3-19-23 Sermon Notes “The Real Blind Man”

In the first chapter of the Gospel of John, we are introduced to the theme of “light” and “darkness.” “…in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5). Time and time again we see that darkness/blindness happens on multiple levels.

A good example of this is our gospel text for this Sunday - John 9: 1-41. There is darkness/blindness on multiple levels.

(1) There is blindness to the needs of others. When the disciples noticed the blind man begging for money, they were more interested in the “why” of the man’s condition than they were in helping him - as evidenced in their question in 9: 2 - “Who sinned that this man was born blind?” Was it the man’s fault that he was born blind? As ridiculous as that sounds, writings during the first century show that an argument was made over whether embryos in the womb could sin. (Maybe kicking too hard?) Was it the man’s parents’ fault? In Exodus 20, we read that the iniquity of the fathers is visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation. The man in question didn’t need to be the subject of a theological discussion. He needed help…and the disciples were blind to that.

(2) There is emotional blindness. The blind man’s parents suffered from a kind of blindness that made them more concerned with their standing in the community than with the miracle their son had experienced. If they gave credit to Jesus (the man the Pharisees hated), then they would be kicked out of the temple. They had 20 - 20 vision, but they couldn’t see what was really important.

(3) There is spiritual blindness. The Pharisees in the story got angry because Jesus had healed the blind man on the Sabbath. To them, broken rules were more important than broken people. The nit-picky details of the law were what concerned them. The glory of God was being displayed right in front of them…but they were blind to it.

Is it possible for someone to have 2 perfectly good eyes, but still be blind? Yes. Sherlock Holmes said to Dr. Watson one time, “You see, but you do not observe.” Could that be said of us?

“See” you Sunday,

Pastor Sam