AVBC - Sunday 03/22/26 - “Jesus Raised the Dead!” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series (Part 5 of 7) - John 11:1-45

AVBC - Sunday 03/15/26 - Sermon Title: “Jesus Performed Miracles” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series (Part 4 of 7) - John 9:1-41

 Sunday 03/15/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church

Sermon Title: “Jesus Performed Miracles” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series (Part 4 of 7) - John 9:1-41 

 

(Welcome Picture)

          As we continue to walk “The Path to the Empty Tomb” on Easter morning, with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been talking about how we all can better understand, connect to, and live more like Jesus. Jesus was tried and tested. The wealthy and the affluent sought and still seek Jesus. Jesus sought the outcasts of society, and today we hear of one of the many miracles performed by Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ our Lord, “Performed Miracles.”

          According to www.merriam-webster.com this is the definition of the word “miracle”:

1 : an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs

(Example: the healing miracles described in the Gospels)

 

2 : an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miracle).

 

Melissa and I recently saw a documentary about the 1980 US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team. If you remember, the 1980 Winter Olympics were held in Lake Placid, NY, and many did not expect the US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team to win. In fact, the final two teams were the US and the USSR, or the Soviet Union. This was during the Cold War, the Berlin Wall was still up, and the game between the US Men and the Soviet Union men became seen as the Western World versus the Communist World. When the US Men’s Olympic Team won, it was called, and still is called, “The Miracle on Ice.” From the documentary that Melissa and I watched, this is also where the chant of “USA! USA! USA!” first formally began.

          For those of you that remember “The Miracle on Ice,” or read about it, like me, many saw and still see what happened in the Olympics in Lake Placid in 1980 as a miracle. Further, it was very heartening to Melissa and I to see one or more of the original members of the US Men’s 1980 Ice Hockey team at this recent Winter Olympics, where our US Men’s Team won the gold again for the first time since “The Miracle on Ice” in 1980!

          Did people in 1980 and do people today see “The Miracle on Ice” in 1980 as divine intervention? Do most people think that God caused our US Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey to defeat the team from the Soviet Union in 1980? Or do they mean it was this a human miracle, that was unlikely, unexpected, and shocking?

          Miracles, however, can also be divine in nature, or they can be both. This morning in the gospel of John 9:1-41 we have a blind beggar, who was blind from birth. Jesus this morning heals him, and the man can suddenly see. Some people that I have talked to over the years hard a hard believing some of or all of the miracles in the gospels and beyond, but I believe that through God, all things are possible. For if Jesus was God in the flesh on earth, then what can He not do? If Jesus can die for the sins of the world on Good Friday, then His resurrection seems more than possible to me? The challenge with miracles though is that sometimes they happen the way we hope and pray, and sometimes they do not. This does not mean that miracles do not happen, but it does mean that God decides when the miracles happens, not us. This can be confusing and hard for us sometimes, that the healing we prayed for came, and sometimes it did not come the way that we expected it to come.

          This morning, as I said though, in the gospel of John 9:1-41,we have a man blind form birth. He had never seen a sunrise, a sunset, or any of the things we often take for granted that we see without eyes every day.

          I remember when Melissa and I were going to college at SUNY Potsdam over 20 years ago, that for three of those years of college I was an “RA,” or resident assistant. I managed a dorm floor of male students, or at least I tried to! As part of this, I got my dorm room at no cost, and among my various job duties, I had to organize dorm floor programs. We had dinners, took trips, had guest speakers, and so on and so for. One program though, I asked a blind student if she would come to our dorm floor lounge and tell us what it was like to be visually blind. Further, what was it like to be a full-time college student and be visually blind? This young woman got straight A’s at Potsdam College, and she had all sorts of devices and assistance to pursue her studies. She got her books in braille, had a braille typing machine for her papers, etc.

