The Testimony of the Blind Man Now Healed

John 9:8-27

 

INTRO: On  the day that Jesus had forgiven the adulterous woman of her sin, Jesus walks from the temple.  As He does, He sees a man who is congenitally blind, born blind.  Not only is this man blind, he is blind and he is a beggar.  Jesus does not continue on His way.  He stops, spits upon the ground, makes clay of the spittle, and anoints the eyes of the man born blind with clay.  Jesus then tells the blind man to go to the pool of Siloam, meaning Sent.  The blind man in perfect obedience goes to the pool, washes the clay from his eyes, and comes seeing.  It is not the clay that healed the blind man.  No, it was obedience to the Word of Jesus.  Friends, it is obedience to the Word of God that saves sinners.  We must come to Jesus, the one sent from God that saves sinners.  We must come to Jesus, the one sent from God, to be saved (Rm 10:9, 13).  “That if thou shall confess.....”

Now the man who was blind goes home, goes back to his neighborhood; and there, he with courage testifies for Jesus.

 

I.        VSS 8-12, THE COURAGEOUS CONFESSION OF THE BLIND MAN

A.       Vs 8, The blind man is no longer blind.  He can see the rose; he can see the sun in the sky.  He can see the face of his mother and dad.

1. When the blind man entered the old neighborhood where he had grown up, the folks knew something was different, something happened.  His appearance was different.  He was a changed man.

2. This is a picture of the work of grace wrought within a soul.  When a person is born again, something real happens.  Something so real that the neighbors see it; it can not be concealed (II Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ....”

B.       Vs 9, The neighbors were saying: “Is not this he that sat and begged?” (Vs 8).  The answers we find here are answers of affirmation, doubt, and surprise.

1. “Some said, This is he: others said He is like him [or looks like him].”

2. This is a beautiful picture of the new birth and the two natures.

a. At the new birth, the man who is dead in trespasses and sins in made alive.  He is a new creature in Christ, yet he is still the same man only changed (Jn 5:24).

b. As long as we live in this body, we will have two natures.

1- The old nature is not destroyed, but a new nature is imputed.  Feed the new nature.

2- When a person is born again, some will say yes that’s the man I know; and others say he’s different, something has changed.  This is the fact of the two natures.

3- One day we’ll only have one nature, a nature of holiness for: “We shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”

C.      Vs 10, The neighbors wanted to know what had happened to this man.  Here is his opportunity to witness for Jesus to tell his friends what great things the Lord hath done (Mk 5:19).  This is what God’s children need to do.

D.      Vs 11, Here the blind man gives testimony of how he received his sight.  His testimony is simple and honest.

1. Note carefully that his man does not mention that Jesus had made clay of spittle.  Why doesn’t he mention this?  Simply because he didn’t know it.  He was still blind when Jesus did this.  So his testimony begins at the anointing of his eyes.

2. This man didn’t know much about Jesus.  He probably had never heard Him preach.  What he did know, he testified of.

3. You don’t need to know all about Jesus to be saved; you must simply take Him at His Word.  You don’t have to be a  theologian.

4. Sinner friend, do what the blind man did.  Obey.  “A man that is called Jesus.”  “He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (Mt 11:28)

E.       Vs 12, What this man knew, he knew.  What he didn’t know, he admitted readily he didn’t know.             

1. There are some things that this man knew.

a. He knew that Jesus had passed his way.  He was a beggar who was fortunate enough to have had Jesus come His way.

b. I was a beggar, bankrupt before God.  I don’t know much, but I know that Jesus passed my way.

2. He did not know where Jesus had gone, but he knew where Jesus had been because he was there.  There are a lot of things I don’t know, but I do know that Jesus came my way and saved me.

“One set alone beside the highway begging.  His eyes were blind the light he could not see.  He clinched his rags and shivered in the shadow.  Then Jesus came and bide his darkness flee.”

 

II        VSS 13-17, THE PHARISEES EXAMINE THE BLIND MAN

A.       Vs 13, The beggar who had testified before his neighbors now is brought before the Pharisees to testify.

1. Those who knew Him realized that a miracle had taken place.  Those who knew me know it took a miracle.

2. The Pharisees had been telling people that Jesus was a deceiver, but the people saw the man who had been a blind beggar now made whole.

a. The Sanhedrin had made a rule that anyone who confessed Christ would be expelled from the synagogue.

b. The hatred of these religious leaders toward Jesus was intense.

