Introduction

Physical light is one of the most complicated things in the world. It is something that many of us would struggle to explain. There is so much we do not know about light. Light is complex. Light has no shape or form. Light cannot be contained. You cannot hold it in your hand. You cannot store it up in a box. Although there is much we do not know about light, there are things we do know.

For example ...

We know that light travels 186,000 mi/sec. That's fast! How fast? A ray of light can circle the earth seven times in one second. 

We know that light also is composed of different colored rays. The light coming from the sun is called "white light". But when this white light shines into the raindrops, like a prism it reveals and separates its different color components and we get to see and enjoy the beauty of the rainbow.

Oh, how blessed we are to have eyes to see and enjoy beautiful sights like rainbow. What is amazing is that God created them for us to see and to enjoy. But in order to see and enjoy these things we need two things - light and sight. Imagine a life without light and sight, we wouldn't be able to see.

What is true in physical realm is also true in the spiritual realm. There are things in the spiritual realm that we cannot see unless God shines His light upon us and unless He gives us sight to see.

This year our emphasis is on the "Preciousness of Christ". Just as God wanted us to see the beautiful things on earth, He also wanted us to see the beauty and preciousness of Christ. But to see the beauty and preciousness of Christ we need light and sight. The good news is that He took the first step to accomplish that. 

John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 

He came to shine His light and gives us sight that we may see things that we would never see if left to ourselves.

May God shine His light upon us and give us sight that we may see how precious Jesus Christ is.

In the verses we read this morning Jesus meets a man who was born blind man, a man living in darkness, literally but also spiritually. To that man, Jesus also reveals Himself as the Light of the world. Just as physical light has properties so does Jesus Christ the Light of the World. What kind of Light is our Jesus Christ?

I - Jesus is a Sensitive Light

John 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 

Jesus saw the man born blind. You and I may not see the man born blind but Jesus did. Jesus is sensitive. Jesus notices. Jesus is paying attention. Jesus' eyes are open. This man could not see Jesus, but Jesus could see him. 

Before the man saw Jesus, Jesus saw the man

And that is true of you today, before you ever saw Jesus, He saw you. Before you ever laid eyes on Him, He had already laid eyes on you.

Isn't that the Gospel? Before we ever made our first step towards God, He already did. We love Him because He first loved us.

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

When Jesus Christ saw the blind man, He had great and gracious plan and purpose for the blind man. 

While Jesus was concerned about meeting the need of the blind man, His Disciples were focused with the cause of the man's blindness. When they saw the blind beggar, unlike our Savior who was sensitive, they tried to figure out what was the cause of the man's blindness. Why was he born blind?

So they asked Jesus ...

John 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 

The disciples ask Jesus the cause of man blindness, was it because of man's own sin or was it because of the parents' sin?

For the longest time, the question, "Master, who did sin, this man, that he was born blind?", did not make sense to me. Why? Because how can the man have sinned even before he was born. But then I read some where that this was the Jewish teaching of the day and some of the Rabbis taught that a baby could even sin in the womb and be punished for the rest of his or her life.

The disciples were wrong on two counts - their focus was wrong and their assumption was wrong. First, their focus was the cause of man's blindness, which I think is not beneficial and that they had no business knowing. Then secondly, they assumed that there is a necessary direct connection between sin and sickness - it's either the man or the parents' sin, that this man was born blind.

This is the sad error of Job's friends. They insisted that they know the cause of Job's affliction and sickness. Their conclusion was that Job's sickness and malady was due to his sin. 

Wrong conclusion! It is true that at times when sickness and affliction is the direct consequence of sin and disobedience. But the Bible says that we do not know when another person's sickness is a result of God's judgment for their sin. We do not have the ability to discernment and we should not assume to know that.

I will be honest, I do not fully understand how God works all the time. I cannot answer all the questions regarding suffering. When affliction comes we ask questions. Just like the disciples, I believe the parents had questions too. Imagine those parents with their child born blind. Imagine all of the questions they have all their lives. What went wrong? Was there anything that we did or did not do that our child was born blind?

