From Darkness to Light Part 2 - The Journey to Sight

The Journey to Sight

Good morning Church

Please open your bibles to John 9 verse 8

we will be working through the end of the chapter which is V41

I am going to go ahead and read the passage

it is longer, therefore, you do not need to stand

Now, as we read through this passage,

keep your eyes on the opposition this man finds after his new found vision

and also notice the difference between the spiritual sight of the healed man

and the spiritual blindness of the

neighbors

the pharisees

and the parents

John 9:8–41 CSB

8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.” 10 So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said. 13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees. 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?” “He’s a prophet,” he said. 18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.” 24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” 26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?” 28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.” 30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.” 34 “You were born entirely in sin,” they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked. 37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?” 41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Let us Pray

Illustration

I think it’s safe to say we are all on a journey

between our families

professions

and just life

and we all well know

there will be mountains and valleys

good times and bad as we navigate life

Well, our journey of faith is the same way

As we deepen our relationship with the Lord,

we will encounter people and challenges

That oppose the light we now have in our lives

And that try to pull us back into darkness.

But we press on,

lean into the light we were given

and one day, we will hear the words,

"Well done, good and faithful servant."

Today’s message outlines the blind man’s journey of faith

from seeing Jesus as just a man

to recognizing Him as Lord

and worshipping him

Along the way, he faces opposition,

just as we will.

So let us dive in and see just how he navigates this

Our three points are —

Eyes Blurred,

Eyes Blind,

Eyes Opened

And within those we will highlight

the six stages of spiritual sight this man experiences,

showing how growth through these stages leads to victory.

So let us begin with our 1st point of the morning

Eyes Blurred

We will encounter the neighbors

Again, as we pick up where we left off last week

we remember that this man had just had his eyes opened by Jesus

a miracle that restored this man that was blind from birth

Now, he is back in his neighborhood and ready to soak it all in

we have to imagine this man is on cloud 9

He is excited

and he probably wants to show all his friends

and family what just happened

and just like we should do when have our eyes opened to the truth

he went out and I am sure wanted to show everyone his new life

So of course, on his way home he encounters those that live around him

This would be his neighbors,

those that probably saw him everyday

those that probably knew him since they were kids

those that may have even helped him to his begging place

then helped him home

Those that probably knew him the best

outside of his parents

And we can imagine him running up them

and saying Hey guys,

I can see!!

go ahead, ask me color that building is?

now, we would think these neighbors would be happy for him right?

I mean that seems logical…

but instead we see in V 8&9

that they didn’t even recognize him

they saw him everyday probably

walked by him

talked with him

yet now, they claim they don’t even recognize him

This cant be the same guy

our guy couldn’t see

yet you can see

who are you and what did you do with my friend?

You are a beggar,

that’s all we knew you as

there is no way you can see now

you were blind from birth

which means either you did something bad or your parents did

either way, there is no way you can be you

So they start to argue in front of this man

some say this isn’t him

other say

you know, I think it is

others say,

well it sure does look like him

but they all agree,

you aren’t acting like you...

So probably, still with some joy to his new found sight he says

“Im the one”

