SUNDAY SERMONS

 

WHAT THE BLIND MAN SAW

 

John 9:1-41 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2  His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4  As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6  After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.7  "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8  His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"9  Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man." 10  "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked. 11  He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." 12  "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said. 13  They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14  Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15  Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see." 16  Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" So they were divided. 17  Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet." 18  They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19  "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?" 20  "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21  But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23  That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24  A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." 25  He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" 26  Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27  He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?" :28  Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29  We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."30  The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31  We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34  To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. 35  Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36  "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."37  Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." 38  Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. 39  Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." 40  Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41  Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

 

I.                 The Blind man saw that Christ must have been sent from God

 

He was the town drunk in Fairfield, Texas. He was married to Janie, who was a School teacher, and he was an embarrassment to her and many others. People would have to walk around him as he lay passed out in the streets. In a revival in Freestone County in 1939, in the same schoolhouse where his wife was the teacher, J.D. Metzger made the choice to become a follower of Christ. God saved him, delivered him from alcoholism, and filled him with the Holy Spirit. He went into those same streets that he used to lay on, passed out from drinking, and stand in the streets and preach the word to anyone who would listen. He was asked the Question, “When were you called to preach, and He said, "I’m not sure I was called, I think I just volunteered.” The Metzgers’ were great soul winners for the Lord.

a.  The blind man could not see (obviously)

b.  Jesus was asked about fault of blindness,

c.   Jesus healed the blind man.

d.  Who could heal a blind man … GOD!

John 9:33  If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

e.    

 

II.              That religious “authorities” are not always right.

a.  The religious authorities were convinced of one thing… they did not want Jesus to be the Messiah … the Son of God!

b.  If Jesus were God then they were about to lose their power!

John 9:24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man(Jesus) is a sinner."

c.   Jesus wrote the rule book

 

There is a story about a student at Cambridge University in England who entered the classroom on exam day and asked the proctor to bring him cakes and ale. The proctor refused, expressing astonishment at the young student’s audacity. At this point the student read from the four-hundred-year-old Laws of Cambridge, which were written in Latin and still somewhat in effect. The passage read by the student said, "Gentlemen sitting for examinations may request and require Cakes and Ale." The proctor was forced to comply. Pepsi and hamburgers were judged the modern equivalent, so the necessary accommodations were made for the student. After all, the law was on his side. Three weeks later the student was summoned to the office of Academic Affairs to face disciplinary action and was assessed a fine of five pounds (about $7.50, the cost of the meal). He was not fined for demanding cakes and ale, but for blatantly disregarding another obscure Cambridge law: he had failed to wear a sword to the examination.

 

III.           He saw That the traditions of men are, unfortunately, sometimes more influential than the teachings of God.

 

John 9:13-14 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14  Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath.

 

What is socially acceptable and what is spiritually acceptable are frequently two different things,,, The battle over the “Blue Laws.” Those of my7 generation remember when it was against the law to open your retail store on Sunday. Gradually that law was mostly done away withy.

 

IV.          He saw That there can be very negative consequences when we stand up for the truth

a.  Will you support a law when it may cost you something?

John 9:22  His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.

b.  When you are in sin you look for sin in others to justify yourself.

John 9:34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Pastor and theologian once wrote, “If my sinfulness appears to me to be in any way smaller or less detestable in comparison with the sins of others, I am still not recognizing my sinfulness at all.”

 

V.             He saw That there are, however, far worse consequences to be faced when we fail to stand for the truth .

 

John 9:40-41  Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41  Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

 

VI.         He saw That we are responsible for our actions (20-21).

John 9: 20-21  "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21  But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself."

 

VII.      He saw That pride is an exceedingly dangerous attitude (39).

John 9:39  Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

 

VIII.  He saw That a person had better be careful what he chooses to stand for because, if he is not careful, he might blind himself to the truth (40).

John 9:40  Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"

IX.          That the way some look at religion hardens their hearts against the very people God wants to help (17).

John 9:17  Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."

 

X.             That humility gives sight to the blind (35-39).

John 9:35-39  Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36  "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."37  Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." 38  Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. 39  Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

 

Indeed, the blind man saw much. He saw far more than the self-appointed religious leaders. He saw without the impairments of pride, prejudice, and self-righteousness. In humility he was open to see the truth for what it was. In a simple, yet profound faith he spoke an eloquent defense of the Savior. May God help us to all be possessors of such  sight as the blind man had.