Last year, Michael P. Lynch, who's a professor of philosophy at the University of Connecticut,
wrote a very influential book, some say groundbreaking book, called The Internet of Us,
Knowing More and Understanding Less in the Age of Big Data.
And in it, he argues that with the Internet and Google knowing, which is what he calls,
that these things aggravate the tendency that people have to be dogmatic and unreasonable in their beliefs.
Because the Internet not only makes true information more accessible, it also proliferates false information and rumors.
And because there's so much information and so many sources to choose from,
and people typically only limit the number of people that they choose to listen to and trust,
it forms these pockets of ignorance, tribes, so to speak, and bubbles where people don't interact with each other.
And then combine that with the fact that people generally tend to believe things that fit their pre-existing worldview and beliefs neatly,
rather than things that challenge those beliefs and make them reevaluate things,
it leads to this polarization, division of ideologies.
And of course, this is not a new phenomenon.
It may have been worsened by the rise of the Internet.
But, you know, dogmatism and, you know, ideological stubbornness is a human problem.
It's not a Generation Y or Z problem, right?
And we see this already in John 9, where Jesus performs an amazing miracle,
healing a man born blind.
But the Jews, rather than believing in Jesus and then adjusting their faulty beliefs accordingly to what God has shown through Jesus,
they remain in their spiritual blindness.
They're not willing to budge and change their system, what they believe was true.
And as we look at this passage, it warns us about our own blindness and ignorance of our own hearts.
And it teaches us mainly that Jesus is the light of the world who gives sight to those who recognize their blindness.
And so first, we'll talk about physical blindness of the man,
and then we'll talk about the spiritual blindness of the Jews.
And then lastly, we'll conclude by talking about Jesus, the light of the world.
So, again, if you'd remember the context of this, we remember from chapter 7,
this is still during the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles.
And it's a feast that was commanded in Leviticus 23, 42 to 43.
It says this,
You shall dwell in booths for seven days.
All native Israelites shall dwell in booths,
that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths
when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.
I am the Lord your God.
So the Feast of Booths was meant to commemorate the Exodus.
At the time the Israelites came out of Egypt and God liberated them,
they dwelled in the wilderness in tents, in booths during that time.
And you might recall also, if you know the Exodus story,
that during that time in the wilderness,
God led them by day with the pillar of cloud
and by night with the pillar of fire with light, it says in Exodus 13 to 21.
And so combine that image of the pillar of light in the wilderness
along with the fact that the Feast of Booths at this time had rituals using light,
involving lamps, big lamps set up in the courtyard,
and people dancing with torches at night.
And also the reading from Zechariah,
which said that the God will shine on them,
that he will be the light that shines on the day of the Lord.
And with this rich theological backdrop,
Jesus says,
I am the light of the world.
And that's what he said in chapter 8, verse 12,
and he says it again in this passage.
And then Jesus shows the implications of that truth
and by dividing the people who belong to the light
and people who belong to the blindness.
So let's look with me at verse 1.
As Jesus is passing by, he sees a man blind from birth.
And then Jesus' disciples ask him,
Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
And Jesus answers,
It was not that this man sinned or his parents,
but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
And we saw earlier in John chapter 5
that some sins do cause sickness.
The invalid, Jesus implied,
had sin in his life,
that it caused his judgment.
But we see here that this doesn't mean
that every sickness is caused by sin.
Sometimes people are sick or disabled for no particular sin,
but to serve God's greater purpose,
to display his glory.
And this is an important lesson for us
because all of us are going to experience suffering,
and we have already experienced suffering.
And that's a great opportunity for us to care for one another
and love and serve one another.
But it's tempting during those times
when we're counseling or ministering to those who are suffering
to try to minimize that suffering
or to explain away the suffering.
So we ask questions like,
Well, what do you think God's trying to teach us through this?
Because when we do that,
when we turn to that,
we kind of short-circuit compassion
because you're not going to really be compassionate
towards someone that you think is just needing to learn a lesson.
And you're going to say,
Well, it's really a matter of solving a riddle,
figuring out what the issue is.
And when you finally get it,
then you're going to stop suffering.
That would be the attitude of someone who thinks that way.
But this teaches that
that's not how we ought to deal with those who are suffering.