And he goes on to tell them exactly how Jesus healed him

Step by step

we find that in V11

Now, i want to step away for a second and dig into this a bit

Because within this verse we see our 1st step in spiritual sight

See when God opens our eyes

we respond by coming to him

just like this man did

when Jesus told him to go wash

he did

But what I want to point here is that

this man had idea who Jesus was theologically

he probably had heard some rumors

About a new guy that was healing folks

but this man, he essentially knew nothing of Christ

outside of this personal encounter with him

which tells us

It does not take a degree to come to Christ

it doesn’t take classes

it doesn’t take a certain amount of Sunday school or Sunday morning

attendance to come to Christ

it doesn’t take good works or deeds

No, all it takes is him opening your eyes

and you responding

we don’t bring anything to the table

He meets us where we are

right in the middle of our brokenness

on the side of the road

or in a busy work life

This man knows nothing of Jesus’ deity

he knows nothing about penal substitution

he knows nothing about the trinity

all he knows is that once he was blind

and now he sees

and when asked who did this

he didn’t say the eternal son of God

he didn’t say my Lord and Savior

he didn’t say the Lamb of God

No, he said, The man named Jesus

The man named Jesus

brought him out of darkness and into the light

See the first stage in gaining our sight is

Simply learning about Jesus

But I tell you what

once your eyes are opened

once you place your faith in this

man named Jesus

whom you may not know a lot about

your life will change

in some form or fashion

but, along with the joy and hope

that comes from knowing him

comes something else

The powers of this world

will immediately put a target on your back

because it is at this stage that you are most vulnerable to attack

Just look at the reaction he got form his friends

they didn’t recognize him

he was met with confusion and doubt

They judged him based upon who he used to be

they still saw him based upon his past

and couldn’t come to terms that

he was a new man

And we, when we start our journey and even now

may be met with this same type of opposition

Our friends, our buddies who once knew us as

the guy or gal that stayed up all night partying

now all of a sudden doesn’t anymore

The person that used to get angry all the time

now at least takes a couple of breaths first

the person that used to cuss like a sailor

now, suddenly has a different vocabulary

And the old “fun” you is now gone

and they wonder who is this new you?

we don’t even recognize you anymore

and soon you aren’t invited places anymore

and they are asking what happened to you

So like the blind man

even if we are new to our faith

we must be ready to testify

simply and clearly about what Jesus has done in our lives

even when others doubt us

question us

or are confused by us

and our new lives

Because we must remember that while our eyes have been opened

their are still blurred to the things of this world

and they will do anything they can to bring you back to it

as we grow as christians

so does the target on our back

Now, these neighbors were confused right

they want to know where this Jesus is

who healed this man

But the man doesn’t know where he is

which brings us to our second point of the morning

if the confused neighbors eyes were simply blurred

we will see that the pharisees are still completely shut off

That is why the neighbors brought the man to the pharisees

they wanted some explanation of what was happening

their blurred vision of seeing the change in this man

must have some explanation

The Blind

Pharisees and The Parents

So in V13 the healed man is brought before the Pharisees.

We also learn healing took place on the Sabbath,

which incites controversy as Jesus had a history of healing on the Sabbath,

something that already provoked the Pharisees.

So, When questioned by the Pharisees,

the man repeats how Jesus healed him,

acknowledging Jesus not only as a man

but as his healer,

Which signifies the mans 2nd stage in his journey

Jesus has come from

just being a man

to being a healer

So the Pharisees argue over whether Jesus could be from God, since He healed on the Sabbath,

highlighting their concern for tradition over recognizing the miracle.

Some Pharisees doubt how a sinner could perform such a sign,

leading to internal conflict among them.

so they ask them man

what his opinion is

And when asked his opinion of Jesus,

the man boldly declares Him a prophet,

So, already

we have seen this man

each time he gives his story

Elevate Jesus even more

to now being a prophet

which is already the 3rd stage in his journey

See the people of that day

saw a prophet as the highest office a man could hold

one that walked with God

and represented God

and much like his view of Jesus is increasing during

his journey so far

as we continue in our journey

Jesus must become more and more to us

and we become less and less

In the face of opposition we must stand strong on who Jesus is

and what he has done for us

See the Pharisees represent those who respond to our salvation

with rejection and hostility.

They were more concerned with maintaining their religious authority and traditions

than acknowledging the miraculous work of God.

Their legalism blinded them to the truth,

and it led them to dismiss the man’s testimony

See in our journey of faith,

we will encounter people who are threatened by our transformation.

These individuals, like the Pharisees,

may reject our testimony,

dismiss our experiences,

or even become hostile toward us.

Because to them, Jesus is hostile.

He challenges everything they were taught,

everything they believe,

and everything they hold dear.

He threatens their traditions,

their authority,

and their way of life.

To accept Jesus means to question their deeply held beliefs,

to admit they might be wrong,

and to embrace a truth that disrupts their entire worldview.

