A Journey To Faith

Isn't it great to be in the house of the Lord this morning?

Give this praise team an awesome hand clap of praise. They did a phenomenal job.

There's one thing I've learned is it's always easier to preach after some good

worship. Aren't you glad to be in here in this house tonight or today? Sorry, my

nights and days are mixed up. It's a little nerve-racking standing up here

every some Sundays though. But you guys be in prayer for Pastor Waters and Sister

Kathy. Sister Kathy was ill this over the weekend and Pastor Waters felt it best

to stay home with her today. So unfortunately you're stuck with me. But

the good news is I tend to be quick, right? That's the great news, right? I got

an amen in the middle back here. But thank you all for being here this morning.

It's an honor and a pleasure for me to do and fulfill what God's called me to

do and that's preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen. So in my text today I'm

going to be reading from chapter John verse 35 through 38. It's a very familiar

story you all have probably heard. But if I had to title it I would just title it

a journey to faith. When I got the call, when pastor called me yesterday

afternoon it was probably about 5, 530. I was at Target with family just shopping

and I answered the phone. I said what does Pastor call me? He answered the phone. He said,

well you got it tomorrow. I said do what? I got what? The joy of the Lord? Yes.

What do I got pastor? He said it's you. So I quickly came over here and

began to study and search the Lord for what he would have me preach on today. I

kind of already had a text in my mind that got it I think laid up on my heart

earlier in the week. As you all know this past week was camp meeting. All week

long I had an opportunity to go to every evening service and Wednesday of course

Eric and I was there for completion for our MIP. So we were honored that

Wednesday morning. But what a truly amazing, how many of you guys got to go

to a camp meeting any of the services at all? I know I've seen several people there. It

was an amazing, just an outpouring of God's presence on the leaders of the

church. Pastors and directors and just members that lead this great denomination

I think were truly touched. And I've only been to I think three of the past camp

meetings that we've been to that I went to regularly and in my opinion this one

was by far one of the better ones. And one of the things they did differently

this year was they didn't get speakers from all over the US. They kept

everything within the state of Tennessee which I think was phenomenal

because the state of Tennessee got to edify itself through Christ right? And it

was a powerful time. But my text I think was just kind of laid up on my heart

earlier this week and then I got in there yesterday and began, okay Lord what

what can I say? What does this text mean? And I began to dive in. And if you would

just, well let me start here. Aren't you glad that Jesus came looking for you?

Oftentimes we hear new believers say I found Jesus but in reality it was it was

he that found us right? But Jesus stated his purpose in coming to the earth in

Luke chapter 19 verse 10 where he says the Son of Man has come to seek and to

Luke 19:10

save that which was lost. In fact there are many examples throughout the Bible

where Jesus personally is seeking and calling out individuals in the

scriptures. Firstly we have Jesus calling Andrew and Peter to be his disciples in

Matthew 418 and Jesus walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brethren, Simon called

Peter and Andrew's brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers. And

then in verse 19 it skips down and says and he saith unto them follow me and I

will make you fishers of men. Another example would be Jesus calling James and

John to be his disciples in Mark 1 19 and when he had gone a little further

fence he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother and also were in

the ship mending their nets and straight away he called them. We all know the

story of Zacchaeus when Jesus came into the place and he looked up and saw him

and said Zacchaeus make haste and come down for today I must abide in your

house. Jesus called Saul to be an apostle of the Gentiles in Acts chapter 9 verse

Acts 9:3

3 where he said Saul journeyed and he came to near Damascus and suddenly

there shined around about him a light from heaven and he fell to the earth and

heard a voice saying to him Saul why persecutest thou me? And he said

who art thou Lord? And the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. The fact is

that we as born again it's because Jesus sought us out. He came looking for me.

He came looking for you. If you haven't been found he's looking for you.

