WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.919 Good morning, church. Please turn with me to John chapter 9, verses 1 to 41. 00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:13.439 ! That's page 1075. John chapter 9, verses 1 to 41. 00:00:19.240 --> 00:00:27.859 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. 00:00:27.859 --> 00:00:35.320 Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 00:00:35.780 --> 00:00:41.659 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work. 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:44.439 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:50.879 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:55.679 Go, he said, wash in the pool of Siloam. This word means sent. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.019 So the man went and washed, and he came home seeing. 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:02.979 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:05.760 Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg? 00:01:06.180 --> 00:01:10.500 Some claimed that he was. Others said, no, he only looks like him. 00:01:11.099 --> 00:01:13.560 But he himself insisted, I am the man. 00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:16.599 How then were your eyes opened, they asked. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:21.340 He replied, the man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. 00:01:21.340 --> 00:01:23.719 He told me to go to Siloam and wash. 00:01:24.200 --> 00:01:26.200 So I went and washed, and then I could see. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:28.400 Where is this man, they asked him. 00:01:28.820 --> 00:01:29.900 I don't know, he said. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:33.560 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 00:01:34.140 --> 00:01:38.219 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:42.280 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. 00:01:42.980 --> 00:01:46.659 He put mud on my eyes, the man replied, and I washed, and now I see. 00:01:46.659 --> 00:01:51.859 Some of the Pharisees said, this man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:55.539 But others asked, how can a sinner perform such science? 00:01:56.039 --> 00:01:56.920 So they were divided. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.560 Then they turned again to the blind man. 00:01:59.859 --> 00:02:01.359 What have you to say about him? 00:02:01.759 --> 00:02:03.120 It was your eyes he opened. 00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:05.379 The man replied, he is a prophet. 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:09.740 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:11.939 until they sent for the man's parents. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:13.400 Is this your son? 00:02:13.539 --> 00:02:14.120 They asked. 00:02:14.120 --> 00:02:16.900 Is this the one you say was born blind? 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:19.060 How is it that now he can see? 00:02:19.740 --> 00:02:22.140 We know he is our son, the parents answered. 00:02:22.640 --> 00:02:24.300 And we know he was born blind. 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:28.180 But how he can see now or who opened his eyes, we don't know. 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:29.300 Ask him. 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:30.159 He is of age. 00:02:30.259 --> 00:02:31.360 He will speak for himself. 00:02:32.200 --> 00:02:34.900 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders 00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:39.340 who had already decided anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was Messiah, 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:41.980 was the Messiah, would be put out of the synagogue. 00:02:41.979 --> 00:02:45.340 That was why his parents said, he is of age. 00:02:45.519 --> 00:02:46.039 Ask him. 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:51.099 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:54.280 Give glory to God by telling the truth, they said. 00:02:54.659 --> 00:02:55.979 We know this man is a sinner. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:59.780 He replied, whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. 00:03:00.259 --> 00:03:03.079 One thing I do know, I was blind, but now I see. 00:03:03.899 --> 00:03:06.019 Then they asked him, what did he do to you? 00:03:06.139 --> 00:03:07.379 How did he open your eyes? 00:03:07.899 --> 00:03:10.699 He answered, I have told you already and you did not listen. 00:03:11.180 --> 00:03:12.500 Why do you want to hear it again? 00:03:12.500 --> 00:03:14.580 Do you want to become his disciples too? 00:03:15.180 --> 00:03:18.780 Then they hurled insults at him and said, you are this fellow's disciple. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:20.620 We are disciples of Moses. 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:25.879 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't know where he comes from. 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:28.840 The man answered, now that is remarkable. 00:03:29.139 --> 00:03:31.979 You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.539 We know that God does not listen to sinners. 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:37.199 He listens to the godly person who does his will. 00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:41.099 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 00:03:41.099 --> 00:03:44.099 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:47.479 To this they replied, you are steeped in sin at birth. 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:48.960 How dare you lecture us? 00:03:49.079 --> 00:03:50.019 And they threw him out. 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:52.680 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. 00:03:52.799 --> 00:03:56.180 And when he found him, he said, do you believe in the son of man? 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:57.620 Who is he, sir? 00:03:57.699 --> 00:03:58.359 The man asked. 00:03:58.519 --> 00:04:00.560 Tell me so that I may believe in him. 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:03.319 Jesus said, you have now seen him. 00:04:03.740 --> 00:04:06.180 In fact, he is the one speaking with you. 00:04:06.780 --> 00:04:09.019 Then the man said, Lord, I believe. 