John 9:1-41
Fourth Sunday in Lent
This reading from John’s Gospel is a great text for Lent if we consider that Lent is traditionally the season of preparation for those who will be baptized at Easter. This is the season of instruction for the candidates who will be asked, “Do you wish to be baptized?” To answer “yes” each candidate ought to know into whom or what he or she is being attached through the sacrament of baptism.
If you want to get to know Jesus, this is a powerful reading.
The scene is full of questions and answers – kind of like an instant Catechism Class right on the spot. Listen to all the questions flying about.
Rabbi, who sinned? This man? Or his parents?
Neighbors: Isn’t this the man who used to beg? How were your eyes opened? Where is this man?
Pharisees ask –
How did you receive your sight? How can a sinner perform such signs? What have you to say about this Jesus?
To the parents: Is this your son? Wasn’t he born blind? How come he can see now?
Again the Pharisees ask the man –
What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?
An exasperated man replies –
I told you already – why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to be his disciples too?
Pharisees outraged: “How dare you lecture us?!”
Do you hear all the doubting, all the scrutiny, all the opposition to Jesus?
So we join with the candidates for baptism this Lenten season and ask ourselves, “Am I like the blind man who needs to receive sight? Do I suffer from spiritual blindness?”
“What is Jesus wanting to make clear in our own hearts and minds about the nature of God?”
“What darkness lurks in our attitudes and thoughts that needs to be exposed to the light?” “How do I resist Jesus or show opposition to his gracious ways?”
Better yet, how can we join the man born blind after he has received his sight in giving testimony to what Jesus has done for us?
Just as I listed all the questions posed in John chapter 9, here are the words of the healed man when asked endlessly about receiving his sight – for that is quite a miracle, you know…
“I am that man who used to sit and beg.” I am one in need of the gentle healer’s touch today.
“The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go wash at Siloam, which I did, and then I could see.” Jesus invited me to the waters of baptism so I went. He gave me his Holy Spirit.
“I don’t know where the man is now.” He is not mine to tether – he might be helping someone else.
And to the Pharisees: “He put mud on my eyes and I washed and now I see.” (Pretty simple, really)
“What do I have to say about him? He is a prophet.” He is the light of the world.
“I don’t know if Jesus is a sinner or not. All I know is that I was blind but now I see.” He has rescued me from sin and death.
“I have told you and told you and you still won’t listen.”
And the final remark of an exasperated healed person:
“That is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the one who does his will. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing to heal me.” Jesus is the Christ – the Messiah who gives sight.
All of which leads to the man being thrown out of the synagogue.
The final conversation is between Jesus and the healed man.
It could just as well be a conversation between Jesus and me or you.
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is he, Sir?” “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
“You have now seen him; it is the one talking to you.”
“Lord. I believe.”
The modern man or woman, whose spiritual sight is restored by a loving Savior might leave the synagogue, rejected by the religious yet filled with new faith in this man they call Jesus and pull up his Facebook account.
Go to his status page under “relationship?” and think about what to type.
Given everything he went through he just might write: “It’s complicated.” But it’s the best thing that ever happened to me, the day I met Jesus.
I am a new creation!
Now I can really get on with life!
~Pastor Terrie Sternberg