When I was in grade school I had, a problem, in third grade, the teachers couldn’t figure out what my problem was. They would be up at the blackboard, writing things down and I would quickly lose interest. They didn’t understand why I didn’t have an attention span, about the things they would say.
I would always get bad grades at speed-reading, they would flash words up on the screen, and no matter how slow the words went, I would always mess up. Whenever they would show a movie, I wouldn’t watch it. And yet, my homework was always done well. It was a mystery. They wondered is his problem, they wondered. The fact of the matter is I wondered that too.
Finally, one day, they sent a specialist in to evaluate me and they figured it out that the problem was that I could not see. The problem was that I needed glasses.
And I remember my first time I went to visit the eye doctor, and I took the eye test, and he asked me can you see anything up on the screen? I answered him and said no, and then I said to myself that. I can never see anything up on the screen. I just thought to myself as a young child that, that’s how it is and that’s how it’s going to be.
But then he had me to look through some lenses, and a whole new world opened up to me. I picked out the coolest frames I could find, I put on my glasses, and then, I could see, everything was clear.
When the teacher was up in the front, I could actually see what she was doing, so I paid attention. But now I could finally read those words in the speed reading class. I could actually see those movies that were being showed. It was great, to finally be able to see.
It’s not uncommon for people to have problems with their sight. And there are many who lose their sight because of one reason or another. Imagine what it’s like for those people who are born without sight, born blind. If a person is going blind, at least, for a while in life, they were able to see. But what about those people who have never been able to see? They have never seen a color, they’ve never seen the snow, they’ve never seen a tear drop, and they have never seen the brightness of the sun or the glow of the moon. It seems as thou the whole world has been shut off to them because they have never had sight. But that’s not the worst of it.
If we were to lend our attention to the bible, the scripture teaches us that, there are two kinds of blindness. 1st there is physical blindness whereas what we think of when we hear the word blind.
But there is another kind of blindness in the Bible, which is called a spiritual blindness. You may ask what is a spiritual blindness.
As we study our Gospel lesson for today I pray that it will give us a better understanding. But for now, I’ll give you a short definition of spiritual blindness.
Spiritual blindness is when a person is not able to see who Jesus Christ really is.
Spiritual blindness is not believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.
Spiritual blindness is when we are unable to see all of the good things about God that God want us to see.
Spiritual blindness is not being able to see what God has built up that the devil is trying to tear it down by all means necessary.
Spiritual blindness is that you are not able to walk in the light because you are blinded by darkness.
Spiritual blindness is not being able to see a miracle when the Lord God has performed it right before our eyes.
Today we are going to see how Jesus Christ can heal a person, not just of physical blindness, but of spiritual blindness as well.
As Jesus is walking with his disciples, and as he is taking a stroll with them, they reveal that they have a blind spot in their faith. A blind spots is when you’re driving, and that spot right over your left or right shoulder, that you can’t see in your mirrors which could fatally harm you or kill you.
And rather we believe it or not, do you not know that we have some spiritual blind spots? A spiritual blind spot is when a Christian doesn’t really understand something and they can’t see that side swipe that’s coming to destroy them.
Take a look at the disciples. In verses 1-2 it says: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Now understand that this was a common teaching at that time every time someone is suffering, it’s always because he or she was being punished for a sin that they had committed or that it was some kind of a generational curse that had been handed down through their parents. It was the common teaching of that day.
The disciples saw that blind man, begging on the street, and they wondered, what did he do, or what did his parents do, that he was born blind?
The disciples had a spiritual blind spot in their understanding of how the world works. The disciples didn’t understand why bad things sometimes happen to good people.
But here Jesus takes away their blind spot. He says, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
This man who was born blind from birth wasn’t being punished for a particular sin. God allowed this blindness to happen to him for a good purpose – so that the work of God might be displayed in his life, so that God might reveal his love and power in this man’s life.
All I’m saying is that you that might be going through something this morning, and you may be wondering why. Well, it might be that God is using your problem, your sickness, your heartaches, you disappointments and your situation that he might be glorified.
Your check might’ve been late hitting the bank, it might not be there because God wants to show you that he can make a way out of now way. Someone may say that all of my friends are gone, it could be that God has taken some people out of your life just too show you that it is him that is taking care of you and not that person.
I’m reminded of a Lady that went into a hospital with a terminal illness, and while she is there, she is calm, she praying, and she telling everybody about the goodness of the Lord. She’s telling everyone else to hold their heads up because everything is going to be all right. It is said that the doctors were scratching their heads talking about we know that she doesn’t have long, yet she telling everybody how good she feels.
All of the test says that she’s fading away, all of the blood work says that, her body is shutting down. However, she moving and dancing like she’s getting better. But what she was sharing with those that were around her is, whatever God’s will is I’ll be alright.
