Study in John’s Gospel

Study in John’s Gospel Presentation 31

The Response of Faith Chap 9v13-27 Presentation 31

Introduction A Christian employer, who cared about the spiritual struggles of an employee, sent him a note saying, he wanted to see him in his office at 6.00 a.m. The man showed up promptly and the employer said, "I see that you believe what I wrote in my note or you wouldn't be here". “Yes” said the man. “Well here is another note for you from one who also means what he says,” said the employer, handing him a slip of paper containing Jesus' words, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matt.11v28 The man stood silent. His eyes filled with tears as he asked, "You mean that all I have to do is believe these words in the same way I believed yours?" “In the same way”, replied the employer. In that moment the man found peace with God. Presentation 31

The Harsh Reality Of Blindness From his earliest years the blind man in our passage was aware of the fact that a world existed that he had no access to - a world of sight! He did not try to hide his disability or go into denial asking, “Who dares to say, I’m blind?” Some people refuse to visit their doctor because they cannot bring themselves to admit that they have a problem. Similarly, there are people, like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, who cannot bring themselves to accept that they are spiritually blind – that there is a door into another world that they have not yet found. Now those, who live their lives in denial, can never experience Jesus’ cure. They deny themselves entry into this wonderful new world of grace. Presentation 31

The Harsh Reality Of Blindness Human stubbornness and pride is a devastating thing. It keeps men in their spiritually blind condition. Someone has said, “It is not our littleness that hinders Christ but our bigness, not our weakness but our strength, not our darkness but our imagined light”. Jesus the ‘Light of the World’ can do nothing for us until we admit our need of light, of spiritual sight. Now the blind man in our story had revealed his need and is waiting to see what Jesus will do. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light Try to imagine his reaction as Jesus spat on the ground and made a mud pack, which he then applied to his eyes before sending him to bathe them in the pool of Siloam. In similar situations in the past, Jesus had simply spoken a word and people were miraculously healed - a much more sanitary method you might be thinking! Are you disgusted by Jesus method? A mudpack made from human saliva and soil, which in all probability had been contaminated by animal traffic! Would you not be repulsed to have that applied to your eyes? Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light And so the question we must ask is, “Why did Jesus use such an offensive method?” Is Jesus suggesting that the gospel he came to proclaim would be equally offensive to unenlightened eyes? Make no mistake; the message of the gospel offends human pride and the refined sensitivities of the human intellect. Why? Because at the very heart of the gospel, lies a shameful cross, a place of curse, condemnation and of sacrificial blood. Paul tells the Church at Corinth that the gospel message of Christ crucified was a ‘stumbling block’ to the Jews and ‘foolishness’ to the Gentiles [1Cor.1v23]. To the Galatians he spoke of the ‘offence of the cross’. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light In the church today, some want to air-brushthe gospel to make it more palatable, more dignified, and more intellectually acceptable. This ‘new gospel’ is silent on the subject of the sacrificial blood of Christ. Jesus is not described as a sin-bearer! Instead, Jesus’ death is presented merely as an inspiring example of love. Now those, who try to remove from the gospel all that might offend the sensitivities of polite society, in fact make it ineffective and futile. They have reduced the cross to no more than an attractive piece of jewellery. They have, in Paul’s words, ‘emptied it of its power’ 1 Cor. 1.17. The simple fact is that the true message of the cross will always appear offensive to unenlightened eyes. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light Secondly, the instruction, given to the blind man to wash the mud from his eyes in the pool of Siloam, was intended as a test. Would the blind man obey or not? Real faith is acted upon. This man by his actions showed that he considered Jesus to be trustworthy. This causes us to reflect upon the nature of faith. Some view faith as no more than an intellectual belief. Now such beliefs do not influence our behaviour. Let me illustrate. I believe that Captain Cook set foot in Australia. I believe that Shah Abbas organised a great building programme in Isfahan, I believe there are hot springs in Iceland. But this knowledge, interesting as it is, has absolutely no bearing on how I conduct my life. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light Here are a second set of beliefs that I hold. I believe that climbing an electricity pylon carrying 240, 000 volts, could kill me. And so I have never climbed one. I believe that if I walk out in front of fast moving traffic I could be injured. And so I make a conscious effort not to do so. What is different about this second set of beliefs? They are more than intellectual beliefs. How do I know that is so? Because I act upon them. There is a new ingredient present: a commitment to a set of beliefs that results in action. The Bible calls that faith. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light And it is this second type of belief that we find operating in the blind man’s life. He acted upon his belief that Jesus could heal him. Faith in scripture is never passive it is always active. Faith moves, it reaches out, it obeys, it possesses what has been promised! Sadly, it is possible to recite Christian creeds and believe the facts that we are reciting, in exactly the same way that we believe that there are hot springs in Iceland. If beliefs about Jesus are not acted upon, if we are not actively committed to them in a way that is evident in our daily lives then we may have belief but we do not have saving faith. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light Critics ask if the man in our passage merely, ‘obeyed Christ blindly’. No! This kind of obedience comes from trust. The blind man didn’t say, ‘The pool is a distance away and the effort involved is too great’. Or, ‘Why should I obey the command of someone I hardly know?’ Or, ‘Why don’t I just bathe my eyes with some of the water from my water bottle?’ Hehad heard Jesus describe himself as ‘The Light of the World’. He had heard Jesus speak of his determination to do the work that God had assigned to him. The blind man saw himself as part of that work and so he obeyed the strange request unquestioningly! Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light The ‘obedience of faith’ is what God is looking for. Sometimes people try to give God other things in an attempt to secure his blessing. Naaman, the Syrian General, thought to purchase a cure for his leprosy with a great fortune but the offer was declined and he was told by Elisha, God’s prophet, to go and bathe seven times in the river Jordan - a task he felt beneath his dignity. He was all set to return home in a rage but his companions persuaded him to enter the Jordan and he emerged from the river cured. 2 Kings 5v11-14. He had exercised faith and came out of the river not only physically but spiritually transformed – his mind was enlightened - he determined that thereafter he would worship the living God who had so graciously cured him. Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light The blind man in our story also had more than his physical sight restored. His spiritual blindness was also healed. Notice the progressive nature of that enlightenment as he grew in spiritual understanding. In v.11 he thought Jesus ‘a good man’, by v17 he believes Jesus to be a ‘prophet from God’. But in v33 Jesus is recognised as one worthy of ‘worship’. As the process of enlightenment takes place, then he becomes increasingly aware of who Jesus is! Presentation 31

