Sin & Suffering: John 9

Blind from Birth:

How did the disciples see sin and suffering?

One of Jesus’ disciples asks the question of who sinned because in his mind there was no other solution. Somebody had to have sinned in order for this man’s blindness to be there. In the disciple’s view of the world, sin was accounted for like this: Sin is bad, Sin causes bad stuff to happen, therefore when that bad stuff has happened then obviously sin is at the center. It was a logical thought process for these men, a case of cause and effect. Sin happens, that's the cause, Suffering is the logical effect.

For the disciples, this was an attempt to use a little of their teachings to show their rabbi that they have been learning. Throughout all of the last chapter, Jesus had hit hard on Sin. 8:7 “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8:21 “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin.” 8:24 “if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” 8:34 “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.” 8:55 “And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.” With all this talk of how the crowd and the Pharisees are sinners dying in their sin, slaves to sin, children of the devil, liars like their father, it stands to reason that sin is on the top of the disciple’s minds and therefore they are looking at this poor man born blind and they are interpreting that sin somehow played a part and now they would like a little insight into how.

They turn to Jesus and want to know an answer to this sin problem. However, Jesus doesn’t give them another lesson on how sin caused this suffering like they wanted to hear. Jesus tells them that this situation isn’t about this man or his parents' sin but it is about the works of God being revealed in him. Now don’t interpret Jesus’ words incorrectly here, Jesus is not saying that this man is sinless but that sin is not the cause of this man’s blindness. Instead, the blindness is there to the glory of God. We are getting a snapshot of this man's life. We have no idea what His life was like before or after this interaction but what we do know is that the glory of God was revealed in this man receiving sight and then the real miracle began, the blind teaching those who thought they could see.

Is our definition any different?

This idea of sin = suffering prevails in our thoughts even today and for good reason. The truth is that we see life through sin-filled eyes. We are all sinners in need of a savior. It is good for us to recognize that sin does exist and that it and not God is at the center of suffering but that does not mean that God cannot work in and be glorified through the sin and suffering of this world.

We see our world as though it never changes, as though we already know the outcome of any and all problems. Therefore we don’t look for other solutions. This idea that sin is always at the center of things can be tricky because while it may actually be true it is not always the most helpful starting point. It is rarely helpful to point out sin when you are just starting to talk to someone about their problems.

The late Theologian Warren Wiersbe said this about this passage, “...to blame a specific disability on a specific sin committed by specific person is certainly beyond any man’s ability or authority. Only God knows why babies are born with handicaps and only God can turn those handicaps into something that will bring good to the people and glory to His name.” Warren Wiersbe. If you walk up to the person dealing with depression and state, “Well I guess someone has been sinning.”, or to the person dealing with grief, ”I am sure you could get past this if you would just stop sinning.”, or like here when this disciple declares that the blindness of the man is due to sin. Even if sin is the cause of the blindness the solution is not to start by pointing out sin, but instead to love and care for the sinner. We are not in the position of authority as Wiersbe said to judge the sins of those who are in turmoil; we are however able to point them to the only one who can bring them the hope of a better future, a future spent without sin and suffering.

Blind to Truth:

How did the Pharisees see sin and suffering?

Now we turn to the words of the Pharisees who could not believe that this man who was born blind had actually been given the ability to see or probably more correctly the didn’t want to believe that it was Jesus who had performed this action. In this section of the sermon, I titled, “How did the Pharisees see sin and suffering?” it is really just a repeat of how the disciples see sin and suffering. They believed just like the disciples that sin was the cause and the effect is the suffering as a result of that sin. However, where their definition differs from that of the disciples is that they stand removed from the sin themselves. Not that they weren’t sinners in any way. I think they knew that there were evilness and darkness in their hearts and in their lives but they got around that by using their religiosity to excuse or deny their sinfulness.

But even though they were able to get away with their superior attitudes by pushing their position and power with the majority of people this blind man was different. He couldn’t be pushed into submission by them. But they tried none-the-less.

They tried to get the blind man to change his mind in verse 16 by stating that this should have happened on the Sabbath. Then they tried their position and power trick on his parents in verses 18-23 and it worked there because they were unwilling to say anything. So they tried to turn the blind man’s words once again in verse 24 and then again in verse 28, but they failed each time. Each time they tried to get this blind man to say what they all thought, “Jesus is a sinner and a fraud.” They looked at the evidence of all that Jesus had said and done. All the times Jesus had spent more time with tax collectors and sinners than with them, all the times that Jesus had pointed at them and declared their sin, all the times that Jesus had performed miracles on the Sabbath that they thought were sinful actions, and most recently when Jesus had declared Himself to be God. What they wanted was this man to denounce Jesus as a fraud and give them one more reason to have Jesus stopped publicly. But what they ran into wasn’t a man whom they could push to do their will they ran into a blind man who had been healed. Read 8:30-33

When it all comes down to it the fact is the Pharisees didn’t want to hear what the blind man had to say and just as they didn’t want to hear what Jesus had to say. Their view on sin and suffering was at least in part much the same. They were all for pointing out sin and suffering in the lives of others as long as their own lives we left alone.

