Believe Or Deny - Which Will You Do?

How often the church has been torn apart by prejudice and dogmatic assumptions and hardness of heart. If we haven’t been angered about the charismatics, it may have been the Roman Catholics or those who are committed to a nuclear freeze in the arms race or to the Scofield Reference Bible or to putting the new organ on the east side of the church. The list goes on and on.

There's the story of a leader in a church who became violently upset when beautiful banners were hung around the balcony on Pentecost Sunday to celebrate the creative gifts of the Holy Spirit. He felt the building was being violated. And in another church where there was to be a report on a mission trip in which a missionary had been involved among the courageous Baptist brethren in the Soviet Union, the missionary overheard an usher blurt out, “The only good Russian is a dead one.” So we often refuse to deal with the facts. We would rather live by our false assumptions and prejudices even though in the end we miss seeing and live on in blindness.

You would have expected that this kind of miracle done by Christ Jesus; giving sight to a blind man would have settled His reputation, and silenced and shamed all opposition, but it had the opposite effect; instead of being embraced as a prophet for it, He was prosecuted as a criminal.

The Pharisees vainly hoped to disprove this notable miracle. They expected a Messiah, but could not bear to think that this Jesus could be Him, because His teachings were all contrary to their traditions. They expected a Messiah in outward pomp and splendor, not a wandering itinerant preacher. The fears of men often entrap them, and often makes people deny and disown Christ Jesus and His truths and ways, and act against their consciences. You will see that this morning as testimony is given before the Pharisees.

John 9:13-34
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 do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided. 17 Finally 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 The Jews 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 Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ 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," 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 man 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.
 

1. The Healed Man's Testimony (vs. 13-17)

We begin, this morning with the first testimony of the once blind man. It is during this testimony that we see the prejudice of Pharisees.

The man who was healed admitted he did not know the whereabouts of this man Jesus. His neighbors were convinced there needed to be some kind of “investigation,” a verification by the “religious experts.” Some think that those who brought this man to the Pharisees did it with a good intentions. They did it to show them that this Jesus, whom they persecuted, was not what they represented him to be. Instead he was really a great man, and one who gave considerable proof of His divine mission.

Others think that they did it with an ill intent, to aggravate the Pharisees; if possible, all the more against Christ Jesus. Maybe this would gain them favor with the Pharisees.

Those four little words, “it was a Sabbath,” referring to the time of the healing, is loaded with legalistic dynamite for these Pharisees. Kneading bread was one of the 39 classes of work forbidden on the Sabbath. The making of clay from saliva and dirt came under the heading of kneading and so was absolutely forbidden, as was healing, and the opening of the man’s eyes, on the Sabbath.

Christ Jesus could not be a representative of God because He kept breaking the Sabbath laws. But how could a sinner perform these miracles? There was now a division forming in the rank and file.

The man is asked again about Christ Jesus. Who or what did the man think he was. With a budding boldness the man replied, “a prophet.” The term prophet is lacking when it comes to Christ Jesus, but it was the highest term this man knew.

The Pharisees could not deal with the truth this man spoke. They had now convinced themselves that he was never blind, that there really has been no healing. Attempting to substitute lies for the truth always becomes a complicated, drawn out maneuver. And yet that is exactly what many do when it comes to Christ Jesus.

What about you? Are you willing to take Christ Jesus at face value or are you trying to make things complicated in your denying of Him? When it comes to Christ Jesus let the facts speak for themselves.

2. The Parent's Testimony (vs. 18-23)

The first testimony, of the man who's sight was restored; unveiled the prejudice of some of the Pharisees.

They did not believe, that is, they would not, that the man was born blind. Men that seek occasion to quarrel with the clearest truths may find it if they please; and they that resolve to hold fast deceit will never want a handle to hold it by. This was not a prudent caution, but a prejudiced infidelity. - Matthew Henry's Commentary

Obviously the man could see; no one could doubt that. But they could doubt whether he had been blind from birth. Because of his blindness the blind man could have still lived with his parents. Either way his parents would know if this man was born blind. So the Pharisees called in the once blind man's parents. Perhaps here they could discover evidence that will discredit the story of this man.

