The Blind Man's Story
Notes
Transcript
Joni Eareckson Tada’s Story
Joni Eareckson Tada’s Story
VIDEO
There is something powerfully relatable about Joni’s story isn’t there?
She grew up hearing bible stories and had a deep respect for God, but it wasn’t until her teenage years when she actually began to follow him.
Even then though, she admits the her faith quickly became intermingled with the American Dream and her prayer life became self-centered, like she felt she had done God a great big favor by accepting Jesus as my savior.
You may have even prayed a similar prayer as she prayed as she finished high school: “Do something in my life that will realign my faith rightly.”
After hearing her story, you might be more cautious in praying that prayer.
But honestly, most of us have also experienced pain, struggle, tragedy, and loss in ways that we can even relate with Joni on that front, even if paralysis, chronic pain, or some other disability isn’t a part of your story.
You likely walked into this place today (or clicked on this video) carrying burdens, shouldering struggles, and maybe exhausted from weathering the storms of life.
Many of us here today are longing for relief, hopeful for healing, and/or desperate for answers, for help, for hope.
If this isn’t your story, then just wait, it will one day be.
We all face trails, struggles, pain, and tragedy. It is a part of every story.
And in those moments we likely turn to God trying to figure out what is going on.
To ask Him what He is doing.
And in those moments, like Joni, we learn a great deal about Him that truly shapes our story, and, more importantly, shapes us.
John 9:1-41 is the story of someone who was shaped by suffering and found Jesus in the middle of it.
We can learn a lot from this man…here are a few lessons I find incredibly helpful.
There is PURPOSE in PAIN.
There is PURPOSE in PAIN.
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
As they were passing by Jesus noticed a man who had been blind from birth, likely begging on the side of the road since we find out later he was a known beggar.
We don’t know his age, but he likely wasn’t very old since his parents are still around. Maybe 20’s or 30’s.
Blindness is a challenging disability in our day and age. But image the struggle this man had faced.
Just the daily struggle to eat and get from place to place, not to mention the societal struggles he would have had.
His life had not been easy. He had struggled and suffered for years.
The disciples ask Jesus why. What caused this man to be born blind?
It is a question we all ask when we see or face trail in our lives.
Like most confused human beings, the disciples assumed that the problem would be more tolerable if they could figure out why; what caused the problem? Who was to blame?
Jesus’s response turns the question away from the cause to purpose.
Jesus isn’t saying that our sin or the sin of others isn’t behind some of the pain and struggles we experience.
Our decisions, actions, and inaction does have consequence.
But all suffering isn’t a sign that we are in sin or that God is mad at us or turning His back on us.
Jesus is saying “you are asking the wrong question when you are asking what caused the struggle.”
The real question to ask is what is God’s purpose in our pain.
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
At this moment in time, after years of blindness, years of struggle, years of darkness that is much deeper than physical darkness, this man’s blindness was about to be used for an extraordinary purpose.
His plight would be used for to put the power, goodness, and glory of God on display for all to see.
He didn’t yell out to Jesus, lunge our trying to touch him, or beg him to heal his eyes.
He had likely given up hope that would ever happen.
But God is about to intervene. God has a plan that predates this man’s blindness.
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” what appropriate words before he opens the eyes of a blind man.
Jesus bends down, spits in the dirt and makes mud to put the man’s eyes.
He didn’t have to do it, but it was a part of the whole plan.
He knew, since it was Sabbath, that this would set off some things that would accomplish His real agenda.
After he washes his eyes, he can now see.
This is an amazing miracle, yet the story isn’t over.
But first let’s deal with a possible unhelpful conclusion that can come from this account:
There is no PROMISE of HEALING.
There is no PROMISE of HEALING.
There is a temptation to read this story and draw the conclusion that God intends to show off His power and glory by healing every disease that is brought to Him in faith.
The underlying assumption is that God WILL heal because that is how we see the works of God on display.
So we get frustrated, angry, and bitter when the healing we desire doesn’t come.
In this circumstance, God chooses to heal the blind man to show His works.
There were other blind people who didn’t get healed.
Other demon possessed people who were not freed.
Others who died who were not raised.
God’s love and goodness is not measured in whether or not He heals you or fixes your problems.
