Open My Eyes and My Heart

Memory Verse: Ephesians 4:17-18 “Live no longer as the unsaved do, for they are blinded and confused. Their closed hearts are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds against Him, and they cannot understand His ways.”

We just did a skit where two friends were having lunch and one friend (Karen) got fed up with always having to pay for the other friend’s (David) lunch.

What was Karen’s attitude toward David? (anger) Why was she angry? (She felt she was being taken advantage of) Was she justified in her anger? Why or why not? (Friendship is a give and take relationship –if she felt she was being taken for granted, she should have said something a long time ago to David – before it built into anger)

What was David’s attitude toward Karen? (surprise, defensiveness) Was it justified? Why or why not? (Karen had not previously expressed her resentment at frequently having to pay so it was a surprise – if David had paid attention to the relationship and realized that he was taking Karen for granted)

What was true about both attitudes? (They were both blinded to their own attitudes)

What happens when you are blinded to another’s needs? (You begin to think you are completely right and the other person is completely wrong – you can’t see your own errors – all you see is theirs. If you can’t see your own errors, you can’t correct them)

What could these friends do that would save their friendship? (Listen to what the other person had to say and admit where they were wrong too. Apologize to the other person sincerely. Try to do better in the future – put the other person first)

Your lesson tells the story of the man who was born blind that Jesus healed. Jesus’ disciples asked Him if God was punishing this man for his sins or for his parents’ sins. They thought that he was blind because of sin. Jesus explained that there was no sin involved in this man being born blind. Jesus healed the man’s blindness.

John 9:1-41 “1 As Jesus was walking along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” His disciples asked Him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Then He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! 8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied. 13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. 17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.” 18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?” 20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue. 35 When Jesus heard what had happened, He found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is He, sir? I want to believe in Him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and He is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard Him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” 41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”

Although Jesus performed a miracle that no other human being could, the Pharisees were so upset that Jesus healed on the Sabbath that they didn’t stop to think about how amazing this miracle was. A man that had been born blind, who had never seen anything, had been completely healed of his blindness. Not only did this man physically see, but he also understood spiritually that no ordinary man could have healed his blindness.

How were the Pharisees blinded to the miracle that Jesus performed on the blind man? (They got hung up on the fact that Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath to notice how awesome was this miracle)

What did this cause them to do? (They jumped to the conclusion that since Jesus had healed the man on the Sabbath, He must be a sinner) How were they wrong? (It is not sinful to do well on the Sabbath)

What did Jesus mean when He said to the Pharisees “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”

The Pharisees claimed to understand everything about God yet they failed to recognize Him in their midst because of their own pride and arrogance. They thought they knew everything there was to know – that they were experts – but yet they were blinded to the Truth. They refused to be taught by Jesus, preferring instead to trust in tradition.

How does that apply to you? You are being taught about Jesus our Lord and Savior, and how to live your life as a Christian. You are being prepared to make the choice to accept the Truth of Jesus being the Messiah and His call on your life to follow Him. You should have a teachable attitude, willing to listen and learn as a child listens and learns and grows.

Acts 26:17-18 17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in Me.’

Why is this so important? This is the most important decision that you will ever make in your life – even more important than who you will marry. The decision whether or not to become a part of the Body of Christ, joining all Christians everywhere who have His Holy Spirit in them, has eternal consequences. It must not be made lightly or frivolously without thought. It bears great responsibility and great reward. Your life will change and you will change if you are truly sincere and remain humble and teachable from the Word of God.

Matthew 13:14-16 “ 14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. 15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to Me and let Me heal them.’ 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear."

Read the Gospels and see for yourselves who this man Jesus really was, what He thought, how He acted, how He treated others. This is the person you want to be like. He wants to be your role model throughout the rest of your life.

The minds of those who refuse to see, as the Pharisees did when Jesus healed the man born blind, are blinded to what is obvious to those of you who can see and believe.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

2Peter 1:3-9 “ 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self- control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.”

Ask God to open your eyes and your heart to the truth of Jesus Christ and to the words in your Bible. Don’t continue to be blind as is most of the rest of the world. Come out of the darkness and into His glorious light! Open your eyes and your hearts and accept Jesus as your Lord, God and Savior.

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