Sight Beyond Conformity: Trusting Jesus as Truth

Introduction: The Persistent Search for True Sight

How many of you who are parents remember when your first child was born? I definitely do. In just a few weeks, our family will welcome into the world our first grandchild. We all remember the anticipation of a child about to be born. We remember seeing them come into this world and holding them in our arms. There is nothing more rewarding. No matter the condition of a child born, there is often joy. I imagine the parents of this man who was born blind from birth was no different. Yes, his birth defect would be challenging. But, it did not matter to them for he was their son.

Now, imagine standing in a crowd, watching a miracle unfold—your own son, blind from birth, suddenly seeing the world for the first time. The joy should be overwhelming, uncontainable. But instead, you’re paralyzed, afraid to speak, because the wrong word might cost you everything—your friends, your community, your place. Remember what I said last week, “This is not just a story from long ago; it’s a mirror to our lives today.”

We’re surrounded by God’s truth, yet too often, we let fear blind us to it...

...trading courage for comfort and missing the miracle right in front of us.

This is why we need this message now. In a world that pressures us to conform—to keep quiet, to fit in, to avoid the hard edges of faith—we’re losing sight of what’s real, what’s eternal. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring “Sight Beyond Suffering,” peeling back the layers of distress, distraction, and doubt that cloud our vision. Today, we turn to John 9:18-23, where fear of societal repercussions blinds a family to Jesus Himself. Our theme sharpens here:

THEME: Trusting Jesus as truth grants sight beyond suffering...

...revealing a deeper reality that outshines immediate hardship and the pull of the crowd.

My purpose this morning is simple:

PURPOSE: To show you how trusting Jesus can break through the blindness of fear and conformity, opening your eyes to a truth worth living for.

—a truth that frees you to stand bold, even when it costs you. Let’s start by looking at where this blindness begins. In John 9:18-23, we meet a set of parents caught in a moment that tests their sight—and their souls. Here’s what happens when conformity suffocates our vision.

Suffocating In Conformity’s Blindness

Let’s look at what happens next in the life of this formerly blind man. In John 9:18-23, we see how...

Conformity suffocates our sight, blinding us to Jesus’ truth out of fear.

John 9:18–19 KJV 1900

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

Obviously, the Jews, the religious leaders, did not buy this man’s testimony. Instead, they begin an all-out investigation, starting with an interrogation of the man’s parents. The parents find themselves at the center of this great controversy. They realize that their answer would have significant consequences. Being thrust into this spot caused much anxiety for them. The fear they experienced was sparked by the hostile nature of the interrogation. Listen to their response.

John 9:20–21 KJV 1900

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: 21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

First, they affirmed the obvious—“this is our son… he was born blind.” In doing so, they stuck to what was safe and undeniable—the facts.

Second, they punted on the miracle’s cause—“by what means he seeth… or who hath opened his eyes, we know not.” With the same breath, they shifted responsibility to their son, stating, “he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”

Their answer revealed the suffocating blindness we all face when confronted with societal pressures. They responded with half-truths—they knew something miraculous happened, but their fear of the religious leaders choked out their willingness to admit it. Thus, conformity blinded them to the full truth staring them in the face. Their fear didn’t just hide the miracle—it hid Jesus Himself. They were afraid of the repercussions, and it distorted their perception and testimony. Now, verse 22 reveals why.

John 9:22 KJV 1900

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

Here is the linchpin to the entire text. Note that they “feared the Jews,” who “had agreed already” that whoever aligned with Christ would be “put out of the synagogue.” It is this verse that explains why conformity suffocated them: it was their fear of being “put out”—cut off from their community. The synagogue was the heartbeat of Jewish life, blending faith, community, and authority. Synagogues wielded social power through inclusion or expulsion from their community. This unseen but felt force shaped the parents’ fear. They did not want to risk being cut off from their friends and neighbors. It was this reason they conformed. This fear carries into verse 23.

John 9:23 KJV 1900

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

The parents double down on their stance, stating once again, “He is of age; ask him.” They were not simply evading the issue—they were shifting responsibility away from themselves. It was a deliberate choice to avoid the cost of truth. They washed their hands of it. Conformity didn’t just blind them momentarily; it locked them into silence.’

The parents chose safety over truth, missing the miracle.

