Below is the manuscript to this Sunday’s sermon. Chances are, you will encounter grammatical errors. Please be gracious. I pray this will be beneficial to you as you study the Word of God that is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17).”
Alright, pop quiz. What is the purpose of this gospel?
John tells us toward the end of this gospel that he wrote this so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
So, the purpose of this gospel is for us to be able to see Jesus for who he truly is and then believe and trust in him. John’s goal is for us to be reading through these stories and think, “Man, how could someone miss this!?”
It’s been so clear. Up until this point in the gospel of John, especially in the recent chapters, we’ve been consistently seeing Jesus revealing himself as the promised Messiah, the Son of God, who was sent into the world to redeem sinners like you and I.
But, despite this clear presentation, what have we been seeing lately? No matter how clear the truth about Jesus has been presented, Jesus has been consistently met with rejection by the religious leaders.
What does their rejection prove? Does it prove that Jesus is not true? No, not at all. Rejection is not a guaranteed sign of falsehood. On the contrary, their rejection proves that they are blind to the truth. The truth about Jesus has been clearly presented to them, yet they’ve continually rejected him.
Think about this, Jesus, in John 6, performs a miracle that only God could and has done. He miraculously feeds the 5,000 in the wilderness. After doing so, he proclaims to be the all satisfying living bread of life sent from heaven. In the synagogue, on the next day, he invites the crowd to come and eat of this bread in belief, and in doing so, he or she will live forever.
He’s saying that belief in himself will lead to eternal life. However, despite this beautiful invitation, many people grumbled and walked away, proving to be blind to the truth.
Then, in chapter 7, in the midst of the feast of tabernacles— a feast that celebrated God’s provision and presence— Jesus began to teach and show them that God has come and tabernacled (dwelt) among them. The parallels and proclamations he makes are astoundingly clear.
In the midst of this feast that celebrates God’s provision, he invites anyone who is thirsty, anyone who still lacks, to come to him and drink, and in doing so, out of the heart of the one who believes will flow rivers of living water.
Yet, there’s division among the crowd. Some believe. Some don’t.
Then, in the middle of this feast that celebrated God leading his people by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night in the wilderness, Jesus proclaims to be the light of the world. Then he invites the crowd to come and follow him. Whoever follows him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Yet, again, we see hostility towards Jesus rising. The religious leaders are not judging with right judgment. They are rejecting Jesus, and their rejection of Jesus is proving that they are blind to the truth.
Then, last week, we saw Jesus have an exchange with the religious leaders. He sought to show them, by exposing their actions, who their true father is. The religious leaders are claiming to be sons of Abraham. Although they are biological descendants of Abraham, their actions are revealing that they are actually children of the devil. Where Abraham believed God, trusted God, and followed God, the religious leaders are rejecting God and seeking to kill the Son of God.
Their rejection of Jesus reveals who their true father is: the devil. Their hatred of the truth reveals that they hate the truth, just like their father, the devil; and their attempt to kill him reveals that they are murderers, just like their father, the devil.
Then, if Jesus hasn’t been clear enough already, he makes the clearest proclamation about himself that you could make. He proclaims to be the great “I am.” He claimed the covenantal name of God for himself. “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” He clearly claimed to be the creator of all things. The God of Abraham.
Yet, rather than bow down in reverence, they bend down to pick up stones to kill him. They’re rejecting the God that they claim to serve, proving themselves to be blind to the truth.
So, what John is about to show us is truly remarkable. What we’re about to see in chapter 9 is a paradoxical reality where a man who is physically blind is able to spiritually see, all while those who can physically see remain spiritually blind.
It’s those who can read the Scriptures and who watched Jesus perform miracle after miracle that are hard hearted and blind to the clear truth of Jesus. Yet, today we will see a man who wasn’t able to visually see any of this, respond in belief and obedience to Jesus.
Now, for the next two weeks our study will be centered around this one particular healing of the blind man. Today we will look at verses 1-8, then next week we will look at verses 9-41.
Today we will spend a bulk of our time looking deep into the problem that is at hand (the fact that this man was blind). We will the majority of our time chasing a rabbit that’s presented in this text and address the topic of suffering. Then, we will look at the strange solution that Jesus provides to this man’s suffering, while also looking at the profound obedience of this blind man. Then, next week we will look at the bold proclamation of the man who experienced this healing, while also looking at what follows this healing and proclamation.