          This student also would ask other students to help her get to class outside of the dormitory building. In fact, one day this girl walked up to me as I was excited about the dorm for class. In case you are wondering, I was single at the time, as I had not yet been smitten by my Melissa. This student then introduced herself and asked me if I could walk her to class. We were going in the same direction, after all. Well, I thought I was so cool, at least in my head. This student then said, “Can I put my hand around your arm, and have you lead me,” as she said she was blind. Well at that point I realized that she did not want me to walk to class because she thought I was handsome, it was because she needed help. This ended up being the same student that I asked to talk to my dorm floor guys, and to this day this person that I do not even remember the name of is someone I have tremendous respect for. She had straight A’s could not see visually, had random students walked her to and from class, as a couple of my dorm floors guys were on the verge of flunking out of college.

          You see my friends, you can see with your physical eyes, but you can also see with the eyes of your heart and your soul. There are people on this earth that are visually blind but can see anyway. This morning, Jesus heals a man blind from birth, and here is a depiction of this man:

(Mud on the Blind Man’s Eyes Picture)

In the scripture from John 9:1-41 for this morning, Jesus spits on the ground, the dirt, and smushes it around into mud. He then puts this dirt of the blind man’s face. He then tells the blind man to go and wash his eyes off. When the man does this, he then can see. Here is a depiction of the whole healing, miracle, and transformation of this man who was blind from birth:

(Full Transformation of the Blind Man Picture)

In looking more closely at the scripture reading for this morning from John 9:1-41, the first subtitle I have in this gospel reading says, “A Man Born Blind Receives Sight”. The gospel reading says once again, starting in 9:1, this:

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

9 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ³ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, ⁷ saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see      (Jn. 9:1-8, NRSV). 

 

          So, Jesus’s own twelve disciples believe that this man is blind from birth, because either he or his parents sinned. Or to put it another way, he was blind and it was his fault, his parents’ fault, or maybe both. It was common in Jewish religious belief at this time to believe that if a person got sick, had a problem, an ailment, etc., that it was because they offended and or sinned against God. Yet Jesus pushes back against this and said that this man was born blind not because of sin or as a punishment, but instead the “God’s works might be revealed in him.” Jesus also then says we must do God’s work here and now, as we have limited time. Jesus compares this reality to the day and the night here on earth. Jesus then says that as long as He is physically on the earth “I am the light of the world.” This of course is of Jesus’ seven “I Am” statements in the gospel of John.

          Jesus then of course still goes to the man that was blind from birth, spits on the ground, makes mud, rubs it on the blind man’s eyes, then tells the blind man to ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). One would think that this would be cause for celebration, right? Like “The Miracle on Ice” when the US Olympic Hockey Team won the gold medal. It would be like seeing the miracle of the blind student at Potsdam College that still went to school fulltime and got straight A’s.

          Instead, though, picking up in John 9:8, it says, once again of the former blind man:

⁸ The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, ‘Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?’ ⁹ Some were saying, ‘It is he.’ Others were saying, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ He kept saying, ‘I am the man.’ ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, ‘Then how were your eyes opened?’ ¹¹ He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, “Go to Siloam and wash.” Then I went and washed and received my sight.’ ¹² They said to him, ‘Where is he?’ He said, ‘I do not know’                 (Jn. 9:8-12, NRSV)

So, the neighbors and the others that saw this man before, we not condemning what happened, but they do not seem to be celebrating it either. I guess it is understandable that they would be confused, but the scripture seems to show more doubt and suspicion than celebration.

          This is where it gets interesting though, picking up in John 9:13. The man that was blind from birth and is now healed is now going to get interrogated by the Pharisees that he can now see. This is what the scripture says picking up in John 9:13:

(The Healed Blind Man before the Pharisees Picture)

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴ Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, ‘He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.’ ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.’ But others said, ‘How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?’ And they were divided. ¹⁷ So they said again to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He said, ‘He is a prophet’ (Jn. 9:13-17, NRSV).

 

Instead of celebrating that this man blind from birth can now see, they were suspicious, and in addition to that they were questioning Jesus. Apparently, Jesus’ healing someone on the Sabbath someone breaks the Sabbath Day of rest. I do not personally think healing a blind man on the Sabbath or on any day is work, as other Pharisees called Jesus a sinner. Then the Pharisees asked the man who was blind from birth, who he though this Jesus was. He said that Jesus was a “prophet.”

