Light for the Way

A Story of a Gift of Light

Lent IV

March 14, 1999

John 9:1-41

What a week it was for the man who had been born blind! Highs higher than high. And then lows lower than low.

He had been living by begging until Jesus came along and found him in his blindness. Jesus spat in the dust and made a clay and anointed the blind man's eyes. He sent him off to the pool of Siloam, still blind– never having seen Jesus at all. "Go wash!" was all he said. He obeyed, and cam away seeing.

When you think of it, sight had to be a traumatic change. I wonder if he had to close his eyes to get his bearings to even get home. He must have been fascinated by the simplest of sights. He had never seen a pigeon, or a donkey, or his mother's face. It had to be total good news. Not spiritual news. No spiritual application now. Just good news.

What happened? His neighbors asked. He told them. "A man named Jesus anointed my eyes with cool mud and told be to go wash. I did and now as you can see, I can see!" Everyone was happy. He was a celebrity. If he lived in our time he would have been on Larry King Live.

But then the religious people had to rain on his parade.

They brought in their idea of the spiritual dimension. Maybe the blind man had never seen Jesus but they had. And they didn't like Jesus. So now the people who know everything about everything— who have a faith of rules and regulations that exist to maintain their traditions, rather than traditions that nurture and maintain their faith— these people said, "This is outside OUR control! This is too dangerous!" They moved in.

1. Nobody does anything or goes anywhere on the Sabbath unless WE say so." [The healing had taken place on the Sabbath.] Of course there were ways to get around Sabbath rules— but they were sure Jesus hadn't bothered to worry his head about that.
2. This Jesus was the object of grave concern because he had been teaching SPIRITUAL worship— that God must be worshiped by placing HIM at the center of life— instead of by just keeping rigid rules and regulations.
3. They had to show this man who was really in control of spiritual matters— so they found him and began their interrogation.

This is one of the funniest stories in the Bible, in one way. The interchange between the big shots and the blind man becomes actually almost hilarious.

"Tell us about what happened," they say.

He does.

"Well, this man couldn't be good and do what he did not the Sabbath."

"I think it's pretty good, what he did," says the blind man. " I'm learning to read at 35 years of age!"

"Don't get smart with us," they say. "Maybe you are twin brothers or something." Then, "Let's go and ask his mom and dad."

Mom and Dad don't need trouble with the authorities. They don't want to make any waves.

"No," they say, "we only have the one blind son— he was blind all his life— that's him— he's 35 years old— he can speak for himself."

The big shots look the poor man up again.

"Tell us what happened," they say.

"I have already told you about six times," he says. "Are you considering following the Nazarene?" Oooh, that one burned!

"Don't be smart with us! We know this man is bad news."

"Bad news, good news—," our friend is getting testy. "All I know is this: I was blind. I can now see 20/20! That is the sum and total of it!"

For his veracity and tenacity the blind man succeeded in getting the high-up people very angry. On the spot they officially excommunicated him. His last hope of heaven, supposedly, was out the window. Their rage must have been a bit sobering even for the ex-blind man, and I'm sure his parents, who didn't want to make trouble, were devastated.

But then comes the best part of the story: Remember, this man had never ever even once seen Jesus. I'm sure Jesus planned it that way. He could have healed him on the spot and when he opened his eyes to see for the first time the first thing he would have seen would have been Jesus instead of that donkey by the pool of Siloam. But Jesus had sent him away to wash.

The blind man didn't know what Jesus looked like— but Jesus looked him up. The disciples said, "Jesus, Master, you know that man you healed last Sabbath day? The authorities have cast him out! His whole neighborhood is buzzing about three visits in one day by the long black robes and all the commotion." So Jesus went looking for him.

And Jesus found him. "Do you believe in Messiah?" Jesus asked.

"Who is Messiah?" answered the man. " I'd like to be able to believe." And then here it came again! Last week to a Samaritan woman, this week to am excommunicated ex-beggar blind man. Jesus reveals to one person the fact that He is the Messiah.

"You're looking at him!" said Jesus.

"Lord, I believe!" said the blind man who now could see in more ways than one. Down on his knees before the Son of God he went.

Then Jesus said one of those enigmatic statements that aren't too difficult to understand if you really want to understand them: "I've come, he said, to help blind people see, and to make those who see become as blind as bats."

This is an arresting story of darkness and light, light and darkness. But it is more than a story. It is a lesson: Jesus said some very profound things about blindness and sight, and darkness and light:

Light Both Heals and Blinds

Jesus made some profound statements about 'spiritual light'. He said (39) that Light divides. He said he came into the world so that people who were in darkness could see, but also so that people who see might be made blind. Light divides. The most dangerous thing in the world, spiritually, is to play with what you know to be God's truth. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus Himself said, (Matt 6:23) If therefore the light that is in you becomes darkness, how great is that darkness!!!!!!

• Jesus said: Light is precious. He said, "I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day." ONLY as God gives us light we are able to discern right and wrong. The spiritual light that shines into the life of every follower of Jesus gives opportunity to do the father's will.
• Jesus said: Light is limited. Jesus also said "The night comes when no one can work!" There is a night coming that will end the day we know. It seems a pity that it takes scare tactics and selfish motivation to get people excited about getting ready for the inevitable appointment we have with eternity. So-called Christian entrepreneurs are making money scaring people with Y2K speculation when a real crisis looms out there for every one of us. The night coming is not to be feared if we know the Shepherd who has promised to be with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. But neither is the coming of night to be ignored.

The Question

The religious experts were stung by the fact that Jesus was not impressed with their self-righteousness. They threw out a bitter rhetorical question:

Are we blind too?

Jesus threw the question back at the questioners. If you really were blind, and honest, even like the blind man, then there would be great hope for you. But since you say, "We can figure out the answers for ourselves!" the fact is you are without Light and without Hope!

But this is a haunting question! Do we dare ask it of Jesus??

Are we blind too? Are WE blind? I'm sure we ALL have our blind spots! But there is a key to understanding in the very way we ask the question! The Pharisees "KNEW" they were NOT blind, and they asked in anger!! But if we come in humility the fact is we will find grace that covers our sins. (Psalm 139 "Search me!") We admit the possibility that we ARE blind!!

But remember what Jesus told us:

Light IS precious! The tiniest candle can push back an ocean of darkness! When God shines in your soul, walk in that light! You need light! I need light! We can't live without it! (Pilgrim's Progress . . "Conversion" Do you see that light?" "I think I do!")

We may have Light for the asking. But it is a humbling thing to be died for! To come the way of grace. And we need to walk in the light we have before we get more.

We may have light. And as we walk humbly in the light we are saved! (I John 1:7,9)

Light is limited! We must work while it is day. We spoke a moment ago about the Y2K scare. People are more concerned about Y2K than they are about the night that is coming when no one can work.

Will you ask the God of Light to let YOU shine in the lives of those you love?

How long has it been since you thought seriously about what Jesus said about the Day of his Coming? We have become so sophisticated, and we have let the extremists and know-it-all self-proclaimed prophets rave about the end of the world that we forget that light IS limited!

What would happen if instead of Y2K and failure of computer chips around the world in some way known only to God He would decide that time will be no more and ring the curtain down on this day and say "That's it! What's done is done!"

Jesus said "As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world." But guess who the light of the world is NOW? God is depending on you!

A Closing Prayer (from a UMH #456)

O Lord,

open my eyes that I may see the needs of others;
open my ears that I may hear their cries;
open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.

Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
and use me to bring them to those place.

And so open my eyes and my ears
that I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee.

Amen.

459 Open Our Eyes, Lord