Alright, let’s look at verse 1.
“As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.”
Alright, stop. We’re not going to go this slow the whole time. I promise. But, at the conclusion of John 8 (v.59), we see Jesus go out of the temple.
Now, we’re not sure of the exact time frame of the story we’re about to read. This could be literally right after Jesus leaves the temple. We know from verses 8-9 that this man was a beggar, and it’s been recorded that men and women would sit outside the temple and beg. So, it could be that, as Jesus is leaving the temple, he saw this man.
But, we’ve also noticed that, all throughout this gospel, John is not too concerned with chronology. So, it could be immediately after Jesus left the temple or it could be any amount of time after Jesus went out of the temple.
I, personally, tend to think this is chronological. Meaning: Jesus went out of the temple, and as he’s doing so, he saw this man born blind from birth.
Regardless, I think it’s amazing how, all throughout John 7-8, Jesus miraculously avoids being arrested and/or stoned. And, what I think is even more amazing is how, in the face of this hostility, Jesus does not stop ministering to those in need.
Jesus’s example here is a clear example of what faithfulness in the midst of hostility looks like. As he’s avoiding death, he notices someone in need. As he’s hiding himself, he notices a man who was blind from birth. The threat of death does not hinder his ministry.
Now, please take note of how John describes this man. He was a man blind from birth. Meaning: his sight didn’t deteriorate over the years. He didn’t have 2020 vision, then one day decide to disobey his parents and stare at the sun. No, from the moment he entered the world, he was unable to enjoy the gift of sight. Darkness is all he’s ever known.
Now, verse 32 tells us an important detail about this man’s blindness. It says, “never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.” So, that should tell us that healing is not, nor has it ever been, on this man’s radar. Unlike the invalid man in John 5, he’s not at the pool of Bethesda, hoping to make it into the pool for healing. His life is one of sitting and begging.
As Jesus is passing by, as he’s fleeing death, he sees, stops, and acknowledges this man; and, as he notices this man, his disciples ask a question.
Look at verse 2,
“And his disciples asked him [not the blind man, but Jesus], “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
So, rather than talk to the man, they talk to Jesus about the man. As we can tell by their question, their concern is centered around the cause of this man’s suffering. Who’s sin is the cause of this man’s blindness?
So, they’re thinking that either…
This man sinned in the womb, causing his blindness.
God sovereignly knew of the sin that this man was going to commit beforehand. Therefore his punishment of blindness was issued prematurely.
This man’s parents sinned, causing him to be born blind.
The cards this man has been dealt are so tragic that there’s no other explanation. Either he or his parents have sinned.
So, there’s a transactional understanding of suffering present here. Meaning: they believed suffering was a result of sin.
Well, in one aspect, this train of thought is 100% accurate.
We see in Genesis 3, that sin brought forth death, pain, sickness, and in this case blindness. If sin never entered the picture, this man would have been able to see. His ailment is 100% a result of sin.
All suffering in this life is a result of the sin committed in the garden. You can trace the origin of all suffering all the way back to Adam, Eve, a serpent, and a tree in Genesis 3. Sin and suffering are intimately connected.
Alright, that’s our big picture, general theological understanding of sin and suffering. Had Adam and Eve not sinned, suffering and pain would not exist.
But, more specifically, if you were to zoom in a little bit, some suffering has a direct correlation to specific sins. Our actions at times have consequences.
An extreme example would be: if you go to the bar, get drunk, get in your car, drive, and then get in a wreck and break your back. Your life of pain and suffering at that point would be a direct result of your personal decision to get drunk and drive.
Some sufferings (big and small) that we endure could be a direct result of our own personal decisions in life.
Sometimes God disciplines those that he loves; and he does this for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
So, the disciples question isn’t that crazy. Some suffering is a direct result of personal sinful decisions. But, with that being said, what we see in Jesus’s response is that not all personal suffering is a result of personal sin. We see that truth ring true all throughout Scripture.
We see that ring true in the life of Joseph. Joseph was unjustly sold into slavery. He was falsely accused of sin, which led to him being thrown into prison. However, we see that the Lord never left him (Gen. 39:2), and Jospeh eventually rose to prominence in Egypt. We eventually see Joseph proclaim “what man meant for evil, God meant for good (Gen. 50:20).”