(The Healed Blind Man and his parents before the Pharisees Picture)

This, however, was not a satisfactory answer to the Pharisees. As a result, the Pharisees called the man’s parents in to interrogate them. So now the former blind man and his parents are in front of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, and the parents affirmed that their son was indeed born blind. Yet the Pharisees want to know how their son was born blind, was blind his whole life, and now can see. The parents having not been there when Jesus healed this man, had no idea how this miracle happened. The parents then said to the Pharisees that their son was the age of an adult, and they can ask their son themselves, as he is old enough to be asked.

¹⁸ The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹ and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ ²⁰ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³ Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him’ (Jn. 9:18-23, NRSV).

 

(The Healed Blind Man before the Pharisees Picture)

So, the Pharisees bring the healed blind man back in for a second time, and picking up in john 9:24, it says, once again:

 

²⁴ So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ ²⁵ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ ²⁶ They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ ²⁷ He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ ²⁸ Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ ³⁰ The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ³² Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ ³⁴ They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out (Jn. 9:18-34, NRSV).

 

The Pharisees are trying to argue with the healed blind man that Jesus is a sinner. The healed man then says in 9:25, once again:

²⁵ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see’ (Jn. 9:25, NRSV).

 

Then the Pharisees wanted to hear again how exactly the man was healed. He told the Pharisees I have already told you. The healed man then says that this Jesus is from God. The Pharisees then attack the healed blind man, telling him we was born in sins. How dare he try to teach them?

(I was blind but now I see Picture)

Spiritual Blindness

 

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ³⁶ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ ³⁷ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ ³⁸ He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him. ³⁹ Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ ⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains                     (Jn. 9:35-42, NRSV).

 

          This lengthy gospel of John 9:1-41 reading then ends with Jesus seeing the man that he healed from blindness. Then the healed man finally realizes that it is Jesus, when Jesus says to healed man, that He is the one who healed him. Jesus then tells the healed man, that He came into this world for:

“judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind’” (Jn. 9:39b, NRSV).

 

The Pharisees then ask Jesus if they are blind. Jesus concludes our reading with John 9:41 saying:

‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains (Jn. 9:41b, NRSV).

 

          So, here is the question brothers and sisters, can you be blind in your eyes? Yes, of course. Can you see with your eyes, and be blind in your heart and your soul though? Or to say it another way, can you be blind physically, but see spiritually with your heart and your soul? Yes, you can.

          To prove this point, I want to show you a video called “The Bench”. Here it is:

(The Bench Video)

You see brothers and sisters, there is more than one way to see!

          To have this sermon walk out of the door with you into Adams and world, here are some sermon application points:

John 9:1-41 narrates Jesus healing a man born blind, using the miracle to illustrate that spiritual blindness—prideful rejection of truth by the Pharisees—is worse than physical blindness. It shows Jesus as the "Light of the World", highlighting that suffering allows God's works to be revealed. 

Key Themes and Interpretations:

·       Physical vs. Spiritual Sight: The man born blind gains physical sight and, subsequently, spiritual insight, acknowledging Jesus as the Son of Man. Conversely, the religious leaders, who claim to see, are shown to be spiritually blind and guilty of sin because they refuse to recognize the truth.

·       Purpose of Suffering: Contrary to the belief that blindness resulted from sin (either the man's or his parents'), Jesus explains it as an opportunity for "the works of God to be displayed".

·       The "Light of the World": Jesus declares himself the light of the world, emphasizing his role in bringing spiritual enlightenment to a darkened world.

·       Sabbath Controversy: The miracle occurred on the Sabbath, which furthered the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders.

·       The Journey of Faith: The healed man’s understanding of Jesus progresses from calling him "the man called Jesus," to "a prophet," and finally to worshipping him as Lord.

·       Rejection and Acceptance: The Pharisees reject the man and the miracle, while Jesus accepts and protects the man after he is cast out.

So, brothers and sisters, on this day that we celebrate the miracle of man being blind from birth, and being healed and able to see by Jesus, remember that we can see with eyes, and also with our hearts and our souls! Amen.

