Some claimed that he was, but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” But the man kept saying, “I am the one.”Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.” He said, “I am he.”Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.Others said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he.
6 sermons cite this verse
… Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, This is he. Others said, He is like him. He said, I am he. Therefore they said to him, How were your eyes open? He answered and said, A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and I received my sight. Then they said to him, Where is he? He said, I do not know. They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received his sight until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son who you say was born blind? How then does he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, but by what means he now sees, we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age, ask him. He will speak for himself. His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that he was the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, …
Still others were saying, No, but he is like him. And he kept saying, I am the one. Put yourself in his shoes. he's been given sight he's dancing the jig he's so excited and they're over there in the corner saying is that really the one no it's not the guy it looks just like it beggars are dime a dozen you know how they are jump around like that probably faking it it's not the one you know and I'm the Why? That's the way he's saying it. So after they ask who, they ask how. Verse 10, just in cold, pedantic fashion. Just an inquisition. How then were your eyes opened? Well, he answered, the man who is called Jesus made clay, anointed my eyes, and said to me, go to Siloam and wash. so I went away and washed and I received sight where is he can you imagine that well sure you can if you have shared your salvation with an old Christian who's over the hill you know you share it with a Christian that's over the hill and you tell him how you just came to know the Lord Jesus He says, yes, uh-huh. …
So our 23rd president, 23rd president of the United States is a man named Warren G. Harding. He was president, sorry, 29th president of the United States. It was Warren G. Harding, president from 1921 to 1923. And apparently Warren G. Harding was a decent human being. but at the same time in the years since he's since he was president he has been consistently on the list of worst presidents that we've ever had and and apparently Warren G. Harding even thought this about himself there's a quote that he he said about himself he said I am not fit for this office and never should have been here so how did Warren G. Harding get elected if he wasn't fit for the office. He wasn't competent for the office. And even he said, I'm not competent for the office. How did he get elected? So Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book about the, well, he wrote a book a number of years ago called Blink. And in it, he tells the story. And this is his perspective. …
… wait, wait, wait, isn't this the man we used to see sitting out here and begging? Some said yes, and others said, no, he just looks like him. But the man kept saying, yes, I am the same one. Verse 13, then they took the man, they didn't believe him, so they took him to the Pharisees because it was the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see. So they called in his parents. They asked them, is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see? His parents replied, we know that this is our son, and we are confident that he was born blind, but we don't know how he can see or who healed him. Why don't you ask him? He's old enough to speak for himself. His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. …
… Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, This is he. Others said, He is like him. He said, I am he. Therefore, they said to him, How were your eyes opened? He answered and said, A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and I received sight. Then they said to him, Where is he? He said, I do not know. They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. Now it was Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, he, meaning Jesus, put clay on my eyes and I washed and I see. Therefore, some of the Pharisees said, this man is not from God because he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said, how can a man who is a sinner do such signs? and there was a division among them. …
… Is not this he who sat and begged? Some said, This is he. Others said, He is like him. But he said, I am he. they said to him, How were your eyes opened? He answered and said, A man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and I received sight. Then they said to him, Where is he? And he said, I do not know. He who has ears to hear the Word of God, let them hear it. Let us pray. Father, as we contemplate this marvelous work of our Lord in His ministry to the man born blind, we pray that its lesson may be understood by us. For we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Throughout the eighth chapter of John, as we recall, Jesus was engaged in a debate with the authorities from Jerusalem where His credentials were challenged, His knowledge was challenged, His parentage was challenged. …