Rather, it's the very uncertainty of suffering,
not knowing what's going on.
That's what truly fosters faith and dependence on God.
And sometimes that's how many people suffer.
And so by remembering that,
then we can be more compassionate toward those who are suffering.
Unlike these disciples,
assuming that it was something that they had done
and causing and exacerbating their guilt,
which may already be present.
And so after this mini lesson on suffering,
Jesus continues to expound on his claim
that he's the light of the world in verses 4 to 5.
Read with me.
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.
And we see in the way Jesus says this,
his unique role,
because the change in the personal pronouns.
Because at first he says,
we must work the works of him.
So all of us,
his disciples included,
they have work to do together.
But he changes that to say,
we must work the works of him who sent me.
Jesus is the unique sent one.
He's the sent one of God.
And we participate in his works only by association,
by uniting with him,
participating in his work.
So we're like,
Jesus is a sun in his solar system,
and we're like satellite moons,
really reflecting his light,
doing his work.
And so Jesus is the light of the world.
But what does he mean that,
talking about day and night,
and the night is coming,
we won't be able to do works anymore.
And these are metaphors of light and darkness.
And the day refers to the time
when Jesus is still here on earth,
doing his ministry.
And that's the time set aside for him
to lay the foundation for the church,
to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ,
that he came to die for sinners,
and he rose again for our vindication.
And that's the ministry that has to happen
while he's on earth,
and his disciples partake in that.
But the night is coming
when after his resurrection,
he will be taken away from them.
He won't be here anymore.
And in that intervening time,
until the spirit of God comes
as Jesus,
when Jesus sends him,
that's the night
when they cannot do the work.
The gospel of ministry
does not go forward
apart from the spirits,
the presence of God with them.
And so,
and then John will speak more
of the Holy Spirit later
in chapter 14 and 16.
And so having taught his disciples
what it means
that he is the light of the world,
Jesus then proceeds
to heal the man blind from birth
as kind of an acted parable
of what he is teaching.
And so read verse 6 and 7 with me.
Having said these things,
he spit 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 scent.
So he went and washed
and came back seeing.
The manner in which Jesus
performs his miracle,
I think, is significant
in a couple ways.
The first is that Jesus
is taking the dust of the ground,
the dirt,
and he's forming mud
and then he's anointing
the man's eyes.
And that's reminiscent
of God's creation
in Genesis 2, 7,
where dust is taken
from the ground
and God forms humanity
with the dust
from the ground.
And so there may be
a slight allusion to that.
God is,
Jesus is doing
the work of recreation,
healing,
restoring the work of creation
that his father started,
the word,
and he was involved
in creation, of course.
And then secondly,
I think that it's,
and that first point,
I think,
is made also more plausible
by the fact that Jesus
had already described himself
as the Lord of creation
earlier in chapter 5,
who works on the Sabbath day
even as his father
works on the Sabbath day.
He doesn't rest
because he's a sovereign God
who sustains creation.
So just as the father
works on the seventh Sabbath day
to sustain creation,
the son works on the Sabbath day
to recreate,
to bring about
the new creation.
And so having already
made that connection,
this connection,
this parallel
seems more plausible.
And secondly,
I think it's intended
to be understood
in a metaphorical way,
is that by anointing
the man's eyes with mud,
he's suggesting,
or it's showing,
really,
demonstrating the man's
spiritual blindness,
his sin as well
that blinds him.
And I think
the metaphorical significance
is seen in him
sending the blind man
to the pool of Siloam.
And that's significant
because John notes
that the name of the pool
means sent.
And Jesus said earlier
that he is the one
who was sent, right?
That he was the one
who was sent by the father.
And remember,
this is during the Feast of Booths,
which also had
the water ritual
where the priest
took water
from the pool of Siloam,
marched to the temple,
and poured it out
on the altar
and saying
that the living water
shall flow out
from Jerusalem
as it was prophesied
in Zechariah 14.8.
So then,
remembering this,
then Jesus anoints
this man's eyes
with mud
and then he goes
to the pool of Siloam,
which means sent,
and he washes his eyes
and becomes,
he is restored to sight.
So then Jesus,
the sent one,
is the source
of that living water.
And when you've washed
and you're washed with him,
washed by him,
that's when we're also
restored to spiritual sight.
