Healing the Man Born Blind II

 John 9:24-41 9/14/2025
On Wednesday, my daughter Katherine called me and asked if I knew that Charlie Kirk had been shot.
My first response, I am embarrassed to say, was “Who?”
She explained, and then I remembered who it was that she was speaking about.
I have known about Charlie Kirk largely as the founder of TurningPoint USA. He was that.
What I did not know was what a significant figure he was among those in their 20s, like my daughter.
Actually, he has been quietly influential throughout our nation for most of the past 9 years.
Then I learned that he had died, and I began doing my research,
because it seemed that this was shaking the nation. And shake the nation it has.
I read things Charlie wrote. I listened to things he said. I read what people said about him.
I learned that Charlie Kirk loved to debate with liberals, with anyone, about ideas, political and religious.
More than that, I learned that Charlie was an evangelist. He talked about Jesus everywhere he went.
This summer, Charlie had been asked how he wanted to be remembered.
He answered, “I want to be remembered for courage and my faith.”
Satan wanted Charlie dead because he was such an effective evangelist. So, I wrote a tribute to Charlie.
You will find my tribute on our church website where I post daily devotions. I won’t read it now.
After this tribute went out, I have had a few responses. Things people have said to me in person.
One person told me, “You know I didn’t agree with Mr. Kirk about everything, because I am not religious.
“But I appreciate how he made me think about stuff. He respected everyone. I’m sad he’s gone.”
Another person asked me, “It’s bad that he got killed, but why is this such a big deal?”
I’d like to respond to that question because it is an important one.
What is it about political or religious assassinations that makes the event more serious than other murders?
Why did the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. shake our nation to the core?
Why is this moment so similar, though for different people and in different ways?
Many of you already know.
It is because our nation is built upon a simple idea, in response to how other nations have gone.
It is the idea that instead of killing one another, we can openly talk about our ideas, and even disagree.
And after discussion and argument we can go to the polls and vote. No one dies.
This is the American experiment, untried until we did it.
It is built upon the teaching of Jesus that every person is valuable and ought to be respected.
And this assassination strikes at the foundation of this value of free speech instead of violence.
Principled speaking is the opposite of violence, and this was violence intended to silence free speech.
It comes out of a desire to protect lies from the truth. In our society, it is the worst kind of crime.
But notice how the supporters of Charlie Kirk responded after he was intentionally murdered.
They did not riot, beat people in the streets, overturn police cars, or burn down neighborhoods.
They cried. They prayed. They spoke. They talked about free speech and about Jesus.
So, I bring to you a message from John 9, actually mostly written before Charlie Kirk was assassinated.
However, it is essentially a message that he presented often in diverse ways.
It is time for you to trust Jesus, and see the truth.
We continue the story in John 9:24 after Jesus has healed a man blind from birth.
As we know from John’s Gospel already, this sort of action is not unusual for Jesus.
He would heal people, and he would often heal them on the Sabbath.
Jesus was provocative in his ministry, and He surely knew that the Jews would be bothered by this healing.
We know from what we read last week in John 9 that they were bothered that He did this on the Sabbath.
We know that they were bothered because they want to paint Jesus as a sinner.
Typically, sinners don’t heal people.
They were bothered because Jesus has been presenting Himself as close to the Father, even God Himself.
They were bothered because Jesus disagreed with them and was more effective than them.
That drove them nuts because of their pride and desire for power.
And, so, as people do, they wanted to kill Jesus. We have seen this ugly aspect of human nature this week.
So the Jewish leaders question the man whom Jesus had healed.
They ask how Jesus did it. The man tells them.
They ask where Jesus is. The man doesn’t know. He never saw Jesus. He had been blind.
They talk to the man’s parents, “Is this your son? How is it that he sees?”
The parents tell them to ask their son, he’s old enough.
They hassle this poor guy just as they have been hassling Jesus, because they are committed to their lies.
But Jesus is not quitting, not kissing up to them, not apologetic for speaking the truth.