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:10.200 And he worshipped him. 00:04:10.939 --> 00:04:17.460 Jesus said, for judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see, and those who see will become blind. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:23.079 Some Pharisees who are with him heard him say this and asked, what are we blind to? 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:26.819 Jesus said, if you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. 00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:30.160 But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. 00:04:30.660 --> 00:04:31.720 This is the word of the Lord. 00:04:31.720 --> 00:04:35.400 Thanks so much, Dina, for reading for us. 00:04:35.740 --> 00:04:37.820 Let's pray together as we come to God's word. 00:04:37.880 --> 00:04:38.200 Let's pray. 00:04:44.340 --> 00:04:47.780 Heavenly Father, we want to ask now for your help as we come to your word. 00:04:47.779 --> 00:05:00.779 Lord, we want to pray that amidst all the distractions in our minds, in the room, that you might help us to listen carefully to what you say to us. 00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:04.139 Lord, we're hungry and we're needy. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.899 And we long to hear from your word. 00:05:07.000 --> 00:05:10.219 So please speak to us and bless us this morning, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:05:10.699 --> 00:05:10.959 Amen. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:28.560 I wonder if probably still one of the most common objections to faith in Jesus is that if Jesus really is God and if he's doing his job properly, then why do people suffer so much? 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:31.679 Why did my friend die? 00:05:32.339 --> 00:05:33.659 Why are there so many wars? 00:05:34.579 --> 00:05:35.939 Why do children get cancer? 00:05:36.819 --> 00:05:38.719 Why did my parents split up? 00:05:38.719 --> 00:05:40.299 Why did my father abuse me? 00:05:41.719 --> 00:05:45.219 Now, you have to admit at the start, that is a very difficult question to answer. 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:48.139 And it's often asked by people who are really suffering. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:50.799 Maybe you're asking it this morning. 00:05:52.500 --> 00:06:04.139 Perhaps the reason that you're on the fringes of church is because you can't reconcile the suffering that you faced in your own life with the goodness of God, which is talked about in church. 00:06:04.819 --> 00:06:10.479 If God really is that good, he doesn't really seem to be doing a very good job. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:11.279 Does he? 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:19.479 And what we find in our passage this morning is that it is that subject that it is tackling head on in this story of the man born blind. 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:23.699 Really, this story is all about what is God doing in the world? 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:26.599 What is God's priority in the world? 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:29.580 And it starts with a wrong answer. 00:06:30.020 --> 00:06:32.180 And the wrong answer is in the mouth of the disciples. 00:06:32.340 --> 00:06:34.500 So look at what they say in verses 1 and 2. 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:49.040 Notice their assumption, right? 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.300 The assumption of the disciples. 00:06:50.740 --> 00:07:02.439 In fact, as we read the story through, it's the assumption of all the religious leaders all the way through the story is that bad things have happened to this man because in some way he must have deserved it. 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:04.000 He sinned. 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.860 Or his parents sinned. 00:07:05.860 --> 00:07:12.560 You can see how sure the disciples are about that because their question is not, is it someone's fault? 00:07:13.819 --> 00:07:14.960 That's not their question. 00:07:15.379 --> 00:07:17.900 Their question is, whose fault is it? 00:07:17.939 --> 00:07:21.780 Because they know it's someone's, either his parents or his. 00:07:21.779 --> 00:07:25.679 Effectively, this is really the doctrine of karma, isn't it? 00:07:25.779 --> 00:07:27.319 You know, do bad stuff, bad stuff happens. 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:29.299 Do good stuff, good stuff will happen to you. 00:07:29.739 --> 00:07:35.699 Which is the doctrine of all sorts of different religions and even agnostics and atheists dip into it from time to time. 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:38.699 Be good or face the consequences. 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:41.239 But Jesus doesn't agree. 00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:43.759 He doesn't think that's an adequate explanation. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:45.759 Look at his reply in verse 3. 00:07:46.779 --> 00:07:50.079 Neither this man nor his parents sinned, said Jesus. 00:07:50.079 --> 00:07:54.939 But this happens so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 00:07:55.539 --> 00:07:59.180 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. 00:07:59.659 --> 00:08:01.560 Night is coming when no one can work. 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.259 While I'm in the world, I am the light of the world. 00:08:05.219 --> 00:08:06.019 Here it is. 00:08:06.620 --> 00:08:10.939 Jesus doesn't think that the man's blindness is his fault. 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:12.979 Nor does he think it's his parents' fault. 00:08:13.339 --> 00:08:19.000 Nor notice does he think the man's blindness is a contradiction of the presence of God in the world. 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:20.680 The God of light in the world. 00:08:21.139 --> 00:08:24.439 I am the God of light and I am here, he says. 00:08:25.420 --> 00:08:30.660 Instead, Jesus thinks that this man's blindness will be the location of the display of the work of God. 00:08:31.259 --> 00:08:35.139 A work that must happen in the daytime because night is coming. 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:41.740 I think night there is probably a reference to the darkness of the cross when Jesus, the light of the world, will be crucified. 