And that's something
that Jesus is seeking
to teach in this metaphor.
And so,
the blind man follows
his instructions
and returns
with his sight restored.
Verses 8 to 10
capture the people's astonishment.
The neighbors
and those who had seen him
before as a beggar
were saying,
is this not the man
who used to sit and beg?
Some said,
it is he.
Others said,
no,
but he is like him.
He kept saying,
I am the man.
So they said to him,
then how were your eyes opened?
And the man's answer
is simple.
The man called Jesus,
made mud,
and anointed my eyes
and said to me,
go to Siloam and wash.
So I went
and washed
and received my sight.
And naturally,
the man's neighbors,
as we would be also,
are very interested
in meeting this person
with extraordinary ability.
And so they ask,
where is he?
But he replies,
I do not know.
And so this is
the physical healing
of the blind man.
And in doing so,
Jesus proves himself
to be the light
of the world
who also heals
spiritual blightness.
And the ensuing
confrontation
with the Jews
further demonstrates this.
And so the amazed neighbor,
as they bring the man
to the Pharisees
or the Jews,
the Jewish leaders
at the local synagogue level,
and they probably
didn't have any malicious intent,
even though it turns sinister.
And so they come,
they are just seeking
some insight,
you know,
because something happened
that was clearly amazing
and had some spiritual importance.
So they wanted to ask
the local authorities,
spiritual authorities,
what to make
of all of this.
And so they say,
but there's a hint here
of a brewing conflict
because it's noted by John
that now it was a Sabbath day
when Jesus made the mud
and opened his eyes.
Now, you might recall
from chapter 5
that even though the Jews
were very particular
about observing the Sabbath,
the actual command
in the Old Testament
was quite general.
It was simply a command
not to work.
But on top of that,
the Jews had accumulated
many traditions,
a tradition of the elders
that specified exactly
what constituted that work.
And one of them
was for doctors
or for physicians,
healing,
applying certain medicines.
And only exception
to that rule
was when it was
a life-threatening circumstance,
which clearly this was not.
I mean, this man
has been blind
for all of his life.
But so their indignation
is Jesus,
if you really are from God,
if you really observe
the law of God,
then why can't you
just wait one day?
Just wait one day.
Why are you doing this now?
Right?
So that's their objection.
And so some of them
prematurely conclude
in verse 16,
this man is not from God
for he does not
keep the Sabbath.
They're so sure
that the Sabbath
is the law of God
and that they're
so convinced
of their own
interpretation of the Sabbath,
they can't fathom
the possibility.
They can't understand
that Jesus
is actually from God.
But others
at this point
are not so sure.
They say,
how can a man
who is a sinner
do such signs?
And there was a division
among them.
And so this group
gives greater weight
to the miracle itself.
The fact that
that demonstrates
that Jesus
is indeed from God.
But they're unable
to agree
and so they
bring the man again,
they ask him
and force him
to take a side.
Verse 17,
what do you say
about him
since he has
opened your eyes?
And then he replies,
he is a prophet.
So the man
is not about
to get involved
in the debate
about the nuances
of Sabbath keeping.
He simply knows
that a work of God
was done in his life.
And so he testifies
that Jesus must be
an extraordinary agent
of God,
a prophet of God,
which is,
you see a progression already.
In the first conversation
he had,
he said,
oh,
the man named Jesus
did this.
Now he says
he is a prophet.
There seems to be
no lack of,
you know,
eyewitnesses
and testimonies
about this man's miracle.
But the Jewish leaders
are still not satisfied.
Verses 18 to 19,
it says,
the Jews did not believe
that he had been blind
and received his sight
until they called
the parents
of the man
who had received
his sight
and asked him,
is this your son?
Who you say
was born blind?
How then
does he now see?
So,
they're involving
their parents
in the investigation
because they think
that these neighbors
who had seen him
get healed
might have been mistaken.
I mean,
maybe they didn't know
how he looked.
Now that his eyes are open,
he looks very different.
Maybe he had very big eyes,
right?
So,
okay,
well,
let's get the parents.
There's no way
they're going to mistake
this man for someone else,
right?
The parents will surely know
whether this is the right man.
And so,
they ask him,
is this your son?
