“As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing" (John 9:1-7, ESV).
Light is so important in life. “Plants need light to produce organic molecules…”
“Ensuring a good incidence of light in our environments can even have a positive effect on our mood, can influence the critical chemical reactions of our body, can reduce emotional problems (such as depression, for example), can improve the quality of our sleep, can make us healthier and immune to pain and even improve our productivity and job satisfaction.
“The lack of light in our lives and in our environments, can cause disturbances in the production of melatonin, deregulate the release of growth hormone, cause a lack of vitamins (without sunlight our body does not synthesize vitamin D), it can impact the regulation of our metabolism, and it can also cause obesity, irritability, tiredness, etc…”
Really the value of light is significant. In the Bible, after it was stated that God created the heavens and the earth, the next thing He created was light. “And God saw that the light was good…” (Gen. 1:4A.)
And even the artificial light we truly appreciate. We do not want to have brownouts.
If physical lights have an appeal to us, how about the “Light of the world” referring to Jesus? Do we really appreciate Him?
So, this time, as we consider the Biblical Jesus, let’s proceed to discuss our topic… APPRECIATE THE SOVEREIGN LIGHT…, as we focus on our text (John 9:1-7).
As we gaze upon the Sovereign Light in the Person of Jesus, we could be enlightened how the Sovereign God behaved when He was clothed with human flesh. What are some of the Goodness of Jesus, especially, as the Divine Light that we could appreciate, and even emulate?
In the last part of chapter 8 in the book of John, written by the Apostle, who addressed himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, we learned at least three things that Jesus expected from the true believers.
They need to honor Him, to keep His Word and to rejoice in Him. Why so? He was not just an ordinary human being. He was even more than a special person. He claimed that He was not just before Abraham, but He was the Self-Existent One -- the “I AM” of the Old Testament, God Himself.
For the ordinary Jews, that was blasphemy and He deserved to die. “So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:59, ESV).
And now in the next 7 verses, we could have a glimpse of Jesus’ behavior. In one of the verses, He claimed He was “the Light of the world.” So, let’s find out at least some ways how He radiated His Light. And as His followers, we could also reflect them in our life. Just what Jesus did, as the Light?
I – ELEVATING THE PURPOSE OF TRAGEDY (vv. 1-3).
We read verses 1-3, “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ’Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ’It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
As Jesus avoided the Jews who tried to throw stones at Him, He saw a man. At this point, the light of Jesus was beginning to shine. Instead of thinking the harm that could come to Him, if the Jews with evil intent would find Him, Jesus directed His attention on someone who suffered greatly -- “a man blind from birth.”
While His disciples were just concerned about the cause of the tragic situation of the man, Jesus, as the Light, had important thing in His mind. Because of what happened to the man, his disciples just wanted to know if it was the cause of man’s sin or his parents. However, Jesus pointed out the purpose for the tragedy. He said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but the works of God might be displayed in him.”
For Jesus, what is more important is the purpose for the suffering. If He intended to emphasize the cause of it, He could have lecture on Hamartiology (doctrine of sin and the seriousness of its effect). Instead, He pointed out the purpose: in order that the works of God might be displayed. God allowed the blindness since birth to happen for the man, because God had a purpose. He wanted His work of healing of sight to be displayed.
In the book Trusting God, I was encouraged by the words of the author: “God never wastes pain.” Whether it’s pain of blindness, or whatever pain, God has a purpose.
So, to ask the question, “What is the cause?” is not always important. For the Sovereign Light -- Jesus -- when He was confronted with a tragic situation, He gave the right answer to the right and important question that His disciples ought to ask: “What is the purpose for the suffering?”
Believers or lovers of Christ, are you enduring something in your life? It may not be as serious as the man born blind, or you may be suffering that is serious than his case for a long time now.
Remember: God sees and knows the seriousness of your situation. He is not indifferent to your pain. He has a purpose for your pain. Don’t just seek to find the cause of your suffering. Ask the important question, “What is the purpose for this tragic situation?”
Consider Paul. He suffered “thorn” in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7). He knew the cause of it. It was inflicted by the “messenger of Satan.” But for God, the purpose is more important than to deal with the cause. He told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (verse 9).
And when Paul realized the reason for his affliction, what did he say?
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
When he realized the purpose for his suffering, it brought him contentment than for his healing.
Also, let us not just think of our own well-being, our safety, our security, or our own interest. As we go on our busy activity, let’s notice the person “born blind” or someone suffering greater difficulty in our way. Instead of entertaining the idea that he deserved his pain, or just wonder the cause of it, ponder the thought that God could have a purpose for it. Would God use us to display His good work toward that person?
What else could we observe that Jesus did as the Light?
II – PERFORMING THE WORKS OF GOD (vv. 4-5).
We read verses 4-5, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
Jesus said, “We must work the works of Him who sent me…” Though the Greek work could be translated,”we,” but to translate it directly, it should be “I.” After Jesus pointed out the purpose for the affliction of the man, “that the works of God might be displayed,” the Sovereign Light saw the necessity to perform it. He wanted to display the work of God in the blind man. “I must work the works of Him who sent me…”
As Jesus desired to shine His Light, or to extend His good work to the man, consider at least two things.
First, the blind man was not aware of Jesus. He didn’t know Him. And so, he did not ask for any favor. However, Jesus, as the Sovereign Light had chosen to display the work of healing in his life.
