87. The of John—9:1-7

“, the Giver of Sight”

(9/15/19)

Chapter 9 is really a continuation of chapter 8—which we have already pointed out is built around Jesus’ statement—“ the .” (v.12)

John 8:58-59 (NKJV) 58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." 59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 9:1 (NKJV) 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

Let me stop and say that in the first 7 verses of John 9 the Holy Spirit is presenting both a practical exhortation and then a spiritual application—I’d like to start with the spiritual application first.

I. The Spiritual Application

A. The Consequence of Sin—v.1-3

John 9:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

The disciples are repeating what the rabbi’s taught about sicknesses and handicaps (like blindness)—that they were all due to sin in the afflicted person’s life.

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That explanation seemed fairly satisfactory—although, it didn’t answer the question as to why, since all people are sinners, why only some sinners were afflicted with certain maladies and genetic defects, while other sinners remained healthy.

The rabbi’s explained it by saying that the reason some were afflicted with disease and handicaps while others were not was because—those afflicted were especially wicked and their sins exceptionally egregious warranting the judgment of God upon their lives.

However, where the rabbis really got into ‘hot water’ was trying to explain how babies were born sick or handicapped.

They did so by teaching that either it was the result of sin on the part of one or both of their parents—or that the baby itself sinned in the womb (prenatal sin)!

That theology was at the heart of the question that Jesus’ disciples asked Him that day—“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Now while it is true that all sickness is ultimately the result of sin (Adam’s sin)—not all sickness is brought on by some specific sin in the life of the person who is suffering.

One author made this further observation— “Like his fellow Jews, the blind man no doubt believed his handicap was a direct punishment for his own sin or that of his parents or grandparents, and that thought must have added immensely to his suffering. In his own mind and in the minds of most of the people who came in contact with him—his blindness was a vivid representation of his own sinfulness and of God’s judgment. That belief gave crippled, blind and diseased people even more reason to shun crowds.”

I have talked with people who have come to our church from Word of Faith churches, and they have told me that this thinking was very much a part of those churches. (Explain)

John 9:2-3 (NKJV) 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was

2 born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

At this point I’d like to bring up something we looked at in our study in the Book of Exodus—

Exodus 4:10-12 (NKJV) 10 Then Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 11 So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

This is an interesting and important statement by God—and one that we need to understand.

First of all, is God actually saying that He makes some people with handicaps at birth—and if so, isn’t that cruel?

Let me answer that as best as I know how—YES, that’s exactly what God is saying!

I don’t know how you can come away with any other interpretation.

Yes, God is telling Moses (and all of us) that He makes some people handicapped.

This idea is supported by our text this morning in John 9 verse 3 where, after Jesus tells His disciples that this man’s blindness wasn’t the result of any sin on his part or on the part of his parents—He then adds, that the man in question was born blind so that—"the works of God should be revealed in him.”

Or as the Amplified puts it—"he was born blind in order that the workings of God should be manifested (displayed and illustrated) in him.”

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In other words—God created this man blind so that he could bring glory to God!

“But isn’t that cruel? How can God be a good and loving God when He creates handicapped people?”

I think to say that God “creates” handicapped people is probably the wrong idea—He allows some people to be born handicapped.

Sin created handicaps, sickness and death—not God.

This is not the world God wanted for us—He made a paradise for man to live in where we were supposed to lives free of disease—forever!

It was man’s own rebellion against God that caused the Fall and brought into this world death, deformity, disease and handicaps.

But since this is the world we have brought upon ourselves—God is not against using the consequences of sin to glorify Himself so that people would know He is real and get saved. (Elaborate)

So, our first point under the spiritual application of these verses is:

A. The Consequence of Sin—v.1-3

B. The Character of the Savior—v.4-5

John 9:4-5 (NKJV) 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

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Jesus is expressing a divine imperative here—and one we’ll look at under the practical admonition portion of this study.

But for right now it’s important that we understand the character of our Savior.

The Dictionary defines character as: “the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing; one such feature or trait; characteristic.”

As we study the life of Jesus, the one trait or characteristic that best summed up His life and passion was—to glorify His Father in heaven by faithfully representing Him to the fallen people of this world and finishing the work the Father had sent His Son to do.

And what was that work—to call sinners to Himself and go to the cross to secure their salvation!

Luke 19:10 (NKJV) 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

It is no coincidence that Jesus, in expressing His passion and purpose in life (“I must work the works of Him who sent Me”), referred to Himself as “the light of the world” and then gave sight to a man born blind.

You see, it was sin that robbed man of spiritual light and plunged the human race into spiritual darkness—it was sin that imposed a spiritual blindness on man.

And Jesus, the Light of the world, came to restore our spiritual sight by bringing the light of God’s truth (the gospel) into our lives and making us new creations in Christ.

Just as God brought forth the original creation by the word of His power (Genesis 1)—He brings forth new creations (redeemed people) with His same powerful word (the gospel).

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In fact, Paul the apostle goes as far as to tell us that, even as God brought light into the physical creation (Genesis 1:3)—He also does so with each one of His new creations—

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV) 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness [original creation], who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge [God’s truth] of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [speaking about the new creation].

But again, Jesus came to set us free from slavery to the devil by bringing the light of God’s truth to those in darkness thus opening the eyes of those who were spiritually blind.

This was in fact what Jesus said to Saul of Tarsus when He commissioned him (and turned him into Paul the apostle) to go to the Gentiles with the gospel.

