From Blindness to Belief: Unraveling the Tapestry of Faith in John 9
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
AG: Imagine a world plunged into perpetual darkness. You move through life guided by touch, and sound. Colors, faces, and light are distant dreams whispered by others.
Such was the reality for the man at the center of today's gospel passage, a man born blind, begging in the dust-kissed shadows of the Jerusalem Temple.
TS: John 9 takes us on a powerful journey with a man born blind, begging in the Temple courtyard. It unfolds like a captivating tapestry, revealing not just a physical miracle, but a profound exploration of faith, doubt, and transformation.
RS: John 9 invites us to unravel the complexities of faith, to face our own doubts, and to embrace the transformative power of Jesus' love. It's a story that resonates across time, reminding us that even in the darkness, a cry of faith can pierce through, and the light of Jesus can weave miracles into the tapestry of our lives.
So, prepare to be captivated by the story of the blind man in John 9. Let it be a guiding light as you explore the depths of your own faith journey.
1. A Glimpse into First-Century Life: Understanding the Context (John 9:1-5)
1. A Glimpse into First-Century Life: Understanding the Context (John 9:1-5)
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Explanation:
John, meticulously placing us in the scene, reveals crucial details.
TIMING: It's a Sabbath day, a day of strict religious observance.
Commandment:
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
There were limits on many things
In the 1st century, Sabbath observance for Jews was governed by both religious laws and cultural traditions. These restrictions aimed to create a day of complete rest and devotion to God, but the specific interpretations and practices varied among different groups and individuals.
Here are some of the main restrictions on the Sabbath Day in 1st century Judaism:
Work Prohibitions:
No manual labor: This included farming, construction, crafts, and any other form of physical work.
No cooking or baking: Preparing food was considered work, so meals were pre-cooked on Friday and kept warm throughout the Sabbath.
No buying or selling: Commerce was forbidden, and markets were closed.
No travel: Restrictions on travel varied, but generally, long journeys were prohibited.
Restrictions on Daily Activities:
No lighting a fire: This included using lamps or candles, and even starting a fire for cooking.
No carrying objects: Carrying items from one domain (e.g., private home) to another (e.g., public street) was forbidden.
No writing: Some interpretations restricted writing or even making marks on paper.
No bathing or washing: Bathing and washing clothes were considered forms of labor.
Emphasis on Rest and Spiritual Observance:
Attendance at synagogue services: Prayer and study of scripture were central to Sabbath observance.
Festive meals: Special meals were prepared and shared with family and friends.Acts of charity and kindness: Helping others in need was encouraged.
Condition:
Blindness in that era was often attributed to sin, casting this man further into societal exclusion.
That leads to the disciples question:
And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus responds in v. 3
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus points out something greater was going on.
This blindness was so that Jesus could heal Him. It was for greater things than just the impact on the blind man.
Jesus approaches him, defying these cultural prejudices.
Illustration:
Picture a vibrant tapestry, shimmering with intricate threads. Each thread represents a facet of the story: the sun-soaked city, the rigid religious laws, the blind man's marginalized existence. John weaves these threads together, giving us a rich tapestry of the scene.
Application:
Today, as we analyze scriptures, let's strive for contextual understanding. Let's weave together historical details, cultural nuances, and the author's intent to create a vibrant tapestry that brings the text to life, allowing it to resonate with our own realities.
Jesus’ point that He is the light of the world resonates all the way through the ages to us today.
2. Unveiling the Miracle: Witnessing Jesus' Power (John 9:6-7)
2. Unveiling the Miracle: Witnessing Jesus' Power (John 9:6-7)
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.
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.
Explanation:
Jesus spits on the ground, forms mud with saliva, and smears it on the man's blind eyes. An unconventional act, defying societal norms. Then, He commands the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam. Hesitantly, the man obeys, only to emerge, blinking, bathed in the miracle of sight.
Jesus worked this miracle in a different way than others.
The healing of the blind man of Bethsaida is the only miracle in the Gospels that proceeds in stages rather than being instantly effected.
James R. Edwards
Other times:
Spoke
Prayed
He laid hands on them
Sent Lepers to the priest and they were healed as they walked.
Being touched.
This shows us that the power was His (as GOD) and not just in a “spell” or formula to be followed
There is no limit on Christ’s power.
In this text, HE required something:
The blind man had to go and wash.
Illustration:
Imagine the tapestry coming alive, the threads shimmering as the blind man opens his eyes. Light, for the first time, floods his senses. Every blade of grass, every wrinkle on his mother's face, explodes into vibrant reality.
Application:
Jesus' miracles weren't mere spectacles; they were profound demonstrations of His divine power. He worked them to glorify the Father and reveal Himself to them and to us as well.
We, too, can experience transformations in our lives.
He came to seek and to save the lost. That was and is His purpose. It is far greater than healing our infirmities
Let us not hesitate to follow His commands, even if they seem unconventional, for faith often blossoms in the fertile ground of obedience.
