Jesus gives sight to the blind man.Blessing: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Text: John 9:13-17; 34-39.
Illustration: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty
In verse 3 we sing: Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye made blind by sin Thy glory may not see,
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in pow’r, in love and purity.
THE BLIND SEE YET THE SEEING CAN’T
Sin manifests itself in many ways in our lives. Some are blind, some are deaf, and others have no fear of God. But the repeated wrestling we do against God’s will, against God’s way, against God’s power in Christ Jesus, if continued leads to a one-way ticket to the gates of Hades. In verses 13-17 the blind man can see and the people bring the man who has now received his sight to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were blinded by their legalism, blinded by their love of power, and blinded by their controlling nature. They were not concerned with the fact that this poor man, blind from birth could now see, they only saw Jesus as a threat and so they haggled over the fact that He healed on the Sabbath. And in verses 34-39 Christ reveals Himself to the blind and hides Himself from the seeing. God always chooses those who need Him. The man was blind and Jesus revealed Himself. The Pharisees claim they can see, they have all the answers, and they know all the rules. The Pharisees are in control and Jesus is out of control in their own eyes. Jesus doesn’t reveal Himself and even when He does in other places in the Scriptures they are blind and reject Him.
The blind man is the human nature of all peoples. Blinded by their own intellect, blinded by their own self-worth, and blinded by satan. Satan is the de-facto ruler of this world. He is a fake, a charlatan, a poser and was dethroned by Christ’s obedience of death on the Cross. Yet it is obvious who has the crowd behind them, and it is not Jesus. Our society has rejected God and His Son we are blind and yes even the Church is following behind the world no longer remaining the church of Christ, but looking more like the church of satan everyday, “LONDON (Reuters) - The worldwide Anglican church headed down the road to schism on Friday after U.S. and Canadian clerics were asked to withdraw from key Anglican meetings in a deepening row over gay bishops.” This poor blind man has more sight than the church today (Fri. February 25, 2005 by Paul Majendie). Romans 1:26-27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. In our intellectualism we have all become blind along with the world to the wiles and twists of satan.
God cries out to the blind and all who have suffered under the tyranny of sin and the devil. Return to Me says the Lord in Christ Jesus and I will forgive your sins and heal your land (2 Chronicles 7:14). If we listen to the voice of Jesus like the poor blind man and come weak, needy, and helpless; John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and finding him, he said, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? What a great irony that God reveals himself to the despised, ugly, and blind of the world. To those whom we reject God accepts and those whom we admire and look up to God forsakes. As Luke 19:10 says, For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. The blind man sees the glory of God in Jesus Christ and the Pharisees are left blind in their own self-sufficiency. Only those who are empty handed are given the free gift eternal life. Those who are spiritually poor and needy are exalted to be heirs of kingdom of God and heavenly treasures (Mat. 6:19). Sometimes we look at people with physical blindness or disease and we think what a tragedy, why would God allow such a thing to be. But far worse to God are those who appear healthy outwardly, but inwardly have this condition in their souls. Let us not forget all will rise in the last day and their physical bodies will be in good shape, but what will be the destination of their soul, heaven or hell. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. God gives us little reason why the Pharisees and others are not saved except in Romans 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. It is simply none of our business to God’s choices, but today in your hearing believe like the blind man and worship the Son, and you can see the Glory of the invisible God by faith in Christ Jesus (John 9:38). Come and see although you’ve blind, come see the way to the Father, come and see Him who takes your place, Him who suffered and died for you and for me. Come see the man from Galilee, Him who dies at Calvary.
Seeing the light of the Son your eyes are blind to the twist and turns of the devil, seeing the light of the Son your eyes are blind to the world and all it offers. Mock, ridiculed and scorned in this life the power of God sustains us. Through trials and tribulation the mercy of God guides us. God has chosen you of all the peoples of the earth to bear His name to open blinded eyes with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For such a time as this you can tell the good news to world seeing remains blind to the grace of God. Go and tell the world that God is here in His Word and Sacraments to give us favor and to bless us with His Holy Spirit. You can be the hands of Jesus with the Gospel to a world blinded by satan’s lies go apply the Gospel to eyes blinded by sin in Jesus name. Amen.
Closing: Philipians 4: 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