Let's stand while I read my scripture today chapter 9 verse 35 in John and

Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto

him dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said who is he Lord that

I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him thou thou hast both seen him

and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said Lord I believe and he worshipped

him. Because father thank you today I love you I praise you for your word that

was broken here in this moment Lord I ask that you would just anoint me with a

fresh anointing to preach your gospel God that it would be edifying unto you

and that your spirit would help us to hear what you would have your people here

today amen you can be seated. Because of his marvelous grace Jesus calls us unto

salvation. For someone here this may for someone here this may be the day he

calls your name. As we walk through this passage I'd like to preach on the

thought a journey to faith as this scripture give us a description of that

walk into knowing Jesus and becoming to know who Jesus Christ is. Let's begin

when we consider what happened to this man earlier in earlier in the day. It

says Jesus was walking through the area and noticed a beggar who had been blind

since birth. The disciples were trying to figure out was it him that sinned or

was it his parents that sinned because the blindness had to be related to sin

of some kind. Jesus reassured them that neither was the case. That it was that

the works of God should be manifest through him. That God would

be glorified through his healing. Jesus then spit on the ground made some clay

and put it in the man's eyes then instructed him to go and wash in the

pool of Siloam. The blind man obeyed and received his sight. When the townspeople

saw him he was he was they didn't understand if he was still the blind

beggar. They thought who is that man? They questioned it. The townspeople began to

ask him what happened and he answered and said a man that is called Jesus made

clay and anointed in my eyes and said unto me go to the pool of Siloam and I

washed and I went and washed and I received my sight. There's something

about being obedient unto God right? There's something about when at this

moment he knew him as a man named Jesus. He didn't know him as the son of God. We

don't get there till later. He didn't know him as a son of God. He knew him as

a man named Jesus but there's something about that when you're in that moment of

desperation. Here's a blind man been blind since birth. He has no clue what

anything looks like but he was at a place where he had an opportunity. He had

a chance. I don't know this guy for Matt. He didn't know who Jesus was but there

was a chance and he obeyed. They brought the man to the Pharisees and questioned

him about his healing. The Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. He

told them that Jesus what Jesus had him do had him go to the pool and wash but

they claimed this man could not be of God because he did not keep the

Sabbath. This was the Sabbath when this happened. The Pharisees accused Jesus of

being the sinner and then wondered how he could do such miracles and I love

what the blind man responded and said I don't know whether he's a

sinner or not but I was blind once and now I see. Praise God. Do you want to

become... and then the Pharisees asked him again what did he do to thee? How did he

open that eyes? And he said I've already told you once and you didn't listen. Why

do you want me to tell you again? Do you want to become his

disciples also? And they said no. They were refiled. They said we were disciples

of Moses. They kept the Jewish law. We know that God's speaking to Moses for

this fellow we know not whence he is. The man who had been healed went on to

testify about Jesus and said in verse 30 why herein is a marvelous thing? Now we

know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshiper of God and doeth

his will him he heareth. Since the world began it's not heard that any man open

the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God he could do

nothing. They answered and said to him thou was

altogether born in sin and thus thou teach us and they cast him out. The

Pharisees didn't want to accept the fact that he could be healed on the Sabbath

because that wasn't in their law that couldn't be done. They didn't claim he

was of God because God couldn't do it had to be God that did this miracle. One

important thing that that sticks out to me in this specific is it says since

the world began it is not heard that any man open the eyes of one that was born

blind. So prior to this event not one person on the face of the earth since

the world began was ever healed of blindness when they were born blind. This

man was the first and at the same time we're hearing the story we haven't

gotten to the text where he knows who Jesus is yet. We're just to the point

where he's excited and happy about the miracle that took place. When Jesus heard

that they had cast the man out he went looking for him. When Jesus found him he

did something greater than he had done before. Earlier that day Jesus healed

this man physically. Now Jesus is about to hear him spiritually and eternally. I

want you to know that what Jesus did for this man he can and will do for you

today and it starts with an invitation. That invitation comes in verse 35 where

it says Jesus heard that they had cast him out and we had found him he said unto

him, does thou believe on the Son of God? That's a simple question right? Notice

the phrase when he had found him. Jesus heard that this man had been cast out by

the Pharisees and Jesus cared enough for him that he took time to

search him out and when he found him Jesus asked him a very important

question. He said, dost thou believe on the Son of God? This is an invitation to

salvation. Jesus when conversing with Nicodemus back in chapter 3 Jesus

explains that belief in him is necessary for salvation. John 3 16 we all know it

for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever

should believe on him would not perish but have everlasting life. Then 17 says

for God sent not this son into the world to condemn the world but that the world

through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned but

that he that believeth not is condemned already because he has not

believed the name of the only begotten son of God. Jesus cared enough to give

this blind man his sight but even greater is the fact that he was willing

to give a dead man new life. You see why that song this morning touched me and

gripped me so hard because I'm talking about dead men getting new life and we

were talking about I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm louder and louder

