September 29, 2024
Morning Service

Today in John’s gospel, he uses the entire chapter to tell a story of a blind man receiving his sight.  In it we will learn some very practical lessons that each of us can apply to our own lives.  We will learn that not only is it a blessing to be able to see with our physical eyes, but we must be able to see with our spiritual ones as well.  This event begins with the disciples asking an age old question about why someone is suffering.

John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  (2)  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  (3)  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

            This question has passed through each of our thoughts at some time in our lives.  Why did God choose to afflict one person with a disability like this man was born blind?  Many believed that it was a punishment from God for sins committed, as we can see by the disciples’ questioning.  But Jesus rejects that theory and shows us the real reason; “that the works of God should be revealed in him.”  God created each of us uniquely just as we are for a purpose.  He made none of us perfect as He gave each of us limits and liabilities, but why?  We were created so “that the works of God should be revealed in us.”  Many of us do not receive the healing as the blind man does today, but our purpose remains the same; to bring glory to God through our lives.  God uses our disabilities and dark journeys in life to become a platform to minister to others.  The difficult part of this is that we have to realize that fact and embrace it.  We have to believe that God is in control and He is directing our lives in such a way that we can be a tool in His hand to minister to this dark, hurting world we live in.  It may not be in a crowning moment, like the blind man receiving his sight today, it may be lifetime of faithfulness to Him despite our “thorns in the flesh” we are given to deal with.  In enduring hardship and still praising God for His goodness, we create a powerful testimony through our faith and faithfulness.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and trust Him to give you opportunities to shine for Him in your world.  Jesus now continues.

John 9:4-7 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  (5)  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  (6)  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  (7)  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

            Notice Jesus is feeling the pressure that time is quickly slipping away from Him (read 4-5).  He knows His time to shine His light to the world is passing and He needs to be busy about His duties.  This is true of us as well.  Keep first things first in this crazy busy world by seeking to bring God the glory in all you do.  Jesus uses His spit and some dirt to rub on this man’s eyes and then tests his faith by commanding him to go wash in the pool of Siloam, which means “Sent.”  He did not question, but immediately obeyed and was granted a miraculous healing.  Many times we question, hesitate, and procrastinate when we know what God wants us to do and that shows our lack of faith.  When God calls you, go right now as this blind man did.  He will reward your faithfulness.  John now goes into some depth with what this man deals with when he returns seeing for the first time in his life.

John 9:8-17 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"  (9)  Some said, "This is he." Others said, "He is like him." He said, "I am he."  (10)  Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  (11)  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."  (12)  Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I do not know."  (13)  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  (14)  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  (15)  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  (16)  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.  (17)  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."

            Here is where John begins to show us the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees.  They could not see the miracle that just occurred because of the fact it was done on the Sabbath.  There was division among them on whether to glorify God for the miracle or to condemn this Man for breaking a commandment.  They choose to remain blind to who Jesus is rather than receive their sight that He is the Messiah.  The interrogation continues and I LOVE how this man finally just simply states the truth which no one can deny!

John 9:18-25 But the Jews did 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.  (19)  And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"  (20)  His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; (21) 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."  (22)  His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.  (23)  Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."  (24)  So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."  (25)  He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

            These Jewish leaders continued to badger this man even calling in his parents to testify not wanting to accept this miracle for what it was; a touch from God.  They pushed him to the point where he just simply tells his story as it happened, simply the facts.  “I was blind, now I see.”  God has given each of us a story like this.  This is what I was (blind to truth, selfish, lost, alcoholic, addict, hateful, lustful, worldly), but now this is what I am (see the truth, forgiven, saved, loved, faithful, have a purpose, blessed, committed) all because I met Jesus as this blind man did.  I may not be able to quote tons of scripture or explain the mystery of the God head to you, but I KNOW what He has done for me!  I was blind and now I see! This man is now annoyed and begins to speak back to them more boldly.

John 9:26-34 Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?"  (27)  He answered them, "I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?"  (28)  Then they reviled him and said, "You are His disciple, but we are Moses' disciples.  (29)  We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."  (30)  The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!  (31)  Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.  (32)  Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.  (33)  If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing."  (34)  They answered and said to him, "You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?" And they cast him out.

            This man makes a powerful theological defense for what he is saying to these leaders.  In Isaiah 35, it is prophesied that the “eyes of the blind shall be opened” and they cannot see that this is coming true right before them.  He says truly that this type of thing only happens if God is involved.  This does not alter their thinking, but just gets them even more mad as they cast him out of the temple.  In casting him out, his life now radically changed as a Jewish man’s life revolved around his interactions at the temple.  Jesus sought him out to affirm his faith.

John 9:35-41 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"  (36)  He answered and said, "Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?"  (37)  And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."  (38)  Then he said, "Lord, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.  (39)  And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind."  (40)  Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"  (41)  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore, your sin remains.

            Jesus reveals Himself to this man and he accepts Him as Lord of his life.  Jesus then affirms again a point we have been making over and over in this gospel (vs 39).  To follow Jesus, we must first come to a knowledge of who He is, the Son of God, and who we are, sinners in need of a Savior.  We must own up to the fact that we are blind and sinful and that we are in need of a Savior.  These Pharisees viewed themselves as being able to see already and without sin, actually showing their true blindness to the truth.  To be healed of our spiritual blindness, we must admit that we are blind in the first place.  If we think we see, we will not seek that healing.  Humbling ourselves before God and admitting we are a sinner in need of a Savoir is the first step to salvation.