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John 9
The old greek philosopher Aristotle
was known as a genius. He was undeniably a very bright cookie and yet one
of the things he said was this: he thought that the heavier something
was, the faster it would fall. Sounds plausible doesn’t it? Aristotle had
figured it out in his head – it made sense to him – if it’s heavier it
falls quicker – and he wrote it down, and people believed it. Well let’s
see if it’s true…
[VIDEO – two weights dropped from top of church tower]
Nope – they both fall at exactly the
same rate. Smart people can believe stupid things.
Aristotle made this claim around about
the 4th century BC – do you know how long it took for someone to actually
do that experiment I just performed? It was almost two millennia before
Galileo climbed the tower of Pisa in 1589. He invited a whole group of
professors and dropped a 1 pound and a 10 pound weight simultaneously and
– guess what? They both landed at exactly the same time. Amazingly, the
professors were so committed to Aristotle’s world view that in spite of
the evidence they continued to believe Aristotle. They closed their eyes
to the evidence and continued to hold their age-old beliefs. Smart people
can believe stupid things.
Galileo persevered. He kept calling
into question assumed belief systems. When he invented the world’s best
telescope – Galileo had access to new information that blew apart the old
world-views. With his telescope, Galileo could prove to his fellow
scientists that the earth was not the center of the solar system. If his
colleagues would just look down the telescope, Galileo could show that
the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around. But they
refused to look. They would not be persuaded against their beliefs no
matter what the evidence. In fact, they didn’t even want to look at the
evidence. Smart people can believe stupid things. Or as my mother says:
there are none so blind as those who will not see.
Well in our passage this morning we
see the issue of blindness very powerfully. There is physical blindness
which is debilitating and there is spiritual blindness that is altogether
scarier. The basic message of the chapter is that a man, blind from birth
can have more true insight than all the sighted religious leaders of the
day. By the end of the chapter it is clear that the ignorance of unbelief
is a more terrifying and more complete darkness than even a life of congenital
blindness. In John chapter 9, the blind end up seeing but those who claim
to be so perceptive, so wise, so spiritual – are lost in a pitch black
prison of their own making.
John, who wrote down this event, wants
us to see the physical blindness of the man as a commentary on the
spiritual blindness of the Pharisees. We are becoming used to this deeper
meaning to Jesus’ miracles as we’ve been studying John’s gospel. John
calls the miracles of Jesus “signs” because they point beyond themselves
to something else.
[SLIDE – signpost pointing to Jesus’ identity]
Namely they point to Jesus’ identity.
As John writes at the end of his gospel:
“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His
disciples which are not recorded in this book. But these things are
written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
The signs point to Jesus’ identity as
the Christ, the Son of God. This is very important because eternal life
hinges on identifying Jesus correctly.
But John wants us to know that the reason people do not recognize
Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, is not because Jesus is unclear. It
is because humanity is blind.
[SLIDE – blindness]
Well what is the nature of this blindness?
I think it’s very significant that the person Jesus uses to illustrate
our spiritual blindness was BORN blind. Look at verse 1 with me:
“As Jesus went along He saw a man blind from birth.”
The blindness Jesus uses to illustrate
our own spiritual blindness is one that is from birth.
Can you imagine what it would be like
to be born blind? This man hasn’t lost the ability to see – he never had
it. That dimension of perceiving and thinking and being has never been
available to him.
Just think, this man’s world has been
constructed from just four senses. If someone described to him sight – he
would think of it as some kind of mysterious fifth sense. If you
were going to describe a beautiful view to him – what language would you
use? “The sky is the most tremendous shade of blue”, “What’s blue??”
Colour would have no meaning for him. Even the idea of light and dark
would be impossible to convey to him. That’s been the most amazing thing
for me this week as I’ve thought of the condition of this man: he wouldn’t
even know he was in darkness. What is darkness if you’ve never known
light??
Before this man was healed – he had no
idea what he was missing out on. He knew he was missing something –
everyone else was describing this extra dimension he didn’t have. But he
couldn’t have dreamt what it was he was missing.
When it comes to spiritual blindness –
the Bible says we are the same. We are born into a condition where
spiritual truths are not just hazy – they are beyond us – they are in
another dimension. It is a desperate blindness.
I remember Easter of 1997. I was not
yet a Christian. My mother took me to church and I thought it was Easter
so I’d better go along. I hear a sermon by Rico Tice – many of you have
heard him, he spoke here last year. Rico preached his heart out (as he
always does) giving the Easter message. As I filed out of church that
morning, so many were shaking his hand telling them how they’d been
touched by his words. As I left the church I said to him, this was the
thing I took away from the sermon “Rico, great comic timing on those
jokes.” That was what I got out of the sermon. I recently got the tape of
that sermon and listened to it again. It was a powerful explanation of
the cross – how Jesus, though He is the LORD God Almighty, He took my sin
and paid for it Himself so that I could be free. Amazing spiritual truth
– but before I became a Christian, all I could see were the jokes. That’s
blindness.
