5 - Sight: When Jesus Opens Our Eyes

SERMON 5 — Sight: When Jesus Opens Our Eye

Have you ever thought you were seeing something clearly… only to realize later you were completely wrong?

I once waved at someone across the grocery store—big wave, enthusiastic wave—only to realize it wasn’t who I thought it was. The poor stranger looked terrified. I pretended I was stretching.

Sometimes our eyes work… but our understanding doesn’t.

John 9 is a story about sight—physical sight, yes—but even more, spiritual sight. It’s about Jesus opening eyes that didn’t even know they were blind.

Walking Into the Story

Jesus and His disciples pass a man who has been blind from birth. The disciples ask the question people still ask today:

“Who sinned, this man or his parents?”

In other words: “Whose fault is this?”

Jesus says, “Neither. This happened so the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Jesus refuses to play the blame game. He sees possibility where others see punishment.

Then Jesus does something strange—He spits on the ground, makes mud, and puts it on the man’s eyes.

Let’s be honest: If someone spit in the dirt and rubbed it on your face, you’d call security.

But Jesus is showing something: He can use the dust of our lives to bring healing.

From Dust to Dawn, even mud becomes a miracle.

Illustration: The Wrong Glasses

I once grabbed the wrong pair of glasses off the counter—my wife’s. I put them on and instantly thought, “Either I’m dying or the world is melting.”

Everything was blurry. Nothing made sense.

That’s what spiritual blindness is like. You can have functioning eyes and still not see truth.

The Pharisees had 20/20 vision… and were completely blind.

The blind man had never seen a sunrise… and yet he saw Jesus more clearly than anyone.

A Little Humor

A kid once told me, “I don’t need glasses. My mom just says I need to ‘try harder.’”

If only sight worked like that. But spiritual sight doesn’t come from trying harder— it comes from Jesus opening our eyes.

The Reactions to the Miracle

After the man washes in the Pool of Siloam, he comes back seeing. And everyone freaks out.

Some say, “Is this the same guy?” Others say, “No, it just looks like him.” He keeps saying, “It’s me!”

Isn’t it funny how people struggle to accept your transformation? Some folks prefer the old you because it fits their expectations.

But Jesus doesn’t heal you to keep you the same. He heals you to send you forward.

The Pharisees’ Blindness

The Pharisees interrogate him. “How did this happen?” “Who did this?” “Where is He?” “Do you think He’s from God?”

The man finally says one of the greatest lines in Scripture:

“One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.”

He doesn’t have a theology degree. He doesn’t have all the answers. He just knows what Jesus did for him.

Sometimes the clearest testimony is the simplest one.

Illustration: The Light Switch

Have you ever walked into a dark room and fumbled around for the light switch? You bump into furniture, stub your toe, knock something over.

But once the light comes on, everything makes sense.

Jesus is the light switch. He doesn’t just help us see— He helps us understand.

Connecting to the Series Theme

Week 1: Dust — God begins with honesty. Week 2: Wilderness — God forms us in hard places. Week 3: Promise — God calls us forward. Week 4: Thirst — God fills us with living water. Week 5: Sight — God opens our eyes to truth.

This is the journey From Dust to Dawn: God doesn’t just shape us or call us— He reveals what we couldn’t see before.

Three Kinds of Blindness Jesus Heals

1. Blindness to who He is

The Pharisees saw a rule-breaker. The healed man saw a Savior.

2. Blindness to who we are

We often see failure, shame, or limitation. Jesus sees potential, purpose, and belovedness.

3. Blindness to what God is doing

We think God is absent. Jesus shows us He’s been working all along.

Illustration: The Puzzle Piece

Have you ever tried to make sense of a puzzle with just one piece? It looks random, meaningless.

But when you see the whole picture, the piece makes sense.

Jesus helps us see the bigger picture— the story God is writing.

Application: What Needs New Sight in Your Life?

1. A relationship you’ve given up on

Jesus can help you see it with grace.

2. A situation that feels hopeless

Jesus can help you see possibility.

3. A wound you’ve been carrying

Jesus can help you see healing.

4. A calling you’ve been afraid to pursue

Jesus can help you see courage.

Jesus doesn’t just restore sight— He restores perspective.

A Gentle Turn Toward Hope

At the end of the story, Jesus finds the man again. He doesn’t heal him and disappear. He heals him and stays.

The man sees Jesus with his eyes… and then sees Him with his heart.

That’s the miracle Jesus wants for us too.

Closing Prayer

Lord, Open our eyes today— not just to see the world around us, but to see You. Heal our blindness, restore our perspective, and help us recognize Your presence in every part of our lives. Where we have misunderstood, bring clarity. Where we have feared, bring courage. Where we have doubted, bring faith. Lead us from dust to wilderness, from wilderness to promise, from promise to living water, and from living water to sight. In Your name, Amen.

If you want, I can move right into Part 6 — Life: When Death Doesn’t Win with the same tone and depth.