00:08:41.740 --> 00:08:46.200 In other words, and this is the shocking point of the story this morning. 00:08:46.299 --> 00:08:48.940 I'm going to give it to you up front and then we're going to try and unpick it together. 00:08:49.659 --> 00:08:51.320 This is the shocking point of the story. 00:08:51.560 --> 00:09:01.100 Suffering, says Jesus, is not only not a contradiction of God's goodness, nor is it necessarily a direct reflection of something that you have done wrong. 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:09.700 Instead, suffering in the world can be and is here the canvas on which the work of God is displayed. 00:09:11.100 --> 00:09:14.000 Suffering is the canvas on which the work of God is displayed. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:16.460 You see that in this man's life. 00:09:17.159 --> 00:09:18.920 You see it in the cross of Jesus Christ. 00:09:19.560 --> 00:09:21.040 We see it in our own lives. 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.279 Now, we're going to think about that some more in a moment, but let's just make sure we've got the story straight in our minds. 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:27.420 It is a brilliant story. 00:09:27.419 --> 00:09:33.439 In verses 6 and 7, Jesus spits on the ground to make mud to put in the man's eyes. 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:36.919 Now, theologians debate the significance of spitting here. 00:09:37.599 --> 00:09:38.699 I don't think we really know. 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:44.059 But what is clear is that in verse 7, Jesus sends the man to a pool called Scent. 00:09:44.559 --> 00:09:50.500 And John is so keen that you know that it is a pool called Scent that he translates the name for you. 00:09:51.079 --> 00:09:54.139 He wants to underline, I think, for us Jesus' authority here. 00:09:54.139 --> 00:09:57.419 Jesus is the one moving people around, calling the shots. 00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:04.279 And the man goes where Jesus sends and he washes off the mud from his eyes and he comes home seeing. 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:09.199 Now, I think if maybe you and I were recording the story, we'd end there, right? 00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:10.139 Job done. 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:13.259 You know, Jesus encounters a man born blind. 00:10:13.819 --> 00:10:18.720 A man who's not blind because of his sin or the sin of his parents, but rather to show the work of God. 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:20.179 The man is healed. 00:10:21.139 --> 00:10:22.379 The work of God is displayed. 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:23.819 End of story. 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:26.040 I mean, I think that's how I'd record it. 00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:28.540 But actually, that's not how John records it. 00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:29.440 Why? 00:10:30.160 --> 00:10:33.500 Well, actually, it turns out that the physical healing of the man is just the introduction. 00:10:34.640 --> 00:10:38.400 We discover that the physical healing is not actually the work of God that's on display. 00:10:39.800 --> 00:10:44.560 Instead, the physical healing is to make a point about something even more significant. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:52.859 To make the point that the man born blind is in need of spiritual sight as well as physical sight. 00:10:52.860 --> 00:10:59.340 And we notice this as we retell the story because he gets pulled in front of different people at various different times. 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:01.540 So he starts by being pulled in front of the neighbors. 00:11:01.740 --> 00:11:02.180 Notice that. 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:03.019 Verses 8 to 12. 00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:05.420 These are the first people that he's brought in front of. 00:11:05.800 --> 00:11:07.600 Now, if you're my age, right? 00:11:07.680 --> 00:11:13.420 Neighbors is an Australian soap opera of a slightly kind of clueless busybodies, right? 00:11:13.620 --> 00:11:15.059 Anybody used to watch it? 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:19.240 As a student, people used to organize their lives around when Neighbors was on, right? 00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:23.019 Actually, though, that isn't really a terrible summary of what the neighbors are like here. 00:11:23.620 --> 00:11:28.059 They are so confused when they meet the man born blind that they're not sure they've even got the right guy. 00:11:28.419 --> 00:11:29.179 Look at verse 8. 00:11:29.699 --> 00:11:32.219 His neighbors and those who'd formerly seen him begging asked, 00:11:32.479 --> 00:11:34.579 isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg? 00:11:35.000 --> 00:11:35.919 Some claimed that he was. 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:37.799 Others said, no, he just looks like him. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:39.740 They're clueless, aren't they? 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.120 But he himself said, no, I am that person. 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:42.799 I am that man. 00:11:43.799 --> 00:11:46.960 Now, despite the man's insistence and despite the story of what happened, 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.860 despite the fact that they do recognize him, at least some of them do, 00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:54.820 still the neighbors choose to bring the man to the Pharisees, the religious leaders. 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:58.279 So then we encounter the Pharisees in verses 13 to 17. 00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:02.299 Now, like the neighbors, the Pharisees can't agree either. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:03.639 You notice that, don't you? 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:05.720 But they disagree over this, a different thing. 00:12:06.019 --> 00:12:08.139 They know it is the man who's been healed. 00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:11.179 They're divided over what kind of person has healed this man. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:17.919 Some think that the fact that this was done on a Sabbath is reason enough to think that it was a bad man who healed him. 00:12:18.840 --> 00:12:21.879 While others think that surely healing a man like this can only be a good thing. 00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:25.580 A sinner is unlikely to be able to do this, they conclude. 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:30.759 And so to settle their conflict, the Pharisees decide to ask the man himself in verse 17. 00:12:31.439 --> 00:12:32.799 They then turned again to the blind man. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:34.399 What do you have to say about him? 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:36.299 It was your eyes he opened. 00:12:37.019 --> 00:12:38.500 What kind of person do you think he is? 00:12:38.579 --> 00:12:40.000 A bad man or a good man? 00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:41.899 The man replied, he's a prophet. 00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:44.179 That seems pretty clear, doesn't it? 00:12:44.199 --> 00:12:45.519 But the answer doesn't satisfy them. 00:12:45.899 --> 00:12:50.719 So the Pharisees who've received the man from the neighbors take the man now to his parents. 00:12:51.139 --> 00:12:53.000 Notice, verses 18 to 23. 00:12:53.000 --> 00:13:00.779 Now the key to the parents' testimony is verse 22, where you're told that they are afraid of the Jewish leaders. 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:09.740 The Jewish leaders have made a rule that anyone caught being sympathetic to Jesus and accepting him as the Messiah would be thrown out to the synagogue. 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:19.480 So despite the fact that they know this is their son, and they know he was blind, they know that he can now see, they know that he didn't cure himself, they're afraid. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:24.120 And so they decide in verse 23 to let the man born blind answer for himself. 00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:25.620 He is of age. 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.039 Ask him. 00:13:28.940 --> 00:13:31.240 You know, parents of adult children, you'll know what this is like, right? 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.560 They are adults when you want them to be, and not when you don't. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:39.259 At this point, he's an adult, right? 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:40.539 He's on his own. 00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:43.620 It's not the parents' finest hour, is it? 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:45.060 It's self-preservation. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:47.000 They know Jesus is controversial. 00:13:47.220 --> 00:13:52.340 They know his miracle is undeniable, but they throw their own son under the bus rather than admit that it's true. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:58.779 Which brings the man born blind back to his second audience with the Pharisees in verses 24 to 34. 00:13:59.779 --> 00:14:04.320 I think this is possibly one of my favorite sections of John's Gospel. 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.480 It's almost comical in the way that it's written. 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:10.940 Listen, the Pharisees have now made their minds up, right? 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.000 Jesus, sinner. 00:14:13.940 --> 00:14:14.379 Definite. 00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:16.759 Verse 24, Jesus is a sinner. 00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:22.039 But the man born blind is not so sure, so he says, verse 25, whether he's a sinner or not, I don't know. 00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:27.700 One thing I do know, though, I was blind, but now I seem to be able to see you all. 00:14:27.700 --> 00:14:32.460 So they ask him the story again because they're not impressed. 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:34.920 And verse 27 is utterly brilliant. 00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:36.400 Utterly brilliant, isn't it? 00:14:36.420 --> 00:14:36.860 Look at it. 00:14:37.860 --> 00:14:39.000 I've told you already. 00:14:39.560 --> 00:14:40.620 You didn't listen. 00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:42.480 Why do you want to hear it again? 00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:44.000 Do you want to become his disciples? 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:46.940 Do you want to throw yourselves out of your own synagogue? 00:14:47.259 --> 00:14:48.100 Is that what you want? 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:51.620 I mean, this is technically kind of rage baiting, isn't it? 00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:55.159 He is literally drawing them out to make them angry. 00:14:56.060 --> 00:14:57.000 And it works, doesn't it? 00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:58.240 The explosion happens. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:14:59.120 Look at verse 28. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:03.860 Instead of answering his argument, they just start calling him names. 00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:09.879 And very calmly, the man born blind replies in verse 30. 00:15:10.560 --> 00:15:11.560 Now that is remarkable. 00:15:12.539 --> 00:15:15.739 You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 00:15:16.299 --> 00:15:17.959 We know that God doesn't listen to sinners. 00:15:18.099 --> 00:15:19.859 He listens to a godly person who does his will. 00:15:20.259 --> 00:15:23.719 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 00:15:24.719 --> 00:15:26.779 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing. 00:15:28.139 --> 00:15:29.479 And that's the last straw, isn't it? 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:32.219 So the Pharisees decide that the man is steeped in sin from birth. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:36.539 He's in no position to lecture them as to their religious foibles. 00:15:37.119 --> 00:15:39.379 And so they do what they threaten to do, and they throw him out of the synagogue. 