Waiting rooms, Part 2
Better or Bitter, John 9:1-34
Sunday, — MRWC
Well, good morning Church, Its nice to be with you this morning. Welcome to Part 2 of the Waiting Rooms sermon series.
This series was born out of… you can probably guess… a waiting room!
I’ve spent countless hours in a waiting room; some of you have spent countless hours in a waiting room as well.
Most of us have come to the same conclusion while we are in a waiting room:
Waiting is no fun!
However, and here is the strange twist to being in a waiting room of some sort: God does some of His best work while we wait.
In what is our Key verse for this series, we are told that:
“…those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)
God does something to us— rather in us—as we wait upon Him.
If you remember, the first lesson in this series, we looked at the paralyzed man, whose story is told in Mark chapter 2.
This man needed someone who would take him to Jesus, because he was physically unable to get to Jesus on his own.
He had four friends who took him, and placed him right in front of Jesus.
the life lesson from this account, is that we all need someone to take us to Jesus.
Each one of us is going to have a bad day, or even a bad week, and we are going to need someone who will take us to Jesus.
As we live in the waiting room we call life dealing with our stuff, we need someone who will diligently and faithfully take us to Jesus.
I trust that you gave some spiritual horsepower to finding someone who you could ask to take you to Jesus; we all need someone who will do this for us.
This morning I would like to try to unpack the second life lesson that God is teaching me in this season of life; in this waiting room.
It’s the story of the man who was born blind, and his story is recorded for us in John chapter nine, and I’ve asked My lovely assistant to read this chapter for us.
READ JOHN 9:1-34
As Jesus and His disciples were waling along, probably along the temple grounds, His disciples noticed a blind man who had been blind from birth.
Immediately, the disciples asked Jesus a question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2, NIV)
There was a popular opinion in Jesus’ day that stated that physical disability— such as being born blind— was the result of sin. either the sin of this man’s parents or even this man' s own sin.
(The sin could have been committed while this man was in the womb or as he was making an appearance into the world.)
While its true that sickness is the result of sin, this wasn't the case of this man. I know this to be true because of the words Jesus spoke next:
“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.” (John 9:3, NLT2)
Let’s push the pause button on this story for a few moments and unpack Jesus’ response.
I can almost hear the born blind man say the following: “You mean to tell me that I had to go through life not seeing the leaves, not seeing the sun set, not seeing my parent’s faces…
I couldn't play dodge ball with the other kids, or couldn't even see the Brussel sprouts my mother made me eat?
I went though life not seeing at all so God glory could be seen in me? For reals, God? What’s the deal with that?
Allow me to put a modern day spin on this…
ILLUSTRATION- Six years ago I found myself sitting in the doctor’s office explaining to him that i was tired all of the time and I wanted to know why.
So he ordered blood work and the ball started rolling to me finding out that my liver wasn't liver-ing correctly, and I would need a transplant, 5-10- or even 20 years down the road.
Fast forward to June 9, 2015- the date of transplant number one. it went ok… for the first two weeks, then complication after complication, test after test, tube after tube, needle after needle, waiting room after waiting room.
What’s going on, God?
Fast forward a little bit more to January 11th of this year. This was the date that I received word that my new liver was in, and I would be headed down to Halifax for transplant number 2.
I was ok for a few days, until I started not being ok.
I said the words that puts the fear of God into my wife: “I don’t feel good” and then I don’t remember what happened for about the next 6 weeks.
What I do remember is that i wasn't in good shape. I do remember the doctor telling us, that if he hadn't ripped me open when he did, I probably wouldn't be with you today.
Fast forward a little bit more to May of this year. I had an arterial anyesurem that almost killed me, and infact it killed off about 40% of my new liver.
We had to spend forever living in halifax running test after test to make sure things went alright.
So, God, you mean to tell me that my family and I had to endure this season of life just to display Your Glory?
While I don't have things figured out as of yet— and maybe I never will— I chose to believe and it is a choice, I chose to believe that God is telling His story trough me, what has happened to me is for God’s glory.
it;s as John the Baptist once said: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John 3:30, NLT2)
Your situation, however bad it might be, is for God to write His story on your life.
Your situation happened so God might work out His will in your life.
Paul reminded us in Romans 8 that: “…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28, NIV)
you see loved one, and this is today’s take away— if you get nothing else from church today, I want you to get this: “You can either be bitter at God, or you can be better for God.”
The man who was born blind chose to be better. The Pharisees chose to be bitter.
at least three times the Pharisees questioned this man and/or his parents. They wanted to know if he was truly born blind; and they asked this man Who it was that healed him.
