"Seeing is Believing" John 9:35-41

Seeing is Believing: Or, Spiritual Blindness Exposed! John 9:35-41

Introduction: I have never been a big fan of roller coasters. I’ve reluctantly ridden a few in my life but I just don’t particularly enjoy having my stomach tied in knots while I’m trying to figure which way is up! I remember the first roller coaster I rode, as the car slowly chugged up the hill I started having second thoughts and started looking around for a way off… there was none! With my bad neck I don’t think I’ll ever ride on another one! Some of you probably love them, no problem. No one enjoys the dips, dives and flips we sometimes experience in life. The blind man in John 9 experienced the highest of highs—for the first time in his life, he saw! And then, the leaders of the synagogue descend on him, his pastors and elders, his community leaders, and he is given the “third degree.” As a result, just because he only spoke the truth about what had happened, he was finally evicted from the synagogue, the center of Jewish life and culture. Rejected by his religious leaders, effectively banned from the community center and “church”, and so he was separated from his friends, his community, maybe even his family. What had happened, and why? In the short paragraph we look at today at the end of John 9 the healed man is approached by his Healer. And he who received physical sight now comes into the full light, and now with 20/20 vision, recognizes Jesus—he come to know “the Light of the World.” The Big Idea: Spiritually speaking seeing is believing: it means recognizing who Jesus is and responding to Him in worship.

I. Seeing is believing: Open my eyes Lord, I want to see Jesus (35-39).

The Old Testament prophets used a lot of images to describe the future work of the coming Messiah—one is that he would come and “open the eyes of the blind.” In those prophecies as here, I think both physical and spiritual healing is in mind. For example we read in Isaiah 35:5-6,

“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.”

First, we see that “Spiritual sight results from divine initiative.” Just as Jesus “took notice” of the man initially, and called him and his plight to the attention of his disciples, now, after the healing, Jesus goes and finds the man again after he is cast out of the synagogue (v.35), “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him…” Remember the song “Amazing Grace,” “I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.” The man hadn’t been actively seeking healing (if he was, John doesn’t tell us about it). Unlike Bartimeus who had heard of Jesus and shouted for him as he passed by, this man was passively sitting there, waiting for alms from the passersby. After the healing there is no indication that he went looking for Jesus, but, Jesus found him. He had an even greater work to do, to open the man’s heart to the true and living God. Where were you when you met Jesus? Or rather, when He met you? Can you look back and recognize you were blind, and that He came to you, seeking you in your darkness? We also see here that “Spiritual sight is evidenced by faith” (v.35b-36). This is one of those “Chicken and the Egg” questions. We like to have our theology all worked out into a nice system—which comes first, life, the ability to see, or faith? The Calvinist says blind men can’t see and dead men can’t believe. The Arminian says faith is the response of seeing and believing the truth. “He said to him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of God?’ 36 He answered and said, ‘Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?’" (I am going to get out it for now by saying John uses “faith” two ways, initial faith, which only happens when God works a miracle in the heart and mind, opening our understanding, and “continuing faith,” as we respond to his revelation, taking God at His word. We’ll dig into this question more in John 10). The healed man was ready. In dealing with the leaders he had “thought through” the implications of the sign that had been done. He could see the truth even if they couldn’t—God had to be in this! He lived his life in darkness—now the light was shining. And, to adapt the words of the Apostle Paul, the God who commanded the Light to shine out of the darkness, shined in his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It’s also shown that “Spiritual sight recognizes Jesus” (v.37-38a). “And Jesus said to him, ‘You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.’ 38 Then he said, ‘Lord, I believe!’" The man had heard Jesus, but remember he was blind, and Jesus put mud in his eyes and sent him away—he had never seen Him, until now. ***Do you long to see Jesus?

The hymn writer Fanny Crosby wrote more than 8000 gospel songs. Although blinded as an infant she never held any bitterness in her heart because of it. Once a preacher remarked “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when he showered so many other gifts upon you.” She replied quickly, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition it would have been that I should be born blind?” “Why?” asked the surprised clergyman. “Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my savior.” Some who are physically blind see more clearly than most of us!

Spiritual sight not only recognizes Jesus, but also responds to Him (“…and he worshipped Him…”) (v.38b). This is crucial to the point John is making: this man worshipped Jesus. John is writing his gospel to help us understand more fully and more correctly who Jesus is. The prolog of the gospel is almost shockingly abrupt in stating it at the outset, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Thomas finally gets it after seeing the resurrected Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Only God is to be worshipped. The healed man recognized Jesus for who He really is, and responded to Him. Worship is our right response to the Lord, when we understand who he really is, when we sense something of his character, his holiness, his love… “Worship” means to “prostrate oneself, fall down before…” the One we worship. We respond to Him not only as the “famous One” but as our God. We love Him, adore Him, praise Him, give Him thanks for life, for salvation, for every good thing we experience. He is not just our friend, He is El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, the Great I AM. He is the one Isaiah saw when he got a glimpse of his Majesty, the train of his robe filling the temple, the Serphim covering their faces singing Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God of Hosts. John says of Jesus, “we saw His glory.” I am going to ask you a personal question. It is a deep question that requires a thoughtful answer. Have you worshipped today? You might think, “Of course I’ve worshipped, I’m in church am I not?” Have you really recognized His presence and bowed your heart before Him? *** Spiritually speaking seeing is believing: it means recognizing who Jesus is and responding to Him in worship.

II. Blindness to the truth: Rejection of Jesus (39-41). The response of the religious leaders shows us the other side of the coin, the other effect of the Light shining in the darkess:

Jesus will expose Spiritual blindness and judge unbelief. John 9:39 “And Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind." You can’t cure a blind man by turning up the light. The light was shining brightly—and the blind leaders still didn’t see. Their unbelief exposed their blindness. Spiritual blindness is refusal to see our need. John 9:40-41 “Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ 41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, 'We see.' Therefore your sin remains.” John Calvin explained this passage beautifully: “He is blind who, aware of his own blindness, seeks a remedy to cure his disease. In this way the meaning will be, “If you would acknowledge your disease, it would not be altogether incurable; but now because you think that you are in perfect health, you continue in a desperate state.” When he says that they who are blind have no sin, this does not excuse ignorance, as if it were harmless, and were placed beyond the reach of condemnation. He only means that the disease may easily be cured, when it is truly felt; because, when a blind man is desirous to obtain deliverance, God is ready to assist him; but they who, insensible to their diseases, despise the grace of God, are incurable.” The Pharisees didn’t see their own need, they were blind leaders of the blind, and they didn’t even know it. Jesus is saying the first step toward seeing the Light of the World is recognizing the darkness of our own heart.

What is God saying to me in this passage?

Some of you have spent some time on some roller coasters—and I am not talking about amusement park rides. You’ve experienced blessing and success, but also heart break and pain… As disorienting as life can be at times, Jesus is the Rock, the firm foundation, the fortress, the comfort in a time of storm. Do you see him in the midst of the turmoil? Spiritually speaking seeing is believing: it means recognizing who Jesus is and responding to Him in worship.

What would God have me to do in response to this passage?

The miracles recorded in the Gospel of John are called “signs” because they point behind the act as a demonstration of power, to the miracle worker, and reveal something more about who He is. Here we are reminded that He is the Light of the World— Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:6, “For it is the God who [In the beginning…] commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Have you worshipped yet today? If Jesus walked down this aisle right now, what would you do? As he looked into your eyes, knowing that he knows you, and even so, loves you, how would you respond? The healed man worshipped Him, will you?