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:40.079 Get out. 00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:46.379 I think it's worth pausing just here in this point in the story just to see how tragic it is. 00:15:47.859 --> 00:15:50.939 Being born blind in the first century would have been an awful thing. 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:55.819 But notice he was born blind through no fault of his own and no fault of his parents. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.159 It was promised to be the location of the work of God. 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:03.500 And now he's condemned as a sinner and excluded from his community. 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.719 Blindness would have meant that he was on the fringes of his community already. 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:10.879 But now he's received his sight and he's put out completely. 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:11.720 It's awful. 00:16:12.139 --> 00:16:15.200 He's almost worse off now than he was at the beginning of the story. 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.879 I mean, before Jesus healed him, everyone might have thought his blindness might not be his fault, but his parents' fault. 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:25.879 Now they're pretty sure that he's a sinner and that he's the problem. 00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:28.100 Even his parents think he's the problem. 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:33.540 It's a bad day for the man born blind, isn't it? 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:39.039 You know, it's like finding 10 pounds in your coat pocket only to find that you owe the bank 100 quid. 00:16:40.219 --> 00:16:42.360 He thought he was up and now he's down. 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:48.319 And then comes the twist because the final encounter for the man is with Jesus in verse 35 to 41. 00:16:48.919 --> 00:16:51.740 And the section starts beautifully, doesn't it, with Jesus finding him. 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:52.799 I love that. 00:16:54.079 --> 00:16:56.059 Right, he's dragged in front of everybody else. 00:16:56.259 --> 00:17:00.379 But Jesus goes and looks for him and finds him because he hears that he's been thrown out of the synagogue. 00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:05.299 When he finds him, he asks him if he believes in him. 00:17:06.099 --> 00:17:08.920 The son of man, Jesus calls himself in verse 35. 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:11.240 The man born blind is confused. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:12.779 He says, who is the son of man? 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.920 And notice how Jesus replies in verse 37. 00:17:15.559 --> 00:17:17.779 You have now what? 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.599 You've seen him. 00:17:20.140 --> 00:17:21.119 You've seen him. 00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:23.759 In fact, he's the one speaking to you. 00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:26.619 I am the promised Messiah. 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.819 I am the son of man. 00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:31.079 I am the man in Daniel's vision. 00:17:31.679 --> 00:17:35.179 I am the king of kings and lord of lords, the one sent to say. 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:38.279 And in verse 38, he believes in him. 00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:41.359 And Jesus explains, doesn't he, verse 39. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:48.939 The works of God that Jesus has been on about from verse 3 all the way through the story are not about physical healing, 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:55.939 but rather for judgment I've come into this world so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind. 00:17:55.940 --> 00:18:02.660 In other words, the big problem in the world is that it contains not just that it contains people who are physically blind, 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:05.019 but that everybody in the world is spiritually blind. 00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:06.059 That's the big problem. 00:18:06.059 --> 00:18:09.119 Even though some people claim to see. 00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:11.679 The Pharisees understand, don't they, what Jesus is saying? 00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:12.940 They reply in verse 40. 00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:14.460 They're obviously eavesdropping somewhere. 00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:15.139 What? 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:17.740 Are you saying we're blind too? 00:18:18.139 --> 00:18:19.339 They know what Jesus is saying. 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:21.379 And so Jesus repeats himself. 00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:24.839 Jesus says, if you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. 00:18:24.899 --> 00:18:26.940 But now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. 00:18:26.940 --> 00:18:29.620 Now that's a bit confusing, isn't it? 00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:35.279 But Jesus' point is because the Pharisees claim to have spiritual sight, that means they're guilty of sin. 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.320 A sin that can only be healed if they would admit they were blind. 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:46.000 Because the works of the Son are to bring spiritual sight and forgiveness only to those who will admit that they're blind. 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:49.900 So there's the end of the story, right? 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:57.920 The man born blind sees the Savior, not just with his physical eyes, but with this spiritual sight of his heart. 00:18:58.059 --> 00:18:59.000 The eyes of faith. 00:18:59.400 --> 00:19:03.079 As Jesus opens his heart to see him as the Savior for his sin. 00:19:04.140 --> 00:19:07.500 Let me just draw out then the two lessons, I think, from this for us. 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:08.859 The first one is this. 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:13.339 Curing spiritual blindness is God's core business. 