Open My Eyes That I Might See

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton

Text: Hebrews 5:11-14

 

I.         Discerning good - Hebrews 5:11-14

            A.        I can understand a person not recognizing evil, but how does a person miss good?

            B.        The topic under discussion was seeing that Jesus was like Melchizedek

                        1.         This was something needful and good

                        2.         But the audience could not see it because their sense had become dulled from the lack of use – like aging.

II.        A lack of growth leads to blindness

            A.        Must hear and do, else you will forget - James 1:22-25

            B.        People who are ever learning, but never applying - II Timothy 3:6-7

            C.        II Peter 1:5-11 - A list of virtues

                        1.         If abound (grow) in these things you will not be unfruitful (verse 8)

                        2.         Do these things and you will never stumble (verse 10)

                        3.         Lack these things and you become shortsighted, blind, and forgetful

III.       You cannot recognize what you do not have or understand

            A.        How can you see love if you don’t have love?

            B.        I John 3:16-19

                        1.         If we refuse to recognize the needs of others, so that we are not actively showing love, how can we claim to love God?

                        2.         By doing, and not just saying, we know that we are following the truth

            C.        What is love? - I Corinthians 13

            D.        If we cannot love someone we see, how can we love God whom we have never seen? - I John 4:20-21

                        1.         The parable of the talents - Matthew 25:21

                        2.         Faithful in the small things, then also faithful in the large things

                        3.         I Corinthians 13:6 - Rejoice in the truth and not in others’ sins.

            E.        Titus 1:15-16

                        1.         To the pure all things are pure

                        2.         To the defiled all things are defile

                        3.         What is your outlook on life? Do you tend to see the good in others or the wrong?

IV.      The Jews would not see the truth because they refused!

            A.        Isaiah 6:9-10 - a refusal or fear of understanding

                        1.         This is why the Jews could see a miracle and yet not believe - John 12:37-41

                        2.         Why Jesus used parables - Mark 4:11-12

                        3.         Why the Jews were confused by Paul - Acts 28:25-29

            B.        They became blind men leading the blind - Matthew 15:14

            C.        They refused to hear - John 8:43

            D.        They were wise in their own sight - Romans 11:25

            E.        Ecclesiastes 2:14 - Only the fool prefers darkness

V.        Satan tries to blind people from seeing the light - II Corinthians 4:3-4

            A.        Many stumble in the light because of their sins - Isaiah 59:9-14

            B.        I John 2:9-11 - The one who hates is blind due to sin

VI.      What have we become?

            A.        Have we allowed Satan to blind us from seeing the good in others?

            B.        Are we unable to distinguish good from evil?

            C.        If you have never seen good things, such as love, then most likely it is because you refuse to recognize what is there.

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