The issue is how much their fear of societal pressure blinded them to the clear evidence of Jesus’s miracle. What’s more striking is how it robbed them of the joy and happiness that should have been present as they realized their son no longer suffered from physical blindness.

Fear of rejection robs us of joy and hides Jesus.

Their fear mirrors ours today when we, even as believers, are quick to conform to societal norms and peer pressure. We do so because of fear. We’re afraid someone will make fun of us, or, worse, we’ll be cut off from those we think love and care for us. In doing so, we succumb to another form of spiritual blindness. Our fear prevents us from seeing and acknowledging the truth of God’s Word. In that moment, we experience another type of suffering. It is the fear of suffering that obscures the fact that Jesus is truth.

But while the parents’ fear locked them in blindness, the story doesn’t end there - because there is a way out, a sight that cuts through conformity’s grip.

Trusting In Jesus’ Liberating Truth

Trusting Jesus breaks conformity’s blindness, giving us a sight that treasures His truth over comfort. Their fear stands in contrast to the healed man’s faith. Though it’s not stated in our text, this man’s complete confidence in Christ shines clearly later in the chapter.

John 9:25 KJV 1900

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

There was no question in this man’s mind about Christ. It mattered not what others thought. They could debate Christ’s identity and authority until the cows came home, but this man’s heart was settled. Jesus was the one who healed him. He now saw what he could not see. Nothing would change his mind. He wasn’t worried about being expelled from the synagogue. He cared not what the religious leaders thought of Him. His parents, on the other hand, were filled with fear. Their fear of losing face before the entire community robbed them of seeing and knowing Christ as God. It kept them bound by the chains of peer pressure and conformity.

As for the blind man, he was enjoying the freedom found in Christ.

Trusting Christ always goes against the grain. Trusting Christ challenges the societal norms established by men. As sinners, we resist God’s ways, setting up our own norms to enforce conformity. Then, when the truth of Christ is revealed—whether through preaching, teaching, or the testimony of miraculous change in others—we allow the fear of men and the possibility of exclusion to dominate us.

Yet, here’s the kicker:

If we would just move past our fear and simply put our trust in Christ, the chain of conformity can be broken.

The blindness of our fear of exclusion will become spiritual sight. You see, when we place our faith in Christ, He gives us a different kind of sight.

John 8:12 KJV 1900

12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Let me remind you that...

Jesus is “the light of the world,” giving us sight.

And as such, placing your trust in Him brings sight that dispels darkness—ignorance, fear, and conformity. Following Him, trusting Him, shifts your focus from the temporary comfort of walking in darkness to the enduring truth of the “light of life.” Jesus builds on this in another promise.

John 16:33 KJV 1900

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The great misnomer is that if we conform to the world and don’t upset the apple cart, so to speak, we’ll have peace and joy. Yet, the world offers nothing but tribulation—the complete opposite. However, faith in Christ does indeed bring peace. It also brings a new perspective in which we realize that, despite the tribulation of this world, we can enjoy peace through Christ. It’s a new spiritual sight that values His victory and truth over worldly pressures, like the social exclusion the parents faced. Paul echoes this truth elsewhere.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV 1900

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

This verse addresses our problem head-on. We tend to be just like the blind man’s parents, seeing only the things in front of us—temporal, not eternal. But like the blind man, when we meet Christ and place our trust in Him, our blindness becomes sight. Our faith in Jesus reorients our vision to those things which are unseen, everlasting, and unafraid of social exclusion or acceptance.

Here’s the heart of it: trusting Jesus as truth frees us to see beyond the suffering of potential exclusion to His greater reality. It helps us be bold and stand against the peer pressures of this world, which would have you continue living in blindness.

Trusting Jesus gives us this new sight to break free from conformity’s blindness, but it’s not just about seeing Him - it’s about seeing beyond the suffering right in front of us to the great truth He reveals.

Seeing Beyond Suffering’s Veil

Trusting Jesus empowers us to see God’s truth beyond the suffering we face. The blind man’s trust opened his eyes, but Jesus shows us how far that sight can reach.

Hebrews 12:2 points us to this great Biblical truth.

Hebrews 12:2 KJV 1900

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Christ himself was our example how to see beyond immediate suffering.

