I Was Once Blind, But Now I See

On Reformation Day in 1999, representatives of the Roman Catholics and the Lutherans met to sign a joint declaration which put aside their differences over the way humanity achieves salvation. The signing occurred exactly 482 years after Luther posted his theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenburg.

At the heart of the agreement stands the following statement regarding salvation: “Togeather we confess: by grace alone, in faith in Christ's saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping and calling us to good works.”

No matter how these two groups interpret that paragraph, the statement itself could have been signed by the Apostle John. In fact, a reliance on faith alone as the means of salvation forms the centerpiece of John's Gospel. In this chapter we see that point illustrated in the contrast between a blind beggar and the high profile religious leaders of Christ Jesus' day. Here in chapter 9 God chose a beggar to demonstrate how fate and faith clash.

In this chapter the difference between light and darkness reflects the difference between fate and faith, between destiny and Christ Jesus, between Allah and the heavenly Father of the New Testament. In this chapter you will see you have access to the Light that dispels darkness. You see this as fate yields to the greater power of faith in the one who is the light of the world – and who has told you to become lights in our world of darkness as well.

This morning one blind beggar will become the focal point of a world's endless conflict, the battle between sin and Christ Jesus. His hurting served as preparation for God's healing and his sorrow provided occasion for God's joy. 

John 9:1-12
9:1 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work 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 Having said 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 demanded. 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.

1. Light and Darkness (vs. 1-3)

Here is one solitary human being who has never seen the face of his parents or his friends or known the beauty of a sunrise or a lily. “Blind from birth” says the record, as each of us is born spiritually blind. John wants his readers to focus on the blindness of the man described in these first five verses.

The disciples, wrapped in Old Testament legalism, concluded there were only two possible explanations for the beggar's blindness. Jewish teachers believed that suffering, including blindness, was often due to sin. One could suffer for their parent's sins or even for a sin committed by the mother or fetus during the pregnancy. So the disciples raised the inevitable theological question, Whose sin had caused this man’s blindness?

Don't we all look for the hidden cause that brings on tragedy—cancer, a car accident, or the birth of a handicap child? Who is responsible? We feel we must identify the culprit.

Christ Jesus surprised them with His answer. “No one, not this man or his parents.” The sinfulness of all mankind could justify God in all the miseries of human life. But it is not so, so that those who have the least must know that God is kind and those who have the largest share should not say that God is unjust.

Many are made less fortunate than others in this life who are not at all more sinful. 

Not that this man was not a sinner, and his parents sinners, but there was not exceptional that God would inflicting his blindness on him. The Light of life did not fix blame, but instead offered grace. In this man's blindness, and through Christ Jesus the people of Jerusalem would see God's glory. Christ Jesus is ready to share God's glory with you. He is willing to step into your life and heal you from sin and the death it causes. And all you have to do is ask. Why not do so this today?

2. Day and Night (vs. 4-5)

The contrast between blindness and sight now change to day and night. The powers of darkness were closing in, Christ Jesus’ death was not far off. Christ Jesus was the sent one, He is God/man sent to restore your relationship with God through His death, burial and resurrection. He is the light sent into the world so that you can see the way back to that restored relationship. 

But that light in the form of God/man was here on earth for just a short time. Christ Jesus' light would be snuffed out for a short time, but would shine again after the resurrection and ascention as the Holy Spirit reproduced the light of the world through the disciples and us.

We must work while it is still day. Night is coming. Then Christ Jesus' earthly act of compassion and ministry would end. It is the same with you brothers and sisters in Christ, the opportunities you have today to do God’s work will pass. Your life is your day, in which you must do the work of the day. You must be busy, and not waste the day light; there will be time to rest when your day is done.

Knowing your day is short, For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14); should quicken you to make the best of all your opportunities to be the light to the world. The night is coming.

Listen to the words of the hymn written in 1854 by 8 year old Annie Louise Walker:

Work for the night is coming, work through the morning hours;

Work while the dew is sparkling; work 'mid springing flowers.

Work when the day grows brighter, work in the glowing sun;

Work for the night is coming, when man's work is done.

Christian brothers and sisters are you working while it's day light? Night is coming.

3. Blindness and Sight (vs. 6-7)

Now Christ Jesus could have just said, “Be healed,” and the man would have been able to see. Christ Jesus magnified His power by doing something which one would think would more likely hurt the eyes or have no affect at all.

Human reason cannot judge of the Lord's methods; He uses means and instruments that men don't understand. Look at the cross. So Christ Jesus spits on the ground and makes mud and rubbed it on the man's eyes. 

Maybe Christ Jesus used the mud because some thought it had healing properties, maybe He did it as a reference to that day in creation when God made man out of the earth, but I think He did it to show obedience. You see, the clay did not cause the healing; obeadience to the words of Christ Jesus brought sight to this man who had been sightless since birth.

Siloam (sil-o-am') – sent; This account compares to that of Naaman at the Jordan. Naaman was sent to the Jordan to wash to cure his leporsay, now this blind man is sent to the pool of Siloam (the spot of ritual water) to wash off the mud.

It is interesting that the pool's name is indicative of both Christ Jesus' mission and His command to those who received His blessings and became identified as His followers. But then again as followers of Christ Jesus all are sent. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:18-20

And look at  (1 Peter 2:9) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. You were not call to be a royal priesthood to sit on your royal seat, you fellow Christians were called and sent – to be a reflection of Christ Jesus' wonderful light to those around you.

The beggar was sent to wash his eyes and he did. Then he came back

seeing. Christ Jesus want's you to be healed this morning of your sin which

leads to spiritual blindness. If you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour you are sent – to be a reflection of Christ's light to a dark world.
 

4. They Couldn't Believe Their Eyes (vs. 8-12)

Now remember this beggar had been blind from birth. And those who are blind from birth are not know to recover their sight either back in Christ Jesus' day or today. At least not without direct supernatural or divine intervention. Point made.

The once blind beggar's neighbors could not believe their eyes. Wasn't this their blind neighbor, the little blind boy that they had watched grow up; well blind. Now he was walking around able to see, what had happened? How did this miracle happen? Who did this to you? Where is He?

From what I read the blind beggar's answer was kind of like this, “Yes, it is me! And now I can see! I'm not sure how, but it was that fella they call Jesus. He made clay, put it on my eyes and told me to go wash in the pool of Siloam. I did and now I can see! But I don't know where this Jesus went. When I came back he was gone, I did not see him anywhere.” 

Many see the works God in and around their lives and yet they still question. They are unwilling to believe their own eyes or heart. How about you? Are you still asking questions, well maybe it's time to step out on faith – to just trust what you have seen or heard concerning Christ Jesus.

Conclusion: There was a blind beggar and Christ Jesus saw that the man needed physical and spiritual healing. Christ Jesus chose to deal with the physical healing first, He gave the man a task and the man obeyed and his sight was given to him. Christ still works the same way today, He see your spiritual blindness and wants to heal you if you will obey. 

 

Admit you need healing from your sin life. Believe that Christ Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and raised 3 days later to conquer sin and death for ever. And finally confess Him before “all men” as your Lord and Saviour.

If you are a Christian, be obedient to the Lord, by being a reflection of His glorious light to a lost and dark world.