AVBC - Sunday 03/08/26 - Sermon Title: “Jesus Sought the Outcasts” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series (Part 3 of 7) - John 4:5-42

Sunday 03/08/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church

Sermon Title: “Jesus Sought the Outcasts” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series (Part 3 of 7) - John 4:5-42

 

(Welcome Picture)

          For the past two weeks, we have been walking through our season of Lent to Easter Sunday sermon series, called “The Path to the Empty Tomb.” During this season of Lent, which turns into Easter or Resurrection Sunday, this year on Sunday April 5^th, we are symbolically walking with Jesus to His Last Supper, to His cross, and then on Easter to His empty tomb.

          The hope of this sermon series is for us all to look at various aspects of who Jesus was and is, and how we can better relate to who Jesus was and is. Further, how we can better connect with the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus.

          So far in this “The Path to the Empty Tomb” sermon series, Jesus was tried and tested in the wilderness, as many of us have been and continue to be tried and tested in numerous ways in our lives. Last week we talked about how some of Jesus’ followers were very high up in society, and very affluent. Or as the sermon was called, once again, “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him.” We talked about how the Jewish leaders Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus followed and believed in Jesus and even buried him in the tomb on Good Friday.

          This morning though, I do not to just talk about regular folks like us that Jesus came for, which He did. What I want to talk about this morning instead, is the people that society has largely tossed aside and or shunned. This morning, title of my message, as part 3 of 7 of this “The Path to the Empty Tomb” Sermon Series is “Jesus Sought the Outcasts”. In every society, there generally is always a faction of people that are on the margins, and that feel cast aside. People that are not accepted by most people are often not included in the mainstream of societal life and are often looked down upon. These are people that are often judged and seen as lower class of people. Therefore, such people are seen as not being the same as us.   

          I am sure that whether we realize it or not, at some point we have all judged someone and or felt superior to someone, and someone maybe has made the same judgement of us. What is amazing about Jesus Christ our Lord though, is that He came to earth, and comes to us still. By “us,” I mean all people. Jesus came for everyone, and this includes the people that society rejected, for “Jesus Sought the Outcasts.”

          We had a long gospel of John reading this morning, and we will likewise have long scripture readings the next two Sundays, as we have some good passages to cover. One of the best passages in the gospels of Jesus seeking and loving “Outcasts,” is the story that is often called, “The Woman at the well,” that we have for this morning. The story of “The Woman at the well,” is only found in the gospel of John, and it is an amazing story of how Jesus went to an outcast woman. Not only this, but it is also a story of complete transformation of this outcast woman. Where we pick up in the gospel of the John this morning, we find ourselves at water well.

(Water Well Picture)

In fact, picking up again John 4:5-8, it says, once again of Jesus:                   

John 4:5-42

⁵ So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.

⁷ A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink’. ⁸ (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) (Jn. 4:5-8, NRSV).

 

          Jesus walks into Samaria, which was not Jewish, but the Samaritans did believe, generally speaking, in one God. Jesus goes to this woman at the well at about 12:00 PM, which is when it really gets hot. As a result, most people would draw water early in the morning, or maybe when the sun was setting, as it would cooler out. The Samaritan woman draws water and 12:00 PM, because she is an outcast in Samaria. It was also not good for a man and woman to be conversing by themselves, if the woman was not married to or related to the man. Jesus, therefore, was breaking social protocol, and was going to a woman who was an outcast. No doubt if the Pharisees showed up, they would have scolded to Jesus for privately talking with a woman who was not His wife and was not a family member. Yet Jesus did this anyway. Why? Well because as my sermon title for this morning is called, “Jesus Sought the Outcasts.” Jesus being fully God and fully already knew that the woman at the well was an outcast, and yet we wanted to offer her new life and transformation through Him. Jesus’ disciples had gone into the marketplaces in the city to buy food, while all of this was happening.

          Jesus just stands or sits on the edge of the well, and simply says to the Samaritan Woman, “Give me a drink.” This was no doubt shocking and startling to the Samaritan Woman. I mean after all, Jesus was not related her, and Jesus of course was never married. Further, Jesus is a Jew, not a Samaritan, and they have religious and cultural differences.