you're gonna hear my praise roar death is defeated death is defeated he can

restore Jesus has the power to do anything he chooses in your life he can

restore your marriage he can bring you financial blessings into your life he

can heal you physically he can deliver you from addiction he can break the

chains of worry doubt fear and discouragement your life he has the

power to do these and many more things but the greatest thing he can do for you

is to save your soul the Bible tells us that Jesus came to seek and save the

lost you may not believe it's possible for you today you may believe that all

the things that I've done in my life all the things that I've been through all

the things that I've seen all the things that I participated in has kept me and

and and identified me as an outcast but can I share with you that Jesus called

the outcast above others to do his will why because there was a willing vessel

that had to take place God is looking for you God is inviting you unto the

salvation dust thou know the Son of God that's an invitation to your salvation

that's an invitation to you identifying and understanding who God is in your

life so I asked you that question dust thou know the Son of God the man in this

passage has actually been cast out by his own religious crowd does that sound

familiar there's hurt in the church right it happens hopefully it doesn't

happen on purpose but it happens this man was cast out by his religious family

I'm sure he thought of but can I share with you that Jesus will never abandon

you that Jesus will never leave you that Jesus will never forsake you and will go

with you to the very end of the earth give him praise in this house second

2 Peter 3:9

Peter chapter 3 verse 9 says the Lord is not willing that any should perish but

the all should come under parents how will you respond to his invitation of

salvation we accept the offer we reject it let me encourage you to put your

faith in the one who came looking for you

this past Friday night at camp meeting they had a youth it was a youth centered

service Scotty Hager who's been here and preached multiple times youth and

discipleship director preach the word they had a choir that was filled with

youth and I think I heard after the service that it was like 300 something

youth was in that choir they there was no room for them they were just standing

up here the band you couldn't even see the band because they were just all

over the stage and you had leaders out front with the microphone but they look

like they blended into the choir there was just so many kids up there but one

powerful thing amongst all that service that happened and I don't know hunter if

you were able to get those slides put up or not go ahead and throw one up there I

don't know if you can see this real well but you can see just the mass of people

and kids these are all youth by the way up there on stage except for Scotty

it's all you see is youth and I don't know if you can read those signs if you

can I'll read some of them to you lost spiritual desert alone fear doubt I want

to control struggled with lust misunderstood anxiety depression abused

neglected diagnosed with chronic seizures at eight years old addicted to

pornography these kids these youth paraded across the front with these

signs of not who they are but what they once were you see this blind man once

was blind but now he has his sight these kids right here go to the next one now

they flip their sign and you get to see the power of what God did in their life

you get to see the relationship they have with Jesus Christ you get to see

that the things that burden them down in this world are forever washed away not

once not twice but forever by the blood of Jesus Christ you have God delivered

me and gave me peace you have I am free indeed instead of addicted to porn you

have called into ministry can somebody give God praise in this house can I

tell you that after being a part of that service the future of this church is

okay the church will survive I think we were to give God another

praise just for that right there

once we have received the invitation now comes the revelation you see God asked

us the question earlier does thou believe the Son of on the Son of God in

verse 26 he gets verse 26 36 and 37 he gets to answer it he said who is he Lord

that I might believe on him and Jesus said unto him thou has both seen him and

it is he that talketh with thee after Jesus asked this man if he believed on

the Son of God he asked Jesus who is he Jesus said I am he Jesus in this passage

is clearly revealing himself as the Son of God he is the Messiah he is the

Savior he is God in the flesh Jesus is the very source of our salvation he said

in John 14 verse 6 I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh unto

John 14:6

the Father but by me Jesus is God's son who became man who walked on this earth

as a human being who bore the weight of the sins of the world who went to the

cross to pay the price for your debt he died on that cross and was buried in a

grave and then on that third day you should know what happens he was raised

from the dead in resurrection that we might be resurrected with him one day

and go to meet him in the air and forever shall we be with him the

revelation comes when you identify when Jesus tells him who I am he's not talking