And then secondly,
like,
they don't believe
that the man was blind
from birth,
right?
So they,
because,
I mean,
how would he know?
He didn't know
when he was a baby.
Maybe he just remembered,
as far as they can remember,
he was blind,
but maybe he wasn't born blind.
So he asks the parents,
was he the one
that was born blind?
And then finally,
they ask him,
they ask the parents also,
and how then does he now see
if that's all true?
And the parents answer
in the affirmative
to the two questions.
Say,
is this your son?
Yes,
it is indeed our son.
And the second question also,
yes,
indeed he was born blind.
We can attest to that.
But they dodged
the third question.
They say,
but how he now sees,
we do not know,
nor do we know
who opened his eyes.
Ask him.
He is of age.
He will speak for himself.
And John tells us
in a parenthetical note
that this is because
they feared the repercussions
that the Jewish leaders
had agreed.
And in a later time,
after Jesus' death
and resurrection,
there will be a more
widespread concerted effort
to root out followers of Christ
from the synagogues.
But already,
it says,
John here,
far long before Jesus' death,
already there is
at the local level
an effort to root out
people who are following Christ.
So his parents said
these things,
it says in verse 22,
because they feared the Jews,
for the Jews had already agreed
that if anyone should confess
Jesus to be Christ,
he was to be put out
of the synagogue.
And so they say,
they deflect the question
to their son.
He is of age.
He means old enough
to bear legal testimony.
Ask him.
And so they call the man back again.
Second time,
it says.
And then,
you would think that they'll have
a different line of questioning,
but they have the exact same
line of questioning.
And they ask him this time,
but when they ask this time,
it's less a question,
it's more a presumption.
They're settled already
in their judgments.
So in verse 24,
they ask forcefully,
give glory to God.
We know that this man
is a sinner.
So they're saying,
in effect,
the verdict is out already.
We know this man
is a sinner.
So fess up.
Confess that this man
is indeed a sinner,
that he didn't do
what you claim he did.
And the man,
it turns out,
is not as cowardly
as his parents,
so he responds humbly,
yet boldly.
Whether he is a sinner,
I do not know.
Well,
one thing I do know,
that though I was blind,
now I see.
The man admits
that he is not
a religious expert,
and he defers
the question
of Jesus' righteousness
to the religious leaders
and authorities.
But he's not going
to compromise
his integrity
and tell them
that what actually happened
didn't happen.
And this interchange
illustrates the power
of personal testimony,
doesn't it?
It doesn't matter
how learned
or authoritative
these Jewish leaders are.
They can do nothing
to dispute this man's
simple testimony.
One thing I do know,
that I was blind,
but now I see.
See, the man is not ready
or equipped
to debate the fine points
of theology
with the Pharisees,
but he can say
with utmost confidence,
I once was blind,
but now I see
because he has experienced it,
because he has tasted
and seen God's grace
and experienced it
in his life.
And that's the same
for all of us.
You might not know
the Bible or theology
as well as a pastor
or a seminary student.
You might not have
any training
in apologetics
to talk to unbelievers
or skeptics,
but every single one of us,
every single one of you,
if you are a true Christian,
know God
and have experienced God
and therefore
with utmost confidence
like this man,
you can say,
yeah, I once was blind,
but now I see.
You can share
your experiences.
And it's not unlike,
you know,
if there's,
imagine,
I'm sure all of us
have a doting parent
or you've seen one
in your life
or a doting grandparent
you've seen in your life,
right?
I mean,
don't grab anyone
that will listen
and talk about
every cute or weird thing
that their granddaughter
or son
or their child
has done, right?
I mean,
they don't need,
they're not waiting
for your permission
to talk about them,
right?
Amen.
Yeah.
And in the same way,
an avid reader,
when they're really
immersed in a good novel,
they're going to talk
to their friends about it,
whether they've read it
or not.
It's natural for us
to share
what we're passionate about.
It's natural for us
to witness to
what we care about.
And why not
the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Why not the greatest news
in the world
that Jesus came
to die for our sins
and that He saved us?
Why not tell people
that we were once
prideful,
arrogant,
living in our own way,
and yet God came
into our lives
and humbled us
and showed us
His grace?
Why not tell people
that I once was addicted
to porn
or to alcohol
and God delivered me
from these sins
and these vices?