We have faith in Him for salvation
We obey through faith
Our faith grows
Ultimately, we are transformed
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3. From Skepticism to Acceptance: Overcoming Doubts (John 9:8-12)
3. From Skepticism to Acceptance: Overcoming Doubts (John 9:8-12)
EX: The man's newfound sight draws a mix of wonder and disbelief.
Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”
Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
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.”
Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”
His neighbors question, "Isn't this the one who used to beg?"
Their skepticism highlights the difficulty of accepting transformative miracles, both for the recipient and the observers.
Some made excuses
he just looks like the beggar!
The blind man testifies:
It is me!
Illustration: Think of a tightly knotted thread in the tapestry, a stubborn doubt hindering the flow of the story. John unravels this knot by showing the neighbors' gradual acceptance as they question the healed man, ultimately acknowledging Jesus' intervention.
Application: Doubt and skepticism are natural tendencies.
Many today are spiritually blind by so-called logic and reason
They ASSUME there is no God
Then they work to explain all we see without God’s hand
They seek a rational explanation
They do mental gymnastics to ignore His message
Even Believers aren’t immune to this idea
When we are faced with unexpected blessings, we often hesitate, questioning or analyzing.
It is like when we are ill and pray for God’s intervention, then He heals (sometimes in spite of doctors) and then we say, Oh well, I didn’t need God’s help after all!
Today, let us choose to embrace faith, to allow the threads of God's grace to weave a tapestry of miracles in our lives, even when uncertainty threatens to unravel it.
Keep trusting GOD
Thank Him when He intervenes!
4. Confronting Prejudice: Challenging Rigid Traditions (John 9:13-34)
4. Confronting Prejudice: Challenging Rigid Traditions (John 9:13-34)
The healed man faces a trial by fire. He confronts the religious authorities, challenging their rigid interpretations of the Sabbath and exposing their hypocrisy. John paints a compelling scene of power dynamics, showcasing the clash between faith and legalistic interpretations.
The Trial
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
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.”
The responses
He Isn’t From GOD
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.
Their logic: Jesus didn’t follow their Sabbath customs, thus He cannot be from God
OTHERS: a sinner cannot do such signs!
Bind Man
They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
Diversion: looked to say no miracle had occured
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.
And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
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.”
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.
Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
2nd Interview with the Healed
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.”
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.”
Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
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?”
Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples.
We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
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!
Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
Application: Today, we too might face similar tensions.
Our faith might challenge societal norms or established structures.
There will be times in which we don’t have all the answers
It is natural to have doubts
Hold onto faith even when you don’t have all the answers
Let us remember the healed man's courage, his unwavering belief in Jesus. Let us speak our truth, even when it means pushing against the frayed threads of rigid traditions.
Keep proclaiming the gospel
Keep worshipping the Lord
5. From Healing to Discipleship: Embracing Transformation (John 9:35-38)
5. From Healing to Discipleship: Embracing Transformation (John 9:35-38)
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?”
He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
Jesus discusses the events with the newly sighted man
Question: Do you believe?
Jesus questions his faith
Do you believe in the Son of God
Response: Who is He?
An honest answer. He had been blind. He didn’t know Jesus by sight
He wanted more information:
Who is He that I might believe in Him
Answer: ME
Response LORD I BELIEVE
The man, no longer a passive recipient, embraces his role as a disciple, defending Jesus and proclaiming his newfound sight.
Application: Jesus' miracles are not isolated events; they are invitations to a deeper communion, a call to discipleship.
Let us not merely bask in the warmth of His grace, but allow it to transform us, making us instruments of His light in the world.
To be a disciple is to be a follower and student of Jesus
6. Blinded by the Light: Rejecting Jesus John 9:39-41
6. Blinded by the Light: Rejecting Jesus John 9:39-41
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.”
Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Jesus confronts the Pharisees, declaring, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." John reveals the deeper purpose of the miracle: not just physical sight, but a profound transformation of souls.
When confronted with Jesus, some embrace Him in faith and receive eternal life.
Others reject Him with hardened hearts and reap judgment due to their unbelief.
This chapter portrays what happens when the light shines: some are made to see, like this man born blind, while others, who think they see, turn away, blinded, as it were, by the light (9:39–41)
D. A. Carson
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Closing Illustration: So, brothers and sisters, as we leave this tapestry of faith woven by John, let us remember the blind man's journey. Let his newfound sight be a beacon, guiding us through the shadows of doubt and skepticism. Let his courage to challenge established norms inspire us to speak our truth and embrace the transformative power of Jesus' love. May we, too, emerge from the darkness, blinking in the sunlight of faith, ready to share the tapestry of His grace with the world.
Remember, the threads of our own stories are still being woven. Let us choose to follow Jesus, allow Him to weave within us the vibrant tapestry of faith, and become living testimonies to the extraordinary miracles He can still perform in our lives.