March 21, 1993
John 9
Introduction
He was bewildered, in a completely new world. You would think that everyone would be totally happy that he could see. But in fact he hadn't had a lot of peace ever since the miracle.
Not that he ever wanted to go back to the old way. He still hadn't gotten over the wonder of things; things that everyone else seemed to take for granted. Like the ever-changing color of the sky. Like "color" itself— he never imagined the splendor of birds and flowers and insects. Like the face of his mother. Still, he wished he could find ten minutes alone and get some peace.
He remembered again for the thousandth time how it began:
The Encounter with the Healer
He had felt like a curiosity, a sort of freak on display, when the Healer had first come within earshot. He could hear people say, "Master, did this man sin? or was it his parents that sinned? that he was born blind like this?" He felt his face burn as he realized these voices were discussing him, and he knew that people had turned their curiosity on him.
But then he had sensed something else. He was not sure how he knew, but he knew that he was loved. The Healer's voice said, "That is not the way to look at other people! We aren't looking for guilt and blame now!" And then he knew the Healer was coming very close, and he felt a hand on his shoulder, and another hand applying a warm compress to his eyes. The Healer had said, "Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam!" Then he could hear the Healer and the other voices with Him move on down the street.
He hadn't had any trouble getting to the Pool of Siloam. He knew his way around his lightless world. He had gotten on quite well indeed for all the years of childhood and growing through adolescence. Now as a young man he was as independent as many resourceful sightless people seem to be. He was partly accompanied and partly led by any number of curious people who had heard what the Healer said. There were many witnesses to what happened next. But the Healer Himself was not there.
As he had been commanded, he had made his way to the Pool, and then more cautiously had felt his way to the water's edge. Kneeling down he had scooped handfuls of water from the pool to his mud-caked eyes. And as he washed, the mud came off, and with it went his blindness. His eyes were healed, and he could see perfectly. And then is when it all began. This turmoil inside!
Surprising Complications of Sight
In the first place he had a hard time finding his way back home! There was so much crowding into his sense receptors— the thronging crowds of people to be looked at— the colors of the stone buildings, the meat hanging in front of the open stalls, the camels, the donkeys, the dogs and cats— he simply had to shut his eyes from time to time to try to remember where he was!
Then, he saw his family for the first time! They were happy, but they could hardly believe what they were seeing! But even while they were getting filled in, it all began! Here came the questions— the loaded questions from the people who seemed to hate the Healer. He couldn't believe the tone of their interrogation. [It almost made him think of the Inquisition, and that hadn't happened yet for 1,000 years!]
They went over the whole story again and again. And while it was perfectly clear that this man had been born blind, and that now he could see as well as anyone, it was also clear that he had never even seen the Healer.
The Painful Price of Honesty
There is power in a personal witness. He did not try to tell what he did not know. He would not denounce the Healer who had loved him enough to care! He was "cast out!"
Then Jesus Came!
This time it was not as a Healer or restorer of sight. The Bible says "Jesus found him!" Jesus came to where he was ... his sight had served to get him into trouble— but not beyond where Jesus could go.
Jesus may have said, "I hear they have cast you out!" "Yes, they have, Rabbi!" "Well, I have some wonderful news for you, dear friend. Do you believe on the Anointed One, the Son of Man, the Messiah of God?"
The man looked into the face of the Healer. He was new at this "looking business," but he could feel his heart thumping, and he answered, "Lord, who is He, tell me, so that I can believe on Him!"
Then came one of the outright declarations of the Son of God: "You have been LOOKING at him— it is the Person that is speaking to you right now!"
This was the moment of truth. This was when sight gave way to believing. It was a marvelous time. The official religious leaders had thrown him out, and as far as they were concerned, consigned him to hell. Jesus came along and took him in, and true worship began. You can count on it, the man born blind never felt shut away from God ever again, never, never!
Conclusion
We can learn a few things from this man born blind. Maybe, too, we can see the difference between what we can see and know with our God-given abilities, and what it means to have Jesus Himself slip up beside us and say "DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE SON OF GOD?"
Maybe we can start to distinguish between the blessings and benefits of a loving Father, a compassionate Jesus Christ, and the ultimate purpose of all that God does for us in Christ, which is to hear Jesus say, "I THAT SPEAK TO YOU AM GOD! DO YOU BELIEVE?"
That is what the Gospel of John is all about! It is summed up in the confession of another man who was blind, in a different way, perhaps. He has been called Thomas the doubter, and he made his declarations: Unless God comes up with evidence that meets MY criteria I will NOT believe that there is Eternal Life, or that Jesus has literally risen from the grave!! Period!!
And Jesus found HIM! And Thomas did the very same thing this man born blind had done, Thomas fell at Jesus' feet and worshiped: "MY LORD AND MY GOD!" And that is the climax of the Gospel!
But that is NOT where this story ends. Not quite. The religious people had to have their last word. They came to the Light of the world, and they said, "Now we suppose that YOU think we are blind to spiritual truth!"
What did Jesus tell them?
