2 weeks ago, I was driving my car home, and coming up to the round about I looked to my right to check if there were any pedestrians but I didn’t see anyone…
When I accelerated an old man suddenly showed up and I pressed on the break instantly. I didn’t hit him down him like a bowling pin, praise God, but I got a shock. I looked at my right, I didn’t see him…and suddenly I heard a voice inside of me….He was standing at your blind spot and you didn’t see him…
I knew God was teaching me a lesson, thank you Jesus!
I didn’t see the man, because he was in my blind spot.
If you don’t know, when you drive a car there are area where the driver’s view is obstructed. To help us drive safely, there are view mirrors that eliminate some of the blind spots on both side of the car…
Today’s message is: Blind Spots!
I want to read the bible with you to show how sometimes we have blind spots in our lives, that is people, feelings and situations that we don’t see and suddenly they bring us bad surprises.
Last Sunday we saw a wonderful Easter sketch. It’s called “He is risen”. It was fantastic….thank you all for all your efforts and commitment to God. We saw the crucifixion and resurrection of our King Jesus.
And today I want to speak about the scene where Jesus takes the last supper with his disciples.
Jesus was taking the last supper with his disciples. He washed the disciples’ feet, he blessed them, and suddenly he said that someone would betray him that very night…read it with me…
“You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.” But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.”
Mark 14:27-31
Jesus told them: All of you will go away. You will be scared, you will fear the future, but take courage, I will come meet you again after all this.
Then, Peter looked to Jesus and said: I don’t know about them, but I will never fall away.
Jesus said: Peter, tonight you will deny me 3 times.
Peter replies: Jesus, even If I have to die with you, I will never deny you.
Peter, you will, Jesus said.
Peter met Jesus, became a follower of Jesus, he was walking with Jesus everyday, he performed miracles in Jesus’ name, but something was wrong in his life. He had a blind spot in his vision and he couldn’t understand what Jesu was saying to him, you will deny me, Peter!
In the same night, Jesus tried to warn Peter about his heart, about his nature. Look what Jesus said to Peter,..
““Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32
Peter heard from Jesus: Peter, you have a big problem. Satan wants you… He wants to lessen you, to destroy you, he wants to test you, until your very last drop of faith…
What will you do?
Peter heard it, but he didn’t take the time to search his heart… He didn’t try… He had a problem coming up in his blind spot, but he couldn’t’ see it, even with Jesus telling him what would happen.
Blind spots! Somewhere your eyes do not reach….a place where you don’t allow faith in… you don’t allow God to come in… a blind spot.
Blind spot of Feelings
Feelings can bring anger, jealously, fear. These kind of feelings can build a wall, they can create blind spots, we become blind when we are angry, jealous, when we fear.
When you are afraid, (going through a situation you don’t want to experience) and you think to yourself: if I don’t talk about it, it won’t happen. When you are scared of something you don’t face the problem because you have a blind spot in your feelings…
Peter lied to himself! He was scared, but he didn’t show his real feelings to his master. Maybe, if he had said to Jesus: I’m afraid, I want to fight for you, but I’m afraid… Jesus could have helped him in his fear…
Do you think you are a Super hero? Of course you have fears….don’t try to be Super man, or super woman… Show your fears to Jesus, tell him about the things that scare you and he will encourage your soul.
If you are fearing something, if you feel scare of some situation, listen to what the bible says:
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalms 27:1
God is my light! He is my salvation., I won’t fear, he is my stronghold.
So today, look at your feelings, if there is some fear there, face it… and remember: God is with you and for you!
He is my light and my salvation, my stronghold!
Be careful of the blind spot of fear…
So, Jesus was arrested that same night, and Peter tried to see what was happening with Jesus, and what happened?
“One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.”
John 18:26-27
It was the third time Peter denied Jesus.
For 3 times, people asked him, Do you know Jesus? You are one of them, aren’t you? You walked by hi…Peter said: No, I’ve never seen this man … I’m not one of them…
Here we can see another blind spot in Peter’s life.