to just the man named Jesus anymore he identified him early in the scripture as

the man named Jesus told me to do these things I went and did them and I was I

have received my sight now he's telling the man I am thee I am the Lord Jesus

says or just as the blind men realize that Jesus is the Son of God we must

realize that Jesus is our only hope for salvation there was nothing this man

could do to help himself physically or spiritually everything that happened to

him happened because Jesus because of Jesus you can't do anything about your

spiritual situation but Jesus can he is the only answer for our sin problem and

I encourage you to trust in him and receive the salvation that he's

offering you today we've received an invitation we've seen the revelation now

comes the transformation in verse 38 the first part of verse 38 and he said Lord

I believe Lord I believe early in the day Jesus changed this man's life forever

he was blind from birth never saw color never saw his family his loved ones

anybody or anything he was a beggar but Jesus changed his life forever and he

will change his eternal destiny now Jesus reveals to him that he was the

Son of God he extended an invitation to receive salvation and this man gladly

accepted the offer notice that he didn't have to do anything to be saved other

than to put his trust in the Son of God don't we make it too complicated

sometimes don't we make it there's these rules and regulations you have to have

to be saved this my Bible just says all I got to do is believe on the Son of God

as the Messiah as the Son of God that the Christ that came and bore the weight

of my sins that I might have a way of escape that's what my Bible says all

that has to be we make it too complicated so basic values soon is by

faith alone and Christ alone if you will trust in Jesus you can pass from death

unto life there is no doubt in my mind that this man's life was never the same

you have the opportunity to receive a life-changing miracle just like he did

listen to what Jesus said in John chapter 5 verse 24 verily verily I say

John 5:24

unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath

everlasting life was there criteria in there for that salvation I didn't hear

any what I heard was belief

he that heareth my word and believe on him that sent me hath everlasting life

and shall not come into condemnation but his path from death unto life second

Corinthians 517 says if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation old things

have passed away and behold all things have become new he got a fresh start in

life he was blind now I can see that was before he knew who Jesus was now the

new Jesus and he was dead and now he's alive I don't know about you but I am so

thankful today that I when I was once dead God gave me an invitation he brought

me his revelation he transformed me from death unto life and I praise him for it

this morning you've heard me tell talk about my brother several times from

behind this pulpit but when I was typing up this sermon I couldn't get away from

specific things that happened throughout his transformation most of you know that

he spent 12 years addicted to drugs different type of drugs he batted with

it he fought it he knew right from wrong but the day came not by my might or mom's

might or in this man's situation the Pharisees they didn't know how he got

healed it wasn't by us that he got healed it was by the power of God and he

got to a point of such desperation such desolation at the very bottom of where

he could be and he cried out to God yes he received help of course but he cried

out unto God and the transformation started happening because he didn't go

to rehab he didn't seek a doctor he didn't seek medical help he did what he

was raised and knew to do and that seek that man named Jesus who could provide

for me who can save me who can cleanse me who can heal me who can restore me who

can be my Redeemer now just like he was many years before do we not believe that

God has that same power today so the transformation took place my brother

stood behind a podium and preached a sermon before he passed away total

transformation just like the blind man the blind beggar total transformation I

was blind I can see I was dead now I'm alive total transformation and I praise

God for that I praise God that my brother found his way back but I praise

God for doing the work a very specific thing in that story I want to tell you

about which leads me to my final point at the time my brother was going through

withdrawals because again he didn't seek medical help he curled up in a bed in my

mama's house and that's where he laid as he was going through those withdrawals

as the pain and the agony and everything in him was saying go get that drug and

they'll make you feel better but the transformation started happening there

was no way he was going back to that but the beautiful thing that happened he

cried he moaned he wept he was in pain he was in agony but you know what he

started doing singing praises unto God there was a song what was the song ma

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary he it was in a bed curled up in the fetal

