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John 9:1-41 (ESV)

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. [2] And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" [3] Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. [4] We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. [5] As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." [6] Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud [7] and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. [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." [24] So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner." [25] He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." [26] They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" [27] He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" [28] And they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. [29] We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." [30] The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. [31] We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. [32] Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. [33] If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." [34] They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?" And they cast him out. [35] Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" [36] He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?" [37] Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you." [38] He said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him. [39] Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." [40] Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" [41] Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.

“Eternal Eyes”

In the Name of Jesus Christ our life and light, Amen. The religion of Hinduism accounts for more than 13% of the world’s population or roughly 700+ million people. Most of this concentration is located in the country of India where it originates. However, modern day communications, global trade, and other interactions have bridged the gap with those who live on the other side of the world. One of the favorite terms tossed around in our culture today is a word directly derived from Hinduism called, “Karma.” As with adopting any word, you also end up absorbing its meaning. Karma teaches that if you do evil, evil will be done to you and if you do good, good will return in the same. A simpler way we hear it said is in the expression, “What comes around goes around.” Now most Americans would hardly claim to be a Hindu, but Karma certainly fits into the way many view life. When bad things happen a person typically responds, “What did I do to deserve this?” The same is also applied to others stating, “What did they do this time?”

People realize that there are evils that we willing bring upon ourselves by our wrong decisions of not doing good. On the other hand, much like Karma, such thinking tends to hold a low view of the power of evil. It tries to contain all of our troubles within the strength of man. If only we choose more of the good and not the bad our lives WILL be better. Unfortunately, our darkness is much deeper than anyone wants to admit, even for a Hindu. The disciples faced this when they asked about the blind man, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The evils of life are bigger than what man can handle no matter how healthy, smart, or how much he or she follows the rules. But rather than despair over life our savior said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus takes all the evils in our life and promises to work good by shinning on them His light of the Gospel.

The condition of the blind man changed quite dramatically after God’s Son stepped into the picture. It was a miracle. His life opened up to something totality knew that he had never known before. Since birth the man had to rely on others to direct him around in the world and look where it got him for he was left to be a beggar. However, Jesus who had just been thrown out of the temple brought His true holiness upon the one who was in need. Being the light of the world He naturally wishes to pierce the darkness of all sinful men. Of course, as the savior spat in the mud and covered the man’s eyes he did no resist such help. No one had to tell him he was blind. He already knew it and had been living with it all his life. It is why he gladly listened to Jesus’ words in faith and was lead to be washed only to return with eyes that could see everything as it was.

The advances in the modern medical field for our eyes has demonstrated how God still wishes to, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Then again, our text reveals something much greater than meeting our bodily needs. It addresses the deeper blessing of being able to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” As much as we would like to emphasize the blind man seeing. The reality is that his physical sight would later fade away in the years, but not the sight of faith that was given to him in Jesus. This is the miracle that has come to us today in baptism. The Lord has now clearly distinguished between two kinds of blindness and has kept the greater miracle of sight in the Church. Our lives were changed in hearing Jesus’ words and being brought to these holy waters. Without this touch of God’s grace, there is no sight, but only blindness. It means to be lead around by a sinful world and the devil. Baptism is our promise that Jesus has taken our evil and now works good by His light of the Gospel.

Instead of being left on the side of the road Jesus left the blind man to confess His sight before men. He would gradually come to see by the power of the Holy Spirit that all those who he thought were nice and good to him, were not who they really appeared to be. No one could handle His simple statement, “Jesus put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” His neighbors were so distraught over his words they had to bring him to the Pharisees. In turn they would not even trust his words and asked for his parents who only abandoned him to be on his own. After the third time of being asked, “How did he open your eyes?” The blind man could see that this man, this prophet, this Jesus who helped him threatened the lives of everyone else. His attitude changed from explanation to examination. Of course, plenty like to dish it out, but few can take it in return, especially those who are unwilling to have the light of the Gospel shine on their sinful lives. As a result, the man was banished once again to be a beggar, but this time it was to see his life by faith in Jesus.

We too were left by the savior to confess the faith in this world by the promise of our baptism. If anyone has ever faced up to what happened to them in these waters of grace. They have learned from experience what it means to say to someone, “I am baptized.” It is the greatest statement of faith and puts to shame those who wish to think all religions are ways to heaven and others within Christianity who want to imagine salvation in Jesus comes by our efforts. Unfortunately, few can claim to be as bold as that blind man. If our neighbors question us we quickly close our eyes to the truth that was shined in our hearts at baptism. If the proud Pharisees question our genuine life we are too slow to confess our sins and return to baptism, but join them in their hypocrisy over life. We have lost confidence in speaking God’s Word hoping there must be some other way to get through to people trading it for gimmicks, tricks, and entertainment. Yet, the Lutheran Fathers clearly state about those blinded by their sin, “It is their own fault because they heard the Word of God not to learn but only to despise, blaspheme, and ridicule it, and they resisted the Holy Spirit who wanted to work within them…” (Tappert, 629:78). As a result, we are being excommunicated out of society both in doctrine and life, but even with this apparent evil Christ promises to do good by shining on us the light of the Gospel.

Jesus heard that the blind man was rejected and returned to meet him in his loneliness. The man never really ever saw God’s Son with his eyes, but only trusted in His voice when he was healed. It is why Jesus said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.” What the blind man was given in sight by faith he would later witness with his own two eyes at Jesus’ judgment on the cross. He would see sins being forgiven, a life hidden in sacrifice, and his salvation visibly completed by Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Plenty have been baptized, but bad experiences felt by sinful actions and pressures of the world have driven many to give up on Jesus’ promise spoken to them in these waters. Yet, our savior speaks more to us than in words, but knows our situation and personally meets us. You have heard God’s promise for you in baptism, but you will only see him at the Lord’s Supper. It is at this meal where we look upon the one who truly has saved us. He shines in our deepest darkness with the brightness of His crucified body and blood from the cross underneath bread and wine. And look, we are not alone, but have been joined together around this savior to worship him by receiving what He gives in forgiveness and life.

So long as we have the properly preached Word and faithfully administered Sacrament Christ’s promise stands true for He has said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Those touched by this light find it to be a great comfort and power. They fall down as ashamed sinners with tearful repentance for what they see in their lives, but look upon Jesus in faith. He takes all the evils in our life and promises to work good by shinning on them His light of the Gospel. Amen. Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding be with your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus to life eternal, Amen.