Rich, here is your full 15‑minute, conversational, story‑driven sermon for Part 5 of your series. It carries the same warmth, humor, and pastoral tone as the first four and stays anchored in the overarching theme: From Dust to Dawn.

SERMON 5 — Sight: When Jesus Opens Our Eyes

John 9 Theme: Jesus doesn’t just restore physical sight—He reveals spiritual truth.

Opening

Have you ever thought you were seeing something clearly… only to realize later you were completely wrong?

I once waved at someone across the grocery store—big wave, enthusiastic wave—only to realize it wasn’t who I thought it was. The poor stranger looked terrified. I pretended I was stretching.

Sometimes our eyes work… but our understanding doesn’t.

John 9 is a story about sight—physical sight, yes—but even more, spiritual sight. It’s about Jesus opening eyes that didn’t even know they were blind.

Walking Into the Story

Jesus and His disciples pass a man who has been blind from birth. The disciples ask the question people still ask today:

“Who sinned, this man or his parents?”

In other words: “Whose fault is this?”

Jesus says, “Neither. This happened so the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Jesus refuses to play the blame game. He sees possibility where others see punishment.

Then Jesus does something strange—He spits on the ground, makes mud, and puts it on the man’s eyes.

Let’s be honest: If someone spit in the dirt and rubbed it on your face, you’d call security.

But Jesus is showing something: He can use the dust of our lives to bring healing.

From Dust to Dawn, even mud becomes a miracle.

Illustration: The Wrong Glasses

I once grabbed the wrong pair of glasses off the counter—my wife’s. I put them on and instantly thought, “Either I’m dying or the world is melting.”

Everything was blurry. Nothing made sense.

That’s what spiritual blindness is like. You can have functioning eyes and still not see truth.

The Pharisees had 20/20 vision… and were completely blind.

The blind man had never seen a sunrise… and yet he saw Jesus more clearly than anyone.

A Little Humor

A kid once told me, “I don’t need glasses. My mom just says I need to ‘try harder.’”

If only sight worked like that. But spiritual sight doesn’t come from trying harder— it comes from Jesus opening our eyes.

The Reactions to the Miracle

After the man washes in the Pool of Siloam, he comes back seeing. And everyone freaks out.

Some say, “Is this the same guy?” Others say, “No, it just looks like him.” He keeps saying, “It’s me!”

Isn’t it funny how people struggle to accept your transformation? Some folks prefer the old you because it fits their expectations.

But Jesus doesn’t heal you to keep you the same. He heals you to send you forward.

The Pharisees’ Blindness

The Pharisees interrogate him. “How did this happen?” “Who did this?” “Where is He?” “Do you think He’s from God?”

The man finally says one of the greatest lines in Scripture:

“One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.”

He doesn’t have a theology degree. He doesn’t have all the answers. He just knows what Jesus did for him.

Sometimes the clearest testimony is the simplest one.

Illustration: The Light Switch

Have you ever walked into a dark room and fumbled around for the light switch? You bump into furniture, stub your toe, knock something over.

But once the light comes on, everything makes sense.

Jesus is the light switch. He doesn’t just help us see— He helps us understand.

Connecting to the Series Theme

Week 1: Dust — God begins with honesty. Week 2: Wilderness — God forms us in hard places. Week 3: Promise — God calls us forward. Week 4: Thirst — God fills us with living water. Week 5: Sight — God opens our eyes to truth.

This is the journey From Dust to Dawn: God doesn’t just shape us or call us— He reveals what we couldn’t see before.

Three Kinds of Blindness Jesus Heals

1. Blindness to who He is

The Pharisees saw a rule-breaker. The healed man saw a Savior.

2. Blindness to who we are

We often see failure, shame, or limitation. Jesus sees potential, purpose, and belovedness.

3. Blindness to what God is doing

We think God is absent. Jesus shows us He’s been working all along.

Illustration: The Puzzle Piece

Have you ever tried to make sense of a puzzle with just one piece? It looks random, meaningless.

But when you see the whole picture, the piece makes sense.

Jesus helps us see the bigger picture— the story God is writing.

Application: What Needs New Sight in Your Life?

1. A relationship you’ve given up on

Jesus can help you see it with grace.

2. A situation that feels hopeless

Jesus can help you see possibility.

3. A wound you’ve been carrying

Jesus can help you see healing.

4. A calling you’ve been afraid to pursue

Jesus can help you see courage.

Jesus doesn’t just restore sight— He restores perspective.

A Gentle Turn Toward Hope

At the end of the story, Jesus finds the man again. He doesn’t heal him and disappear. He heals him and stays.

The man sees Jesus with his eyes… and then sees Him with his heart.

That’s the miracle Jesus wants for us too.

Closing Prayer

Lord, Open our eyes today— not just to see the world around us, but to see You. Heal our blindness, restore our perspective, and help us recognize Your presence in every part of our lives. Where we have misunderstood, bring clarity. Where we have feared, bring courage. Where we have doubted, bring faith. Lead us from dust to wilderness, from wilderness to promise, from promise to living water, and from living water to sight. In Your name, Amen.