Blind from birth
6-9-02
Spiritual Blindness
There are no accounts of a blind person having their sight restored in the OT.
It is not recorded that the disciples of Jesus ever restored sight to the blind.
This was an activity of the Messiah. Jesus did more miracles of this type than any other.
My story…
“Blind from birth”, a beggar
Non-existent existence – “a non-person” (third person existence- they talked about me not to me)
“Blindness was prevalent in ancient times. The lack of understanding regarding hygiene, the unavailability of effective medicine, and exposure to the elements and accidents left many blind. Clouded, staring, fly-swarmed eyes were common wherever one went.
It took its toll on my parents. It was hard. People passed judgment on us.
It was commonly held that disease was the result of sin.
“There is no death without sin and no suffering without iniquity.”
-Rabbi Ammi
I lived under a cloud of questioning. “Who sinned? This man or his parents?” (v.2)
-How could I have sinned before I was born?
-untimely deaths were attributed to mothers messing with idols during pregnancy
Healing at Siloam… (v. 6-7)
Mud in my eyes didn’t matter. There was a coolness as the clay dried, but there was a fire in my heart.
Could it be…
I’d never seen a sunrise, or a sunset or the difference between day and night. I had never seen the face of a child or one of the birds that I listened to as their song filled the air.
I had heard hatred, felt pain, felt need – but I believed that if I could bet my sight I’d see beauty in this world.
“And I could see…”
Reaction…
·Neighbors
Is this him? They had never really looked me in the eyes. They saw me as a beggar.
Someone like him?
“ I am the one!!” “It’s me!!”
“How were your eyes opened?”
The man who is called Jesus…
- I had a very simple perspective on life. I was free from political and religious complexity
·Pharisees
-Sabbath controversy
-“What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?”
“He is a prophet!”
·Jews
- is this the one, he looks different now.
-called his parents who feared being excommunicated from the synagogue.
-Second interrogation
“Give glory to God.”
-“I know one thing. I was blind, now I see.”
-Do you want to become His disciple, too?
-This is amazing! You can’t figure this out!
-speech of v. 30-33
-They excommunicated me. I was the first follower of Jesus to be put out of the synagogue. I went to hide. I didn’t like what I was seeing.
·Interview with Jesus
-He found me. “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
-With all looking on; “Who is He that I may believe in Him.”
“You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.”
“Lord, I believe.” I worshiped Him.
“For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see;
and that those who see may become blind.”
You are not saying that we are blind are you?
If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.