Blindness or Faith

What is the most beautiful part of creation to you?

Fresh Eyes #2

12 minutes to walk and visit about how our facilities operate.

John 9:13–41 HCSB

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 So again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for 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 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’ 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, 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 When Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, He found him and 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.

Once you have seen something, you can never really un-see it. Those of you who have looked with fresh eyes can testify to this. If you looked last week and saw something you wrote on your sheet, you’ll never un-see it. Before, we might have walked by and not seen it dozens of times, but now… Febreeze uses the term ‘nose-blind’ in their marketing.

I’m taking the chance to show you something you’ll never un-see. It will probably cause your kids to ask you questions when you get home.

Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Reminder - Believe is the word the author uses for the faithful obedience created when coming to know Jesus.

The healed man had never seen Jesus until Jesus went and found him.

After washing in Siloam, the man had been dragged in front of the Jewish leadership.

Once you have seen something, you can never really un-see it.

Like in the healing of the lame man, Jesus was faithful to go and find him. The threat of excommunication had became a reality for this man. [The word used for threw/cast is to expel. Same word as when talking about an exorcism.] It was culturally and spiritually damning. Jesus knew this would be devastating to anyone, especially one who had nothing. He was, after all, a beggar at the beginning of that day.

The first time seeing Jesus, the healed man believed on Him. Where there was spiritual casting out, Jesus offered to take him in. He was not cast into utter darkness after all, but into the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd!

When God reveals something new, we are responsible for how we use that new from that moment on.

From , Jesus came into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. But verse 39 lets us see that the result of His opening people’s eyes would be that judgement would enter the equation. Once our eyes have been opened to TRUTH, we are responsible.

In the life we live as Christians, God wants to reveal Himself to us. Once I have experienced that God is at work around me, inviting me to join Him, I am responsible for believing, living and telling others the same. Our faith grows up as we begin that process.

Mature faith is neither instant nor easy.

The Pharisees had a maturity that was self-inflated. The final verse in this chapter might be paraphrased :

“If you would only admit your blindness, you would not be guilty of sin because I could forgive it; but because you claim your own self-righteousness, your guilt remains.”

My sense of need determines my sight. I feel no need, I will not see. But if I recognize my blindness, He comes to me in my need and causes me to see.

This man makes two of the most beautiful statements in the NT: Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. But one thing I do know - I was blind but now I can see! AND Lord, I believe.

Do you believe? That His righteousness replaces your self-righteousness? That His sufficiency replaces...

What has God revealed to me about Himself? How have I been RESPONSIBLE with that revelation? Have it believed it to be absolutely true? Have i been obedient in living it out? Have I shared it with those around me?

Be responsible with what you know about God. No matter how much that is, it should drive you every day. And the more you know, the more you will want to know!