00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:17.799 We started at the beginning, didn't we, with that question about what is God doing? 00:19:17.939 --> 00:19:21.240 If God is good at his job, why is there so many bad things happening in the world? 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:24.659 If God is real and he's loving, why is there so much suffering? 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:27.480 If God is not fixing problems, what is he about? 00:19:27.639 --> 00:19:28.319 What is he doing? 00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:32.859 And here is John's answer to that question in this story. 00:19:33.539 --> 00:19:39.339 His point is that there is a greater trouble in the world than physical or psychological trouble that we all feel so acutely. 00:19:39.439 --> 00:19:41.240 And that trouble is spiritual blindness. 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:43.980 And not just as in spiritual ignorance. 00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:46.339 You know, oh, didn't see you there, God. 00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:47.000 Not that. 00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.599 Willful blindness. 00:19:49.620 --> 00:19:51.099 Eyes that will not see. 00:19:51.500 --> 00:19:53.460 A blindness that refuses to see. 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:55.440 A blindness that we are born with. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:59.000 And Jesus is in the business of making spiritual eyes. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:05.480 Not out of spit and mud that he mixes on the ground, but out of his own flesh and blood given on the cross. 00:20:05.480 --> 00:20:10.039 And the drama of the story here, and this is the mind-blowing part, isn't it? 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:11.420 It means that it is okay. 00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:18.360 It is morally okay for God to allow a man to be born in the darkness of physical blindness. 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:23.880 Experience the loss, the pain and the difficulty, the cast-outness of that life. 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:30.120 In order to display to him and to us the greater work of receiving spiritual sight. 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:33.620 Bringing him into a relationship with him. 00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:38.919 Now, if you know your Bible, you'd know that all makes sense, doesn't it? 00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:44.719 In the Bible, wickedness, sickness and suffering are symptoms of a broken world. 00:20:45.419 --> 00:20:48.419 The brokenness of the world that came from Adam's rebellion in the garden. 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:52.219 A rebellion against God that left him and all his children spiritually blind. 00:20:52.919 --> 00:20:54.219 Excluded from God's presence. 00:20:54.220 --> 00:21:01.759 So, of course, the priority of a good God is to cure the cause before dealing with the symptoms. 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:09.240 Giving us spiritual eyes to see him before bringing us to a world remade without sickness and death. 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:13.259 Now, if that all makes sense, here's the problem. 00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:15.259 We forget it. 00:21:16.559 --> 00:21:21.319 We imagine, don't we, that God's priorities should be the same as ours. 00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:29.980 We have this tendency in our lives to undervalue spiritual sight and overvalue physical prosperity. 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.919 And we do it all the time. 00:21:32.779 --> 00:21:35.980 And we end up assuming, like the disciples and like the Pharisees here, 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:40.899 that God cannot surely permit suffering because there is nothing worse. 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:45.519 Because we've elevated physical prosperity and undervalued spiritual sight. 00:21:46.099 --> 00:21:49.639 But God can value spiritual sight more. 00:21:49.639 --> 00:21:49.960 Why? 00:21:51.319 --> 00:21:57.039 Because, here's the point, there is something worse than the physical suffering of this world. 00:21:58.299 --> 00:22:03.960 That is the judgment of eternal separation from the God who made us. 00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:06.299 Hell is worse. 00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:10.579 It's really difficult to get the tone of this right. 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:14.220 Jesus here is full of compassion, isn't he, for the sick and the suffering. 00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:17.279 Jesus took no joy in the blindness of the man. 00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:23.400 But he is full of even greater compassion for spiritual suffering. 00:22:24.059 --> 00:22:26.819 A suffering that we're so often blissfully unaware of. 00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:30.279 Cut off from God, excluded from eternal life with him. 00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:34.140 Maybe I can just ask it to you as a direct question this morning. 00:22:34.140 --> 00:22:36.680 Maybe you wouldn't call yourself a Christian here this morning. 00:22:36.820 --> 00:22:38.200 Perhaps your life is really difficult. 00:22:38.340 --> 00:22:40.560 Maybe you're suffering physically. 00:22:41.000 --> 00:22:43.840 Perhaps you've got poor health or poor mental health. 00:22:44.380 --> 00:22:45.780 Maybe there's trouble in your family. 00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:48.360 Maybe there's trouble at work or in school. 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:50.480 Maybe there's trouble in the country that you're from. 00:22:51.640 --> 00:22:52.540 And you're praying. 00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:54.980 Maybe you're here because you've started praying. 00:22:54.980 --> 00:22:57.140 God, will you fix that, please? 00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.019 And he's not. 00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:02.339 And so you're beginning to think, well, what's the point? 