He endured the cross knowing that He was accomplishing a greater mission - a mission of salvation and rescue.

Unfortunately and too often, we are like the formerly blind man’s parents. Being ostracized by the synagogue was the only thing the parents could see and focus upon.

John 9:22 KJV 1900

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

Their fear of being “put out of the synagogue” blinded them to the bigger picture of God’s power at work. They completely overlooked the miraculous healing of their son. We can’t just gloss over this. Remember, this mother and father, so excited about their son’s birth as it drew near, were likely saddened and burdened when they realized he was blind. Through the years, as he grew, they saw the struggles he endured just to play and be with others. Then, as an adult, they watched him sit by the roadside begging. Yet, the moment he was healed from his impairment, struggles, and all its darkness, they didn’t think about him—they only thought about themselves. There couldn’t have been a more typical selfish reaction than what they showed when the religious rulers began their interrogation.

I wonder how many of us would admit the same problem today. How many times have we been afraid of what others might say or think about us? In doing so, we’ve limited God’s ability to work in our lives. We were blinded to the bigger picture of His power at work. Take our witness to others: Christ commanded us to share His good news, and we’ve experienced His transforming power ourselves. Yet, because of societal pressures, we’re afraid to speak His name or testify to what He’s done. We stand quiet. We become more like the blind man’s parents than the blind man.

Unlike them, the blind man trusted Jesus and saw the truth. It should be easy for us who’ve accepted Christ as Savior. We too have been rescued from spiritual blindness and now enjoy the full benefits of spiritual sight. Yet, we hold back. Let’s not hold back. Instead, let’s simply trust Jesus. When we do, He gives us the ability and understanding to see beyond conformity to the world and its demands. Instead, we can see the eternal truth of Christ and His will for us. The Holy Spirit tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

2 Corinthians 4:17–18 KJV 1900

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Light afflictions, like losing synagogue status, are nothing compared to God’s glory. In the same vein, the light affliction of being mocked or ostracized by family, friends, or coworkers is nothing compared to the “more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

We must always be looking to Jesus. He’s the One who healed us and sustains us, even amid opposition and criticism. He endured the cross with all its shame and reproach. His example paves the way for us. We too can despise the shame men try to place upon us and simply do what God has called us to do. Church, if you want to stay right with God, you must prioritize His truth over everything else in life, even if it brings immediate suffering.

Trusting Jesus as truth allows us to see beyond the suffering of the moment.

Conclusion: Opening Our Eyes to True Sight

We’ve seen what is at stake even today. The parents of the blind man chose safety over truth, and their fear blinded them—not just to a miracle, but to Jesus Himself. The healed man chose trust, and his eyes were opened to a reality no one could take away. And Jesus? He chose the cross, despising its shame, to secure a truth that outshines all suffering. Now the choice is yours. Will you let fear lock you in conformity’s grip, or will you trust Jesus to break those chains and give you sight beyond the struggle?

Take a moment right now—don’t wait. Ask yourself: Where am I bowing to the pressure of this world? Is it at work, where I stay silent about my faith to avoid a coworker’s smirk? Is it with friends, where I laugh along to fit in, even when it dims God’s light in me? Is it in my family, where I dodge hard conversations to keep the peace? Name that place. Pinpoint it. That’s the stronghold of your will, where fear has built its walls. And today, Jesus stands at the gate, ready to tear them down—if you’ll let Him.

Here’s your decision: Trust Him. Not tomorrow, not next Sunday—now. Decide to speak His name when it costs you something. Decide to stand for His truth when the crowd walks away. Decide to look to Him, like the blind man did, and say, “I was blind, but now I see”—no matter who tries to silence you. This isn’t about feelings; it’s about action. Write it down if you have to: “This week, I will trust Jesus by [fill in the blank].” Maybe it’s sharing your testimony with that one person. Maybe it’s refusing to conform to a lie. Whatever it is, step into His strength today.

Because here’s the promise: Trusting Jesus as truth grants sight beyond suffering. It’s not a vague hope—it’s a reality you can live every day. When you choose Him over comfort, you’ll see what the parents missed: a joy, a peace, a glory that no rejection can touch. So stand up today. Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Let Him open your eyes to His truth. And walk out of here ready to live it—boldly, unashamed, and free.