The Cure for Blindness

Open your bibles to John 9.. I have titled the message this morning. A Cure for Blindness…

If you would Pray with me…

The context in the text puts us still the Feast of Tabernacles, and during that feast one of the important things was the light ceremonies, and during our study of John we have seen that Jesus is the Light of the world, and his light is greater than any physical example of the light the world knows or has every seen. And in today’s text we will see Christ give light to a man who has never seen it for himself, but will give him so much more than that. Now Jesus in the Gospel’s heals lots of blind men, He cured a blind man in Jericho, two blind men in Galilee, a blind man in Bethsaida, and blind men in Jerusalem. He loved to heal blind men.

Scholars are under the impression that blindness was a major problem, and common during the time of Jesus just like it is today.

Most people are in agreement that In scripture blindness is a metaphor that represents spiritual darkness. So not only do we see a man born of blindness, but we also see that he heal’s spiritual blindness as well.

And the Main Idea that I want you to see this morning in the text is this....

Jesus came into the world to cure the spiritual blind, and give them eyes to see him.

Let us see that main idea unfold by getting into the word of God..

John 9:1–7 ESV

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.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

1st sub-point this morning is this…

Jesus was sent into the world to cure blindness.

Jesus in the text sees a man who has been blind from birth. A man who has never seen light in his life. And the disciples ask Jesus if this man is blind because of his sin or his parents. Most people at the time believed that if someone had something wrong with them it was because of a sin committed by themselves or their parents.

I have discussed before that not all ailments and sufferings are always a direct result of sin though some may be because of sin, but in the text we don’t have to speculate why this man is blind, because Jesus tells us that it was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

This man was not blind, because of his own sin, or because of his parents, he was blind, because one day a divine encounter would take place where Jesus would come to heal his blindness, and open his eyes to see the Glory of God.

And Jesus tells the disciples that very thing. Jesus being the light of the world had a purpose while he was in the world to give light to the world, and in this case light to man who had been born blind and Jesus was sent for this mission.

Interesting enough Jesus heals this man in a unique way. Most of Jesus healings were just by speaking the healing into existence, but this one was different, and requires a bit more work on the part of Jesus, and the man who was to be healed of blindness.

As we see in the text Jesus heals the man as He spits on the ground and makes mud with the saliva and he anointed the man’s eye with mud. In mark when Jesus is healing blind men he does the same thing.

Some scholars, and myself think he spits in the ground to make mud because man was made from dust, and from the ground. We see this forming of man in Genesis 2:7.

Genesis 2:7 ESV

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Jesus is using part of the way he created man to restore this mans sight.

But notice he tells the man Go and wash in the pool of Siloam which means sent. If you were to look at a map the pool of Silom is in the south end of Jerusalem, and scholars believe it was the source of water for the Tabernacle ceremony.

One Theologian would say, “The name of the pool bears symbolic importance for Jesus. More than twenty times in this Gospel, Jesus is described as the one who has been “sent” by God (e.g., 4:34; 5:23, 37; 7:28; 8:26; 12:44; 14:24). In other words, the blind man is being told to go wash in the place called “sent,” by the One who was “sent” by God. Jesus, then, is the source of his healing, not the pool.6 The man is obedient (9:7) and is healed.7 John reports no fanfare or disturbance.”

Jesus the sent one came and cured this man’s blindness, and will do so much more in this man life.

Second thing I want you to take note of this morning is this..

Objections come when you are healed from blindness.

It should not surprise you as we have studied the gospel of John as a church, that many objections occured to the healing of this blind man. They could not accept the fact that Jesus had healed him, and as we continue in this chapter we will see many who have such objections…

John 9:8–12 ESV

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

Those neighbors day by day saw this man beg for money. There was no way for a blind man to work during that time. They didn’t have the things they have today where people with disabilities could work. So I am sure when he didn’t show up to his normal spot to beg, the people wondered what happened to him, and when they saw that he was just like them now, the possibilities in their minds begin to wonder. Some were like this is him the man who was blind, others were like no way he is like him.. But he was like its me. The man who you see begging everyday for money, for food, I am well. I can see you now. My blindness is gone. AND they are like How were your eyes opened? How can you now see?

He said the man Jesus made this mud and anointed my eyes and told me to wash. So I did what he said and now I can see! Now I can see. Instead of them celebrating the fact that this man who was their neighbor had been healed they ask. Where is he? Where is he? But the former blind man did not know. They couldn’t object the man was healed, but they still had a since of disapproval.