In verse two the disciples see the
blind man as an opportunity to point the finger. They think that they
aren’t like the blind man. What’s more they think the man has committed
some particular sin which has earned him this suffering. The disciples
are not alone in believing such terrible things. In verse 34 the
Pharisees also thought that the man’s disability was testimony to his own
sin.
Jesus dismisses this thinking out of
hand in verse 3.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this
happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
Where the disciples saw the blind man
as an opportunity to point the finger – Jesus saw him as an opportunity
to reach out and display the work of God.
Opening blind eyes is God’s
prerogative. Throughout the Old Testament, they looked forward to the
coming of the LORD as the time when a great light would dawn and the eyes
of the blind would be opened. And here is Jesus, saying, verse 5, I AM
the light of the world and verse 6, He miraculously opens blind eyes.
And do you notice how He does this in
verse 6 – He makes mud from the dust of the ground to re-create this
man’s vision. It’s quite reminiscent of Genesis chapter 2 – the way the
LORD creates Adam. He also is formed from the dust of the ground. John
wants us to know that this miracle is pointing to the identity of Jesus –
He is the LORD God of Creation, the hope of Israel, the Light of the
World. The question is: how would the people respond as the light of the
world shines? Surely with gratitude, joy, repentance, humility, love and
unconditional trust and obedience.
Well, if we’ve been following John’s
story we’ve come to expect a different reaction from humanity. As the
light shines – people actually retreat into the darkness. The more Jesus
shines, the more blind some become.
Let’s look at three brief examples of
the blindness of the Pharisees in verses 13-34. Here the ex-blind man is
brought before the Pharisees – how will they respond to this undeniable
work of God?
Well, verse 16, when the Pharisees
learn that Jesus has healed on a Sabbath they say of Jesus: “This man is
not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was a day of
rest to remember the creative and redemptive work of God. The more I
think of Jesus re-creating a man’s vision from the dust of the earth, the
more I think of Jesus restoring a man’s fallen eye-sight, the more I
think – this miracle could not be MORE appropriate on the Sabbath. But
the religious leaders were so committed to their religious practices that
they could not see the truth that lay behind it. Incredible blindness.
Verse 22 betrays a similar blindness:
“Already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus is
the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.” The religious leaders of
the day condemned the very thing that could save a person. In the place
where God’s people were supposed to meet and praise Him – they banned the
very thing that pleases Him – faith in His Son.
Then in verse 24 the blindness becomes
even more vulgar: the authorities want the man to give glory to God by
calling Jesus a sinner. ‘Give Glory to God’ they say ‘denounce Jesus.’
Let me tell you, there is nothing in all of creation more offensive to
God than denouncing His Son. You cannot think of a sin as vulgar as
denouncing Jesus as a sinner. The blindness is shocking.
But shining through it is the simple
confession of this former blind man.
Isn’t verse 25 just a thrilling
comeback?
Verse 25: He replied “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know.
One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!
Isn’t that brilliant? For a start, he
just comes clean with them. He uses those three little words that are so
hard for men to say. People think it’s ‘I love you’ – that’s wrong – the
three little words men can’t say “I don’t know.”
His questioners ask him something he
doesn’t know and he just says “I don’t know.” If you’re a Christian this
morning, let’s all learn from this man how to share our faith. We don’t
have to have all the answers. We can say “I don’t know.” We don’t have to
subject ourselves to the third degree every time we speak of Jesus. We can
do what this man does: “I don’t know about that. BUT – ONE THING I DO
KNOW. One thing that I’ll take to the grave. One thing I’ll stake my life
upon. One thing at the center of my world view: I was blind, now I see.”
That’s a terrific testimony! ‘Jesus saved me from ignorance and darkness.
He has worked in my life – He’s changed me forever.’ Friends – that’s the
way to speak of Jesus.
But it won’t necessarily win you any
friends. That’s what this man finds in verse 34. Here the Pharisees throw
out this witness to the light and they themselves retreat further into
the darkness.
It’s like the professors in Galileo’s
day who had access to all the information they needed to judge correctly.
Yet they refuse to take the evidence seriously because they are committed
to their own small world-view. Jesus did not fit into the Pharisee’s life
philosophy. They had built their lives around rituals and
power-structures and human praise and they had no room for the Lord of
life. Jesus had to be explained away – and when He couldn’t be explained
away, He had to be denounced .
The light of the world shone very
brightly in this miracle.