But these parents give the only answer they could. Yes, this is their son, and he was blind and now he sees. But they do not know how this happened. Their son was of age. He could speak for himself. After the age of 13 a Jewish boy became responsible for his own keeping of the commandments.

There was a tentativeness, a hesitating kind of fear, in all they said. After all, they were facing hostile interrogators who had already decided that if anyone admitted that this healing may have been done by the Messiah, they will be “put out of the synagogue,” that is they would be humiliated and ostracized. They would then be outcasts among the non-believing Gentiles, cut off from the house of Israel. The defense of an unknown prophet, even one who healed their son; was not worth such a risk. So in order not to incur the wrath of the Pharisees the parents threw the burden of proof back on their son.

Jesus freak, Holy roller, Bible thumper … how many of you have heard these or other terms used to describe Christians? How many of you are afraid to be labeled as one of these? What will it take for you to take a stand for your Lord and Saviour?

3. Don't You Get It? (vs. 24-34)

Now there was a final confrontation. The Pharisees were into this case too deeply to leave it hanging. The healed man was called in again and put under oath, “Give God the glory!”, a solemn charge to tell the whole truth. And also a ploy to divide Christ Jesus from God. The unity that we saw Christ Jesus attempt to build throughout chapter 8.

The attack was pressed against the One he claims had healed him. “We know that this Man is a sinner” (v. 24). The we used here in verse 24 is emphatic in the Greek; the Pharisees were stating their theological position on this matter. But this simple man would not be intimidated. He spoke the truth as he had experienced it. And since his kind healer had so far not revealed His identity to him, he did not know whether or not He was a sinner.

You notice in his answer there was a stubborn refusal to capitulate to the charge of the Pharisees. Isn't that the way it should be with all who follow Christ Jesus? One thing the man did know, and he clung to it tenaciously, “I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25). The Pharisees, however powerful, could not change that fact. Now the simple logic of an illiterate man stood the Pharisees on their ear. “God does not hear sinners;” (vs.31).

Here was a once blind beggar – considered one of the dregs of first-century society – getting in the face of the Pharisees. The man who had had his sight restored did not understand the theological implications of his healing, he just knew he had been healed. And no sinner could have done that, so this man must be from God. And if he was from God why didn't the Pharisees know about his background?

He boldly shared what he knew, no more and no less, under all conditions, regardless of who his audience was. His clear, honesty is a model for all of us who attempt to say that Christ Jesus has opened our eyes.

The Pharisees fired back, “How dare you lecture us! You were born entirely in sin!” His simple spiritual reasoning was too much for these Pharisees. How can someone “completely born in sins” become their teacher? So they “cast him out.” Often we throw out those who threaten us with the truth. But in being thrown out of Judaism, this man is “cast” into new life.

Unlike the Pharisees, who placed themselves beyond the realm of Christ Jesus' healing power, this man was brought into the light. He was physically blind and he was spiritually blind, and now he was given sight. When you find yourself an out cast, remember Christ Jesus. He came so that no one would be an out cast, but instead have a permanent home in heaven. Why not come in from the dark, let your spiritual sight be healed today?

Conclusion: Christ Jesus came into the world to give sight to those who were spiritually blind. That those who that think to highly of their own wisdom, might be see their ignorance.

The preaching of the cross is thought to be foolishness by those who do not know Christ Jesus and rely on worldly wisdom. Nothing fortifies men's corrupt hearts against the convictions of the Word, more than the high opinion which they have of themselves. But if all you get is the applause of others, then what have you really gained? You must obtain acceptance with God. If you reject the gospel of grace, the guilt of your sin remains unpardoned, and the power of your sin remains unbroken. Except the grace given full and free by Christ Jesus and be made whole today.