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.
But many have this problem spiritually. That is, it has become a way of life for them to walk around each day, looking at things as if they were looking through a dirty glass.
WHAT CAN THEY DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM?
They can do several things:
(1) Recognize that they have a problem.
It is sometimes difficult to get people to realize they have a problem.
For example, women tell us, “Men run the world”. But I can see a problem here for men. IF MEN RUN THE WORLD, WHY CAN'T THEY STOP WEARING NECKTIES? HOW INTELLIGENT IS IT TO START THE DAY BY TYING A NOOSE AROUND YOUR NECK?
It is astounding to see how many Christians have spiritual eyesight problems, and do not even recognize the problems. Stumbling around in the darkness of sin each day has just become a way of life for them.
What they need to do is recognize that God has a BETTER LIFE THAN THE KIND THEY ARE NOW LIVING!
It is good to be content. Paul said in Phillipians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
But we should never be content living a life that has been blurred by sin.
Sometimes DISCONTENTMENT CAN BE GOOD FOR US.
Change is the one constant things in this life that we have to deal with.
• There are only so many times you can listen to a song before you don't want to hear it anymore.
• There are only so many times you can wear a beautiful sweater before it loses its beauty.
• There are only so many times you can eat ice cream without getting tired of it.
Dissatisfaction causes one to seek something better. “The grass is always greener on the other side”, or so the saying goes.
When we become DISCONTENTED, we have to be willing to do the OPPOSITE of what we are now doing. For example:
• The opposite of fear is optimism (The belief that you can gradually improve a situation).
• The opposite of dissatisfaction is "counting your blessings".
• The opposite of being let down by change is accepting change.
To gain more inner peace and contentment, seek the opposite of the causes of your discontentment.
Before we can get any help with our SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, we have to become dissatisfied with what we now have.
Many in church never grow in the Lord, because they are CONTENT with spiritual blindness in their life.
If we are ever going to get any help, we have to first RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
But that is not enough-
(2) Recognize where we can find some help for this problem.
Paul, who was CONTENT about some things in his life, was very DISCONTENTED about other things in his life.
Because he was always striving to live a more perfect life, he went on to be one of God’s choice servants.
Paul faced things that most of us have never had to face, nor ever will have to face. But this man had spiritual 20/20 vision. He knew what he wanted, and he stayed focused on that goal.
He was one of God’s choice servants.
We can all be thankful that Paul did not keep this wonderful discovery to himself , but he shares it with every child of God who wants the best God has for them.
Look at Phillipians 4:4-14, he shows us five things we need to consider.
(1) Look at verse 4, we read, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
Paul said if we are going to have this spiritual 20/20 vision, we have to always look for something to rejoice in, instead of trying to find something to complain about.
When tempted to complain, we choose to praise God. No matter how desperate things get, God is worthy of praise.
Rejoicing in the Lord is not a result of feeling, it is a matter of choice.
(2) Look at verse 6, we read, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
In other words, no matter what we face, prayer is the solution.
This is a far cry from the world's "don't worry, be happy."
• Anxiety stems from a distrust of God
• Prayer is based upon trust in God
It is faith in action. We need to pray about everything.
(3) Look at verse 8, we read, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
If we are going to have 20/20 spiritual eye sight, we are going to have to get our thought life under control.
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
The Bible says, “THINK ON THESE THINGS.”
WHAT THINGS? These things:
• Whatsoever things are honest
• Whatsoever things are just
• Whatsoever things are pure
• Whatsoever things are lovely
• Whatsoever things are of good report
• If there be any virtue
• If there be any praise
Think on these things!
Rather than dwell on the negative, we choose to concentrate on "whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy."
(4) Look at verse 9, we read, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Many do not have 20/20 spiritual vision, because they can hear a good Bible sermon, and they go home and forget what they heard. Paul says we need to TAKE THE WORD OF GOD HOME AFTER YOU HAVE HEARD IT, AND DO IT!
(5) Look at verse 13, we read, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
We are to always remember that with Christ there is nothing that we cannot handle. Life can not throw something at us, that we, in Christ's strength and provision, cannot deal with victoriously.
Conclusion:
I. THE PROBLEM OF BAD EYE SIGHT
II. THE REMEDY FOR BAD EYE SIGHT