Those closest to you may object when Christ changed you but the evidence will be clear that your eyes were once closed but now open.

Lets keep reading…

John 9:13–17 ESV

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

Again we have some objections. The blind man, states his story to the Pharisees just like he did before to his neighbors, and the Pharisees rather than saying I am so happy you have been healed. Some of them say this man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath. On the Sabbath Jesus according to them broke this oral law in a few ways… This reasons to them prove that Jesus cannot heal the blind man because he is a sinner. According to them healing was not allowed on the Sabbath if someones life was not in danger. You could not knead-which mens work into dough or paste with the hands or moistened flour or clay, and believe it or not some people thought anointing the eyes was illegal on the Sabbath. And like the neighbors they were divided, and asked him a question. So instead of asking them where is Jesus they asked, what do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes. They already made the proclamation that Jesus was not from God he is a sinner, but the former blind man says… He is a prophet. He is not just Jesus to him anymore he is a prophet. He acknowledges that Jesus is from God.

So the Jews still had objections so they inquire more… Let us continue reading God’s word…

John 9:18–23 ESV

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So after the former blind man tells them of the work that Jesus did in his life. The inquire whether this man has actually been blind his whole life. Maybe it was some scheme they may have thought, BUT his parents tell them. This is our son, he was born blind, but we have no idea who healed him.

You are going to have to ask him, all we can testify is that he is our son, and he was blind, but now he can see.

John adds a little bit of commentary for us in verse 22. They feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ he would be put out of the synagogue. The synagogue was a special place for the Jewish people and to be removed from it would cause someone to lose many privileges, and his parents did not want to give those privileges up..

But in the text they implore them to ask their son he is of age....

John 9:24–34 ESV

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 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.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 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.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

So as they call him again, and tell him give glory to God. Praise him for healing you, even though we don’t believe it was this Jesus who healed you.. Because he is a sinner, and as they have said God doesn’t listen to sinners..

The former blind man didn’t acknowledge the fact that Jesus was a sinner, he said whether he is a sinner. I DO NOT Know.

The man was just healed by Jesus and all he knew about him was that he made the man see. He was blind now he could see. And the Jews asked him again what did he do? And so rather than him just repeating the story, he is like why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to be his disciples? This former blind man is bold in his speaking with the Jews. Maybe he thought they wanted to be disciples of Jesus themselves. But they claim to be disciples of Moses, while saying that the once blind man was Jesus disciple.

This has been a re occuring theme in our study of John the Jews claimed to believe in Moses, but not in Christ. They knew Moses teachings were from God, but they did not believe in the teachings of Christ. They wanted nothing to do with him, and were out to disprove and object to everything Christ did. and despite them claiming to believe in Moses this missed Christ. Remember what it said all the way back in chapter 1.

John 1:17–18 ESV

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Jesus came from God even though they didn’t believe that for themselves, So the man that had been healed goes and say. Why this is an amazing thing. Not only are you disciples of moses, and don’t know where he comes from, it doesn’t matter what you think this man opened my eyes. Clear evidence against there own lack of believe. This blind man sees, and he tells them that again and again, despite everything they throw at him.

But instead of them now coming to the understanding that Jesus healed this man, again they say God does not listen to sinners, but if they worship God, and does his will God listens to him.

So they want more of an explanation of how this event happened, because in their minds this was not possible. They had a wrong view of Jesus which led them to a wrong view of his healing. Jesus is not a sinner, because he is without sin, and he is God, and the Father always listens to the son something they did not understand.

However, There objections get answered in verse 32-33

John 9:32–33 ESV

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.”

People don’t magically get healed of blindness, it was unheard of that someone who has never seen before, would gain sight. The text says, Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. Jesus did something no one else has ever done. He healed a man born blind, and he will and will continue to do great things!

The Man knows if he was not from God, he could do nothing. He could have never healed them. The blind man, was showing them they were in fact the blind ones… The one’s who could not see, Jesus gave this man his sight to see he was from God, yet they still could not see.

In there blindness they kicked him out of the Synagogue, what his parents feared most, happened to their own son. But the story doesn’t end there. This man was about to gain real sight.

Third point I want you to know this morning is this…

One can never truly see unless they know they are blind.

Jesus heard that the man was cast out, and he found them. And Jesus asked him a very important question? Do you believe in the Son of Man? This is the son of man prophesied about in Daniel. Its a title we have seen in our study of John. Its a title that belongs to Jesus, and the man said to him.

