Advent: The Light Within

Sermon Outline for December 11, 2022
ADVENT 2022: The Light Within

John 9:35-41

Question: Why do some people see the light of Christ and others do not?
The Son of Man (vv. 35-38)
Daniel 7:13-14,
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of
heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and
sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting
dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
The Judgement Christ Brings (vv. 39-41)
John 3:16-21,
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world
through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned
already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has
come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who
does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever
lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in
the sight of God.
Answer: Those who recognize their spiritual blindness will embrace the light Christ brings. Those
who claim spiritual sight apart from Christ will remain in their blindness.
Application: Step into the Light, and let the light of Christ shine on your heart.
Questions for Discuss:
• Throughout the story of the man born blind, there is a progression of his understanding who
Jesus is (from “a man called Jesus” to “a prophet” to eventually worshipping Jesus). What
seems to drive this progressive understanding? Does this relate to your story of faith?
• Does might this story of the man born blind impact how you reach someone with the Gospel?
• The Pharisees “claim to see,” whereas the blind person knows their blindness. What is the
impact of spiritual arrogance and spiritual humility in coming to faith in Christ? What about
after conversion? What is a difference between confidence in Jesus and arrogance in thinking
we perfectly understand
• What are some things you have learned about Jesus in this story of the man born blind from
John 9? What are some things you have learned about yourself?
• Read John 10:1-21. How does this passage relate to John 9 and the question of “who’s blind?”
How does the story of the blind man help us understanding Jesus’ identity as “the Good
Shepherd?”