BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
SUNDAY, JUNE
8, 1997 am
TEXT:
John 9:1-6 And as [Jesus] passed
by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth. And his disciples asked
him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born
blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but
that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works
of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
John 9:39 And Jesus said, For
judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and
that they which see might be made blind.
John 9:6-7 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, 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.
I. THE PICTURE
1. A man born blind
- Disciples asked why was he
blind.
- Due to parents' sin or his
own?
- Jesus said the man should
illustrate the works of God, due to his blindness.
- The picture of a man born
blind, not due to anything he nor his parents did illustrates something.
John 9:3-4 Jesus answered, Neither
hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be
made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while
it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
John 9:39 And Jesus said, For
judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might
see; and that they which see might be made blind.
- He was SENT of God
- He came for judgment.
- The greek implies SEPARATION
- Jesus came to cause separations
- People who were blind would
see
- People who seen would be
made blind.
- A judge separates who is
right from who is wrong
3. Separation
- All are in one of these two
groups which Jesus came to separate.
- To separate means that these
two kinds of people were mixed together.
- They probably did not know
one another's particular group.
- I would not have known what
group you belonged to, and neither would you know what group I belonged to,
if we were living at that day.
- Not until Jesus came was
there light in the world.
John 9:5 As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world.
John 9:3-4 Jesus answered, Neither
hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while
it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
- by dealing physically with
this man born blind and setting into motion some events as a result of that
healing, Jesus was illustrating and manifesting what spiritual work God was
doing in the world with the advent of the New Testament.
5. BORN BLIND
- Being born blind represents
born in a situation which Jesus came to deal with.
- Even Jesus compared BLINDNESS
to something which gives us the clue as to what blindness represents.
IF HE SAID: "For judgment I am come into this world,
that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made
blind." (Implying that those
blind would be CHANGED to see, and those who seen would be made blind)
...AND THEN
SAID: "If ye were blind, ye
should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."
(Blind being made to see,
here, is same thing as saying if blind, He came to change that and make you
without SIN. And If they could SEE, he came to make them blind, or to leave
them in SIN).
- THEN BEING BORN BLIND REPRESENTS
BEING BORN IN SIN.
- Remaining in sin is equivalent
to the illustrative remaining in blindness
- The man born blind illustrates
all who are born in sin.
- It wasn't anything the
boy or his parents did.
- We are born in sin due
to the Fall in the Garden of Eden.
- Jesus came to deal with
that.
- To remain in sin is to have
been in sin previous to the present situation.
- And those who are blind but
made to see shows that they, too, were in sin, but freed from it.
6. ALL ARE BORN IN SIN
- When he said that the people
who CONFESSED they were blind would be free of sin, and then said those who
would NOT SAY IT would remain blind, we realize that ALL WERE ACTUALLY BLIND
when Jesus came.
- The Pharisees were the ones
who could see.
John 9:40-41 And [some] of the Pharisees
which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye
say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
- These words indicate that
the Pharisees THOUGHT they could see, but actually were blinded.
- They therefore would REMAIN
in sin.
- They therefore would remain
BLIND
- Jesus could not make them
see, since they thought they already were able to see.
- They thought they were free
from sin.
- This shows that one must
RECOGNIZE one's blindness and sin before Jesus can help one see, or be made
free from sin..
- If you think you are not
in sin, then you will actually remain in sin, although you do not know it.
- THAT is why Jesus said they
are BLIND.
- Jesus cannot free anyone
unless they seek to be made free
- And if they do not believe
they have need to be free, they will not seek freedom.
- They remain BLINDED to their
own sin.
II. THE MIRACLE
I'm so glad He did not throw
me away, but dealt with the part of me that needed repair.
2. He made a whole new human
race, by taking the race that had fallen, Adam's race, and doing something
similar to them as what He did with originally making Adam's race.
- Sin BLINDED me.
- So, to deal with that sin,
He had to do something similar to what He did in originally making a sinless
man.
