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Manifest in Me

Pastor Travis Burkett


John 9:1-4, “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”


Let’s be real, 2020 is already one of the hardest, most confusing, and craziest years of most of our lives. Whether it be canceling school, postponing sports, the death of Kobe, tornadoes and wildfires, or just facing emotional struggles. We can find ourselves asking God hard questions like, "What is going on here, God? What is Your plan in all of this?"


Although we may not have the answers ourselves, we do have the Truth. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” John 17:17 states, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” We have the awesome Word of God which is perfect, tried, and proven.


In John 9, Jesus was confronted by the disciples about a man blind from birth. They asked Jesus whose sins caused this man to be blind. Jesus explained that struggles don’t always take place because of consequence but that God may be shown through struggles.


We see three truths from John 9:


1. Bad things don’t always happen because we have done bad things (verse 3).

Bad things happen because we live in a broken world. We are surrounded by sin, corruption, and hurt. However, as Christians, we don’t live for this world but in preparing for the next, eternal life with Jesus.


2. God brings something good out of something bad (verse 3).

What good could come out of this blind man from birth? God shows His power through one’s inability to see. Even though we live in a messed up world, God can use our struggles to reveal His power, His love, and His sovereignty. There are no wasted days. There are no wasted seasons. There are no wasted moments of pain because God is sovereign, and God wants to bring something that appears bad and make it good.


3. We have a God-given purpose (verse 4).

Sometimes we can lose sight of Colossians 3:2, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” We are so driven by performance and agendas that we lose sight of our God-given purpose. We often choose to critique than to minister. We choose to point rather than offer a hand. We choose to overlook opportunity as we focus on problems. May we be challenged to focus and find our God-given purpose for today. (John 16:33; Romans 8:28)


I wonder how God may be working in us during this season? I challenge you to ask God today, “God, what are you teaching me?” “God, shape me, make Yourself manifest in me.”


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