March 22, 2026 - I was Blind now I See (John 9 - Norm Byers)

God does not use billboards. He does not use billboards. No. He puts lives on display. He puts people that he has changed by his power, he puts them out there. So God displays his power through lives. He doesn't use billboards. He takes a life. He changes it. And suddenly, people can't ignore. Something happened. Something went down. And they they can't ignore what God has done. God is at work. Something beyond what you and I can do. [00:37:30] (43 seconds)

He knows very little. But he says, I know what he said. I did what he excuse me. I did what he said, and then I could see. It's that simple. I mean, we think, oh, I gotta be able to give this long speech if I tell my story and what Jesus did. No. Just say what he did. He he he's pointing his neighbors. They're asking him questions. He's like, this is what happened. He's pointing the ones closest to him. [00:54:23] (31 seconds)

And let me just tell you this, though. And you may struggle with resentment. There may be someone watching or someone in the room here. You struggle with resentment. And it's like a set of chains that is on you. It holds you down. It keeps you from doing anything. And you can't get better when you're bitter. You can't get better when you're bitter. You're you're just bitter. And you're chained. You're held down. [00:57:29] (28 seconds)

So putting your story on display, it strengthens others. It builds a bridge for others, And it strengthens your faith. It grows your faith. The man who could not see becomes the man who clearly sees who Jesus is. Don't you want that to be you? Like, you you are growing to know who he is more by thinking about your story and what he's done and then being able to share that. [01:07:43] (28 seconds)

So how do you put God's work on display? The first way is be honest about your brokenness. That's the first way we're talking about. Here's the second way. You point clearly to what Jesus did for you. You point clearly to what Jesus did for you. That's that's number two. This man doesn't know everything about Jesus, does he? You can kinda tell. Oh, the man they call Jesus. He doesn't got a theology degree. [00:53:46] (28 seconds)

So the whole point of your story is not you. Does that make sense? Is that too pointed, pastor John? The whole point of your story is not you. It's not me. It's that God would be revealed. Is that God people would have handles to grab on to who God is, the the story of God and how he works. That's that's what it's all about. [00:55:46] (28 seconds)

And but what happened is God began to show me that I was really like my dad. I was a sinner. I I was selfish. I did things. I I had an awareness. Yeah. I'm not perfect either at that time. And and I had sinned against God, but God through Christ had offered forgiveness to me, where I could be forgiven by grace without paying off my debt. And because of that, if that was true for me, if I trusted him, I I needed to be able to let go. [00:57:57] (35 seconds)

I needed to be able to let go and forgive my father. And I still remember the day when I went over to his house. I was in college in Ohio. I'm 18 years old. Came home, went over to my dad's house, Southern Michigan, looked him in the eye, and told him I forgave him. And it was the most freeing thing I ever did in my life. You know? [00:58:32] (21 seconds)