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:04.220 God's probably not there. 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.380 He's not very good at his job. 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:07.500 John 9. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:10.319 Well, God, actually, not John 9. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:14.079 God through John 9 is inviting you to ask a different question. 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:20.240 He's inviting you and me to ask this morning that God's priority maybe is not my comfort and ease, 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.460 but is my spiritual sight. 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:32.740 And that for these particular challenges that I'm facing in my life are there for the purpose of driving me to him that I might see. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.900 Perhaps you're a Christian this morning. 00:23:38.259 --> 00:23:41.279 And as hard as it is and as painful as it is to recognize, 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:47.819 the truth is that God is so committed to our spiritual sight, our spiritual life and our spiritual health, 00:23:47.819 --> 00:23:53.220 that he will allow sickness and suffering to persist in our lives, to keep driving us to him. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:24:04.799 God's work, his main work, his handiwork alone, the thing that he alone can do is give us sight of the beauty of Jesus. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:11.460 And seeing the beauty of Jesus is not clouded by tears of suffering. 00:24:12.180 --> 00:24:16.559 In some ways, it is opened to us through the tears of suffering. 00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:21.059 So if you're a Christian this morning, don't give up. 00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:24.799 There's something else to notice here, though, before we move on. 00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:29.200 If you look back at verse 4, you'll notice that Jesus calls these works that he's doing, 00:24:29.639 --> 00:24:32.180 the works that the disciples are also involved in. 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:36.599 He says, we must do the works of him who sent me. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:43.279 In other words, this priority of spiritual sight over physical sight is not just Jesus' work. 00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:45.319 It's the work of the disciples, too. 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:49.240 So it's our work, too, right? 00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:52.099 So we are to care about physical needs, aren't we? 00:24:52.179 --> 00:24:56.599 Yes, we're to be involved as much as we can to relieve the physical suffering of our community 00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:58.379 and our neighbours and our friends and our family. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:02.439 But still, this is to be the longing of our heart, too. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:08.099 That we shouldn't be so focused on physical need that we are blind to spiritual need. 00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:11.700 We are to be involved in the work that Jesus is involved in 00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:16.860 by showing people Jesus in the Scriptures, preaching his word, sharing his message, 00:25:17.200 --> 00:25:20.180 inviting people to church, reading the Bible with others. 00:25:20.880 --> 00:25:23.660 You know, a church that doesn't do that, right? 00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:26.440 A church where those things are not the priority. 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:31.559 They might be doing some really worthy things, but they're not doing the work of God. 00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:38.519 Because the works of God in the world are to bring spiritual sight to the spiritually blind. 00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:40.660 That's the work of God. 00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:42.900 And that's what we must be involved in. 00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:46.460 Christians, we can spend so much of our time, can't we? 00:25:46.500 --> 00:25:48.600 And I see that sometimes we can do this as a church. 00:25:49.060 --> 00:25:54.940 We spend so much of our time praying that the Lord would relieve physical suffering 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:59.240 and spend very little time praying that God would bring spiritual sight. 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:02.040 That's a wrong priority. 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:06.980 We need to pray earnestly for our friends and our family and our community 00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:09.900 that their eyes would be open to see the wonders of Jesus. 00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:16.620 Because that will fit them for a world where there is no suffering or pain or death. 00:26:16.619 --> 00:26:22.479 The second implication, though, is that spiritual pride is the great enemy of faith. 00:26:23.199 --> 00:26:25.639 This, I think, is just worth underlining as we finish. 00:26:26.639 --> 00:26:28.039 Look again at verse 41. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:29.359 Let me read it to you again. 00:26:29.739 --> 00:26:30.199 Jesus said, 00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:40.660 Like I said before, this is all about admitting blindness. 00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:43.039 You could clarify the verse by saying it like this. 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:43.960 Jesus says, 00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:55.819 This is the problem for the Pharisees. 00:26:56.380 --> 00:26:58.480 The Pharisees turn to the man born blind and say, 00:26:58.600 --> 00:27:00.140 You're steeped in sin. 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:00.660 Right? 00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:03.120 But the fact is, they are. 00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:08.699 And the sin that they are steeped in, the sin that we are all by nature steeped in, 00:27:08.939 --> 00:27:13.119 that we won't admit, is that we claim we can see when we can't. 00:27:14.139 --> 00:27:16.659 And Jesus wants to see just the ridiculousness of this. 00:27:16.739 --> 00:27:19.299 If you're blind but claim you can see, what happens? 