          In fact, as the gospel picks up starting in John 4:9 we hear once again:

 

⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?’ (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) ¹⁰ Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink”, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’ ¹¹ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? ¹² Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’ ¹³ Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life’

 

(John 4:14 Water/Scripture Picture)

          You see Jesus was not concerned about the literal water, Jesus saw a Samaritan woman, who was outcast, rejected, and He wanted to offer her eternal life. Forgiveness, heaven, restoration, but also transformation right now. Being changed from an outcast, rejected, mocked, and looked down upon, to being transformed spiritually from the inside out. Jesus offers the Samaritan Woman “living water,” or spiritual water.

          The gospel picks up in John 4:15, with the Samaritan Woman saying to Jesus, once again:

¹⁵ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.’ ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come back.’ ¹⁷ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!’ (Jn. 4:15-18, NRSV).

 

          So, the Samaritan woman thinks that Jesus is somehow offering her water that will physically quench her thirst on earth forever. Since the woman does not understand Jesus, and because Jesus wants her to change, repent, and be spiritually transformed, Jesus tells the woman to go and get her husband, and then the two of them should return to Him. The Samaritan woman, once again, tells Jesus that she has “no husband.” Jesus, knowing all things, said He knew this, and then said that the woman had five husbands. Further, the man she is living with now is not her husband either. The Samaritan woman does not seem angry however at Jesus saying this, but more excited and intrigued. The Samaritan woman tells Jesus, “What you have said is true!” Further, at this point, the Samaritan woman, realizes that this man, this Jesus, is not a Jew, and not just an ordinary man. In fact, she realizes that Jesus is much more than all of this.

          We know this, because picking up in John 4:19, this is what it says of the Samaritan woman:

¹⁹ The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I see that you are a prophet. ²⁰ Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.’ ²¹ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’ ²⁵ The woman said to him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.’ ²⁶ Jesus said to her, ‘I am he, the one who is speaking to you’ (Jn. 4:19-26, NRSV).

 

          Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that He is not just a prophet, but the promised one of God, the Messiah, the savior. Jesus said, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.” Right then, the disciples show up, and sure enough are astonished to see their Jewish Messiah talking privately with a Samarian woman. In fact, one disciple interrupts the conversation and wants to know why this conversation is taking place at all. At this point though, the Samaritan woman had already been changed, spiritual born anew, and went from outcast to the in crowd. Went from rejected too highly favored. Went from nothing to a child of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, redeemed by Jesus Christ.

          So, despite what the disciples said or there grumbling, the scripture says of the Samaritan woman picking up in John 4:28, this:

²⁸ Then the woman left her water-jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ²⁹ ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ (Jn. 4:28-29, NRSV).

 

(Come and See Picture)

The redeemed and changed Samaritan woman said, once again:

 

²⁹ ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?’ (Jn. 4:29, NRSV).

 

This is one depiction of the transformed Samaritan woman:

 

(Samaritan Woman Picture)

Now if I were one of the disciples, I probably would have jokingly yelled, “Ma’am you forgot your water!”

          After this, picking up in John 4:30, it says once again:

³⁰ They left the city and were on their way to him. ³¹ Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ ³² But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ ³³ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ ³⁴ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. ³⁵ Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. ³⁶ The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. ³⁷ For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” ³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor’                           (Jn. 4:30-38, NRSV)

 

          What Jesus is telling His disciples that His need to eat physical food in that moment, is much less important than Him bringing people to salvation in Him. Winning souls is His main mission on earth. Should we care for people physically? Of course, but Jesus is talking about His primary mission of redeeming and saving humanity.

          As the now newly spiritually reborn Samaritan woman at the well goes through the city, many then believe in Jesus. The gospel of John 4:5-42 reading for this morning, concluded with 4:39-42, saying once again of the Samaritan woman:

³⁹ Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I have ever done.’ ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there for two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word. ⁴² They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world’                            (Jn. 4:39-42, NRSV).

