Everyday Jesus | Week 5

Written By David Hedrick

BIG IDEA: WE ARE ALL BORN BLIND BUT BY GRACE WE CAN SEE THE HOPE THAT JESUS GIVE THROUGH HIS SALVATION. 

READ THIS BEFORE YOUR GROUP BEGINS 

NOTE TO THE LEADERS

This discussion guide is a help for you to engage and steer the conversation within your group.  You do not have to read every question; this is just a resource for you to move the big idea forward. 

Do your best to make the story come to life by asking questions that will spur your group conversations that make this story come alive and become applicable to their lives.   

GETTING STARTED 

Ask everyone how they are doing and allow them to interact and share about what’s going on in their life with all the chaos.  

  • What are some positives that have come out of this time of quarantine?  

DIGGING IN 

Read John 9:1-2  

People react to tragedy in different ways. Most reactions begin with the question, “Why?”. 

Why did this tragedy happen to this person? Why is this child handicap?  

  • I can’t hardly watch those Saint Jude or Shriner’s hospital commercials.  

  • “Why” is a natural response to tragic circumstances

  • What makes the disciples question of “why” unusual?  

(They sought to lay blame on the blind man or his parents.) 

SAY: 

In the time of this story taking place, when something was wrong or something bad happened the idea was that the person must have done something bad and God was punishing them. In this case, the parents did something bad so the child was handicap as the parent’s punishment. 

  • Have you ever felt like God was punishing you when something bad happened to you? 

  • Every action has a consequence. But is every bad thing that happens a result of an action we did? 

SAY 

Since this man was born blind, he had been labeled as a sinner his whole life.

  • What are some labels you or someone you may know have been wrongly given based on circumstances outside their control? 

Read John 9:3  

  • So, is Jesus saying this man was blind at birth because God wanted to show His power? 

SAY

Not really, he was saying that this happened, and God would use it to show His power. 

Read John 9:6-7  

Then he (Jesus) spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So, the man went and washed and came back seeing! 

SAY

Gross. Sometimes things get worse before they get better.  

The man maybe was even thinking “Thanks a lot Jesus. I went from being blind, to being blind with spit and mud on my face.” 

None the less the man went and did as Jesus said.  

  • Did you notice that Jesus didn’t say if you go wash the spit and mud out of off your face you would be able to see again?  

Read: John 9:8-11  

SAY

Jesus used the blind man to help others see.  

  • Has there ever been a bad situation that you have experienced that God has used to help others?  

Read John 9:16  

  • Why are the Pharisees whining?  

Jesus broke their rules to help the blind man.  

  • How can religion become dangerous?  

Because we can become more concerned with the rules than being a blessing to people.  

Read John 9:35-41  

Say

As always Jesus main purpose is to open our eyes to the truth that we need a Him for salvation.  

NEXT STEP 

What blinds others to see Jesus is the hope of the world?  

What are some ways we can help others see?  

What do we allow to blind our faith in difficult situations?

David Hedrick
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Everyday Jesus | Week 6