Why not tell people
that, you know,
I once was a prideful man
and I once was selfish
with my means
and materialistic,
but God changed me
and He's taught me
the value of generosity
and of treasuring up
my treasures in heaven.
I once was blind,
but now I see
and there's nothing
people can do
to contest that.
It is your story.
It's what God
has done for you.
And juxtaposed
to this formerly blind man's
simple, honest testimony,
the Jewish leaders
ensuing cross-examination
is really an embarrassing sham.
So they ask in verse 26,
what did He do to you?
How did He open your eyes?
But by this point,
the man realizes
this is not
an even-handed jury.
They already have
a prejudgment
and they're not really
asking Him sincere questions.
It's not unlike a lawyer
who's cross-examining
a witness,
a witness whom he already knows
is telling the truth,
yet he still scours
the witness
and asks all kinds
of questions
just to find a loophole
and to make him trip
in his own words
and contradict himself
so that he could
invalidate his testimony.
They're doing
something that's not
unlike that,
continuing to ask
this man these questions.
And so the man,
knowing this,
responds,
but he's not as deferential
as he once was.
So he says in verse 27,
I have told you already
and you would not listen.
Why do you want
to hear it again?
Do you also want
to become His disciples?
That's, I mean,
the sardonic,
there's definitely
an edge to that
question at the end.
And it's obvious
that the man
pricked a sensitive spot
in the Jewish leaders'
egos because
it says in verses 28 to 29
that they reviled him
saying,
you are His disciple
but we are disciples
of Moses.
We know that God
has spoken to Moses
but as for this man,
we do not know
where he comes from.
So some of you
might remember
from chapter 7
what the Jews said
in chapter 7
and this is
flatly contradicting
what they said
in chapter 7
because in chapter 7
Jesus was telling them
that He comes from
the Father in heaven
and that they were saying
that no,
we know exactly
where you come from.
You didn't come from
the Father.
And now they're saying
we have no idea
where he comes from.
So they're just
using what's expedient
to argue against
the claims of Jesus,
to discredit Jesus.
At first,
but what's interesting
is in an ironic way
what they're saying
is true
on both accounts
because on one sense
they do know
exactly where Jesus
came from,
that He was born
of Mary
and that He was
raised in Nazareth.
They know that.
But in another sense
they have no idea
where he comes from,
that He was actually
born in Bethlehem
as the promised Messiah,
that He was born
of a virgin
and that He came
from God the Father.
So what they're saying,
they're saying
contradicting themselves
but ironically
they're telling the truth
on both accounts.
And so the man now
is in disbelief
about the Jewish leader's
stubborn refusal
to accept his testimony
and then he scoffs
at them in verses
30 and 33.
why this is
an amazing thing.
You do not know
where He comes from
and yet He opened
my eyes.
We know that God
does not listen
to sinners
but if anyone
is a worshiper of God
and does His will,
God listens to him.
Never since
the world began
has it been heard
that anyone
opened the eyes
of a man born blind.
If this man
were not from God,
he could do nothing.
So the man
is really appealing
to even their integrity
because he doesn't say
I know
that God
doesn't listen
to sinners.
He says
we know
that God
doesn't listen
to sinners.
We Jews,
we all know this.
You know this.
So their roles
have really been reversed.
So the pupil,
the one that should be
sitting under
their instruction
is now teaching
these men
of authority,
of religious leaders.
And he adds
that no one
could have opened
to someone
who was born blind,
who was blind
from birth.
And this is significant
because there are
few instances
in the Bible
in the Old Testament
of blind being healed
but those were not
people who were
blind from birth.
And in all of
Jewish records
there is no record
of a man
born blind
being healed.
So this really
is the only one.
And so what he's saying
is quite true.
And even according
to modern medicine
it is much more difficult
usually to heal people
who have been born
with blindness.
It's more complex
than someone
who turns blind
usually due to cataracts
or something like that
which is just
with a cataract surgery
you can remove.
And so the Jewish leaders
here can't stand
being lectured
by a man
whom they consider
beneath them.
And so they resort now
to a personal attack
on the man's character.
Verse 34,
you were born
in utter sin
and would you teach us?
And then they cast
him out.
