Intro
We often don’t know what we cannot see, because we’ve never seen it. There is a way to gain spiritual sight. What is it?
Purpose
Let’s learn how to gain spiritual sight.
Plan
John 9:1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. 7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” 10 They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” 11 He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” 12 “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied.
13 Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, 14 because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. 15 The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
17 Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
18 The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?”
20 His parents replied, “We know this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we don’t know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.” 22 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. 23 That’s why they said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”
24 So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” 25 “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 “But what did he do?” they asked. “How did he heal you?” 27 “Look!” the man exclaimed. “I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
28 Then they cursed him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” 30 “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. 32 Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” 34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?” 41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc.
Poem - That Man is Sick
That man is sick. He's got a tick
Let's throw a brick. Give him a kick
Let's throw a brick. Give him a kick
There must be sin Somewhere therein
His next of kin? Where to begin?
His next of kin? Where to begin?
To criticize, Or to apprise
This man's demise And his blind eyes
This man's demise And his blind eyes
Jesus just bent, Without judgment
Gave his consent, Healed his torment
Gave his consent, Healed his torment
John 9:1-5 Fault-Finding
In John 9:1-5, when confronted with the blindness, the disciples looked for fault! Some believers today still criticize the sick as sinners or lacking faith. To avoid all sickness we could begin before conception and choose only parents free of any genetic weakness. Then we would have to avoid all contact with people and animals; avoid any processed or tainted food. But, can we really avoid all contact with sickness? The roads to sickness are varied and many. How should we look upon the sick? Jesus first thought was to lift the man up, not put him down. And then the super religious criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. Sigh!
John 9:6-7 Creative Healing
The traditional approach to church healing is from James 5:14-16 where church elders pray and anoint with olive oil. Is this the only way of praying for the sick? Jesus gave several examples of creative approaches to healing. In John 9:6-7, He spat in some dirt to create mud to heal a blind man. The military theory of “last orders” would preclude anything prior to James’ instructions, but there is no such theory in the Bible regarding healing. Where there is no ban, we have freedom in Christ and follow His example. We may approach requests for healing in a variety of ways including the traditional anointing with oil.
John 9:24-34 Blind Know-it-Alls
There are people who think they know it all, but in reality are blind to the truth? We see it in blind bigotry, one-eyed politics and denominational prejudice. In John 9:24-34 Jesus gave a man sight to his eyes and to his soul. Like the Pharisees, some religious intellectuals are blind to divinity. They cannot see the obvious evidence all around them. Their eyes were on their interpretation of the Sabbath law. Jesus emphasized the spirit and not the letter of the law. The spirit of the law is far greater. Blinded by their own legalism, by keeping the letter of the law they could not see the real Jesus.
John 9:35-41 Spiritual Blindness
Are we spiritually blind and don’t even know it? Outside the church, people are blind because they either believe church is irrelevant or because they are afraid. When those in the church are spiritually blind, the tragedy is even greater. Denominational blindness is believing only our denomination is right. We are blind to the fact that Christians overwhelmingly agree on essentials. Manmade traditions are non-essentials which can blind us to the essentials of the Christian faith. How do we gain spiritual vision? Perhaps, like the man in the story we just need to keep it simple. One thing I know. I was blind but Jesus touched me and now I see.
A Blind World
We live in a world of blindness to the suffering of others. Over 300 times the Bible tells us to care for the poor, and yet even Christians make excuses. “We have created a culture which devalues life and devalues the care of other people and our care for one another.” Fox News once denied that anyone in the United States has ever been deprived of health care. The American Journal of Public Health estimates that 45,000 deaths per year in the United States are associated with the lack of health insurance. When those who call themselves Christians turn their backs on the poor, they turn their backs on Christ.
Outro
We are all blind to something. It is Christ’s mission to give spiritual sight. If we want to truly see, we need to ask Him to heal our blindness.
