2. Questions Seeing the Truth

3. Why would you want to Mark up your skin like that??

4. What do your parents think?

5. What will you do When you get old?

6. To get the right answers… Ask the right questions

7. Why is God Doing this to me?

8. Where's a girl I can Share my life with?

9. Why can't I find a good guy?

10. Why is our marriage like this?

11. Why am I still here?

12. To get the right answers… Ask the right questions

13. Jesus teaches the disciples To ask the right questions

14. John 9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth Beggar

15. And the blind man Hears this:

16. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

17. And…he's used to it!

18. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

19. Parents? Pre-born baby? Sin had to be involved…

20. Steeped in Man's Religion Law=Blessings and Curses

21. People become objects of God's disdain Or heroes to be honored

22. Rather than people Made in God's image Imago Dei

23. Rather than people made in God's image Imago Dei= Equal Ground No Heroes, No Disdain

24. “Rabbi, who sinned…that he was born blind?

25. They ask, "Why?" What should they ask…?

26. They ask, "Why?" What should they ask…? "How?"

27. What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved

28. What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved What does Jesus see?

29. What the disciples see: A theological problem to be solved What Jesus sees: A man created in God’s image In need of compassion and help

30. OUR Religion does this: "Why are you so jacked up?" instead of… "How can I help you?"

31. Why did she leave the faith?

32. Was she a believer who lost it? Or a pretender who never was?

33. Was she a believer who lost it? Or a pretender who never was? How can we reach out and show love?

34. Man's Religion asks The wrong questions And the wrong questions have Real consequences in the real world

35. Religion asks The wrong questions Why don't people live Like we think they should?

36. Grace Asks Life-Changing Questions How can I/we serve People made in God's image To God's glory?

37. To get the right answers… Ask the right questions

38. Why do I have to go through this? Is God punishing me? Is he being mean? Does he not care?

39. How can I reach out and find God's Presence- Even in this?

40. Why is he having such a hard time? Doesn't God care?

41. How can I be part of God's care and give God's comfort- Even now?

42. What makes "How?" or "What?" Better than "Why?" When life goes sideways?

43. Why? is self-centered (usually based on comparison) and creates: Bitterness and Anger Self-righteousness De-personalization

44. How? is God-centered and gives: Perspective Direction Strength and Healing

45. Some of us Right now… Need to let go of "Why?" and seek "How?"

46. Suicide

47. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”

48. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but that the work of God might be displayed in his life”

49. Jesus shifts from Cause to Purpose

50. Jesus shifts from "Why?" to "How?"

51. "You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do" - Message

52. Fallenness coming from Free Will

53. God didn't cause the man to be born blind But we follow a Christ Who redeems

54. Don't blame God For what God did not do

55. Don't blame God For what God did not do Or you might miss What God wants to do

56. There's Personal Responsibility Or Opportunity

57. Don't blame God For what God did not do Or you might miss What God wants to do

58. To get the right answers… Ask the right questions

59. "Why?" is a fine question As long as you move to "How?" or "What?"

60. "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

61. This is our "What?"

62. What is the work? Seeing people, not problems- and Doing what we can while we can In a way that changes lives And points to Jesus

63. Kills every excuse Doing what we can while we can In a way the that changes lives And points to Jesus

64. Why can't I...? Becomes What should I…? How can I…?

65. Focus changes from self And "poor me" To God and His Purpose for my Life

66. To get the right answers… Ask the right questions

67. "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

68. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill… - Jesus, Matt. 5

69. Having said this, Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes

70. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam…” So the man went and washed, and came home seeing - John 9

71. For the very first time!

72. Who was blind? School of Jesus… " but that the work of God might be displayed in his life"

73. Don't get so busy Assigning blame That you miss What God wants to do

74. The cross may be a "why" to us But to God, it was a "how" And a "what"

75. What do I need to let go of?

76. Where do I need to stop Asking "Why?" and move To "How?" or "What?"

77. What's my next step?

78. Questions?

79. Pray

80. Easter! 9, 10:20 and 11:40 Egg Hunts 10:05/11:25