Blind Spot of Doubts
Maybe Peter was terrified with all that was happening around him. His master was arrested, he was alone, many people wanted to kill Jesus and his followers…and so Peter doubted….
The same Peter who has enough faith in Jesus to walk on the water.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”
Matthew 14:28-29
The same Peter who believed so strongly, also who doubted and denied Jesus.
He doubted that Jesus could save himself! He doubted that Jesus could set himself free from that sentence, He doubted in his heart, in his faith.
Maybe,
You doubt who you are.
You think you are not good enough!
.. .to live a good life, and you settle for what you have and you get stuck in the same old thing.
You think you are not good enough to have a good family,a pleasent marriage and you stop dreaming about a nice family.
You doubt your talents
.. the skills God put inside of you.
You doubt your calling.
Jesus called you to live a great purpose on earth but you think you are too old, or too young to live it and you give up.
The blind spot of doubts can kill your calling. The blind spot of doubts can stop your happiness. The blind spot of doubts can hold you down.
Doubt kills dream, doubts eliminates hope, doubts bring oppression over you, doubts keep you from getting off the boat. You have a whole future ahead of you, but you are hindered by doubts.
Blind spot of doubts can change the course of your story.
This is what happened to Simon Peter.
After Jesus’ death, Peter decided to be a fisherman again.
The bible says:
““I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”
John 21:3 NIV
He didn’t realise that he was being lead by his fears and doubts… so he gave up being a follower and tried to restart his life by following the wrong path.
I don’t know what you have in your blind spot.
Maybe it’s feelings of anger, jealousy, worries, fear. Maybe there are many doubts, or you can have People you forgot in your blind spot. You may think: Ah, that is in the past, they might not even remember it anymore… and so people and situations get in your blind spot!
Today you have to look to your blind spot, and fix it!
Peter preferred to forget what happen, and he decided to start again, without Jesus.
Don’t do that! Do not get on the boat without Jesus. Do not try to do anything without Him. Look to your blind spot, if there is fear, show it to Jesus, if there are doubts, ask for light, answers and have faith!
But Praised be Jesus. He doesn’t give up on us! Even with our blind spot, he helps us to search our hearts, to understand ourselves and to learn how to please him!
When Peter decided to fish, he was on the boat, and Jesus appears to him on the shore.
The bible says:
“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.”
John 21:7
Jesus came to see Peter again. Peter needed that moment to be restored, to receive confidence again to follow Jesus for the rest of his life. On that day Jesus restored Peter forever.
No more blind spots of fear and doubts! Peter overcome that blind spots.
And today, I invite you to search your heart.
The bible says:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24 NIV
So, now I invite you to search your heart and to ask God: please, come and help me to search if there is any evil way inside of me.
Ways of bad feelings.
(Anger, fear)
Ways of doubt
Lack of faith. I want to trust in you Lord!
Peter heard from Jesus that he would deny Him 3 times, but he could not see it because it was in his blind spot.
Things in our blind spot make us blind!
When you become unable to see things clearly you are led by your emotions and you will surely hurt yourself and others.
Stop! Adjust your vision! Make sure you can get a good look at your blind spot.
What and who is hiding there?
Feelings? Get them out in the open, show them to Jesus and be healed.
People you fought with in the past? Situations you never fixed? Go and ask for forgiveness, go and say sorry. Fix it!
Doubts? Doubt can kill your dream, your calling, family and desires!
Trust in the Lord!
The bible says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
If you now realise that you have something in your blind spot, thank Jesus, He is merciful!
He went to the shore to find Peter and restore him, amd now Jesus is here to restore you! It’s your time to have an encounter with Jesus.
Show him your blind spot, the place no one is allowed to enter, say it to Jesus: You can come into in my blind spot, a place of memories I can not speak about, a place of weakness that I don’t tell anyone about, a place of unresolved doubts. Come in Jesus! I don’t want to be blinded by these things anymore. I cannot enjoy all that the future holds for me with these blind spots in my life.
Help me!