There are seven miracles recorded in the Gospel of John:
(1) The turning of water into wine (ch. 2)
(2) The healing of the official’s son (ch. 4)
(3) The healing of the paralytic (ch. 5)
(4) The feeding of the multitude (ch. 6)
(5) The walking on the water (ch. 6)
(6) The healing of the blind man (ch. 9)
(7) The raising of Lazarus (ch. 11)
The blind man needed both physical sight and spiritual sight. The way in which he was healed of his blindness provides us with an illustration of how we can cured of our spiritual blindness.
“For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (9:39).
SIN AND SUFFERING
[Read vv. 1-12]
Does sin cause suffering?
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?” (vv. 1-2).
1. Sin is not always the DIRECT cause of suffering.
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus...” (v. 3a).
Sometimes our suffering is directly caused by our sin. “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you” (John 5:14).
Wrong statements people make about suffering:
• “If you are suffering, you must have sinned.” (What about Job?)
We don’t live in a simple world, in which good things always happen to good people and bad things always happen to bad people.
• “If you are suffering, you don’t have enough faith.” (What about Paul?)
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
2. God can use suffering to bring BLESSING.
“...but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” (v. 3b).
The example of Jesus:
• He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3).
• ...he fell to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). The “cup” refers to the suffering of the cross. Jesus wanted to escape the suffering of the cross, but the Father said, “No.”
• The cross is a symbol of both suffering and salvation. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). God used the suffering of Jesus to bring blessing. Why do we doubt God can use our suffering to bring blessing?
THE MIRACLE’S PURPOSE
[Read vv. 13-34]
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:30-31).
“Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” (vv. 32-33).
The miracle had more to do with the man’s FAITH than his HEALTH.
THE SIGHT OF THE BLIND AND THE BLINDESS OF THE SEEING
[Read vv. 35-41]
1. Jesus LIGHTS the way to eternal life.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8:12).
“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 12:46).
2. SELF-SUFFICIENCY bars the way to eternal life.
“For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind” (9:39).
• “The blind will see” = people, like the blind man, who know they are blind and receive spiritual sight. The healing of the blind man illustrates what we must do to receive eternal life: (1) he realized his need and (2) he believed Jesus could meet his need.
• “Those who see will become blind” = people, like the Pharisees, who think they see but are actually spiritually blind.
The coming of Jesus has divided people into two groups: (1) those who “see” who Jesus Christ really is and put their faith in Him and (2) those who are “blind” to who Jesus Christ is and reject Him.
