Rejecting Truth: The Tragedy of Spiritual Blindness

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 5, verse 43, Jesus presents a profound truth about human nature and the rejection of divine truth. He states, "I am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." This statement highlights the tragic irony of humanity's tendency to reject the truth of God while readily accepting falsehoods presented by others. Jesus addresses the Jews who, despite witnessing His miracles and hearing His teachings, refuse to accept Him as the Son of God. They are blinded by their own prejudices and misconceptions, unable to recognize the divine truth standing before them.

The core issue, as Jesus explains, is sin. Sin blinds and fools humanity, distorting judgment and understanding. It leads people to pride themselves on their supposed wisdom and discernment, yet they fail to recognize the truth when it is presented to them. This blindness is not merely intellectual but deeply moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. Sin causes people to love darkness rather than light, to prefer the comforting lies of false prophets over the challenging truth of God.

Throughout history, this pattern repeats itself. Humanity has consistently rejected those who come in God's name, from Noah to the prophets, to Jesus Himself. Instead, people have often embraced those who come in their own name, offering false hope and empty promises. This is a reflection of the world's moral condition, where the love of sin and hatred of the light prevail.

The sermon calls for a deep introspection and a turning away from this tragic pattern. It urges individuals to recognize their own blindness and depravity, to seek the mercy of God, and to embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Only through divine intervention and the miracle of regeneration can one truly see and appreciate the glory and love of God manifested in Christ.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Rejection of Divine Truth: Humanity's tendency to reject Jesus, who comes in the name of the Father, while accepting others who come in their own name, highlights a deep-seated spiritual blindness caused by sin. This blindness is not just intellectual but moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. [07:45]

2. The Deceptive Nature of Sin: Sin blinds and fools us, distorting our judgment and understanding. It leads us to pride ourselves on our supposed wisdom, yet we fail to recognize the truth when it is presented to us. This deception is a profound tragedy, as it prevents us from seeing the glory and love of God. [11:57]

3. Historical Pattern of Rejection: Throughout history, humanity has consistently rejected those who come in God's name, from the prophets to Jesus Himself. Instead, people have often embraced false prophets and leaders who offer empty promises. This pattern reflects the world's moral condition, where the love of sin and hatred of the light prevail. [19:45]

4. The Moral Root of Blindness: The explanation for humanity's blindness and lack of judgment is not intellectual but moral. Sin depraves our moral nature, leading us to believe falsehoods that align with our desires and prejudices. This moral corruption is the root cause of our rejection of divine truth. [31:38]

5. The Call to Repentance and Regeneration: The sermon calls for a deep introspection and a turning away from the tragic pattern of rejecting divine truth. It urges individuals to recognize their own blindness and depravity, to seek the mercy of God, and to embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Only through divine intervention and the miracle of regeneration can one truly see and appreciate the glory and love of God. [49:44]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to John 5:43
- [01:10] - The Miracle at Bethesda
- [02:17] - Evidence of John the Baptist
- [03:11] - The Evidence of Scriptures
- [04:15] - The Love of God is Absent
- [05:25] - Jesus' Claim and Rejection
- [06:22] - The World's Readiness to Accept Others
- [08:05] - The Predicament of the World
- [09:33] - Sin as the Root Cause
- [10:23] - Sin's Deception and Blindness
- [12:52] - Historical Examples of Rejection
- [19:45] - The World's Embrace of False Prophets
- [23:37] - Rejection of God's Messengers
- [31:38] - Moral Depravity and Blindness
- [39:23] - The Hatred of Light and Truth
- [49:44] - Call to Repentance and Acceptance of Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 5:43

Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "I am come in my father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive"? How does this statement reflect the behavior of the Jews at that time? [00:31]
2. How does the sermon describe the reaction of the Jews to Jesus' miracles and teachings? What reasons are given for their rejection of Him? [01:10]
3. According to the sermon, what evidence did Jesus present to the Jews to prove His divine authority? [02:17]
4. What historical examples are provided in the sermon to illustrate humanity's tendency to reject those who come in God's name? [18:23]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the role of sin in blinding humanity to divine truth? What are the implications of this blindness for individuals and society? [09:33]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that sin distorts human judgment and understanding? How does this affect our ability to recognize truth? [10:23]
3. The sermon mentions a historical pattern of rejecting God's messengers. What does this pattern reveal about human nature and our relationship with God? [19:45]
4. How does the sermon describe the moral root of humanity's blindness? What does this suggest about the nature of sin and its impact on our lives? [31:38]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you might have rejected a truth because it was uncomfortable or challenging. How can you become more open to accepting divine truth, even when it challenges your current beliefs? [49:44]
2. The sermon calls for introspection and repentance. What steps can you take this week to examine your own spiritual blindness and seek God's mercy? [49:44]
3. Consider the ways in which sin might be distorting your judgment or understanding. How can you seek God's wisdom to overcome these distortions? [10:23]
4. The sermon highlights the importance of recognizing and rejecting false prophets. How can you discern between true and false teachings in your spiritual journey? [19:45]
5. How can you actively embrace the truth of Jesus Christ in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to deepen your relationship with Him? [49:44]
6. Reflect on the historical pattern of rejecting God's messengers. How can you ensure that you are receptive to God's voice and guidance in your life today? [19:45]
7. The sermon emphasizes the need for regeneration and a new understanding. What specific areas of your life do you feel need transformation through God's intervention? [49:44]

Devotional

Day 1: The Irony of Rejection
Humanity often rejects divine truth, as seen in Jesus' words in John 5:43, where He highlights the tendency to accept falsehoods over God's truth. This rejection is not merely a misunderstanding but a deep-seated spiritual blindness caused by sin. Despite witnessing Jesus' miracles and teachings, many refused to accept Him as the Son of God, blinded by their own prejudices and misconceptions. This blindness is both intellectual and moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. The tragic irony is that people are more willing to embrace those who come in their own name, offering false hope and empty promises, rather than the challenging truth of God. [07:45]

Jeremiah 5:21-23 (ESV): "Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. Do you not fear me? declares the Lord. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you find yourself rejecting God's truth in favor of more comfortable falsehoods? How can you begin to open your heart to His challenging truth today?


Day 2: The Deception of Sin
Sin has a deceptive nature that blinds and fools us, distorting our judgment and understanding. It leads us to pride ourselves on our supposed wisdom, yet we fail to recognize the truth when it is presented to us. This deception is a profound tragedy, as it prevents us from seeing the glory and love of God. Sin causes us to love darkness rather than light, preferring the comforting lies of false prophets over the challenging truth of God. This blindness is not just intellectual but deeply moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. [11:57]

Isaiah 44:18-20 (ESV): "They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, 'Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?' He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'"

Reflection: Identify a specific area in your life where sin has distorted your judgment. How can you seek God's wisdom and truth to overcome this deception today?


Day 3: Historical Rejection of God's Messengers
Throughout history, humanity has consistently rejected those who come in God's name, from the prophets to Jesus Himself. Instead, people have often embraced false prophets and leaders who offer empty promises. This pattern reflects the world's moral condition, where the love of sin and hatred of the light prevail. The rejection of divine truth is not a new phenomenon but a recurring theme throughout history, highlighting the deep-seated spiritual blindness caused by sin. This blindness is not just intellectual but deeply moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. [19:45]

2 Chronicles 36:15-16 (ESV): "The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you have rejected a message from God. What steps can you take to be more receptive to His messengers in the future?


Day 4: The Moral Root of Blindness
The explanation for humanity's blindness and lack of judgment is not intellectual but moral. Sin depraves our moral nature, leading us to believe falsehoods that align with our desires and prejudices. This moral corruption is the root cause of our rejection of divine truth. The blindness caused by sin is not just a lack of understanding but a deep-seated moral issue that prevents us from recognizing the truth when it is presented to us. This moral depravity leads us to love darkness rather than light, preferring the comforting lies of false prophets over the challenging truth of God. [31:38]

Ephesians 4:17-19 (ESV): "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where moral blindness has taken root. How can you invite God's light to illuminate this area and lead you to truth?