- He took my sins away, and
now I can see.
III. SENT OF GOD
IV. SEPARATION TIME
1. Immediately after the man
was healed, Jesus left him and allowed things to happen - He allowed the
separation to have its way.
2. NEIGHBOURS
John 9:8-9 The neighbours therefore,
and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he
that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others [said], He is like him:
[but] he said, I am [he].
John 9:10-11 Therefore said they
unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 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.
John 9:16 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.
- Again, some for some reason,
did not want to admit that God did a miracle.
- They found any stupid reason
they could think of to say God did not do it, when a blind man was healed!!
- The only thing they could
think of is that it was done on the Sabbath, so THAT proved it was not of
God.
- The young man STOOD UP AGAIN,
THIS TIME BEFORE THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, ...
John 9:17 They say unto the blind
man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said,
He is a prophet.
- HE IS A PROPHET!! the man
said!
- He did not back down.
- He joined the Pharisees who
said GOD must have done it, for a miracle occurred.
5. FAMILY
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.
- The ones who believed a sabbath
day issue proved it was not of God apparently said it was not a miracle anyway.
- TWO different ways to RESIST
JESUS were accomplished by these people.
- The family was consulted.
- They knew a miracle occurred
then
- But the family were afraid
of being thrown out of the synagogue.
John 9:20-23 His parents answered
them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
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. These [words]
spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed
already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put
out of the synagogue. Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
- The parents were afraid of
what people thought, religious people of reputation - the synagogue they
belonged to.
- They had a position in the
synagogue they did not want to lose.
- But the young man was not
afraid whether his family were or not.
- Showing a separation from
his own family, the young man said...
John 9:24-27 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. 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. Then
said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? He
answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would
ye hear [it] again? will ye also be his disciples?
- BOLDLY, while his parents
feared the pharisees, the young man let them know he was Jesus disciple.
John 9:28-33 Then they reviled him,
and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. We know that
God spake unto Moses: [as for] this [fellow], we know not from whence he
is. The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing,
that ye know not from whence he is, and [yet] he hath opened mine eyes. Now
we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God,
and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard
that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were
not of God, he could do nothing.
- The man said the same thing
the believing Pharisees said.
- How could it not be of God
if a miracle occurred?
- Jesus came to the world to
judge
- to judge right from wrong
- this is separation
- show who is real and who
is not
- the young man was clearly
seeing something when he was formerly blind
- all the respect in the world
was probably given to the Pharisees by this young man, but when he actually
found Jesus and experienced something real, he was amazed at how shallow
the Pharisees really were.
"...Why herein is a marvelous
thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and [yet] he hath opened mine
eyes. "
- what was happening that day
was a marvelous thing.
- he was amazed that religious
people were so blinded.
- people were being separated
into two groups
- there was the group who honestly
admitted the one who preached things that many, including themselves, did
not want to hear, was actually from God.
- and there was the group who
for some reason did not want to give in to Jesus and made any foolish excuse
they could to explain why.
- truth is they were blind
and did not even know it
- whole others who were also
blind admitted it and were made to see
- freed from sin.
- he fromerly felt the religious
leaders were so special
- but when separation occurred
and light was shone, he seen their blindness, while they seen nothing different
John 9:32-34 Since the world began
was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said
unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And
they cast him out.
- Rather than answer this sensible
and very good question, they threw him out of the synagogue, avoiding it,
while at the same time trying to make the man look silly as he was thrown
out of the synagogue.
- Truth was they were afraid.
- GET HIM OUT BEFORE OTHERS
START THINKING FOR THEMSELVES. IF THEY COULD NOT ANSWER HIM, THEY COULD THROW
HIM OUT (Really intelligent, isn't it? [laugh]).
BLIND!!!
- The young man after being
thrown out was found by Jesus
- People might throw us out
when we have truly experienced something from God, and they may forsake us.
But Jesus wil not leave us alone. He will come looking for us
- Was the young man truly set
free from such blindness?