This is why they and so many today resist Him so fiercely—

because Jesus doesn’t just ask for a part of their lives; He asks for everything.

So, when faced with rejection and hostility,

how do we respond?

We should follow the example of the blind man.

Despite intense pressure,

he stood firm in his testimony

and remained connected to Jesus,

the one who restored his sight.

This is crucial for us as well.

When the world pushes us to conform,

when we're tempted to retreat or compromise our faith,

we must remember to stay strong.

Like the blind man,

who didn't back down even when everything he knew was challenged,

we too must hold fast to the truth of who

Jesus is and what He has done for us.

So, back the pharisees

since they didn’t like this answer

they figured they would dig deeper

so they called upon the mans parents

and they ask

n John 9:19 “19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?””

and how do they respond?

John 9:20–22 “20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.”

Now, we haven’t had good things to say about this mans parents so far

and it looks like we will continue that trend

They had no problem testifying that he was indeed born blind

but when it came to the spiritual things…

they punted it…

why?

that is what V22 tells us

22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue.”

Remember the Jews had it out for jesus for a while, and this tells us that they already

were persecuting those that wanted to follow him

so much so they threatened expulsion to those that followed him

now, in this society the synagogue was a big deal

to go was great

to not be able to go was detrimental

it was shameful to not be able to attend synagogue

you were an outcast if you didn’t

you were not accepted by the people if you didn’t

attending synagogue could almost be considered as much of a social construct

as much as a religious one

and the parents,

were more concerned with being cast out socially

than defending and supporting their son

So we can see this mans parents as those that oppose our journey due to their own

fear and compromise

Rather than standing by their son and affirming the truth of his healing,

they chose to stay silent and distance themselves from him

distance themselves

out of fear of social and religious repercussions

their fear of being shunned by their friends and those around them

led them to compromise their integrity

and remain silent

about what Jesus had done for their son

Due to their blindness, they couldn’t support theirs sons new life

See in a world that often pressures us to conform,

fear can lead us to compromise our faith

there are times during our journey

that we will be called to stand up for Jesus

and we will have to decide if we will stand for him

or if we will choose to stay silent out of

fear of what other people will think of us

see there is a challenge to living out our faith

in a world that opposes everything about it

So, how did this group of Jews respond?

well the parents didn’t tell

them what they wanted to hear

In John 9:24, the Pharisees summon the healed man again,

this time insisting that Jesus is a sinner

and urging him to glorify God

instead of following Jesus,

But the man’s response in John 9:25 is powerful: “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”

See despite facing severe questioning

and potential ruin from these religious leaders,

he boldly testifies to his personal experience of Jesus' transformative power.

He may not understand everything about Jesus,

but he knows Jesus saved him from blindness

and will not waver in his faith.

And this this marks the fourth stage in his spiritual journey—

recognizing Jesus as

his Savior.

Despite further ridicule,

his conviction only strengthens,

cementing his faith.

Then after a little more ridicule he delivers the following final response

Lets read John 9:30–33 “30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to him. 32 Throughout history no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.””

Do we see how as the opposition gets tougher so does his testimony

as this man faces more and more difficulties

his faith only grows!

So far we have see him grow from

thinking Jesus is a man

to a healer and helper

to a prophet

to a savior

and now

seeing that Jesus is from God

This mans final answer to those opposing him

was his confession of the fact that Jesus

was sent from God

his 5th stage in this journey

This man knew that Jesus was from God

and Jesus’ works were proof of that

therefore, Jesus was not

a liar

a deceaver

no

he is his savior sent from God!

And for that confession

the Jews threw him out

This man

who encountered Jesus just once

would rather be thrown our of society

than to deny the works of Jesus

So just like that

this man

who was once begging on the streets

found himself back on the streets

and we will now see who is there for him

when everyone pushes us away

exiles us because of our faith

we will see that there is one

who is with us no matter what

in our final point of the morning

Eyes Opened

The man who was once blind

has just experienced incredible highs and lows right

he was miraculously healed by Jesus,

but then rejected, shamed, and cast out

he was put through the ringer

by his community and the religious leaders.