Now that's a really
low blow
from what we know
about the man
because he was born blind.
So there was probably
already an area
that's something
that he's heard
growing up.
You were born blind
because someone sinned
because maybe
your parents sinned
or your sinned.
You were born
in sin.
And so they tell him
you were born
in utter sin.
And ironically,
as they do that,
as they accuse
this man
of being born
in utter sin,
they inadvertently
concede the point
that they've been arguing.
So I guess
this man was born blind
after all.
He was.
And Jesus healed
the man
that was born blind.
And they kicked the man
out of local synagogue.
But as it says,
Jesus says in Matthew 5,
blessed are those
who are persecuted
for righteousness sake.
For theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.
Because though the man
has been cast out,
he is now found
by Jesus.
Though he is rejected
by one community,
now he is accepted
by a new one,
the community of God.
You see this
in verse 35.
Jesus heard
that they had
cast him out.
And having found him,
he said,
do you believe
in the son of man?
So knowing
that this man's faith
is not yet complete,
Jesus takes initiative
to seek him out,
to find him
from among the crowds.
And then he asks him,
do you have faith?
Do you believe
in the son of man?
And so the man
had gone from saying
that Jesus,
the man named Jesus
did this for me,
to saying that
he is a prophet.
And now we see
his profession
after this.
And when Jesus
says the son of man,
he is not saying
that he is merely
a son of man,
that he is just a man.
But he's referring
to this cosmic figure
in Daniel 7,
who is the ultimate
representative of God
among men.
In Daniel 7,
he speaks of one
like a son of man
who approaches God
and receives from God
sovereignty,
glory,
and dominion,
and authority.
And then Jesus
is saying that
he is that son of man,
the ultimate son of man
and representative
of God among men.
And because he has
unique access to God,
he's uniquely able
to reveal God
to the people.
That's why he doesn't say
he is a son of man,
he is the son of man.
The word became flesh,
the son of God
who became the son of man.
And the man asks,
he wants to know,
who is he, sir,
that I may believe in him?
And then Jesus tells him plainly,
you have seen him,
and it is he
who is speaking to you.
Isn't this passage
so beautiful?
It weaves together
just that metaphor
as well as the literal
spliness and sight
in such a seamless way.
And he has now seen him.
This blind man
has seen the Savior,
seen Jesus,
literally,
physically,
and spiritually.
So the man responds
in the only sensible way
we can
after such an amazing revelation.
Verse 38,
he says,
Lord,
I believe,
and he worshipped him.
Now it goes from
the man named Jesus,
the prophet,
to the Lord,
God whom he worships.
He finally recognizes
Jesus for who he is.
And this is amazing
because the man
who was blind from birth
now sees,
both physically
and spiritually,
but the Jewish leaders
who have had sight
their whole life
are spiritually blind
through and through.
And that's the irony
that John's trying to convey.
They are so sure
of their own system,
their own worldview,
their own religion,
yet forgetful
even of the numerous promises
in the Old Testament.
For example,
in Isaiah 42, 7,
that the Messiah
would come to open
the eyes that are blind.
The Savior
that they've been waiting for
is right in front
of their face,
yet they fail
to recognize him
because he doesn't fit
their agenda
and presuppositions.
So Jesus comments
in verse 39,
For judgment,
I came into this world
and those who do not see
may see
and those who see
may become blind.
Those who do not see
are those who admit
their blindness,
who humble themselves
and cling to God.
Those who see
are those who
arrogantly deny
their spiritual blindness.
Those who think
they see,
they don't see.
And Jesus said
he's the light
of the world
and as we know,
light does illuminate,
it brightens,
but light also
always casts
a shadow.
And Jesus
is the light
of the world
and when you turn
to him,
you receive light,
you receive sight,
you're able to see,
but when you turn
from him,
you enter into
the shadow,
the darkness.
That's the judgment
Jesus is speaking of.
The division that
happens wherever
he goes because
as the light
of the world
shines,
a division happens.
Those who dwell
in the shadows
and the darkness
and those who dwell
in the light.
And as he's saying
this to this man
he has healed,
there are some
Pharisees
who are eavesdropping
and so they come
to him
and they object.
Well,
are we also blind?
blind?
They're getting
hotter now
in their questions.
But they can't
fathom the possibility
that they're
spiritually blind.
