John 9:1-11 | Blind From Birth

¹Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. (John 9:1)

• Unlike many of the people that Jesus healed this man did not cry out or was even searching for Jesus
• We need to remember that Jesus is searching just as much as we should be searching for him

² And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2)

– What is this question really about?

– Why do we need someone to blame? We as humans have always had a hard time in seeing the good in things. It is easier to blame and complain.

– John 3:16 – “all have sinned” although we will see that Jesus answers this differently but really the answer is the fact that we all sin and because of that there is pain. If we want to blame someone blame yourself because it is because of every man’s sin that there is suffering

³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (John 9:3)

Does this mean that God wanted this man to suffer? Essential the answer is yes.

• The bible never tells us that we are going to live suffering free lives in fact in many places is says that we are supposed to suffer for Christ, but it also promises that it is all for what is good for us and for God
  • So why do we complain about hardship so much? We need to trust that god has a plan through the suffering
• And like this we need to not criticize someone based on the fact that we think god is judging them.
• This man had been mistreated from birth simply because people just assumed his existence was based on sin.

⁴ “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4)

• This is saying can be taken two different ways.
  • The first being the fact that it was the Sabbath and Jesus wanted to prove a point
  • The second being that there are no poor or needy in heaven.
    • If we don’t take the chance to serve those people here we one get that chance again

⁵ “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)

• Just as we are all born sinners, not knowing the light of Christ, this man was born blind not knowing what light was.
  • This is what Jesus means when he mentions being the light of the world.
  • The fact that a blind man was mad able to see does not really matter too much what matters is the fact that Christ is proving that he is the light of the world.

⁶ When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. (John 9:6-7)

• Not sure the reasons behind this other than that it did test the man’s obedience and made it is obvious that it was Jesus that was doing the healing and breaking the rules.

⁸ Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”

• He stood out.
  • Because of his “suffering” he was made more of an example to Jesus power and love than he ever could have been being born able to see

⁹ Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.” ¹⁰ Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” (John 9:9-11)

• Maybe he did not know that Jesus was being pursued by the Jews but never the less he openly professed his faith to the fact that it was Jesus that held him.

We aren’t born blind but how much are we like this blind man. I think I can say that none of us really know what is really going on in any of our lives. But we have to remember that being blind is not bad. God will show us what we need. Our relationship with Him is often on based of a need to know basis. But that is ok because that means we can just trust him when things don’t make sense or when things are bleak. Because even though we don’t see what is going on God does. What matters is the fact that Jesus is our light.

^{Sermon by Luke Allenger}