Second, as the Sovereign Light, Jesus did not want to miss the opportunity to perform God’s work. As He said, “I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” As long as the time would permit, He wanted to perform God’s work.
In this case, the work of God was displayed in the way of healing giving sight to the blind, as we read in verse 7. But, in the case of Paul, the work of God was displayed in another way. Paul experienced the power of God’s grace, giving Him the strength in spite of his weakness.
So, we should not limit or define the kind of work that God would like to display. It may not just be work of healing. It could be work of contentment. It could be work of desiring more for His Word, or greater dedication for His Word. It could be the very wonderful favor of hearing audibly the voice of God, as we rehearse in our mind the Bible verses we memorized.
But, whatever work of God He would like to display, it’s not just for any favor that we could enjoy. It’s for the exaltation of His Holy Name. As Jesus prayed to His Father in John 17:4, “I glorified you on earth having accomplished the work that you have given me to do.”
As we acknowledge ourselves as believers or lovers of Christ, do we also consider ourselves as “the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14)?
Jesus said, “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light…" (John 12:36A, ESV.) If we have genuine faith in Jesus, we become sons or children of light.
And what should we do, as children of light?
Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8). We need to walk, or live or behave “as children of light.” We need to perform the good work of the Sovereign Light. We must let the Light of God through our life shine in this dark world. Extend favor to someone, though he or she does not ask for it. Exercise goodness as time or opportunity presents itself.
Finally, what could we notice that Jesus did as the Light?
III – EMPLOYING DIFFERENT MEANS TO BLESS (vv. 6-7).
We read verses 6-7, “Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, ’Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.’"
In displaying God’s work to bless the man with healing, Jesus could just speak the words, “Open your eyes!” And surely the man would receive his eyesight. But the Sovereign Light did something first. He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then, applied it on man’s eyes. And the process did not stop there. Still the blind man was instructed to do something. He should go and wash in a particular pool. After the man complied, only then that he was blessed with eyesight.
Jesus displayed God’s Work not in the way we would expect from a Sovereign Light. Surely, there is no doubt that the result was the product of a Divine Act. But the way it was accomplished, it was not spectacular. And others could misread it. They could ascribe healing power to the mud, or secure the saliva of Jesus to be healed. They could believe that the water at the pool of Siloam could heal.
But what we could learn here is that God could use or employ even ordinary means to bless us. He could use human ways to accomplish His purpose.
Just remember how God saved the family of Noah from the earth-wide-flood. He didn’t provide a supernatural bubble to keep them safe. He instructed Noah to build an ark. And no where in the Bible we read that God employed a single angel to help.
When Jesus was still a baby and Herod intended to kill Him, God did not blind the soldiers who were looking for Him. God instructed His parents to flee in Egypt to avoid the evil plan against Him.
In our time, if someone would pray for something to eat, God could rain the food from heaven. Or, He could move the heart of another person to give the food, or give an amount to buy for it.
God could also heal us miraculously. Or He could bless us with healing through a doctor as we follow his instruction.
As we could not limit God what kind of His Work or blessing He would display in our life, we could not also limit how He would extend His favor to us. He could do it directly from His Hands through a miracle. Or, He could employ ordinary ways, using human means.
Believers or lovers of Christ, realize that it was God who gave the blind man his sight. When he obeyed to go and wash, he honored the One who instructed him. And the One he had honored also honored him by blessing him with eyesight.
Remember he didn’t ask to receive his eyesight. He obeyed not to receive the blessing of seeing. He obeyed because He honored the One who instructed him. And because of honoring Christ, the man was honored by Christ. He blessed him.
In Ephesians 6, Paul instructed the children to obey their parents, not directly to be blessed. Obedience is instructed to them to honor their parents. And when they honor their parents, they will be blessed. They will live long and their life would be well.
The blessing that the blind man received was not only physical seeing. Later in the verses ahead, he received greater blessing. He received spiritual eyes to see and know Christ. He was given the gift of saving faith.
We could expect more blessings, more displays of God’s works in our life not always in the ways that are miraculous. He could do it by using ordinary means. He could bless us by giving us opportunities to honor Him.
And one way to honor Him is how? By our obedience. Accomplishing the work that He given us to do.
As Jesus prayed to His Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4).
CONCLUSION:
It was raining really hard. Many persons were on the side of a certain building. They could not proceed to the street because of the heavy rain. Then someone went out from the door of the building, which was a hospital. The man shouted with glee, “Wow! What a wonderful day!” Every person who heard him was offended by what he said. Others could not withhold their tongue and said, “Couldn’t you see? The rain was so hard and we could not even inch out to the street!”
The man responded with excitement, “Yes, I see! I underwent an operation, because I was blind. And now, is the first day that I could see!”
There should be greater joy if we are spiritually blind before and now we see the brilliance of the Sovereign Light. We did not choose Him, but He chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit and that our fruit should abide, so that whatever we ask the Father in His Name, He may give it to us (John 15:17).
And now, to add on that joy, we apprehend and appreciate that the Sovereign Jesus sees and knows our affliction and He would set aside whatever the cause; instead, He elevates the Divine purpose of our tragic situation, He will accomplish its purpose of displaying God’s Work in our life, and He could bless us by using even different means, even giving us opportunities where we could honor Him.