It is measured in His faithfulness and His goodness to sustain you through even the hardness of trial you may face.
Joni E Tada says this: “It isn’t the hurts, blows, and bruises that rob us of the freshness of Christ’s beauty in our lives. More likely, it is careless ease, empty pride, earthly preoccupations, and too much prosperity that will put layers of dirty film over our souls.”
This walk of faith is a PROCESS of SURRENDER.
This walk of faith is a PROCESS of SURRENDER.
There are 5 conversations recorded after the miracle is performed.
Each of the conversations shows a progression of faith in the man.
Verses 8-12— the man and his neighbors.
This is shortly after he started seeing.
Those that knew him as the blind beggar are stunned that he is now seeing.
They ask the obvious question: “What has happened?”
His answer “The man called Jesus…did it.”
He knows His name is Jesus, but he simply calls him THE MAN.
Verses 13-17— the man and the Pharisees 1st
He is brought to the Pharisees and asked the same question.
His answer has mixed reactions: some are offended that he didn’t keep the sabbath, while others were struck by the fact that this man could now see, surely there is something to it.
The man’s thoughts on Jesus are changing as well.
When asked what he thinks about Jesus he says “He is a prophet.”
Not just some ordinary man, but someone like he has heard about before.
Someone sent by God. Someone important.
Verse 18-23— The Parents and the Pharisees
They are not satisfied talking to the man so they turn to his parents to confirm he is actually the man everyone knows as the blind beggar.
They also want to know how he can now see.
Fearing the implications of affirming Jesus, the parents redirect their questioning to their son.
If they anger the Pharisees they would be put out of the synagogue which would have been the equivalent of kicking them out of town.
They just didn’t know what to say.
Verse 24-34— The man and the Pharisees, again
Now the Pharisees get serious. They want this man to denounce Jesus so they can accuse him of breaking the law.
They try to strong arm the man into calling Jesus a sinner.
And we see the man’s boldness in full display.
This man who was just sitting on the side of the road blind and begging is now standing up to a powerful group of religious people.
25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
Say what you want about Jesus, but I will tell you want I know, I once was blind, but now I can see.
I once was lost, but now I found.
I once was broken, but now I am whole.
When they question him again about how his sight was restored he sarcastically says:
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?”
Something is different about this man. There is a confidence, a strength, and a boldness that allows him to stand in the face of these intimidating religious men.
John says “they ridiculed him”
But he stands even stronger, even bolder.
30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
Here you are trying to explain away something that has never happened in the history of the world.
Something so amazing that it could only come from God.
This man is from God…period.
With that he is thrown out of the synagogue.
Isolating him from his family, friends, and the possibility of any kind of employment.
This was the first time in his life he had a chance to be normal. To work a job, read a book, see his family and friends with his own eyes, and no longer have to beg.
But he just couldn’t shake this confidence that the man who healed his eyes was worth losing everything for.
Verse 35-38— The man and Jesus
Jesus heard about the man’s boldness and that it had led to him getting thrown out of the synagogue, so he finds him and asks him “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
Do you believe in the Messiah, the Savior, the promised one, the one who is to make right all that is broken in this world?
“Who is he, Sir, that I may believe?!?”
“You have SEEN him...” With those new eyes you have seen the very one whom you seek.
And then the most powerfully transformational words the man has ever uttered “I believe Lord!” and he worshipped Him.
In a moment this man had gained the thing he had always hoped for, his sight.
In the next moment he had lost nearly all that he had gained simply for following a man that he just knew was different.
And now in a moment he had gaining something that is more valuable than any thing this world has to offer.
4 For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!
The eyes of his heart had been opened.
He had come to know the one who is the Light of the World that shine the light of true life in to the darkness of our destruction.
What was the purpose of his blindness?
What was the purpose of his blindness?
So that God could display His works in him, that he may worship the one who is worthy of all.
Joni Eareckson Tada often says this in explaining the place she came to with her injure and disabiliy: “God permits what He hates to accomplish that which He loves. And I realize that God takes no pleasure in my spinal cord injury, but He loves the way He is changing me in it and encouraging others through it. I’d rather be in this wheelchair knowing Him, than on my feet without Him. My weakness, that is, my quadriplegia, is my greatest asset because it forces me into the arms of Christ every single morning when I get up.”