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Sermon Introduction

Jesus healed a man born blind. But before the healing, the disciples asked who sinned, the parents or the man. Jesus answered that neither, but so that He can display the work of the Father. Such has been a consistent theme in the Gospel. According to John, the work of Jesus was meant to glorify His Father. But despite the miraculous act of God, which, by any standards, was amazing, some people leaned on legalism.

Ed Pilapil Jr.
Senior Pastor

John 9:8-23

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know”. 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet”. 18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him”.

Notes

Jesus healed a man born blind. But before the healing, the disciples asked who sinned, the parents or the man. Jesus answered that neither, but so that He can display the work of the Father. Such has been a consistent theme in the Gospel. According to John, the work of Jesus was meant to glorify His Father. But despite the miraculous act of God, which, by any standards, was amazing, some people leaned on legalism.

1. Confirmation

   The neighbors wondered if it was the blind man they knew; some said it was a look-a-like. But the man claimed that he was the blind man, then proceeded to narrate how Jesus healed him. The neighbors asked the whereabouts of Jesus, but the man said he did not know.

   
   8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know” (John 9:8-12).

   
   

2. Challenge

   Those who knew the man brought him to the Pharisees because the healing occurred on a Sabbath. They questioned him, and the man repeated his account of what happened. The Pharisees stated that the healer is not from God because of the Sabbath. But the Jews were divided.

   
   13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet” (John 9:13-17).

3. Harassment

   The religious leaders did not believe the narrative until they confirmed with the parents. The parents answered cautiously because there was a threat of excommunication from the synagogue if they said that Jesus was the Messiah.

   
   18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him” (John 9:18-23).

Application

1. Confirm the Lord’s work

   We must confirm our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. How? Speaking about His work on earth centered on His suffering, death, and resurrection. We should speak of the work of His grace in our lives.

2. Face every challenge

   There will be those who will not believe the message that we echo, but we must face every challenge. We may not convince everyone, but we must explain the gospel clearly. In the process of explaining, some who listen might believe.

3. Expect harassment

   Challenges to the gospel are expected, but let us prepare for the worst things: harassment and perhaps even persecution. But despite the harassment, we must remain faithful to the gospel.

Reflection & Discussion

1. How did the man answer when asked, how were your eyes opened?

2. Why did they bring him to the Pharisees?

3. What did the parents fear?