We are the children
of Abraham.
We have the law
of Moses.
We are the faithful
among God's people.
Are we also blind?
And because
they do not
admit their blindness
but insist
that they can see,
they do not
open themselves
up to the light
of the world
and remain
in their guilt.
That's what Jesus
says here.
If you were blind
you would have
no guilt.
But now that you say
we see,
your guilt remains.
And let me ask you
this question
this morning.
Are you also blind?
Because perhaps
you consider yourself
a believer
but you have
blind spots
in your understanding
of God
and his will.
Maybe you're so
absorbed in your own life
that you give
little thought
to God's plan
and will for you.
Maybe you have
so aligned yourself
with the spirit
of the times
our ever-changing culture
that you find it
impossible to make
room for a God
who demands
sacrificial
and often
counter-cultural
commitments.
Rather than
letting God
and his word
search you
and judge you
you search
and judge
God's word.
You take
what you like
about God
and his will
and whatever
fits your agenda
and assumptions
and then leave
the rest.
Then you are not
very different
from these Pharisees.
who are oblivious
to their own
blindness.
Pastor Tim Keller
at a church
in New York
says this,
if your God
never disagrees
with you,
you might just
be worshiping
an idealized
version of yourself.
Forsake the idols
of yourself
in this world
and when you face
the sneers
and the jeers
and the persecution
of the culture
and you're cast
out of their circle
of respectability,
know that God
himself will seek you out.
He will find you
and you'll find
a new community
and family of God.
Some of you
have not yet
made a decision
to follow Jesus
and to believe in him.
Perhaps you consider
yourself a smart
logical person
and you're so convinced
of your intelligence
and rationality
you can't bring yourself
to accept
the unverified existence
of the supernatural.
But when you say
that you can't believe
in something
unless it's
empirically proven,
you're making a claim
that itself
is not empirically proven.
Who says
that empirical proof
is the only kind
of proof,
is the only
valid criterion
for belief?
Perhaps you consider
yourself a pretty good
moral person
and so you can't
bring yourself
to accept
the humiliating proposition
that you're a sinner
in need of a savior,
that you are blind
spiritually,
and that you need
the light of the world.
But on what
exactly is your
sense of morality
based?
Your understanding
of human rights?
Who gets to define
that?
Apart from God,
where is the proper
basis,
authority behind
morality and human rights?
perhaps you think
of yourself
as a spiritual person.
I've met many people
like this in Cambridge.
Maybe you feel
that you're very
in touch with
the energies,
the spirits,
the forces of nature.
you're so convinced
of your own
spiritual enlightenment
that you can't
bring yourself
to accept
the exclusive proposition
that spiritual life
and salvation
are found in Jesus
Christ alone.
But let me ask you,
how do you know
you're interacting
with the Spirit of God
and not other spirits?
What makes you so sure
that your spiritual compass
is healthy
and functioning properly?
I hope I can just
sow a healthy doubt
in your mind
if this is you
this morning.
Just maybe
there is a possibility
that God has higher
moral standards
and expectations
than you do.
Just maybe
there is a possibility
that God knows things
that you simply
don't know
and can't hope
to understand.
Just maybe
there's a possibility
that your understanding
of the spiritual world
is incomplete
and inadequate.
I adjure you
this morning,
don't be like
the Pharisees
who were so assured
of their sight
that they remained
in their blindness.
Jesus is the light
of the world
who gives sight
but only to those
who recognize
their blindness.
And the light
of Christ
shines most brightly
in the death
and resurrection
of the Son of God
when He lays down
His own life
to atone
for the sins
of people
like us.
So turn to Him.
Look to that light.
Believe in Him
this morning.
And when you do that,
when you open up
yourselves
to the light
of the world,
you will see
that He makes sense
of both the beauty
and brokenness
of this world,
the good and evil
in this world
and the natural
and the supernatural
in this world.
This is what
C.S. Lewis
was speaking of
in his famous statement.
I believe in Christianity
as I believe
that the Son
has risen
not only because
I see it
but because by it
I see everything else.
Jesus
is the light
of the world
who gives sight
to those
who recognize
their blindness
and it's only
by His light
that we can truly see.
Let's pray together.
Thank God.
Thank you.