Responsiveness To Light In contrast, the Pharisees retreat into the darkened caverns of their unbelief, when confronted with the light of Christ's activity. They refused to believe that Jesus had made any difference to the man v13 until his parents were called for. Once the facts were established [he was born blind] then these facts are conveniently pushed to one side. In the absence of evidence against what was a transformed life they resort instead to slander v16, intimidation v22, lies v24 and spiteful anger v34. They could not accept the light because they could not bring themselves to obey it! They held an enquiry but had no interest in finding out the truth. Presentation 31

Conclusion There are times when Jesus stands before us and we become aware of his passionate concern to minister to the needs of our hearts. It is possible that some hearing/reading this are asking, "Am I spiritually blind? Is there a spiritual world of which I have no personal experience?” So often, when Jesus shines his light into our hearts, we begin to see our need of forgiveness, salvation and spiritual healing. Today, Jesus is no less committed to this work than he was 2000 years ago. Presentation 31

Conclusion Have you begun to see yourself as part of Christ’s work? Have you come to recognise not only that he died on a cross but that he died on a cross to pay the penalty for your sin? Will you trust him? Will you act upon what you believe to be true? Whatever you think your barrier to the blessing of God to be, and sin is a great barrier Christ can deal with it. Whatever skeleton is in your cupboard, whatever burden of guilt may be crushing your heart, Jesus still has something to say to you; "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.“ Matt.11v28 Remember, faith does more than believe, it demonstrates its commitment to that belief by acting upon what Jesus has said. Will you come to him? Presentation 31

Study in John’s Gospel