Seeing Is Believing
Text: John 9: 24-38
Intro: “Seeing is believing” are words all of us have heard numerous times. They are usually spoken concerning something that seems too fantastic to accept, unless one personally witnesses it. In this sense, these words are an affirmation of something’s validity.
However, sometimes these words are spoken with a bit of skepticism. In other words, one takes the position of refusing to believe what he or she can’t physically see. And this is often the philosophy of many in the world today concerning God. Their belief hinges on sight. They tend to see God and the Bible merely as crutches, used by society to survive the difficulties of life, not realities.
Man’s viewpoint and God’s are just the opposite. Man says, “If I can see, I’ll believe.” God says, “If you will believe, you will be able to see.” In God’s economy, belief always precedes sight.
The ninth chapter of the gospel according to John is not only an account of a blind man’s healing by Jesus, but it is also an illustration of salvation. As a matter of fact, this chapter logically follows Christ’s discussion in chapter eight concerning spiritual darkness. As was so often the case, Jesus, in chapter nine gives a physical illustration to drive home the meaning of what He had been teaching the people. He was also illustrating that He was the personification of spiritual light, so desperately needed by the world.
Theme: In this passage we observe:
I. AN EXAMPLE OF SALVATION
A. This Miracle Would Explain Christ’s Pronouncement.
1. Jesus had claimed to be the “Light of the World.”
John 8: 12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
NOTE: A person living in spiritual darkness can make some foolish, if not fatal choices in their life. It’s strange how folks seem to think that God and salvation are so unimportant, and then wonder why their life has become such a mess. But look what this kind of thinking gets them.
Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl.
“Why,” he exclaimed, “when I went a-courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark.”
“Yes,” the hired man said wryly, “and look what you got!”
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2. Jesus’ claim had validity, according to Matthew, who quoted Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the coming Messiah.
Matt.4: 16 “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.”
3. As the “Light of the World,” Jesus opened blinded eyes, just as was prophesied about Messiah.
Isa.29: 18 “And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.”
Isa.35: 5 “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”
Isa.42: 6 “I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;
7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
B. This Miracle Would Expose God’s Power.
John 9: 1 “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”
NOTE: [1] The disciples had the mistaken idea that tragedy like this man’s blindness was the result of judgment for sin. In one sense, all tragedies are the outgrowth of Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden. They lived in a perfect world until their fall. But just because someone experiences a tragedy or physical malady doesn’t mean that that individual or their parents committed some grave sin.
[2] Jesus said this situation was permitted to reveal the power of God through this man’s life. Blaise Pascal once said, “The greatest single distinguishing feature of the omnipotence of God is that our imagination gets lost when thinking about it” (Blaise Pascal, Pensees). Perhaps the trials that we complain so much about have a greater purpose than we realize.
C. This Miracle Would Exemplify God’s Plan.
1. Jesus would light the way to spiritual life.
John 1: 4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
John 8: 12b “…he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
2. The life and light that only Jesus could provide would be realized by faith.
John 9: 6 “When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”
NOTE: [1] He who made the first man from the dust of the earth (Gen.2: 7), made clay and placed it on the blind eyes of this poor beggar. Be aware that it was not the clay that healed the blind beggar, for Jesus only used it to stimulate faith and expectation in him. The man’s healing was the result of believing what Jesus said.
John 3: 36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
[2] Thomas Carlyle once said, “A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things” (Thomas Carlyle). This blind beggar chose to believe what Jesus said. Anyone who expects to be delivered from their spiritual darkness will have to do the same.
[3] Notice that the blind man was sent to the pool of Siloam, which means, “Sent.” The point was that spiritual sight and salvation comes only from He who was sent by God to be the light of the world. Jesus said, “…Whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me…” (Luke 9: 48b).
II. THE EXCITEMENT IT STIRRED
A. The People Were Ecstatic.
1. They developed their theories.
John 9: 8 “The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.”
2. The former blind man detailed his testimony.
John 9: 10 “Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.”
NOTE: This former blind beggar gave his story in a clear and concise manner. He remembered who gave him sight, but he could not have known what Jesus looked like, or where He had gone, since Jesus had departed the area while the blind man was away washing at the pool of Siloam.
B. The Pharisees Were Exasperated.
1. The Pharisees were divided.
John 9: 13 “They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
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16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.”
2. The Pharisees thought this was all a deception.
John 9: 18 “But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.”
NOTE: Folks, the lost world cannot understand the supernatural work of salvation in the life of a believer. If they can’t explain it, they often won’t believe it.
3. The Pharisees, speaking of Jesus, uttered a vehement denunciation.
John 9: 24 “Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.”
NOTE: The Pharisees, because of their religious pride, rejected the One who could have given them true spiritual light and life.
In Christ We Have:
A love that can never be fathomed
A life that can never die
A righteousness that can never be tarnished
A peace that can never be understood
A rest that can never be disturbed
A joy that can never be diminished
A hope that can never be disappointed
A glory that can never be clouded
A light that can never be darkened
A purity that can never be defiled
A beauty that can never be marred
A wisdom that can never be baffled
Resources that can never be exhausted.
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C. The Profession Of The Former Blind Man Was Emphatic.
1. He was emphatic about his change.
John 9: 25 “He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
2. He was emphatic about Jesus’ character.
John 9: 32 “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.”
III. AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE SAVIOR
A. The Master’s Conversation.
John 9: 35 “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou 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.”
B. The Man’s Conversion.
John 9: 38 “And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.”
NOTE: [1] This former blind man had not only received physical sight, but spiritual sight as well. Keep in mind that this was the first time this former blind beggar had actually physically seen Jesus. I believe this man trusted Jesus as he walked away from the pool of Siloam seeing. When Jesus made Himself known to the former blind man, he simply openly confessed his trust.
[2] This is a classic example of what Paul meant when he said, “…The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance” (Rom.2: 4b).
Theme: In this passage we observe:
I. AN EXAMPLE OF SALVATION
II. THE EXCITEMENT IT STIRRED
III. AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE SAVIOR