Just as for 2,000 years those who love Jesus have not quit, kissed up, or apologized for the truth.
Because, it is time today for every person to trust Jesus and see the truth.
So, now we look at our example and our Savior Jesus Christ,
even as those who hate Him are trying to figure Him out. They are discussing who He might be.
I. “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” John 9:24-34
They bring in the man whom Jesus had healed to talk to him a second time.
Their challenge now, “Give glory to God, this man is a sinner.”
The implication is clear. Only God can heal people. We all know this.
So you should say that God healed you so God gets the glory. Stop saying that Jesus healed you.
Then this formerly blind man speaks one of the great insightful statements of all time. (vs. 25)
“Though I was blind, now I see.” Wow. No one can argue with that!
And the Pharisees are at a loss. What can you say to that?
So I want to take a moment to point out how important it is for you to say essentially the same thing to people.
It is difficult to talk about Jesus sometimes for some of us.
We wonder if we might not say something right.
We fear questions that we might be asked, and then we won’t know how to answer.
Maybe we will try to find something in the Bible, and we won’t know where to find it.
But when you just tell people what Jesus has done in your life, what can they say?
When you say, more or less, “I don’t know everything, but I know this, Though I was blind, now I see.”
There can be no real rebuttal. And you leave someone to think about Jesus.
Your personal testimony about how Jesus has worked in your life is so important to share.
Charlie Kirk said recently, “I pray for every single person to be able to find the same sort of redemption and
meaning and connection that I have had, have right now. There’s a great comfort in actually knowing that
you’re completely and totally depraved and an awful person and knowing that you have to accept a savior
because of that. It’s actually the most comforting thing in the world.”
Well, they don’t much appreciate what this formerly blind man has told them. (vss. 26-27)
The man is clearly mocking their disingenuousness. He can tell that they are not after the truth.
So they mock him. (vs. 28)
Mockery is the refuge of the non-thinker. When you cannot handle an idea, you make fun of it.
In verses 28-29 these Pharisees brag about their fidelity to Moses.
In response, the man healed of his blindness now gives the Pharisees a little lesson. (vss. 30-33)
It is a lesson with a quite simple message. The man who healed me must be from God.”
They are not interested and so they throw him out of the Temple. (vs. 34)
Next, Jesus finds the man whom He has healed, and asks him a question.
II. “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” John 9:35-38
This is the most important question that this man will ever have to answer.
It is the most important question for you as well.
The answer to this question will determine your eternal destiny.
The “Son of Man” is Jesus’ favorite self-designation. It is how He most often refers to Himself.
It is a Messianic title originating in Daniel 7 describing the one to who God has given all authority.
Daniel 7:13-14 This is the Messianic King in His glory, ruling over the earth.
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
This formerly blind man knows Daniel enough to know who Jesus is talking about.
What he doesn’t know is what everyone has been wondering for 400 years. Who is the Son of Man?
That is why he asks the obvious question of verse 36.
But he does not simply ask who the Son of Man is.
He asks so that he can believe. This is a man who wants to believe in his Messiah.
There are many people who say that they are interested in God.
People will say that they are searching for God, for the truth, for answers to the meaning of life.
People have conditional belief, “God, if You do what I want, then I will believe in You.”
This man is having none of that. He is ready to believe in his Messiah, whoever it might be.
Which makes absolute, logical sense.
If God appoints a Messiah, a King, a Savior, well that is good enough for me.
Thus, when Jesus identifies Himself as Messiah (vs. 37), the man believes and worships Him. (vs. 38)
You only worship God. Jesus is God Himself. This man who was blind can see that.
Who do you believe in?
You gotta believe in someone or something.
I’d recommend the someone because the something won’t care about you.
Money doesn’t care about you.
Power doesn’t care about you.
A philosophy doesn’t care about you.
A political party won’t care about you.
A country won’t care about you.
So who do you believe in? In whom do you trust?
Yourself? You will fail at some point.
Even if you are really competent and successful, someday you’ll get old and infirm.
You might not even be able to think clearly at some point.
