John 9:39

1. Intro.
1. a mystery to ponder: the Light of the world brings light to some and darkness to others
2. Christ came to both the seeing and the blind (illustrated in this chapter of John)
1. their hearts and mindset were different
2. the one went toward the dark, while the other went toward the light
1. the Pharisees had definitely set their faces toward spiritual blindness
2. the blind man began a pilgrim’s progress toward clear-eyed certainty
2. look at the blind man
1. as seen by his neighbors - John 9:8
1. to them he was a human parasite (useless)
2. all he did was sit and beg
1. did he ever dream, pray, or long for the heights?
2. to the neighbors he was a beggar and nothing more
2. as seen by the disciples - John 9:2
1. they did not ask how he could be cured
2. they did not ask how he could be changed from a liability to an asset
3. they evidently had no hope for him
1. to the disciple he only served as a starting point for a theological discussion
2. he was a specimen, Exhibit A
3. they were ready to hold an autopsy
1. no intention of restoring life
2. only to discover the cause of death
3. as seen by Jesus
1. He saw a creature made in the image of God
2. He saw one possessed with the most amazing possibilities
3. He saw one capable of the finest courage, and the most beautiful loyalty
4. He saw a human being worth going to Calvary to redeem
5. He saw one who suffered, not because of sin, but permitted by God for the good of both - Jn 9:3
3. the blind man begins his spiritual journey
1. the first move was made by Jesus - John 9:1, 6-7
1. this is always the case, we are always sought before we begin to seek
2. in a thousand ways our Lord is constantly seeking us
2. Christ saw the possibilities in this man
3. Christ had healed other blind men, but He did not heal them all in the same way
1. to one He merely spoke, and to another He just touched
2. to this man he plastered his eyes, and gave him something definite to do - John 9:6-7
3. the methods were different, but the goal was always the same: they all came into the light
4. why did Jesus use this method now?
1. we are not told, but there was certainly no saving power in the clay He made
2. Christ was fitting His methods to the needs of the man
3. this blind man simply did what he was commanded, and this took both faith and courage
5. think about the people and the questions the ask
1. what is the matter with your eyes? (mud on his face)
2. what is it for? (to help cure me)
3. where are you going? (down to this pool to wash, so that I can see) (laughter)
4. who told you to do this? (a man named Jesus)
5. who is He? (I do not know)
6. how does He expect to cure you? (I do not know)
7. you are a fool for going (no, I would be a fool for not going)
1. I may be cured, but if not I will be no more blind than I am now
2. he washes at the pool, and he sees the light
4. the blind man meets opposition
1. bitter opposition comes from those who see
1. many hear of what has happened, so he is brought before the religious leaders John 9:8-13
1. here the seeing and the once blind are brought into sharp contrast
2. for the one, things begin to grow brighter, while the sun begins to set for the others
2. why did some sink into darkness?
1. it was not because they questioned or sought to investigate the validity of the miracle
2. they had a perfect right to do it, this was their privilege and duty
3. Christianity is far from being a religion without credibility and trustworthiness
4. Christianity invites investigation, and is the religion of the open eye and open mind
3. the problem with this investigation was that it was not honest
1. they were not interested in finding the truth and following it no matter the cost
2. they had reached their conclusion before the investigation began - John 9:22
3. they were out to prove false what they desired to be false, regardless of the facts
2. the testimonies of the investigation
1. the healed man tells his straight forward story - John 9:15-17
2. the Jews did not believe that the mans had been blind until they called his parents - John 9:18
1. they were afraid, and didn’t have their son’s courage; they didn’t have his experience - Jn 9:19-22
2. they dodged the issue
3. the Pharisees were convinced, bitterly against their will (what effect does this conviction have?)
1. they give an absurd command - John 9:24
2. the man’s response: they may know more theology, but he had more experience - John 9:25
4. their final effort to discredit what they know to be true - John 9:26
1. first knife of conviction is driven home - John 9:27
2. he was not fooled as to the intent of the investigators
3. the Pharisees had no answer to the question, but only abuse - John 9:28-29
4. final knife of conviction is driven home - John 9:31-33
5. the Pharisees show their contempt for this man and others - John 9:34
5. the pilgrim reaches his goal - John9:35-39
1. he has not reached a goal beyond which there is no further progress
2. he has reached the goal of spiritual certainty (a man-11, a prophet-17, of God-33, Lord-36)
3. a look at the story
1. he can now see, but he is excommunicated
2. in the eyes of the world he is little better off than before Jesus healed him
3. he had to suffer for his stand on what he knew to be true
4. when Jesus learned what happened to him, He set out to find him
5. the light that illuminated this one time beggar, blinded the eyes of the Pharisees
1. to refuse to see is to lose our capacity to see
2. to refuse to hear is to have our ears become stopped
3. to know the truth and refuse to obey is to become guilty of that sin which never hath forgiveness