The suffering of Joseph had nothing to do with Joseph’s sin and everything to do with God’s good plan. God’s plan to care for his people was carried out (not thwarted) by the pain and suffering that arose in Joseph’s life. God eventually used the sinful decision of his brothers for their good and God’s glory. What a picture of grace!
We also see this ring true in the life of Job. Job was a blameless and upright man, who feared God and turned away from evil. Yet, the Lord gives Satan permission to attack Job, not because Job is guilty of sin, but because God is good and he uses suffering for our good and his glory.
Now, before you shake your fist at God and say, “That’s not fair,” what have we been seeing here in the gospel of John? What will we celebrate this Wednesday?
We celebrate the coming of the Messiah, Immanuel, God with us. The great I AM, the God of Abraham, came and was born in a manger. Despite the fact that he lived a blameless life, he lived a life that was marked with suffering. He suffered and died for us on the cross.
The gospel provides us with joy in the midst of suffering.
Why?
Because…
(1) we know that we have an eternal hope on the other side of this life. This suffering that we endure is light and momentary.
(2) As we will see in a minute, we know that God uses trials for our good.
(3) we know that the God who uses trials for our good is not unaware of trials himself. He came and suffered for us so that we might have life through him.
Sometimes the trials and sufferings of this life have nothing to do with your personal decisions. Sometimes you hobble through life for what appears to be no apparent reason…
But, Jesus’s answer in verse 3 is going to show us that suffering has purpose. Jesus redirects his disciples focus off of the theological question of fault and onto the redemptive purpose of suffering. As we will see, this man in particular was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Listen, what we’ve been seeing is the unfortunate reality that prosperity often blinds one of his or her need for Jesus. An easy life often times hardens one’s heart to the beautiful invitation to know and worship Jesus. It’s the men and women who can run, see, and hear that reject the invitation to eternal life. But, it’s the man who sits in darkness that sees, believes, and follows the light of the world. God used this trial to draw this blind man to himself.
Look at Jesus’s response to his disciples,
“It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Jesus’s response here shows us that there is purpose in our suffering. It doesn't matter who you are, you will encounter trials during this life. No amount of money can save you from these trials. No amount of faith can save you from trials. Trials will indeed come. But, it doesn’t matter what type of trial you encounter, with Jesus there is no such thing as a hopeless trial.
This man was born with a physical disability that no one was able to cure. His life did not consist of running, laughing, and playing. Rather, it consisted of sitting and begging. Though his eyes were open, all he could see is darkness.
Then, Jesus, the light of the world, enters the scene; and now, for a moment, there’s hope.
Jesus is beginning to show his disciples and this man that the purpose of his suffering is not punishment. It’s to display the works of God in him.
Can you imagine the weight that must have been lifted off of the shoulders of this man? Where he was constantly burdened by the thought that his suffering was a result of sin in his life, he (likely for the first time) hears the words, “That’s not true.” For the first time in his life he hears that there might be purpose in his suffering.
Listen, some of you may need to hear that today. Some of you have been weighed down by guilt, thinking that God is punishing you because of sin that you’ve committed in your past. Some of you cannot find joy in the midst of trials because you’re weighed down by guilt, thinking that God is mad at you. Some of you need to hear the words, “It’s not that have sinned, it’s not that your husband has sinned, it’s not that your parents have sinned, but that the works of God might be displayed in your life.
May we not have a gospel-centered, grace-saturated, understanding of salvation, and then a works-based understanding of trials and suffering.
Jesus then shepherds his disciples into true Christian living. Where his disciples have abandoned the role of a caring servant and adopted the role of a judge.
Jesus says,
“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””
Jesus didn’t stop and acknowledge this guy in order to simply discuss the theological implications of sin and suffering. Jesus’s isn’t taking his disciples on a trip to the zoo, where they will simply sit from a distance and observe, and discuss the theological implications of this man’s sin and suffering.He came to work, and he’s inviting his disciples into this work.
Jesus is saying that he must act quickly because night is coming. Meaning: his death is coming. The time of his future suffering on the cross is on the horizon. When he dies, night will come, and no one will work. As long as he is in the world, he is the light of the world.