position crying weak hurting and in pain and he said Lord prepare me to be a

sanctuary I don't know about you but I feel the Holy Ghost in this place

because God is powerful we don't give him enough credit to bring us from where

we are over to where we're meant to be would somebody stand and give God praise

in this house we were here and now we're there we were dead and now we're alive

we were sick and now we're healed we were bound down and in bondage and now

we've been freed and redeemed in Jesus name

oh

when he was going through his worst time he was singing praise unto God which

leads me to my last point and that's adoration after we've gone through the

transformation in our lives now there's nothing more to do but to adore God and

give him adoration for what he did in our life and what he performed in our

life here's a man who's been cast out he's been pushed aside nobody believes

what happened to him but Jesus invited him to be saved the man accepted Jesus

offering was changed immediately and he responded by worshiping Jesus verse 38

the second half of that verse it says and he worshiped him immediately once he

believed he worshiped him you know why I think he did that immediately I think

right after he says he believed the first part of that script says and he

said Lord I believe in the second part of that verse and he worshiped him you

know I think that happened you didn't you didn't he didn't worship the man

Jesus he identified him earlier in the text in chapter 9 that a man named Jesus

told me to do these things and I was I received my sight he did not know at

that point that he was the son of God but he didn't worship the man he was

thankful he was grateful he gave credit to the man named Jesus he told him it

was a man named Jesus who did it he gave him credit but it wasn't until he came

to realize that this man was really our Lord and the son of God that he began to

worship him he didn't worship the man he worshiped our Lord Jesus Christ that's

the difference it wasn't man that performed the miracle it was Jesus

Christ and it reminds me of the story in Acts 3 where Peter and John they healed

the lame man at the temple gate called beautiful says do you believe in the son

of God Jesus all right I'm sorry I'm back up getting ahead of myself

Peter and John when they saw him they said look on us they hollered out at the

guy look on us and the man looked on him expecting to receive arms receive

something from that's what he's doing he's begging he was lame but Peter said

silver and gold have I none but such as I have I give thee in the name of Jesus

Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk they took him by the right hand lifted him up

and I love this immediately his feet and ankle bones receive strength then the

next part is the best part then he leaping stood up and walked and entered

with them into the temple walking and leaping and praising God this man got

pulled up from his lame position and what did he do he ran into the place

where he knew to go the temple or the house of God and praised the Lord the

guy who was blind since birth didn't know who he was but when he believed who

Jesus was as the son of God he immediately worshiped him you see we

have the invitation we have the revelation who God is we have the

transformation which happens in our life and then we have the adoration where we

get the opportunity to worship and praise him for everything he's done in

our life give him praise one more time if you have ever been touched by the

master if he has sought you out called your name and brought you from death

into life I hope that you spend your days worshiping him Jesus is worthy of

our worship and our adoration come to the use musician musicians come if you

can

in verse 35 Jesus asked the man do you believe in the Son of God this is a

question that we all must answer at some point in time in our journey to faith in

our walk there's a question we all must answer Jesus is our only hope for

salvation in this life he's the only way the truth and the life will you put your

faith in him to receive salvation maybe you have maybe I like to think we're a

room full of believers

maybe you have maybe you maybe you know who Jesus is as the son of God and that

question does thou believe on the son of God you can answer and say I truly do

and that's that's so awesome maybe you find your place in it maybe that's not

you maybe you know who Jesus is and what he's done for you and maybe now you're

just looking for more maybe now it's not just enough knowing Jesus and thanking

him appraising him for the very best that he's given me or maybe I found my

way falling away a little bit maybe I once was right there where I know to be

and I've let some things slip I've let some things get in the way of my

relationship with God what like in this text you have an invitation today not

only an invitation for salvation but an invitation to get some things right that

may not be maybe there's transformation that needs to happen in your life maybe

it is a marriage that's going south or maybe it is a financial situation that's

got you burdened down and you need help from the Lord maybe it's addiction like

my brother maybe it's doubt worry fear one of the beautiful things about those

those youth that walked up there they were parading their problems you know

why I believe because they weren't ashamed there was no shame in the things

that they go through sometimes in the church we act uncomfortable around

homosexuals or we got transgender ism and all this stuff going all throughout

the world today we get uncomfortable the kids are going to school with it every

day that that's not it's not what are they to be ashamed of the sincerity of

their of their unashamedness I'll just that's not a word but I'll just say that

they're unashamed so much and it's so sincere that they're willing to say hey

come sit by me because where else would they need where else would they rather

be where else would we rather have them I've heard redemption stories of

homosexuals that found their way to a loving church and then they were

changed and set free of that and have married and have kids and their life has

been restored because of the power of Jesus Christ the kids aren't ashamed we

don't need to be ashamed either who knows I can't get through this world on

my own I know I can't I face things I have problems I go through not just me

my family and it's not enough that I try to figure it out I need help so the

invitation is for anybody today who maybe need that transformation in their

life and to me one of the most important things is adoration the this altar this

whole big area right here is open for you to come and just worship God you may

have so everything going right in your life and I hope you do I pray he's God

for that but praise him for it give him praise for it I won't tell you long but

let's everyone stand if you if you want to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior

today I invite you to come just as Jesus did the blind man when he gave him

invitation and ask him dust thou know the Son of God I want to give that

invitation to you today if there's transformation that needs to be done in

your life God can do it Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that we would

have life and have it more abundantly and if you just want to come worship him

I encourage that as they sing something come I would love to pray for you