[SLIDE – Jesus shining]
But as Jesus shines brighter and
brighter we see that He divides His hearers. In verse 39 Jesus says: “For
judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and
those who see will become blind.”
[SLIDE – TWO ARROWS]
Jesus says His light will bring sight
to some and blindness to others. Just as light attracts moths and repels
bats – so there will be some who flock to the light of the world and many
who retreat from the light, further and further into the darkness.
We see the full gamut of reactions in
this passage. We’ve seen the Pharisees who have fled from the light. In
the passage there are also some people who flirt with the light for a
little while.
[SLIDE – THIRD ARROW]
Look at verse 20 – isn’t this tragic.
The man’s parents are summoned – here are two people who know for certain
that a miracle has happened – and what’s more they know that this miracle
reveals Jesus as the Christ. Verse 23 makes that clear. They keep quiet
because they know if they attribute this miracle to Jesus that is
tantamount to saying He is the Christ. This couple have all the evidence
they need to make a decision. And yet – they bottle it. They prefer to
remain in the synagogue and keep their relationship with the Pharisees.
The parents represent a very sad response to Jesus.
But the blind man himself – his
response is wonderful. Look at verse 35. Here Jesus actively searches him
out. He wants to make sure that this man doesn’t simply have physical
sight but that he has true spiritual sight. Because this man has been
slowly getting the picture through the course of this chapter. In verse
11 he knows Him only as “the man they call Jesus.” Then in verse 17 he
confesses that Jesus is a prophet. But he still hasn’t got the picture.
So Jesus asks him, verse 35 – “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” That’s
what it all boils down to as far as Jesus is concerned. It’s not – do you
believe Jesus is a great healer or a great prophet - do you believe Jesus
is the Son of Man?
The Son of Man is a Divine title from
the Old Testament – He was the Person who alone could approach the
Ancient of Days. The Glorious Son of Man is the only One who can stand in
the Presence of God in His blazing holiness. If any of us who live in
darkness are to come into the presence of this Holy God – we MUST come
through the Son of Man. He only can bring us into friendship with the
Living God.
Jesus says to the man – Do you believe
in the Son of Man? Verse 36: Who is He sir? Tell me so that I may believe
in Him?” Jesus said “You have now seen Him, in fact He is the One
speaking with you.” Now the man has full spiritual sight – now He sees
THE truth about reality, that all the purposes of God and all the
purposes of humanity find their culmination in Jesus. So quite naturally,
verse 38: “Then the man said “LORD, I believe,” and he worshipped Him.”
This man has seen the Light of the
world for who He is and he revels in that light. His eyes are opened to
the worth and wonder of Jesus and he cannot help but bow down and
worship. Here is an incredible scene – here is one Jewish man worshipping
another Jewish man. Jews worship nothing and no-one except the Living God.
And here, this formerly blind beggar, prostrates himself before Jesus and
confesses that He is the LORD.
Friends if you know nothing of
worshipping Jesus – of confessing His glory in awed wonder, then you
haven’t yet seen Him for who He really is. You are still blind. But Jesus
is in the business of opening blind eyes. Call out to Him. Ask Him for
spiritual sight.
Well – what is your reaction to Jesus
shining? Will you be like the Pharisees – who cling onto their old ways
and refuse to acknowledge the obvious. Theirs is a tragic position – it
is the position of those in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 who refuse to love
the Truth and so be saved. Will your world view prevent you from
acknowledging Jesus? The great theologian Athanasius said: The only
system of thought into which Jesus will fit is the one in which He is the
starting point. Will start again with Jesus?
Or are you like the parents in this
story? You’ve seen the truth, you’ve begun to see that Jesus really is
who He says He is. Jesus has begun to be very real to you. But as you see
just how big Jesus is, you’ve also begun to see just how big His claim on
your life is. Can I urge you not to turn away from this. There will
always be peer pressure, there will always be reasons not to turn to
Christ – but He never forsakes those who put Him first. It is far better
to be thrown out by the darkness into the light than to be thrown by the
light into the darkness. Choose wisely.
Finally – are you like the blind man
in this story? Are you a believer in Jesus, the LORD? Then will you
worship him. Not just with your lips and with your body, like this man
does. Will you worship him also with your mind? Will you overturn all
those system’s of thought that do not begin with him. All of us have
patterns of thinking and old beliefs that need demolishing. Just as
Galileo began a scientific revolution by placing the sun at the centre of
the solar system, we must embark on a gospel revolution of our thinking –
placing Jesus at the centre of our thoughts. We must immerse ourselves in
scripture and take every thought captive to Christ. “the only system of
thought into which Jesus will fit is the one in which he is the starting
point.”
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