00:27:20.199 --> 00:27:21.359 You stumble and fall. 00:27:21.459 --> 00:27:22.279 You crash into things. 00:27:22.339 --> 00:27:23.859 You break things and come unstuck. 00:27:24.419 --> 00:27:25.879 Worst danger is ahead of you. 00:27:25.880 --> 00:27:30.240 But if you'll admit you're blind, then you can receive the help that you need. 00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:32.260 And so it is spiritually. 00:27:32.380 --> 00:27:34.820 The truth is that you will not come to Jesus. 00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:37.460 You will not believe in him. 00:27:37.780 --> 00:27:44.460 You will not receive spiritual life from him until you admit that without him you're blind. 00:27:46.440 --> 00:27:51.560 This is why step one to becoming a Christian is always to admit that you need a savior. 00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:54.240 Owning your own sin. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:58.380 Seeing your own blindness is what you need to do. 00:27:58.980 --> 00:28:01.579 In a sense, that's all the man born blind does, isn't it? 00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:01.819 Right? 00:28:02.299 --> 00:28:04.920 The only thing he brings to Jesus is his blindness. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:06.880 And he receives sight. 00:28:07.799 --> 00:28:11.299 So again, I need to ask you this morning, the passage is asking all of us, 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:13.039 have you seen that about yourself? 00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:16.880 Have you seen that you are a man born blind? 00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:18.319 A woman born blind? 00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:23.500 That you need Jesus to open your eyes that you might see who he is. 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:29.779 And that the first step to receiving that sight is to admit, I'm blind. 00:28:29.779 --> 00:28:39.819 And to see, perhaps for the first time, that God is so committed to you recognizing that you're blind, 00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:43.759 that he will permit things in your life that will make you see it. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:48.779 You know, the question isn't really so much the one we started with, is it? 00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:53.399 You know, we started with the question, you know, where is the good God in the midst of suffering? 00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:58.200 But actually, we see that suffering can help us see him more clearly. 00:28:58.200 --> 00:29:07.819 I have a really good friend whose sister died in her early 30s from AIDS in a country in East Africa. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:14.960 She contracted AIDS from her husband who had lied to her about his sexual past 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:18.480 and who throughout their relationship was consistently unfaithful to her. 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:23.860 She died childless in a lot of discomfort and largely in poverty as well. 00:29:24.880 --> 00:29:32.559 My friend and I, we were sitting in the park together, just almost just in quiet, sitting, wondering why it happened. 00:29:34.180 --> 00:29:38.160 And really, in one of those kind of just epiphany moments, he turned to me and he said, 00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:38.779 you know what? 00:29:39.539 --> 00:29:40.779 Here's the thing about my sister. 00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:43.460 She knew Jesus way better than I did. 00:29:43.460 --> 00:29:48.660 And I said to you, why do you think that was? 00:29:50.299 --> 00:29:52.720 And he said, well, Jesus was faithful to her. 00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.880 Jesus never let her down. 00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:56.779 Jesus was always with her. 00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:59.279 Jesus was her promised savior. 00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:05.920 And it was like we realized for the first time that her intimacy with the Lord Jesus 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:13.220 was not contradicted by her suffering, but it was in the middle of it that she encountered the Lord Jesus. 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:19.440 Jesus, not with eyes of flesh, but with spiritual sight that God gave her. 00:30:20.279 --> 00:30:22.480 Jesus was her faithful friend. 00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:25.319 He was with her, close by her. 00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:28.880 And so he can be for you and me this morning. 00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.940 Let me pray as we close. 00:30:30.940 --> 00:30:39.380 Perhaps just take a moment of quiet for you to pray in your own heart. 00:30:39.380 --> 00:31:09.220 Heavenly Father, we thank you that Jesus can open the eyes of the blind. 00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:17.700 We thank you that for many of us in this room, our experience has been that Jesus has opened our eyes, 00:31:17.780 --> 00:31:22.080 that we might see you and trust you and love you and turn from our sin. 00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:29.440 We're sorry, Lord, that at times we're so stubborn we won't admit that we need you. 00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:32.299 Please have mercy on us and forgive us. 00:31:33.360 --> 00:31:40.660 And please we pray, might we be a church that sees this need for spiritual sight as the great need in our community, 00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:45.700 in our world, that we might commit ourselves to the work of God, your work, 00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:51.480 in bringing the news of someone who can open the eyes of the blind and who loves to do it. 00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:57.140 So we thank you for the friend we have in Jesus and pray in his name. 00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:57.940 Amen.