I Was Blind, But Now I See

"I Was Blind, But Now I See"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, March 2, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "I Was Blind, But Now I See"

This Morning's Scripture reading is:
John 9:1-41

This week’s long, uplifting reading from John 9:1-41 has a few places that really bother me.

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him"

One side of this is comforting – "Nobody’s being punished by this man being blind." One side really bothers me. "Blame God – this guy had to be blind until now so that he could be healed and y’all would experience what God does." Why say that? Why not just stop at "Nobody’s being punished?"

"We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; {21} but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."

Parents don’t want to get in trouble and be punished because of what their son did? Why not say, "He used to be blind, now he can see. What’s the problem with that? We think he’d tell you the same thing – why not ask him?"

"I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind."

Did Jesus come so that some would be turned away? Or is it more of an "I came to show all the people who think they get it that they really don’t get it" kind of thing?

I could get wrapped up and try to explain exactly what’s going on in those parts that bother me – showing you that I have studied and figured it all out. But the truth is that I don’t get it. Those parts of this story bother me.

But there’s more to the story than the stuff that bothers me. I don't want to simply gloss over the parts that bother me, but there's more to this passage than the things that make me go "hmmmm." I guess . . . let's keep the bothersome (at least to me) stuff in the back of our minds and let’s look at more of the passage.

This part is cool and messy.

Jesus spit on the ground and rubbed the mud he made with the spit and the dirt in this man's eyes. There was this gross, mucousy mud all over this guys face and then Jesus said "Go wash that stuff off in the pool called sent.

We can look at the mud and think, "Eeeeeew! Jesus horked up some healing for this guy. (make horking sound.) But the reality is is that others used the same method for their "healings." However, Jesus was the real thing and when the people saw that this time a blind man was healed they could have had their own blindness to the messiah taken away.

But they didn't – yet.

Instead, the trouble started brewing. The Pharisees got in on the act. They didn't like the fake healers and their mud. They didn't like the stories they were hearing about Jesus. Some of them had realized that this one was the real deal – others were not convinced. I( think they felt that it was their duty to keep this con man away from the people.

They came at the man who was healed from all angles.

"You weren't really healed Yes I was!"

"Prove it! What do you want – a note from my parents?"

"Yes."

"But you're making it impossible for them to speak their mind!"

"All right then – come clean. Confess your lies! Expose the impostor and call him a sinner"

"I don't know if he's a sinner or not – I just know that I was blind, but now I can see!"

You're really making us angry! There's no way this guy is in our God club. And you're just as bad! You're trying to tell us that he healed you and that he's not only in the God club – he's an important member. How dare you try to tell us our business. We decide who’s in "and who's out – and YOU'RE OUT!"

Jesus heard about the man’s new trouble. He told him, I’m the one – the real deal. I made it so you could see. You get it. I come to open people up. But some people are going to keep their eyes shut tight and never notice the real deal staring them right in the face.

The Pharisees didn’t like the part they overheard. And Jesus didn’t sugar coat any response. He just said that they should know better. Since, however, they were sure that they had had everything right, they were the ones who were in trouble.

Things end with our Bible reading there today. The story doesn’t of course, end there –- but for today, it’s a place where we get to start contemplating.

What do you think about the man
How about his parents?
What about the Pharisees?
How about Jesus?
If Jesus was going to heal you of something, what would it be
What kind of trouble would be the result?

If you heard about someone who had experienced healing or transformation, would you press them say that it wasn’t a God thing and instead something else happened?

There’s one that I am guilty of.

Sometimes I get really skeptical. (Sometimes?! Some would say!) I look at the Bible for things that bother me instead of things that show me the real deal. Jesus healed this man – I don’t understand it all, but I don’t need to understand it all. I can say "Thank you, God" and then shut up.

I just came back from a convention where I heard story after story of people who have encountered the real deal and have been healed, transformed, reconciled, FILLED UP.

Through the work I did, through the friendships I made, through the music I heard, sang and cried through, through the powerful words of amazing preachers I experienced healing, reconciliation, transformation – being FILLED UP.

I can’t explain it. But I left here a week ago one way. I’ve come back and I’m different. Sure there’s emotion attached to it all, but still – God did a number of me this week. I had an encounter with the real deal!

And I think that this week’s Bible reading– one that has been in the plan for a long time – is part of this amazing encounter. I think it teaches all of us that Jesus doesn’t need to follow some kind of plan we can discern or some kind of schedule we’ve tried to put him in, or fit into the model of an acceptable theological encounter. Jesus gets to transform us – heal us – reconcile us to each other – in whatever way Jesus wants to.

We can trust that God is capable to do it
We can trust that God is active and will do it
We can trust that God has shown up in the past
We can trust that God will show up in the future

We can trust that God has been, continues to and will keep being the real deal who heals, transforms and reconciles us.
We can trust – even if we don’t completely understand.
We can experience the real deal the way the blind man did – as we say, "I don’t know much – but there’s one thing I do know – I was blind, but now I see!"

Close with prayer.