Then how about the man himself who was born blind. I am sure he had questions too. Why did this happen to me? Why was I born blind.

What is Christ's answer to His disciples? 

3: Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 

Our Lord's answer is - it is not his parents, it is not the man. This story is not primarily about the parents nor the blind man. This is primarily about God. This is primarily about God at work. This story is about God revealing His purposes, revealing His heart, revealing His plan through the blind man.

When we go through trials and suffering, we must remember it is not all just about us but it is mainly about God at work. He has a plan and a purpose and He wants to manifest that work through you and me. There is a plan and a purpose for it all and an opportunity to demonstrate the glory of God and the glory of God through me and through my suffering. And to know and to be aware of this does not mean it is going to be easier but it changes our perspective and it gives us hope to know that God is at work.

Someone said, "All of our trials, all of our suffering. It is wise not to spend to much time looking backwards. Yes we need to ask the question, Am I having consequences into my life, am I being sick because of my foolish decision, consequence of my sins? Am I being disciplined? Of course we need to ask those questions. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us if we have sins to be confessed. And even then the focus should be forward looking. Now God is going to use even my sin, even the consequences of my sins, and even my situation for His glory and for my good. That is what we must focus."

After Christ answers the disciples question. He anoints the blind man and sends him to the pool of Siloam which means Sent. The man asking no questions, immediately and completely obeyed and he was healed from his blindness.

John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7: And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

II - Jesus is a Seeking Light

After the man was healed from his blindness, the Pharisees got hold of him and started interrogating him, asking him how his eyes were opened. But they did not like the answer that the blind man gave. They did not believe Jesus Christ because they did not want to believe. They had already made up their minds not to believe.

John 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31: Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32: Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33: If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 

The blind man gave a powerful argument that even the Pharisees could not refute and deny.

John 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

The Pharisees are known for this. If they could not refute someone's  argument, they will start to insult and attack ones' personality and character. After insulting the blind man they cast him out. 

But Jesus heard about it. 

John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him ...

This is why He came.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

We have a seeking Saviour. 

III - Jesus is a Saving Light

John 9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36: He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37: And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38: And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. 

This man received double sight. He received physical sight and spiritual sight. His physical eyes were opened as well as his spiritual eyes and he believed and worshipped Jesus. 

Conclusion

This story is not just about the blind man. The whole point of this story is not that we would simply know there was a certain man born blind and that he was healed from his blindness. No, that is not the point, the point is, that we would know what happened to the man could also happen to us. 

This man had no idea that he would be healed and be saved when he woke up and got up that morning. To him it was just another day in the blackness of darkness, another day just like any other day, sitting on the streets and begging bread. He had no idea that Jesus would pass by and would see Him. He did not realize that there is One who would pass by willing and ready and able to give him sight.

There are many in that same condition today! They are lost and in the depths of great spiritual blindness and moral darkness and they do not even realize that Jesus can deliver them forever. 

The question is, would you follow the Light. Are you in darkness? Which do you prefer, darkness? Or light? If you are tired of the dark come to Jesus and step into the Light of His glorious salvation. Will you do that today?

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 

Here is a warning not to pass up on His offer of forgiveness and salvation. While there is opportunity come to the light, for Christ said, the time will come when this offer will expire. Come to the Light. Do not be afraid of the light. Follow the Light! It's the only way to freedom and blessedness. Respond to His call. Come to Him by faith.

Let me speak to those of us who had been translated from darkness into marvelous light. This miracle of Jesus giving sight to the blind man should give us hope for our family and friends who are still in spiritual blindness and moral darkness. He can open the eyes their eyes, and make them see things they never saw before. He can send light into the darkest heart, and cause blindness and prejudice to pass away.

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Here is an opportunity and a privilege. He invites you and me to be the light of the world! I will shine my Light through you, so that others may see and find their way back to God.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

AMEN!