Into the Light
Background Story: Jesus performed miraculous healings transforming people’s lives. But for some reason, the religious leaders always had a problem with it.
Read John 9: 1-16, 35-41
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Big Idea: Jesus brings everything into the light.
You read this story and at first glance (no pun intended), you initially recognize one man whose vision was blind that Jesus heals and restores. But what about all the other blind people standing nearby, blind to the truth of their sin and the reality of their hearts? These spiritually blind Pharisees thought they knew the truth and had been people waiting for the Messiah to save them their entire life. Yet when Jesus came standing before them, they did not recognize Him and saw themselves in a position to teach and correct Him. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be “despised” (Isaiah 53:3). Why did the religious leaders despise Him?
Like a huge spotlight, Jesus reveals the truth of what’s in our hearts. Darkness is comfortable. Darkness allows us to hide our sin so no one else can see. In John 3:19, Jesus said “Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” It’s never comfortable to step out of the darkness where we can hide our sin and into the light where truth is exposed. The Pharisees were no different and wanted to appear righteous before the people around them.
Jesus is the light of the world not only bringing sight to the blind man but the light revealing the truth of our hearts. Like the Pharisees, we can pretend to be ok on the outside but God sees what happens in secret. Jesus exposes our hearts not to shame us but to bring freedom from the chains of sin. Today if you are hiding sin or shame, it’s time to bring those areas into the light asking for forgiveness of sin. If secret addiction is present, seek help from a pastor, counselor or professional. God is waiting not to shame you but is calling “you out of darkness into his marvelous light” into a close relationship with Him. (1 Peter 2:9)
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