When the man answered the Pharisees questions by saying that Jesus had healed him, they tossed him out of the synagogue.
They were bitter— no one but God can heal— especially on the sabbath.
The man born blind was better. He even sought Jesus out. He truthfully and faithfully proclaimed that Jesus had healed him.
Look at John 9:25: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” (NIV) “Fellows: I admit I was born blind, but now I can see!”
ILLUSTRATION- Brennan Manning, in his book, Ruthless Trust, tells the following story:
A water-bearer in India had two large pots. Each hung on opposite ends of a pole that he carried across his neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other was perfect. The latter always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house. The cracked pot arrived only half-full.
Every day for a full two years, the water-bearer delivered only one and a half pots of water.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, because it had fulfilled magnificently the purpose for which it had been made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its imperfection, miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After the second year of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, the unhappy pot spoke to the water- bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you," the pot said.
"Why?" asked the bearer, "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house.
Because of my flaws, you have to do all this work and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water-bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the beautiful wildflowers on the side of the path, bright in the sun's glow, and the sight cheered it up a bit.
But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad that it had leaked out half of its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, not on the other pot's side?
That is because I have always known about your flaw, and I have taken advantage of it.
I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day, as we have walked back from the stream, you have watered them.
For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.
Without you being just the way you are, he would not have had this beauty to grace his house." (from my files)
Friends; God sees and knows all about your issues. the truth of the matter is that we are all cracked pots!
we’ve all got issues that we must deal with and we can either be bitter at God, or we can be better for God.
My mind immediately flashes back to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Old Testament book of Daniel.
The king of the day, had created “…a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide…” (Dan. 3:1, NLT2)
Then the King had summoned everyone from everywhere far and wide to the dedication of this massive beast of a statue, and told them that whenever they heard the music playing they were to bow down in worship—
if they didn't born down in worship to this statue, they would “immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” (Dan. 3:6b, NIV)
Everyone in the land bowed down in worship to this image whenever the music came across their iPods, everyone except S. M. and A.
Because of this refusal, they were summoned to the king, and were reminded of what they were supposed to do, and even told of the consequences for not obeying the king’s edict.
They responded to the king in this way: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.
18 But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (dan. 3:16-18, NLT2)
Friends, God is able to deliver you from whatever might come against you: sickness, disease, darkness, destruction, death— God can stop all of this, He is able.
but what if He doesn’t? What if you find yourself in the middle of the furnace— in a waiting room— dealing with one of life’s curve balls?
Know that God is able to deliver you from any situation— but if He leaves you in a waiting room— will you be bitter at God, or will you be better for God?
So, what is it that I want you to do? A couple of things:
1.Take a few moments and allow God to Search your heart.
The Psalmist wrote: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (139:23-24, NIV)
I think it’s ok to be angry at God for your situation; I think it’s ok to question God for your situation.
ILLUSTRATION- AS I was lying on a hospital bed in sever pain, I questioned God. I asked Him what was going on, did He really know what He was doing?
Did I really have to endure the mess that I was going through?
I allowed myself to question God, but at the end of the day I chose to be better for God and said Let your will be done.
I realize that some of you are not at the same point in your walk with Jesus.
you’re still angry with your loss.
You’re still angry because of a particular hurt.
Allow yourself time to be angry. but don’t harden your heart.
Hebrews 3:12 reads: “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” (NIV)
Don’t allow your heart to become hard towards God.
The situation you’re in right now is the one that God wants to use to write a better story— His Story— to show His Glory in your life.
“This happened so that the work of God might be displayed (in our lives)” (John 9:3, NIV)
Please don’t harden your heart towards God. I know that life in a waiting room is difficult, but I also know that my God is greater, my God is stronger, and my God is with us each step of the way!
You do have a choice today— will you be bitter at God for placing you in a waiting room, or will you be better for God and live believing and anticipating that He as a purpose for placing you in your current situation.
maybe you;re not in a waiting room right now. things are going well for you, life seems to be pretty good, and this is the second take away from today’s message: BE THANKFUL!
And pray for those who are in a waiting room. pick up the phone, send an email, cook a meal, encourage those who are dealing with rough situations, be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are in a waiting room.
In just a moment we’re going to sing about God’s faithfulness and if you’d like to come to the front and have someone pray with and for you, feel free to come— or you can remain where you are and have someone pray for you there—-
Whatever you chose to do, I want you to talk to God.
waiting rooms are rough, but “while we wait, God is at work.” And: “…those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, NKJV)
Sing- Great is Thy faithfulness.
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