Day 5: The Call to Repentance and Regeneration
The sermon calls for a deep introspection and a turning away from the tragic pattern of rejecting divine truth. It urges individuals to recognize their own blindness and depravity, to seek the mercy of God, and to embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Only through divine intervention and the miracle of regeneration can one truly see and appreciate the glory and love of God. This call to repentance is not just a one-time event but a continual process of turning away from sin and embracing the truth of God. It requires a recognition of our own blindness and a willingness to seek God's mercy and grace. [49:44]

Titus 3:4-7 (ESV): "But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to turn away from sin and embrace the truth of Jesus Christ? How can you seek God's mercy and grace in this process?

Quotes



The core issue, as Jesus explains, is sin. Sin blinds and fools humanity, distorting judgment and understanding. It leads people to pride themselves on their supposed wisdom and discernment, yet they fail to recognize the truth when it is presented to them. This blindness is not merely intellectual but deeply moral, rooted in a depraved nature that resists the light of truth. [00:09:33]

Sin fools us and blinds us. What I mean by that is that sin deprives us of wisdom and of understanding and of judgment. That is the most devastating thing about Sin. Sin has affected men in the very highest part of his being and there is nothing higher in men than his judgment, his understanding, his reason. [00:10:23]

The world honors men who come in their own name. He says if any man will come shall come in his own name, him you will receive. You won't receive me, but if a man shall come in his own name, you expert judges, you Builders, you people who you'll fall at his feet and you'll receive him. [00:17:01]

The false prophets always tell us exactly what we want to be told, and that's why we believe. Now we think we're intellectual, of course. Great Men, this we say. Great Brain, this is a great philosopher, this. He writes a book, "Why I am not a Christian." Oh, this is pure intellect, is it? [00:32:43]

The world is ready to believe the most fantastic and impossible things and claims. Yes, but it's equally true on the other side, isn't it, that the world refuses those who come in God's name. I am coming in my father's name, and he receives me not. There's nothing new about that. [00:23:37]

The explanation of the blindness and the lack of judgment is not intellectual at all. It is always purely moral, and it is because sin depraves us in a moral sense that our judgment is vitiated. We like to think that we are pure intellects, don't we, and that with our marvelous brains we take an objective view. [00:31:38]

The world thinks that it knows and that it understands, that it's got judgment and that it can choose. It believes it knows its greatest and best men and its true benefactors, and it goes after them and it trusts itself to them. This is the thing that seems to me to constitute the whole essence of the tragedy. [00:15:25]

The world has been doing from the very D of recorded history. And what makes it so urgent is this: this is the whole cause of the predicament of the world this very evening. Look at the terrible trouble the world is in. Why is it in this kind of trouble? [00:08:05]

The world is always ready to believe in any man that sets himself up in his own name and says, "Am I not wonderful?" The world says yes. The world takes him in at his own evaluation. If a man just stands before the world and says certain things about himself, the world is very ready to listen. [00:22:17]

The world runs after the wrong and enthrones it and gives it its Allegiance. Truth is Forever on the scaffold. Those who are sent by God receive persecution and rejection and refusal. I am come in my father's name, and you receive me, but if another shall come in his own name, you who are so clever... [00:30:38]

The Bible tells us the simple plain truth about us and our lives. It tells us that in us there is no good thing at all, that we are selfish and self-centered, governed by lust and passion and desire and Malice and Spite and hatred. Is that sort of thing popular? Of course, it isn't. [00:40:23]

The sermon calls for a deep introspection and a turning away from this tragic pattern. It urges individuals to recognize their own blindness and depravity, to seek the mercy of God, and to embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Only through divine intervention and the miracle of regeneration can one truly see and appreciate the glory and love of God. [00:49:44]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 25, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?