"Hanukkah - Part 2" - The Effects of Willful Blindness (page 5 of 13)

"Hanukkah - Part 2"

by James Jacob Prasch

How does the celebration of Hanukkah, a festival NOT found in the Old Testament, provide greater insight into biblical themes such as the Messiah? How is Hanukkah handled in the New Testament?

Go to "Hanukkah - Part 2".

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This sermon was transcribed from a recording and edited as appropriate for presentation in a published text format more suitable for reading. Purchase the audio version of Hanukkah - Part 1 or Hanukkah - Part 2 from the Moriel online store.

The Effects of Willful Blindness

Jesus turned His attention to the Pharisees:

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

In John 9 Jesus was comparing the willful blindness of the Pharisees to the unwillful blindness of this young guy. We’re all born blind. But from God’s perspective there’s a big difference between blindness and willful blindness. Those who are unwillfully blind will always invoke the mercy of Christ; those who are willfully blind will always invoke the judgment of Christ.

This sets the stage for Hanukkah because it hearkens back to the time of the Maccabees. Can’t you people see what’s going on? They’re outlawing the reading of the Word of God, they’re outlawing the practice of “brit milah” (ritual circumcision), they’re bringing this Pagan stuff into the church – it’s becoming idolatry. Can’t you see what they’re doing?

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