Now, caveat: we now know that the beauty of the gospel is that, now that we have the Holy Spirit within us, this light of Jesus is continuing to shine through us.
But, at this point, Jesus is telling his disciples that this man’s situation isn’t hopeless. The light of the world is about to invade the darkness of this man’s life and give him sight. The works of God will be displayed in him.
Look at verse 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 and said to him, ‘ Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.”
If you’re like me, you’re probably thinking this is strange. Jesus has already healed by simply speaking. So, why does Jesus hock a loogie in the dirt and make some mud to wipe in this guys eyes?
As I read commentaries this week, there’s several ideas here (I think they’re all packed full of truth).
First, I do think there is some parallels to Genesis where God created man from dust. So, in the same way that the LORD used the dust of this earth to bring forth life at creation, Jesus used dust to bring forth sight to the blind. Jesus is re-creating in the same way that he once created.
Secondly, I also agree with Calvin in that the loogie-mud placed on the blind man’s eyes was designed to double or increase the darkness in order to magnify the healing. Meaning the spit and the mud only made things worse.
Which, I believe was intended to magnify the miraculous obedience of the blind man. Before Jesus made things better, he made things worse. And he sends this man to the pool of Siloam with mud on his eyes.
Yet, despite this absurdity, the man obediently stands up and heads to the pool, bumping past men and women, stumbling up and down steps. We’re unsure of what’s going on in this man’s mind up until this point. All we know is that he was obedient and that he trusted Jesus.
He was sent, with mud and spit on his eyes, as a messenger to the pool that means “sent,” in order to proclaim to the world the truth that the light of the world is here.
And what happened to the man after he washed his eyes in the pool?
He sees. “So he went and washed and came back seeing.”
The man was healed. Where all he knew was darkness, he now sees light. The light of the world has given him sight.
Can you imagine what this must have been like for the man?
Things we take advantage of and never think about, he was able to enjoy for the first time. He can now see the flowers that he could only once smell. He can now see the face of his mom and dad. He can now run without the fear of stumbling over a rock.
He’s probably looking around saying, “That’s what a cloud look like! Wow, my hands look strange! That woman is beautiful! That dog looks funny! Man, the temple is huge!”
John, once again, so casually records the miraculously here. “So he went and washed and came back seeing.” Come on, John. At least give us an explanation mark!
Well, it’s in next week’s passage that the commotion begins to start. People begin to notice; this man begins to explicitly proclaim the truth about Jesus; and after being kicked out of the Synagogue, he gets to worship Jesus, personally.
So, in our story today we see a blind man receive sight by obeying and trusting Jesus. Yet, in next week’s passage we will see those who claimed to see, refused to obey, which reveals their spiritual blindness. Though they claim to know the truth about Jesus, they’re actually blind to the truth about Jesus. And the one who was blind physically now sees both physically and spiritually.
God used this man’s life of suffering both for his good and God’s glory. Had this man not been blind, he likely wouldn’t have been able to see and be used by Jesus.
Listen, may this offer you comfort throughout your life. Life is hard. For some of y'all 2019 has been the most difficult year of your life. But, I know (because I’ve watched you) that your walk with the Lord has grown more in this year than it ever has and that God has been glorified in your life.
For some of us, prayers have been answered, healing has been granted, and we praise God for that. For others of us, we feel like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12. Paul had a thorn in his flesh, some type of weakness or suffering, and he pleaded to the Lord for him to remove it.
But, rather than grant healing, the Lord responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
So, this tells us that God can be glorified in leading us out of suffering and by leaving us in suffering. Therefore, may we join with Paul in boasting “all the more gladly of our weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon us. For the sake of Christ, then, we are content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when we are weak, then we are strong.”
My prayer for 2020 is not that our life is prosperous and easy, but that God will be glorified in our lives. If God chooses to be glorified through our prosperity, so be it. If God chooses to be glorified through our suffering, so be it. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. May we therefore lean in and trust him in all situations.
So, church, if you’re walking through trails (whether it’s a direct result of your sin or not), trust God and find joy in knowing that he’s working all things for our good. If you’ve been miraculously given sight, if you see Jesus as the Messiah and you trust him for your salvation, then you have an unshakable hope that is found in Christ Jesus. May we be a people who trust Jesus in all circumstances and find joy in all situations.