September 4, 2022; Sunday School

Order of Service

• Sunday School Lesson — John 9:1-17
• Closing Prayer

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Sermon Title: The Man Born Blind — An Encounter with the Light of the World

Scripture: John 9:1-17

I. Background and Context

A. The sixth of seven signs in John's Gospel, chosen to demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ (John 20:30-31) B. Chapter 9 follows immediately after the confrontation in chapter 8, where Jesus declared "Before Abraham was, I am" and the Pharisees took up stones to kill him C. The man born blind had a divine appointment with Jesus despite the threat to Jesus's life D. Three purposes of suffering identified from the disciples' question in John 9:2

1. Corrective suffering
2. Constructive suffering
3. Suffering to glorify God E. In this man's case, the reason behind his suffering was not revealed until well into adulthood — Matthew Henry: "The sentences in the book of providence are sometimes long and you must read a great way before you can apprehend the sense of them"

II. The Urgency to Work — John 9:4

A. Christ's priority is work over speculation

1. Spurgeon: "The Savior has a greater respect for work than he has for speculation"
2. Jesus does not dwell on the disciples' theological question but moves to action B. The word "must" reflects the determination of Christ throughout his ministry
3. Luke 2:49 — "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
4. The encounter with Zacchaeus — "I must stay at your house today"
5. John 3:14 — "So must the Son of Man be lifted up"
6. John 10 — "Other sheep I have… them also I must bring" C. The work is a specialized work — "the works of him who sent me" — encompassing healing, teaching, preaching, rebuking, suffering, and dying D. Jesus uses "we must," including his followers in this specialized work E. A time constraint exists — "night is coming when no one can work" refers to his coming death
7. Matthew Henry: "The grave is the land of darkness and our work cannot be in the dark"
8. Richard Baxter: "I preach as though I may never preach again, and as a dying man to dying men"
9. Application: every believer must seize present opportunities, for they will not last

III. The Light of the World — John 9:5

A. This is the second occurrence of the "I am the light of the world" declaration (first in John 8:12) B. In chapter 8 the light exposed the sin of the Pharisees; here it brings new life and sight to the man in darkness C. The purpose of Christ's mission is to open blind eyes

1. Luke 4:18 — "recovery of sight to the blind"
2. Acts 26:16-18 — Paul commissioned to "open their eyes… turn them from darkness to light"
3. Revelation 3:18 — Christ counsels the church at Laodicea to "anoint your eyes so that you may see"

IV. The Miracle Itself — John 9:6-7

A. Jesus made mud with saliva and applied it to the man's eyes

1. The Creator who formed man from clay now uses clay to heal
2. Saliva also used in healing in Mark 7:33 (deaf-mute) and Mark 8:23 (blind man)
3. The true healing "eye salve" is not his saliva but his blood — the gospel that saves B. He commanded the man to wash in the Pool of Siloam, meaning "Sent"
4. The pool's waters came from the Gihon Spring and symbolized the throne and house of David, pointing to the Messiah
5. Christ himself is called the Sent One (Malachi 3:1); sending the man to Siloam was in effect sending him to Christ himself C. "He went and washed and came back seeing" — full obedience yielded complete healing

V. The Aftermath — John 9:8-17

A. Neighbors and onlookers were divided — some recognized him, others doubted

1. The man's new countenance made him almost unrecognizable
2. He settled the matter: "I am the man"
3. He gave full credit to "the man called Jesus"
4. Application: when God works in our lives we are to share it for his glory and others' encouragement — Matthew Henry: "God's favors are lost upon us when they are lost with us and go no further" B. The Pharisees interrogate the healed man
5. The healing occurred on the Sabbath — Jesus had broken Pharisaic tradition on three counts: making mud, healing, and applying saliva to eyelids
6. Jesus was not violating God's law but liberating the Sabbath from Pharisaic legalism, showing it may be used for works of necessity and mercy
7. Matthew Henry: countless blind eyes have been opened through gospel preaching on the Lord's Day
8. Under pressure the man gave a shorter, fact-based testimony — a model for believers facing opposition C. Division among the Pharisees
9. Some: "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath"
10. Others: "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"
11. God can defeat his enemies by causing division among them D. The man's growing understanding of Jesus
12. At first: "a man called Jesus"
13. After the Pharisees' interrogation: "He is a prophet" (compare the woman at the well, John 4)
14. Application: opposition and conflict can deepen and clarify our understanding of Christ
15. 2 Timothy 3:12 — "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted"
16. Philippians 1:29 — suffering for Christ's sake is granted to believers; the Holy Spirit enables us to stand