As Paul recounts what the Lord told him would be the description of his ministry— “[I’m sending you to the Gentiles] to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)

Jesus read from Isaiah in describing what His own ministry would be as —

Luke 4:18 (NKJV) 18 "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed (by the devil)…”

A. The Consequence of Sin—v.1-3

B. The Character of the Savior—v.4-5

C. The Commission of the Saint—v.6-7

John 9:6-7 (NKJV) 6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and

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He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the " (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

As the chapter progresses, we see this man become an ‘evangelist’ for Jesus telling others how He opened his eyes causing him to see for the first time in his life—the result was that Jesus turned him into a true worshipper (v.38).

Notice the words “Go” and “Sent” in verse 7.

They are reminiscent of the words of Christ to His Church in what we call the Great Commission—"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person.” (Mark 16:15); "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (:21)

One pastor had this to say on the subject— “This central message of Scripture pertains to the central mission of the people of God, a mission that, tragically, many Christians do not understand or are unwilling to fulfill. It seems obvious that some Christians think little about their mission in this world, except in regard to their own personal needs. They attend services and meetings when it is convenient, take what they feel like taking, and have little concern for anything else. They are involved in the church only to the extent that it serves their own desires. It escapes both their understanding and their concern that the Lord has given His church a supreme mission (the Great Commission) and that He calls every believer to be an instrument in fulfilling that mission.”

C. H. Spurgeon— “ If sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. And if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for.”

II. The Practical Exhortation

John 9:4-5 (NKJV) 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

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There are 3 key practical concepts that Jesus presents in verses 4 and 5 of this chapter—all of them revolve around God—obligation; limitation; and illumination.

The ‘illumination’ refers to Jesus being the ‘light of the world’—which we’ve already studied in our previous studies in chapter 8.

But I do want to focus on the first two:

A. Divine Obligation—v.4a

1. “I must work…” (and because Jesus is our example—so must we!)

The in general has a lot to say about Christians being servants—in fact we have been saved to serve.

Jesus said, “I did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give My life a ransom for many.” (Matt.20:28).

Even when He was still a boy He said, “I must be about My Father's business?" (Luke 2:49)

1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV) 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Titus 2:14 (NKJV) …who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Unfortunately, many Christians have grown weary in their service for the Lord—and some have even retired altogether. (David did this—and it cost him dearly—Explain)

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2. “…the works of Him who sent Me…”

In other words, Jesus said that He was operating under a divine directive—"to do the will of His Father in heaven and to finish His work.” (:34)

One of the problems in the Body of Christ is first of all—Christians who don’t want to serve.

But then there is the problem of Christians who do serve—but only for what they can get out of it.

Some of the personal benefits behind their willingness to serve in the local church includes— personal recognition; a greater sense of self-worth; a thrill; even money—none of which is a valid reason for serving.

These things turn ministry from service to God—to the service of self.

Believe it or not—there is a lot of selfish service being offered to God by many in the Body of Christ—service they’re not going to be rewarded for. (1Cor.3:12-15)

You see, when self is at the heart of service, service becomes selfish (me-centered) instead of selfless (Christ-centered)—when that happens, it isn’t really God’s work at all—it becomes ‘my work’ (doing what pleases and benefits me). What are the works of God?

1. To believe in Jesus for salvation

John 6:28-29 (NKJV) 28 Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

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2. To glorify God with our lives

John 17:4 (NKJV) 4 [Father] I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

We glorify God by first representing Him properly to this world—it’s what the Bible calls godliness (‘God-likeness’).

3. To reach the lost

Acts 20:24 (NKJV) 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

4. To serve and edify the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:15-16 (NKJV) 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

B. Divine Limitation—v.4b

The second key concept that Jesus stresses here when it comes to the work of God is that of limitation—in other words we only have a limited amount of time to serve the Lord—

John 9:4 (NKJV) 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

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1. While it is day

“Day” means the time allotted for each of us here on earth to do the work of God.

God has given each of us a certain number of days on the earth—how we use them is up to us.

Psalm 90:12 (NKJV) 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Ephesians 5:15-16a (NKJV) 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time…

As believers we are commanded to ‘redeem the time.’ (Explain)

2. The night is coming

John 9:4 (NKJV) 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

“Night” is the limit set by God to do His work—in Jesus’ case it was His coming death.

In our case, it could refer to the end of our lives or it could refer to the rapture—in either case we don’t know the exact time of either of these events—that’s why we are admonished to ‘redeem the time.’

It is interesting and important to observe that all references in the N.T. to living and working for God have to do with the urgency of the days in which we live.

The New Testament admonishes us that—

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“… the days are evil” (Eph. 5:16)

“… the fields … are … white …” (John 4:35),

“... the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37),

“… the night is coming …” (John 9:4),

“... the time is short...” (1Cor.7:29);

“... it’ time to awake out of sleep” (Rom.13:11);

“… the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8).

Jesus realized that He only had a limited time on earth to complete His ministry before He would be crucified—and He purposed to use every moment of that time in doing His Father’s work.

One author put it this way— “The Savior realized that He had about three years of public ministry before He would be crucified. Every moment of that time must be spent in working for God. Here was a man who had been blind from his birth. The Lord Jesus must perform a miracle of healing on him, even though it was the Sabbath. The time of His public ministry would soon be over, and He would no longer be here on earth. This is a solemn reminder to everyone who is a Christian that life’s ‘day’ is swiftly passing, and the ‘night’ is coming when our service on earth will be forever over. Therefore, we should use the time that is given to us to serve the Lord acceptably.”

This is a solemn reminder to everyone who is a Christian that life’s day is swiftly passing, and the night is coming when our service on earth will be forever over.

“There is only one life it will soon be past and only what is done for Christ will last.”

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