The rejected woman, who was looked down upon, who was despised, who was rejected, is now reborn and an evangelist. God uses her to draw countless people to Christ. For in the morning, she felt lowly, outcast, and rejected, but by the afternoon she was a completely new and changed person. She was, wait for it, the first woman evangelist in the New Testament.

          Dear brothers and sisters, “Jesus Sought the Outcasts.” Do we seek them too because they wants everyone to know Him! As we walk to “The Path to the Empty Tomb” on Easter morning, may we see the outcasts, the rejected, the despised, those whom society seems to have thrown away, and let us offer them living water in Jesus Christ.

          In making this sermon, “Jesus Sought the Outcasts,” be a sermon that can walk of out of the door with you today, and be a sermon that you can share with the world, here are some sermon application points to consider:

The story of the woman at the well (John 4) is significant because it highlights Jesus breaking social, gender, and religious taboos to offer "living water" (salvation) to a marginalized Samaritan sinner. As the first female evangelist in the Bible, she represents the universal reach of the Gospel and the power of personal testimony to convert others.

 

Key Aspects of Significance:

·       Breaking Barriers: Jesus defies Jewish-Samaritan animosity, gender norms, and social status by speaking with an outcast woman, showing that the Gospel is for all people, regardless of their past or status.

·       The First Evangelist: After her encounter, she immediately tells her townspeople about Jesus, leading many to believe, making her a model for missionary work and testimony.

·       Personalized Grace: Jesus reveals his knowledge of her complex, broken life (five previous husbands, currently living with a man) without condemning her, offering her a fresh start and spiritual fulfillment.

·       Theology of "Living Water": Jesus uses the physical, daily need for water to teach about spiritual, life-giving water that offers eternal life, focusing on the heart rather than just religious law.

·       Theological Debate: The passage features one of the longest, most profound theological conversations in the Bible, where Jesus reveals himself as the Messiah to her. 

In some traditions, she is venerated as Saint Photini (the "Luminous One").

          So, my friends, brothers, and sisters in Christ, as we are walking “The Path to the Empty Tomb” that is Easter morning, who are the outcasts around us? Are we willing to offer these outcasts and all people living water? If we do, what our God through Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirt can do! Amen

AVBC - Sunday 03/01/26 - Sermon Title: “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” (Part 2 of 7) - John 3:1-17

Sunday 03/01/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church

Sermon Title: “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him” - “The Path to the Empty Tomb” (Part 2 of 7) - John 3:1-17

 

(Welcome Picture)

          I have a question for us to think about this morning. This question might not be directly connected to us, but it will connect more to us as this message goes on. The question is this, were all of Jesus Christ’s followers on earth all regular working-class people? Meaning, were all of Jesus’ followers’ “regular people”? Or were some of Jesus’ followers very high up in society, and very affluent? You may have never thought about this question before, as the fisherman that Jesus called were hard working, and what we would often call “blue collar” workers. Were all of Jesus’ followers on earth like this though, or did and do all sorts of people follow Jesus?

          The answer is all sorts of people did and do still follow Jesus. For these reasons, and more, my message this morning is called of Jesus, “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him.” This is part of this sermon series called “The Path to the Empty Tomb,” as this sermon series will end with the empty tomb of Jesus on Easter or Resurrection Sunday.

Getting back to the sermon title of “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him” though, if all sorts of people followed Jesus, and if wealthy and affluent people also followed Jesus, this means in our country and around the world there must be wealthy and prominent people that claim to be devout Christians and followers of Jesus Christ. There are people that believe in and love Jesus, it included people from all walks of life. In fact, having shown some of the portraits at in the entrance area to the sanctuary, this church has had some very significant and prominent members over the years. I say all of this to point us to the fact that Jesus calls everyone, and that people of all walks of life respond to that call. It begs the question then, who is part of the Christian Church? Historically and even today, all sorts of people are part of the church, for we all need Jesus. Amen.