3. But, what would they do now?

a. Didn’t this miracle speak louder than the decision of the Sanhedrin.

b. Let the man be brought to them.  Let them hear his story from his lips.

B.       Vs 14, Making clay on the Sabbath day was against the rules of the Pharisees.  Also, it was not permissible to heal on the Sabbath unless it was an emergency.  Jesus had done a miracle on the Sabbath, and this caused them to boil.

C.      Vs 15, The man had first been questioned by his neighbors. Now he is questioned by the Pharisees.

1. This man did not hesitate in answering the Pharisees.  He was not ashamed of what had happened to him nor was he ashamed of Jesus.

2. This reminds us of Paul who loved to tell about what happened to him on the road to Damascus. (Rm 1:16)

D.      Vs 16, Certain of the Pharisees claim that Jesus is not God because He had healed on the Sabbath day.

1. Not all the religious leaders branded Jesus a wicked man because He had healed the blind man on the Sabbath.

2. “Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?”

a. Could it be that Nicodemus is the one who led this group?

b. In John three, Nicodemus was convinced that the miracles that Jesus did were of God, and that God was with Him.

E.       Vs 17, Hoping to get a damaging statement from the man whose eyes had been opened, the Pharisees asked: “What sayest thou of Him, that he hath opened thine eyes?”  Readily he answers: “He is a prophet.”

1. This is not the answer that certain of the Pharisees wanted.

2. A prophet is a mouthpiece for God.  A prophet is God’s man.  Jesus is more that God’s man; He is the God man.

 

III       VSS 18-27, THE INTERROGATION OF THE PARENTS

A.       Vs 18, In an effort to disprove the miracle, the Pharisees call for the man’s parents in hopes that they will say something that will be damaging to the blind man’s testimony.

B.       Vs 19, Pink calls this a desperate move by the unfriendly Pharisees call for the man’s parents in hopes that they will say something that will be damaging to the blind man’s testimony.

C.      Vs 20, The parents acknowledge that this is their son, and that he was born blind.

D.      Vs 21, The parents lie for they do know how their son received his sight.  He had told the whole neighborhood about it.

1. The parents showed cowardice.

2. The parents passed the buck.

3. What our homes need are parents that will stand for right no matter what the consequences (vs 22).  “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

E.       Vs 22, The Bible says: “The fear of man bringeth a snare.”  These parents feared man more than God.

1. Instead of rejoicing at their sons healing; they cower.

2. Here was an opportunity to boldly confess their gratitude to Christ.  Instead, the fear of man freezes their tongues.  They did not want to be cut off from the synagogue.

3. Many folks today do not want to live for Christ because it will cut them off from certain activities.

F.       Vs 23, Fearing the pain of being cut off religiously, socially, and economically, the parents refuse to help their son.  He must stand alone.  There comes a time when every believer must stand alone for truth.   Senior– dope, alcohol, immorality, etc.

G.      Vs 24, The phrase, “Give God the praise,” means tell the whole truth and is based upon Joshua 7:19.

1. No matter what anybody said, Jesus was a sinner in the eyes of these leaders.

2. No matter what Jesus had done, they would not believe.  Some people would not believe even if the rich man came from hell.

H.      Vs 25, The blind man gives a bold witness for Christ. 

1. He refuses to discuss the question as to whether Jesus is a sinner or not.  This was beside the point to him.

2. His bold answer is the answer that has been given again and again by believers: “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind now I see.”

a. All of the saved can sin with John Newton, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see.”

b. When I was saved, I didn’t know all about Him, but I knew what He did for me.

c. “It is the simple fact of Christian experience that many people may not be able to put into theologically correct language what they believe Jesus to be, but in spite of that they can witness to what Jesus has done for their souls.  Even when we cannot understand with our intellect, we can still fell with our hearts.  It is better to love Jesus than to love theories about him (Barclay 54).

I.        Vs 26, Having nothing else to do, they go back to the questions previously asked hoping to cross him up.

J.       Vs 27, He had already told them what had happened, and they would not accept it.  These Jews had no intention of becoming disciples of Christ, but the door is left ajar.  It is open for you– Jesus is the Door. (Jn 5:40)