HE SAW HIM
John 9:1 – 7
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, --which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
Are We Blind Too? Sermon shared by Larry Hiles
The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies will always be known as the team that suffered one of the great collapses in sports history. They let a huge division lead slip away by losing ten games in a row at the end of the season. Despite the collapse, the Phillies season had its share of memorable moments, including a perfect game and a ninth-inning home run by a Phillie to win the All-Star Game.
But the most remarkable moment of the entire season occurred after a game, not during it. Clay Dalrymple, a Phillie pitcher, was asked to assist a blind girl who had requested a chance to walk out on the field. Dalrymple took the girl to home plate where she reached down and felt the plate. Then they walked to first base, second base, and third base before ending up at home plate once again.
While Dalrymple was showing the girl around the bases, he never noticed that the fans remaining in the stadium had stopped to watch him and his companion. He just assumed that the silence in the stands meant the fans had gone home. But when the two of them finally reached home plate, the ballpark erupted. Dalrymple was shocked by the applause. When he looked up, he saw thousands of fans giving him a standing ovation.
Later, Dalrymple told a Sports Illustrated reporter, “It was the biggest ovation I ever got.”
I am convinced that we take so many things for granted in life. Sight is one of those things. For those of us who have been blessed with the ability to see, we don’t know what it is like not to see. It is not until moments like the story that was just shared that we realize the blessings of life that we have that we take for granted.
Max Lucado writes about one particular man who was blind:
For 51 years Bob Edens was blind. He couldn’t see a thing. His world was a black hall of sounds and smells. He felt his way through five decades of darkness. And then, he could see. A skilled surgeon performed a complicated operation and, for the first time, Bob Edens had sight. He found it overwhelming. “I never would have dreamed that yellow is so…yellow,” he exclaimed. “I don’t have the words. I am amazed by yellow. But red is my favorite color. I just can’t believe red. I can see the shape of the moon—and I like nothing better than seeing a jet plane flying across the sky leaving a vapor trail. And of course, sunrises and sunsets. And at night I look at the stars in the sky --you have to get away from the city lights). You could never know how wonderful everything is.”
How many of us in here this morning have ever had to place a blindfold on and have a friend lead us somewhere? That is not the best position to be put in.
And that is exactly what it is like for thousands of people who are blind.
Imagine for a moment what it would be like never to see a sunset. Imagine for a moment what it would be like to never see the faces of those you love. Imagine for a moment never to see the birds who sing, or the colors of the flowers.
I. He Saw Him --Jesus saw the blinded man -- took notice of his case, and looked upon him with concern MH
A. Before the text, some background information is necessary. In John chapter 8
Jesus has had a busy day. He has forgiven the woman caught in adultery!
He has claimed to be the light of the world, and He has angered the Jews to the point that they were going to stone Him, but they couldn’t. He was always able to flee because it was not his time to be delivered.
B. Though Jesus was in His flight from a threatening danger, and escaping with His life,
yet he willingly halted and stayed awhile to show mercy to this poor man. MH
HE SAW HIM!
1. We make more hast than good speed when we out-run opportunities of doing
good. MH
2. We should take occasions of doing good, even as we pass by, wherever we are. MH
C. Blind or handicapped individuals had their place to maintain for begging.
D. This poor man could not see Him --Jesus), but He --Jesus) could see him. MH
II. He was blind -- Why?
A. It was a universal opinion among the Jews that calamities of all kinds were the effects of sin. The case, however, of this man was that of one that was blind from his birth, and it was a question which the disciples could not determine whether it was his fault or that of his parents. Many of the Jews, as it appears from their writings believed in the doctrine of the transmigration of souls; or that the soul of a man, in consequence of sin, might be compelled to pass into other bodies, and be punished there. They also believed that an infant might sin before it was born, and that consequently this blindness might have come upon the child as a consequence of that. It was also a doctrine with many that the crime of the parent might be the cause of deformity in the child, particularly the violation of the command in Leviticus 20:18. Barnes” Notes
B. Disciples take it for granted that this extraordinary calamity was the punishment of
some uncommon wickedness, and that this man was a sinner above all that dwelt in Jerusalem. MH
C. From birth for the glory of God in giving him sight.
D. He made clay and put it on his eyes.
1. Two reasons may be assigned for making this clay, and anointing the eyes with it. One is, that the Jews regarded spittle as medicinal to the eyes when diseased, and that they forbade the use of medicines on the Sabbath. They regarded the Sabbath so strictly that they considered the preparation and use of medicines as contrary to the law. Especially it was particularly forbidden among them to use spittle on that day to heal diseased eyes. Jesus, therefore, by making this spittle, showed them that their manner of keeping the day was superstitious, and that he dared to do a thing which they esteemed unlawful. He showed that their interpretation of the law of the Sabbath was contrary to the intention of God, and that his disciples were not bound by their notions of the sacredness of that day. Another reason may have been that it was common for prophets to use some symbolical or expressive action in working miracles. Thus, Elisha commanded his staff to be laid on the face of the child that he was about to restore to life, 2 Kings 4:29. In such instances the prophet showed that the miracle was performed by power communicated through him; so, in this case, Jesus by this act showed to the blind man that the power of healing came from him who anointed his eyes. He could not see him, and the act of anointing convinced him of what might have been known without such an act, could he have seen him that Jesus had power to give sight to the blind. Barnes’ Notes
2. He sent him to Siloam --Sent
He saw him, he anointed his eyes, and he sent him!
E. Greatest suffers are not to be looked upon as the greatest sinner. MH
1. We must take heed of judging any to be great sinners merely because they are great sufferers, least we be found, not only persecuting those whom God has smitten, but accusing those whom he has justified and condemning those for who Christ died, which is daring and dangerous. MH
III. There was more blind people in this group that are never mentioned.
A. The disciples . . .
1. It is possible to have our sight and yet be blind to what is going on around us. a. If sin caused things like that, then you must be alright with God because you are alright.
b. If someone had something wrong with them, then they must not be alright with God.
2. What happens when we begin to think that way? If we are well, we begin to think that we are better than other people.
3. Are you tempted to judge?
a. When you hear of the fact that most homosexual men die in their early 40’s because of aids, are you tempted to say, “That is what they deserve”.
b. When you see a teenage mother struggling to raise her child alone, are you tempted to say, “Well, she should have waited until she was married.”
c. When you see the effects of alcoholism on the lives of people, are you tempted to say, “They don’t deserve any better!”?
4. We, as Christians, should thank God we are saved. Don’t forget the sin that God saved you from. Such were some of you. You have either gone there or started to go there. I Cor 6: 9 - 11
B. We are apt to be more inquisitive concerning other people’s sins than for some sin
of their own. MH
C. To judge ourselves is our duty, but to judge our brother is our sin. MH
The Disciples of Jesus were blinded by judgment.
James 2
1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
IV. The Blind Man
A. Cast out of the Synagogue -- 450 Synagogues in Jerusalem at that time.
B. He received his sight and salvation after a visit from Jesus.
1. The Neighbors were blinded by skepticism! What happened when this man returned to the people who knew him?
a. Some didn’t believe it was him John 9:8-12
b. Others demanded him to tell how this happened.
c. Parents were called into the synagogue. They side-stepped the responsibility. v. 19 – 22
2. Jesus finds him. v. 35 – 38
V. Others
A. He Saw him -- Saul -- Paul It took 3 days after Paul’s encounter to be able to see again.
B. Jesus sent him to see Ananias --Ananias prayed for him --Paul).
C. He saw him --Zaccheus -- You should make haste to make yourself visible for Him
D. He saw the man by the pool of Bethesda