          In doing a little research of very wealthy and prominent people that followed Jesus just during his life here are on earth, here is a brief list that I found:

“Wealthy and prominent followers of Jesus during his lifetime included Joseph of Arimathea (a wealthy Sanhedrin member who provided a tomb), Nicodemus (a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews), and women supporters such as Joanna (wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward) and Susanna. Other notable followers included Zacchaeus (a wealthy chief tax collector) and likely Lazarus of Bethany” (https://www.google.com/search?q=wealthy+and+prominent+followers+of+jesus+when+he+was+alive).

 

          For those that do not know, when Jesus was put in the tomb on that first Good Friday, after he died on the cross, it was not his tomb. The tomb that Jesus was buried or laid in belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, who was a wealthy member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. Meaning that Jesus was literally put in another man’s tomb on Good Friday. Since Jesus was buried or laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and since Joseph of Arimathea was part of the Sanhedrin, just what is the Sanhedrin? Here is a good definition:

“The Sanhedrin was the supreme Jewish legislative, judicial, and administrative council in ancient Israel” (https://www.google.com/search?q=did+the+sandherin+try+Jesus+on+Good+Friday).

          This means that early in the morning on that first Good Friday that this was the same group of leaders that tried Jesus and determined that he needed to die for claiming that He was God in the flesh. In fact, they tore their robes, which they only did in response to the most grievous of religious blasphemy.

(Joseph of Arimathea taking Jesus’s body - Picture)

          After Jesus was taken off the cross on Good Friday, at the request of the Sanhedrin member Joseph of Arimathea to Pontius Pilate. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus then prepared Jesus’ body and buried or entombed him together.

Nicodemus though is who I want to focus on this morning, as “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him.” Before getting into talking about Nicodemus though, who here honestly has never heard of the character in the bible named Nicodemus?

(Nicodemus/Jeff Foxworthy - Picture)

If you do not know who Nicodemus is, you will be by the end of this sermon! For he is important.

          Nicodemus was a Pharisee. The Pharisees were teachers and interpreters of the Jewish Law and beliefs. Nicodemus was a very influential man, and likely of man wealth and certainly influence. Nicodemus also could not deny everything that he saw Jesus do and could not fully explain Jesus’ teachings. As a result, Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night to figure out once and for all, just who is this Jesus.

(Nicodemus at the Table with Jesus - Picture)

          In looking at our gospel of John 3:1-17 reading for this morning, it says, once again:

Nicodemus Visits Jesus

3 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ ³ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ ⁴ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ ⁵ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶ What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” ⁸ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ ⁹ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ ¹⁰ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? ¹¹ ‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ¹⁶ ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷ ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (Jn. 3:1-17, NRSV).

 

So, to summarize and explain John 3:1-17 once again:

Nicodemus was a first-century Jewish Pharisee, and also a member of the Sanhedrin council, like Joseph of Arimathea and a "teacher of Israel" who secretly revered Jesus. Featured only in the Gospel of John, he is known for visiting Jesus at night to learn about the kingdom of God, prompting Jesus to explain the necessity of being "born again" (John 3:1-21).

Key Interactions and Role:

·       The Night Visit (John 3): As a cautious seeker, Nicodemus approached Jesus at night, acknowledging him as a teacher from God. Jesus taught him that seeing the kingdom requires being born of water and the Spirit.

·       Defender of Jesus (John 7): When the Pharisees sought to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus interrupted to demand a fair trial according to the law

·       Burial of Jesus (John 19): Following the crucifixion, Nicodemus openly identified with Jesus by helping Joseph of Arimathea bury him, bringing a massive, expensive mixture of myrrh and aloes (about 100 pounds) to prepare the body. 

 

Specifically, it says this of the burial of Jesus in John 19:38-42, which mentioned just a minute ago:

The Burial of Jesus

 

³⁸ After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. ³⁹ Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. ⁴⁰ They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. ⁴¹ Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there (Jn. 19:38-42, NRSV).

          Not only did Joseph of Arimathea follow and love Jesus, but so did Nicodemus. It has always made me wonder, as well, if there were other Pharisees, members of the Sanhedrin, and the Sadducees who also secretly followers of Jesus? I mean everyone has but one life to give up, but when people of wealth and prominence follow Christ, sometimes historically they have given up a lot.