- He stood the test of family,
friends and religious popularity, but now was the real test.
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?
- the man lost popularity and
friends, and maybe family
- the parents did not want
to be kicked out
- But Jesus went to his side
- Jesus knew
- do what you know is right,
regardless of what family, friends or religious (even so-called Christians)
think
- you might lose the world,
but you'll find Jesus.
John 9:36-38 He answered and said,
Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou
hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord,
I believe. And he worshipped him.
YES! The man realized who
Jesus was and WORSHIPPED HIM . HE BELIEVED WITH HIS HEART AND CONFESSED WITH
HIS MOUTH!! Verse 40 tells us that Pharisees were near the young man.
John 9:40 And [some] of the
Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are
we blind also?
- in other words, the young
man worshipped Jesus in front of the public!!
- Yes, he really could see
in more ways than one
- He SEEN that God is so
important that it doesn't matter if neighbours stand up for him or not, we
MUST!! even if they begin to stay away from us.
- He seen that living for God
is more important than pleasing people
- he seen that living for God
was more important than worrying about what your family thinks.
- this is what Jesus meant
when He said...
Matt 10:34-39 Think not that I am
come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I
am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's
foes [shall be] they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more
than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and
he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
- not a literal sword for us
to fight with, because he rebuked Peter for using a sword in Gethsemene to
fight off the soldier.
- Jesus would use the sword
- He would SEPARATE two kinds
of people
- only those truly made to
see the light would recognize who was real and who was not.
- the young man seen the truth
about the Pharisees
- they were so blind that they
would not admit that Jesus was of God after He performed a miracle!
- It has been like this for
two thousand years now, since people have been confronted with Jesus and
forced to make a choice
- ...to stick with the proud
crowd, or be honest and face reality
- THE PHARISEES COULD SEE IF
THEY WANTED TO
MATTHEW HENRY SAID:
"Nothing fortifies men's corrupt
hearts against the convictions of the word, more than the high opinion which
others have of them; as if all that gained applause with men, must obtain
acceptance with God. Christ silenced them. But the sin of the self-conceited
and self-confident remains; they reject the gospel of grace, therefore the
guilt of their sin remains unpardoned, and the power of their sin remains
unbroken."
- TODAY as the Word of God goes
forth, you have a choice.
- you fall into one of the
two groups
- will you see the light and
realize that sitting back and not giving God glory so much so that you do
not care who mocks you or who in your own family resists you for doing it
that you will openly confess Him and worship him?
- if you cannot give God everything
- your worship, your life despite
friends and family and religion, then you cannot see good enough.
- you are blind
- your sin remains But if you
can stand up for Him no matter what anyone else thinks, and concern yourself
more with pleasing God than pleasing people, YOU CAN TRULY SEE THE WAY IT
IS.
- I've seen blind people like
the Pharisees and the family and friends of the blind man
- I've seen people think up
any excuse, no matter how foolish, to explain their resistance
- they would not admit they
were holding back, but they were.
- to make an excuse so that
they will not worship God or stand up for him is simply BLINDNESS.
- I have often thought, "If
they could just see themselves."
The following verses speak in
the same tone of speech to indicate the same picture of blindness.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation,
that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil.
Matt 6:23 But if thine eye be
evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that
is in thee be darkness, how great [is] that darkness!
John 15:22 If I had not come and
spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their
sin.
- if a person is in sin and
does not believe it nor will admit it, how great that sin in them really
is!
- what they believe to be religion
is actually sever darkness
- be like that young man
- see the truth
- come out from among the blind
and be separated
- has God's word got hold of
your life so much that you want to show it no matter who resists around you?
- if you want to make sure
you are in the group that can see the light, then publicly reveal it.
"BLINDED BY THE LIGHT" MEANS
THOSE WHO THINK THEY SEE AND YET DO NOT STAND FOR JESUS, ARE SHOWN TO THOSE
WHO REALLY DO BELIEVE AS BLIND PEOPLE.