Yet, in this moment of rejection,

when it seems like he’s been left alone again,

something profound happens:

Jesus finds him.

See no matter how isolated, rejected, or broken we may feel,

Jesus never loses sight of us.

When the world turns its back,

He steps in.

When others shame us,

He offers us dignity.

And when we are cast out, He draws us near.

So Jesus asks the man, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

—a question that invites not just belief but a personal relationship.

and the man’s response is beautiful in its simplicity and power:

"Lord, I believe," and he worshiped Him.

This act of worship is a profound statement

because in Jesus,

this man has found not just physical sight,

but spiritual sight

he has found clarity, purpose, and belonging.

Along this journey that we are on

we will encounter moments of rejection

and loneliness,

but we can take heart in

knowing that Jesus is always seeking us out.

He is the Good Shepherd who never abandons His sheep,

He is the One who sees your worth when others don't.

And just like this man

when you respond to His call with faith,

when he opens your blind eyes

you are invited into a deeper relationship

that brings healing, hope, and true worship.

So, no matter where you are on your journey to sight

remember this:

Jesus finds you where you are,

loves you as you are,

and invites you to see the world through His eyes,

which is with a heart full of faith and worship.

That is why in V39 Jesus says “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”

These words might seem challenging at first,

but they carry a profound truth and encouragement for all who seek spiritual sight.

It reminds us that Jesus came to bring clarity and truth to a world blinded by sin and self-righteousness.

But for those who recognize their spiritual blindness—

like the man who was healed—

Jesus offers sight, both physically and spiritually.

But for those who claim they can see without Jesus,

who rely on their own understanding and reject the light He brings,

they remain in spiritual blindness.

they remain separated from him

they remain in darkness

The pharisees, whom have found themselves back in the picture

interject back into the story and ask Jesus

Verses 40-41

“We aren’t blind too, are we?” Jesus replies, “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Here, Jesus isn’t condemning blindness but the pride that refuses to acknowledge it.

Those that are against Jesus

will remain lost

For those of us who feel lost,

uncertain,

or aware of our shortcomings,

there is great encouragement in knowing

that Jesus meets us right where we are.

He doesn’t expect us to have everything figured out;

instead,

He offers to open our eyes to

His truth, grace, and love.

When we admit our need for Him,

we receive the gift of spiritual sight—

and this passage is a

powerful reminder that

God’s grace is sufficient for us in our weakness.

When we feel uncertain or unworthy,

we can take comfort in the fact that

Jesus doesn’t turn away from those

who acknowledge their need for Him.

Instead, He draws nearer to us,

opens our eyes,

and leads us into a life of

purpose and hope,

with eternal significance.

So, be encouraged:

Jesus is the light of the world

who dispels the darkness.

In Him,

your spiritual blindness is turned into sight,

your doubts into faith,

and your weakness into strength.

As you walk in His light,

you will see clearly—

not only your path

but also the heart of the

One who loves you beyond measure.

Conclusion

So as we finish Chapter 9

over these last 2 weeks we saw a man born blind

given physical sight by Jesus,

but more importantly, he gained spiritual sight.

While his neighbors, the Pharisees, and even his own parents remained spiritually blind,

this man’s journey led him to recognize Jesus as the Son of God.

during this journey

Jesus went from a man

to a healer

to a prophet

to a savior

to the son of God

Despite being rejected and cast out by the world,

he finds acceptance and life in Jesus, declaring,

“Lord, I believe.”

This passage reminds us that Jesus came to give us more than just physical sight—

He came to open our spiritual eyes to the truth of who He is.

The world may offer confusion,

opposition,

and rejection,

but Jesus offers clarity, faith, and eternal life.

Today, just as Jesus sought out the man who was cast out, He seeks you.

He invites you to see with new eyes,

to leave behind the blindness of sin,

and to follow Him.

Will you, like the man in this story,

respond in faith and say, “Lord, I believe”?

Jesus is the light of the world, and in Him, there is life.

Turn to Him today and experience the true sight

that only He can give.

Let us Pray