“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam,” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:5-7
Dear Faithful Seed Sowers,
We are back in the Gospel of John. I encourage you to take some time to slowly read John 9:1-41. Put yourself in the story. Where are you? Who are you? And then put the story in you–how do I make this word of God relevant in my life today? Wrestle with God’s word because it really is new every morning.
As we enter into this story, we find the blind beggar sitting at the gate of the temple. He is not expecting a miracle. He has been blind from birth. He cannot see Jesus. The disciples see the beggar and ask Jesus who sinned, the blind beggar or his parents. Jesus says, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” John 9:3
Wow! Pause and ponder that! This miracle is going to take place so that the work of God might be displayed–in the blind beggar’s life, in his parents’ lives and in our lives. Maybe a few good “so what?” questions to kick-off the message are:
Where am I blind?
What is my blind spot in life?
How is the work of God being displayed in your life?
How is something really hard and heavy in your life going to be used for God’s glory?
Let us remember that the blind beggar did not pray for sight. At least, we are not told that he did. He was a beggar. It is a beggar’s task to beg. But he did not beg for sight. He is sort of akin to the beggar on the street corners here; waiting at the stoplight, hoping those who catch the red lights will be generous. The blind beggar’s condition was hopeless; what is the use of asking for something that everyone knows cannot happen!? The blind man certainly did not expect the miracle that was about to be performed by Jesus. The beggar was begging for a way to survive the day. He would be back tomorrow and the next day and the day after that—begging. Just as he had since anyone can remember.
Jesus sees the man and goes to work. I want to tell you right now that Jesus sees you! Jesus knows where you are–that is just the kind of God He is! Jesus knows where we are blind and He know our blind spots that continually cause us to fail. And–he’s walking by as you cry out.
Jesus goes to work. He spits on the ground and makes some mud with His spit. Now that is a whole different sermon. Jesus makes the mud and puts it on the eyes of the blind man and tells him to go to Pool of Siloam and wash.
It was simply put, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (v. 7). It was simple; it contains only seven words. It was personal; it was directed to the blind man and to him alone. It involved a test of obedience; for it involved a response to the Lord Jesus Christ. Has the Holy Spirit (the identical twin of Jesus) ever spoken to you? Ever whispered a command to you? He has to me—and it has never been more than just a few words: give that beggar $10, fill that kid’s car up, call this person, go visit that person. If you are learning to listen to God’s voice—remember this, listen for those short give-or-take-7 words–and then go do it. (Remember, the voice of the Holy Spirit will never contradict Scripture, or fulfill it.)
Do you know that the distance between the Temple Gate and the Pool of Siloam is around 70-80 yards? Almost the length of a football field.
Can you enter into this story?
You have been blind from birth. You cannot see the man who is talking to you. All you feel is this wet mud being put on your eyes. Then you are told by the man to go to the Pool of Siloam. Have you ever thought, how did the blind man know which way to walk? How did he maneuver around a crowd of thousands in order to get the pool?
I think this was really a test of obedience. Are you in this story? Jesus just put mud onto a blind guy’s eyes and told him to go wash in the pool that is 100 yards away through a crowd of thousands. (And sometimes I am put out because I just want to punch my card in the payment finder, fill my car with gas and go–and then I hear—”Dave, you see that kid. That kid over there is hungry—buy him some food.” The blind beggar is now on his way to the pool of Siloam. He is blind. Remember that.
I believe that in the same way, the gospel, the Good News that comes to us is simple— “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” It is personal; you must believe. Above all, it is a test of obedience; for the question is, “Will you believe? Will you trust Jesus?” Listen if you are hesitating, let the blind man be your guide.
If you are hesitating, you are blinder by far than the blind beggar. What did he do? He was blind, but as the old Puritan divine John Trapp quaintly observed, “He obeyed Christ blindly.”
SO WHAT?
How are you and I doing being obedient to Jesus?
The blind man could not see Jesus, but Jesus saw him. Moreover, when he saw him, he saw him as a man who needed his help. Jesus alone saw him in this way. The disciples looked at the man and saw him as a sinner. “Who sinned,” they asked, “this man or his parents?” The passersby saw him as a beggar. “Isn’t he the man who sat and begged?” The Pharisees saw him as a tool to maneuver to trap Jesus. But Jesus—well, Jesus saw him as a man who needed help, and gave him more than he asked for or dreamed of–his SIGHT.
Here we are, at that famous time of the message: SO WHAT?
What does this message have to do with me?
Where am I in this story?
I believe that there are two kinds of people in this world — GRACE STEALERS and GRACE GIVERS. Are you are grace-giver or a grace-stealer?
THIS RIGHT HERE is your homework for this week, and really forever. Every day—stop and take an inventory of who you are. Take an inventory of where you may be blind. Look at your life, your family, your neighborhood, your schools, your job, your church—and ask yourself this question: AM I A GRACE STEALER or A GRACE GIVER? And then…get ready…and hear this: JESUS IS PASSING BY YOUR WAY Today and every day.
Let us pray, “Jesus—Where we lack…help us. Where we are blind, give us sight. Where we have become grace stealers, grace destroyers, grace killers—change us…and make us more like you. Teach us how to see the truth and help the truth to set us free…free to be grace givers… like you.”
As my wife and I travel on airplanes, we always buy 4 coffee cards for the flight attendants who will be on our service. Our son taught us that simple act of kindness. Really. Think about it. That is a hard job. Anyway, we gave our card to the chief attendant who passed them out sometime during the flight. One of the attendants came up and asked if we were the gifters. She then told us when she was in training, her roommate (also in training) was on the flight on 9-11. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Thank you for writing, “We remember” with a scripture on this card. YUP. Sometimes Jesus asks things of us that we cannot comprehend. DO IT ANYWAY.
See you Sunday
God loves you and so do I,
Pastor Dave
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