          At the one of the churches that I served for five-years, there was a Christian Men’s organization that every year would offer, for free, lawn signs saying something about the coming birth of Jesus Christ. As I was writing this sermon, I thought of a lawn sign we were given one year that spoke of so much of this sermon for this morning. You see, one year the lawn signs that we had said of Jesus, “Wise Men Still Seek Him:

(Wise Men Still Seek Him - Picture)

You see the Wise Men or Magi were men of wealth and influence, and yet they traveled a long distance to see this Christ, this savior that came into the world. The hope of Jesus Christ is universal, and we all need His love, His grace, His mercy, and the hope that only He can offer everyone.

To me Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were Godly men. They were both willing to admit when they were wrong, ask tough questions, and they were both willing to learn and grow. Nicodemus once again went to Jesus in the middle of the night because he just had to know. I still believe, once again, without knowing for certain that other wealthy affluent people secretly believed in and followed Jesus but did not want to pay the price of what following Him meant. You see my brothers and sisters to follow Christ as Lord and Savior will and continues to cost us something. If much of the world is against the gospel, then we will pay a price for those that oppose it.

For example, if you look at the painting up front here in the sanctuary of the “Rich Young Ruler,” which is a parable in the gospels of Matthew 19, Mark 10, and Luke 18. In this parable, the “Rich Young Ruler” sees Jesus and tells Him that he has done everything right religiously, followed all the scriptures to the letter, etc. So, he asks Jesus, what else he needs to do to have eternal life. Jesus tells him to sell everything he owns, give the money to the poor, and follow Him. The “Rich Young Ruler,” looks sad and walks away from Jesus. Then Jesus says in Matthew 19:23-24 this:

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’ (Matt. 19:23-24, NRSV).

          It is not a sin to be successful, and it is not a sin have wealth, but it is a sin to put anything before Jesus. It is a sin worship wealth and possession over God, and pastor that painted this portrait with chalk reminded us that Christ has to be first in our live. The “Rich Young Ruler” however, loved his possessions and wealth more than Jesus. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea risked a lot to follow Jesus, as do many. However, sometimes it seems that the more possessions and the more someone has, it can make it harder to choose Jesus first.

          Further, the ministry of Jesus, and of many in the early church, was assisted financially by people of wealth and influence. For “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him.”

          To bring this all home the, why is Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathea for that matter, important the life of Jesus, and why do “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him?”

Here is why:

Nicodemus is a crucial figure in the Gospel of John, representing the intellectual, religious elite who journeys from cautious skepticism to open discipleship. As a Pharisee and Sanhedrin ruler, his nighttime visit (John 3) highlights the need for spiritual rebirth, while his later defense of Jesus (John 7) and assisting with the burial (John 19) mark his transition from darkness to light.

 

Key Reasons for Importance:

 

·       The "Born Again" Discourse (John 3): Nicodemus serves as the foil for Jesus to explain the necessity of being "born again" (spiritual regeneration) and belief in the Son of Man to enter the Kingdom of God, providing the context for John 3:16.

·       Symbol of Transformation (Night to Light): He starts by coming at night (symbolizing ignorance or fear) but gradually moves toward the light, representing a journey of faith that moves beyond rigid legalism to understanding.

·       Representative of Seeking Elite: Unlike many Pharisees, Nicodemus acknowledges Jesus as a teacher sent by God, showing that even within the religious establishment, some were drawn to Jesus.

·       A Voice of Reason (John 7): He advocates for fairness within the Sanhedrin, asking if the law can judge someone without hearing them, demonstrating his growing courage.

·       The Burial of Jesus (John 19): Alongside Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus provides a large amount of spices to bury Jesus, showing his open devotion and wealth, defying the typical "secret disciple" status. 

 

Nicodemus represents a personal, intellectual, and ultimately committed journey to faith, contrasting with the superficial belief of others. 

 

          So, on this “Path to the Empty Tomb” of Easter morning, may we understand why “The Wealthy and Prominent Seek Him,” along with every walk of life. For truth, hope, love, and salvation are available to all through Jesus Christ. We seek Him, may we service Him, and may He be the very center of our lives and beings. Amen.