And who is he sir, that I may believe in him? Jesus says to the man you have seen him!!! and it is he who is speaking to you, and he says LORD I BELIEVE, and he worshiped him!

The man who was blind at birth, not only got to see for the first time ever in his life, but he also got to see with new spiritual eyes..

This man knew he was blind, knew he could never see, until Jesus came into his life and caused him to see, caused him to be born again! And the result of this blind man seeing Jesus was eyes to see by physically and spiritually.

However, the story does not end there let us look at verses 39-41

John 9:39–41 ESV

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

I love how one man said, The Pharisees, by contrast, have come forward to judge both the man and Jesus. But in the end, Jesus judges them. He would go on to say, The light/darkness motif that surrounds the Feast of Tabernacles creates a delightful double meaning. Jesus’ opponents are physically sighted, but in reality they are spiritually blind. The blind man has had both conditions reversed (he can see perfectly clearly in both respects now)

This goes back to what I have been saying really for the last 6 months as we have studied this book, the jews biggest problem was their unbelief, and this was ultimately because they never saw Jesus for themselves and that they were blind.

I am sure you have heard this before, but you will never realize you need a savior if you dont see yourself as a sinner.

Notice in the text they say a few important things. They call Jesus a sinner, they call the blind man born into sin, but they themselves never admit their own sin, their own blindness, we see this at the end of the chapter, some of the Pharisees say are we also blind?

These men claimed to see Jesus for who he really was, but they missed him, because of their own blindness, and sin.

I believe this is why so many people miss Christ is because they are blind themselves. I interact with people everyday, and most of them see the problems with the world, see something needs to change, but fail to see their own blindness, in their own blindness they believe truths that are not true, and buy into lies, because they for themselves have not seen. They go along with the wisdom of the world.

Church family, guests, people online I want you to think about the blind man, this man was blind from birth, but guess what he knew that? He knew he could not see, he knew he needed someone to rescue him if he was every going to see for himself, and when Jesus appeared in his life and gave him sight his eyes were truly opened, not just to the wonderful things of the world that God gives, but to see the beauty of the one who gives light to the world.

When something amazing happens like that, he could not help but see the one who can truly open eyes, and hearts.

There is something spectacular about sight, and seeing things for yourself isn’t it, when you behold it with fresh eyes and not just through a screen or a picture. Some things are truly breathtaking.

I remember in my own life when I saw things for the first time, like the first time I saw the mountains, or the beach, or the Eiffel tower, or my wife on our wedding day, or my child the first time. how real it was when I saw it these things for myself. Prior to being born again I heard about Jesus, but until he came into my own life to see my sin and show me himself I never really got how great Christ was. But when he opened my eyes I could truly see.

Many people are so blind that they miss the beauty that Christ gives. Yet they think they have no blindness in them.

One man notes, The Bible uses the metaphor of blindness again and again for people who have never perceived the truth of Christ. The eyes of their hearts are blind until God the Holy Spirit, without the help of spit and clay, opens them. When He does, they not only perceive the light of day, they see the light of the world. John said in his prologue, “We beheld His glory” (1:14). All those whose spiritual eyes have been opened may say the same. Are you among them?

Are you among them? God is still in the business of opening eyes, and will be tell he returns. The question is are you so blind you do not really know you are blind like the pharisees, or our you like the blind man knowing you are blind, and need someone to rescue you. Spiritual sight comes from knowing Christ by faith, by realizing that you need him.

Franny Crosby who wrote several hymns wrote these words, “When my life work is ended, and I cross the swelling tide, When the bright and glorious morning I shall see, I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, And His smile will be the first to welcome me. Thru the gates of the city in a robe of spotless white, He will lead me where no tears will ever fall; In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight But I long to meet my Savior first of all.

Want to know what makes those words so powerful, Fanny Crosby was blind, and the first person he ever saw was Jesus.

Look at Jesus is such a way knowing that though you were blind and he can give you sight as well, and he can do that very thing, because he unlike the text accused him of being a sinner lived a perfect sinless life, dying in the place of sinners on the cross, buried in a tomb for three day, and on the third day rose again so that all who believe in him may have eternal life and eyes to see.

If you don’t know that today I pray your eyes like the blind man will be opened, you may have people who object to this change in your life, saying no way so and so has been changed, there is no way, and look for all the reasons in the world to object the change that happened in your life, but then you can tell them I once was blind, BUT Jesus, BUT Jesus, came and gave me eyes to see who I was and who he is, now I can truly see.

Remember that Jesus came into the world to cure the spiritual blind, and give them eyes to see him.