Whatever God’s will is he will be glorified, if I died today, God will be glorified, if I live another 10 years God will still be glorified.
If the illness dried up today it will be alright, and if the illness takes over my body I’ll be alright as long as God is glorified.
I’m telling you that no matter what comes my way, as long as God is glorified, it’s all good. It doesn’t matter if people talk about me as long as God is gloried. Because his work must
be done.
Jesus goes on to tell the disciples: “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Jesus is the light of the world, and He sheds light on the purpose of bad things in people’s lives. But more importantly, he sheds light on who God is, and how a person can find peace with God. Let’s see how Jesus brings light to this blind man’s life.
Having said all of this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. Then he tells him “Go, he told him, wash in the Pool of Siloam.
Now the pool which is also known as “Hezekiah’s Tunnel,” was part of Jerusalem’s ancient water system, and later became a site of religious significance for ancient Jewish people. Religious pilgrims used it as a ritual bath to cleanse themselves before visiting the Temple.
He spit on the ground, made some mud with saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. Then he tells him “Go, he told him, wash in the Pool of Siloam. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”
Just imagine what it was like for that man. Never in his whole life had he ever been able to see before. And now, a whole new world was opened before him. Now he could see colors and people and trees and the sky and everything.
And just as he received his healing
Just as he received his blessing
Just as he received his calling
Just as he received his joy and all that the Lord Jesus had bestowed upon him people started talking, they started grumbling, and complaining.
The real fact of the matter is that there are some that don’t like it when you get blessed by God. People hate that you are called by God, people hate that you are used by God. People want you to stay in sin. People want you not to be used by God but, Jesus reveals his power here. He fulfills the Old Testament prophecies that say that the Messiah would give blind people sight. And every time Jesus performs a miracle in the Bible, that was his way of showing people, I am the Messiah. I am who I say I am. I am the Light of the world.”
I need you all to see why this man was born blind? It was so that Jesus could perform this amazing healing, and reveal to people that he was the Messiah.
But there were many people who refused to believe that Jesus was who he said he was. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day, and they didn’t believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They were spiritually blind. They said that Jesus was just a teacher. They believe that he was just an ordinary man, and just a plain prophet.
And they believed that when bad things happen to people that it was always as a punishment for sin, they were spiritually blind.
And instead of praising God for the things that happen in this man of God life. They questioned the man parents and the parents said we know that this is our sons but how he was healed we don’t know he of age he can speak for himself. (explain)
Then they began to question the man who had been healed, and they were confused.
How could Jesus be from God?
How can He heal on the Sabbath?
They cross-examined the man who was healed and asked him who he thought Jesus was. “He is a prophet,” and “He is sent from God.” The Pharisees were so upset when they heard this, that they excommunicated the man from the religious life of Israel. “They said listen boy you were deep in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us.” And they threw him out.
And it was all because of a birth defect. You and I and every single person in the world has a major birth defect. When we don’t conform to the ways of God and it’s called spiritual blindness.
The inability to see spiritual things.
The inability to see that Jesus Christ is God and Savior.
The inability to see the true way to heaven. This is spiritual blindness, and every person in the world is born with this spiritual birth defect. How can you say that pastor, well the bible says that we were born into sin, and shaped in iniquity.
That’s why the Pharisees were being so stubborn. And people are so stubborn today, because they are spiritually blind.
Jesus has came into our lives to help us, to heal people of their spiritual blindness. Many people refuse that help, like those Pharisees, and many people today.
But there are those who are looking for help, and Jesus healed those people who are seeking him. That’s what he did for this man born blind.
In our lesson, after Jesus heard that the Pharisees had thrown the man out, he went and found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man? “Who is he sir?” the man said. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” “You have now seen him. In fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
Jesus cures this man of his spiritual blindness. He reveals to the man that he is the Messiah, the one who has come to save the world.
So as I close this, I heard that they brought him and it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. And the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, and He said that he put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. The Pharisees said, you got to know that this man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. But somebody else asked the question, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?
I heard that after all of the going back and forward they cast him out.
But what I love about Jesus and that is no matter who might throw you out. No matter who might not want you. That Jesus is coming to look for you.
In verse 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Do you believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
And I don’t know about you all this morning but I believe that he is who he said he is.
And I believe that God will change things and if you don’t believe me you can ask.
1. BLIND BARTIMAEUS
2. THE LEPER
3. PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW…
4. THE WIDOW OF NAIN’S SON
5. THE CRIPPLED MAN IN MARK 2
6. CENTURION’S SERVANT
7. GADARENE MAN WITH HIS DEMONS
8. JAIRUS’S DAUGHTER
9. THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD
10. THE DEMON-POSSESSED BOY IN MATT. 17
11. ASK ZACCHAEUS
12. MARY MAGDALENE
13. THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY
14. PAUL
We can make it, but you must believe