Who do you believe in? In whom do you trust?
Taylor Swift? I’ve heard about that person. He plays for the Chiefs and must be really fast.
A politician? Trump? He’s going to be 80 soon, and likes McDonalds. Won’t be around much longer.
Who is there in this old world that is worth trusting?
Who or what is there that is worth worshipping? We all worship something.
Who do you believe in?
No one compares to Jesus. He died for you and rose from the grave.
He is alive forevermore. And He knows you and cares about you. Who else is like that?
He heals the sick and cares for the poor. He sustains those who grieve and protects those in distress.
Who else is like that?
Sure, you cannot see Him now. But someday you will. That is what faith means.
Do you believe in the Son of Man?
Jesus next turns his attention to those who do not believe.
Apparently, they have been listening in on the conversation. And now Jesus has words for them.
III. If you think you can see, you are really blind. John 9:39-41
Now we really get into Jesus’ use of blindness as a metaphor.
He is now using the healing of the blind man, physical blindness, to talk about spiritual blindness.
To be physically blind is to live in physical darkness. One cannot see the world around you.
To be spiritually blind is to live in spiritual darkness. One cannot see the truth around you.
It is there. God is there. God’s laws are there, for you and for everyone else. You just cannot see any of it.
To be spiritually blind is to believe lies about yourself, God, reality, sin, righteousness, heaven and hell.
You cannot see the truth about these things, so you believe lies.
And when you believe lies, you live according to those lies.
Jesus says in verse 39, “for judgment I came into this world.”
How does this work?
Well, Jesus is now on the scene. He is present.
And because He is there, here, people are forced to choose, to decide.
Their decision about Jesus shows with clarity where they really are with God.
Their decision shows whether they can see spiritually or are spiritually blind.
Do they believe in the Son of Man? Everything depends upon their answer to this question.
And the Pharisees know what Jesus is speaking about, and they know He is speaking about them.
You can tell that they know because of the question they ask in verse 40.
Now we get to Jesus’ answer in verse 41, and the ironic reversal of this world’s thinking.
In this world people think that those who can see clearly, about themselves, issues, religion, politics, whatever...
Are those who are smart, educated, experienced… they are the pundits sitting in front of their books.
But no. Jesus says something different and deeply insightful.
“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”
This requires some thoughtful meditation.
Just what is Jesus saying, and to whom?
Well, He is clearly speaking to the Pharisees. And what is their problem?
They look at themselves and they see people who are not sinners.
“I mean, sure,” they might say, “We are not perfect, but we are good people.”
“We are on God’s side. We obey the Law of Moses.”
You could put in here any other idea of self-assessed righteousness.
“We care about the planet.”
“We care about poor people and organize so that they can be fed.”
“We don’t smoke or drink or vape or gamble or mess around with women or men.”
“We don’t spend money and borrow irresponsibly like all those other people.”
“We don’t judge people and if we do sometimes, well then they really deserve it.”
If you look at yourself and come away thinking, “I’m a good person who is thereby qualified for heaven.”
If you think that way, Jesus says that you are blind.
But, if you can look at yourself and recognize your own blindness, then you are beginning to see clearly.
If you can understand that your only hope to see clearly in this world is for God to help you, that is the truth.
If you can pray, “Jesus, I cannot see You. Please open my eyes.” That is seeing clearly.
Proverbs tell us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7)
This is why our institutions of higher learning are now such a mess.
There is no fear of the Lord, therefore no knowledge, only darkness, blindness.
They think they can see, so they are truly blind.
This is why our whole society seems so lost, where we call evil good and good evil.
There is no fear of the Lord, no humble repentance, no crying out to God for help to cure our blindness.
Proverbs tells us, “Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
We think we know enough about God.
We think we are righteous enough for God.
We think we do not need to learn from Jesus.
We think we do not need Him to open our eyes to the truth.
And so we are fools. Like these Pharisees.
The only think we can do is humbly cry out to God for help and turn to Jesus and say,
“Who are You Lord, that I may believe in You, and see?”