,

partner with him, But you must also know the times.

He said, I must work the works of him who

sent me. While it is day, the night is coming

when no one can work. I tell you the time

to work is now. The time to preach, is now,

The time to reach the lost souls are now? Is

now the time to plant you just are now? Amen.

If you have a marriage issue, the time to you know, yes,

work with God. God wants your marriage to be blessed.

But it's now those in next month, I'll celebrate my

wife's above day and I'll be all right. You know,

now today don't have to work wait for another birthday. Right,

the time we say sorry is now, The time to

say I love you is now. The time to hug

is now. The time to shake hands is now. The

time to forgive is now, you know, work while it

is day. The time is now to have this meeting,

and we will make the best of it the next

four days. Amen, time is now. I don't know about tomorrow,

and I don't know about next month, and I don't

don't know but next year. You can have a vision

and a theme for next year. But you know, really,

the sons of easy, can't you? The times? And it's

not only knowing the right thing to do, but knowing

when to do it. Isn't it true? Because most things,

if not all things, are about timing. Right. You know,

you can do the right thing at the wrong time

is still not right. So not just know your purpose,

partner with God and see something that turns good, something ugly,

turn beautiful, but do it at the right time. Know

it's not just time, it's times, meaning what's happening around you?

What what? Sometimes people might ask you a very deep question,

know what pastor what do you think past? Is the

times that Malaysia's in Have you ever got these questions?

So it's not just timer, it's not just chronos, it's Chiros.

Chronos is chronological, and Chiros is the time of God.

And now is the time. And Jesus, although this man

was blind, and there was a theological question about who's sin.

You know, people's focus is always about sin, though, and

God's focused. Jesus focus was God. Pharisees focused was sin,

and Jesus focus was God. I can see God in

every situation. I can see God in every problem, in

every challenge. Amen. And this is the time I must

work the time now because Jesus knew he was going

home to be with the Father. So this is the

time and the times for healing and salvation. And finally,

I told you five things. Finally it's number five is

knowing our identity. Knowing our identity. Number five, As long

as I'm in the world, I am the light of

the world. If not you, then who? If not now?

Then when? Right? These are? These are the times? Can

use those phrases. If not now, then when? If not you,

then who? So you deal with problems like that, You

deal with situations like that, You deal with challenges like that.

Who are you at the end of the day. Are

you just a mere human being? A mere leader of

a church? Are you? Are you? Are you an elder?

Are you a pastor? Why are you sitting in that seat?

Why are you invited to this spo meeting? You are

someone that God has set apart for this. So He

will annoint you for this, He will enable you for this.

He will give you all the wisdom for this. Can

you imagine on these five things a blind man was

healed because immediately after that, Jesus pat on the ground,

makes Liver make sorry with his life and make Clay

anointed the ice. All right, but the five considerations were

there very clearly before he even did the miracle. And

so a miracle will come out also of these four days.

But he has to come out with us getting the

right theology, because if your theology is a pharaceutical theology,

you know we're not gonna get you know, if we

start to look at people seeing like start look at

you know what's wrong? You know, no We didn't come

here four days for that. We came here looking at

God and saying, Lord, I know you can turn things around.

And sometimes maybe maybe you came even with a levy

of discouragement like how come and why? You know? It's okay,

it's all right to come in with a little bit like,

oh you know, God, can you turn this around? Yes?

He can. He will turn every challenge into a celebration.

I believe it in Jesus name. Otherwise he's not God, right,

but he is God, and we now have to play

our part two. So the theology is when we start

is God, you can turn all these things around. There

is no sad news here that cannot be and do

good news. Uh, and there's there's there's no disappointment that

cannot be turned into reappointment. And God will reappoint, you know,

and God will do wonderful, wonderful things. I believe it.

Do you believe it? All right? But we've gotta gotta

get a God perspective and partner with God. Know know

who we are in Him and uh yeah you know

know our identity and trust that we are not here

by accident. Lord, Thank you so much for your word.

I just believe that miracles are at the door. They're knocking,

wanting us to let them in. Miracles for the Church

that we call acts, Miracles for the nation through the

Church called acts. And we are so glad, so grateful

that we are not alone, that we don't do this

on our own. That Jesus already said, without me, you

can do nothing. And so Lord, we humble ourselves before you.

We know that you have hand picked us for this time.

And it's not by mind nor by power, but by

your holy spirit. We thank you, thank you so much

for the God perspective, for the Jesus focus that we

can have. We thank you that we can know the

time and the times that we're living in, and this

is the time we need you, and we embrace your presence,

and we thank you, Oh Lord, You already have the answers,

and you already have the power to make the impossible possible,

to make the darkness bright, and to make all that

is bad good, and all that is ugly beautiful. God

makes beautiful all things in its time, and this is

the time. In Jesus nade. We pray, Amen, Amen, praise

the Lord, halaayah, Amen, Good