He Taught Them Many Parables (The Body’s Lamp) # 22

We all would agree that eyesight is something that is very important to all of us.

Illus: Did you hear about the fellow that went to the store the other day, and he said that he was there for only about 5 minutes. When he came out, he SAW there was a motorcycle policeman writing a parking ticket.

He went up to him and said, "Come on, buddy, how about giving a fellow a break?" He ignored him and continued writing the ticket.

So he called him a pencil-necked Nazi. He glared at him and started writing another ticket for having worn tires on the car!

So he told him he was an idiot. He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. Then he started writing a third ticket! This went on for about 20 minutes.

The man said, “I discovered the more I abused the policemen with insult after insult, the more tickets he wrote.”

He said, “But I didn't care. My car was parked around the corner. I try to have a little fun each day!”

The next time you SEE a policeman writing a ticket, I would not suggest you do the same as he did.

In this short parable, Jesus used the image of eyesight to convey an important spiritual principle.

I. THE PROBLEM OF BAD EYESIGHT

Did you know that bad eyesight in the Scriptures is often used as a metaphor for stupidity and spiritual blindness?

We see that clearly in the Scriptures, such as in:

• Matthew 15:14, we read, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” This verse of Scripture certainly implies stupidity.

• Matthew 23:16, we read, “Woe unto you, ye blind guides…” This verse of Scripture also implies stupidity.

• 2 Peter 1:9, we read, “But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” This verse of Scripture also implies stupidity.

• Revelation 3:17, we read, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” This verse of Scripture also implies stupidity.

These scriptures make it clear that spiritually bad eyesight represents stupidity.

You see the eye is the window of the heart, mind, and "inner being" of a person.

And if a person can not see clearly where they are walking, they are going to make some dumb decisions.

Illus: Have you ever tried to look though a dirty window? Just a small amount of dirt can affect our vision, but a lot of dirt on the window can cause our eyesight to be diminish so much we can not see anything.

This is the problem with many professing Christians:

• Because of sin in their life, they can not see their need to faithfully attend church. They can have a dozen excuses as to why they do not attend church, but the real reason is that they have other gods in their life that are more important to them.

• Because of sin in their life, they can not see their need to support God’s work with His tithes.

• Because of sin in their life, they can not see their need to make Christ Lord of their life.

Because of this blindness of sin in their life, it is obvious as you look at their Christian walk, that they are making a mess of their life.

If the window is clouded, dirty, or marred in any manner, the light will be deflected and diminished.

This is also true of the "inner being" of a person! How we "see" affects the "inner life", "heart", and "soul" of an individual.

We have looked at THE PROBLEM OF BAD EYE SIGHT, but also let’s look at-

II. THE REMEDY FOR BAD EYESIGHT

When it comes to physical eyesight, there are some things they can do to improve bad eyesight.

In many cases now, you can have eye surgery, and the things that caused the blindness can be remedied.

Illus: The wife of Dr. Larry Wegner, who has gone to be with the Lord, had bad eye sight for many years. She wore thick glasses, and it became a way of life for her to go around each day stumbling over things because she could not see.

But she was told about this new kind of surgery that would correct her eye problems. She submitted to having this eye surgery. After the surgery, without any eye glasses, she now has 20/20 vision. She tells everyone how nice it is to have this eye condition corrected.