Is our definition any different?

How does this differ from our own view? We too struggle when our sin is pointed out. We have no problem pointing out other people’s sins but we are very tight-lipped when confronted by our own. But our view of sin hasn’t changed much our view on suffering has. Suffering has become something just a bit different from what the disciples and the Pharisees defined it as. We have an absolutely unbiblical concept on sin and suffering namely that our sinfulness will bring us suffering but that our sinlessness will bring us comfort. What I mean is that we as the church have fallen prey to the idea of comfort. We see comfort as our absolute aim and those who suffer are obviously doing life wrong. Comfort has become our idol, but comfort is not what God intended for His children. Listen to what God did intend.

Read Matthew 10:22, Romans 8:16-17, 2 Timothy 2:8-13, 1 Peter 3:13-15, 5:10

The list goes on and on about how we as believers will suffer for the sake of Christ. We are still sinners, yes. And our sin still has consequences but we will suffer for the cause of Christ and that will be at time separate from our sin. There are two truths that we need to take here: 1. Never believe the lie that you are better than anyone else. This will make you blind to your own sin just as the Pharisees were. 2. Never consider comfort or ease of life to be a barometer of how you are doing in your relationship with God. The truth is those who follow Christ’s words will find neither comfort nor ease of life, but they will suffer.

Jesus never promised us comfort but He did say, ““For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see,.”

Vision at Last:

Belief in Jesus is a Faith that Saves.

Jesus healed this blind man but more than that He gave him hope. Hope in a life here on earth that would be better than the one that he had. However, more important that that Jesus have the blind man the promise of a better tomorrow, He gave the blind man belief in action.

The blind man’s healing was different than the lame man back in chapter 5; this man wasn’t just immediately healed, he wasn’t told to take his mat and walk away. No, Jesus made spit on the ground made clay with the dirt and then wiped it on the blind man’s eyes. But even that did not finish the miracle the blind man had to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. Can you imagine the emotions going through this man’s mind as he stumbled his way to the pool after some man wiped some mud on his face. But Jesus wasn’t just some man was He? No, this man had healed the cripple, He had fed 5000. This blind man didn’t think this was a bad prank, he knew that he had been anointed by a man of God.

He may not have been able to say without a doubt in his mind that Jesus was the Messiah but the blind man knew that what he had just experienced was a miracle from God. That was all that he knew all he had ever been was blind it defined him. All the threats that the Pharisees threw at him were really of no regard to him; the only truth that was of any importance was that, “I was blind and now I see.”

We should be so singularly focused. Giving no regard for any of the comforts of this world. We should hang our hats on one truth; once we were sinners but now we are forgiven.

Saving Faith means The Blind See.

And that makes Jesus’ question to the blind man the question that we must ask ourselves as well. “Do you believe in the Son of God?” The blind man was ready and willing he had nothing else and this man had given him the greatest gift he could have ever received in his human life, his sight. Therefore, vs. 38.

Now read with me verse 40. The Pharisees who saw and heard all this take place were taken aback by the words of Jesus and they wanted to know; did Jesus believe them to be blind? If they could see their own sinfulness their own ignorance to the words of Jesus they might have been able to see but instead they were blind.

Can you See? This man who gave sight to the blind man still gives us sight today. He gives us a vision of a better life, a life that is made anew. A life that can be had if only you will believe.

Gospel Message:

Jesus is the Lamb of God who died for your sins. God sent Jesus in order that Jesus might take the punishment we deserve in order that we might return to God and be called His own. God holds out His outstretched hand for you. Are you going to continue in your sin or are you going to take His Hand? He is calling and all you have to do is believe. Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

It is just that easy. You can confess him as your savior. If that is your desire today you can say this prayer with me. Bow your heads.

God, I know that I am a sinner / but I know that you provide mercy from my sin.

I believe that Jesus came and died for my sin / I believe he didn’t stay dead but rose so that I may have life.

Today I place my belief in Jesus’ sacrifice / I ask that you will call me your child

I ask to receive your gift of Mercy

In Jesus Christ’s most precious name I pray. Amen.

Friend if you prayed that prayer today I ask that you come and speak to me after the service.

Benediction: Kings Treasure