John 9:1-41
Eyes to See
“Why do bad things happen to good people?” It’s a tragedy when innocent people are caught in a crossfire and die because of another’s recklessness. It’s horrible to see people die from an earthquake or other disaster. It’s tough to know that those who do good are so often rewarded with evil in their lifetime rather than many blessings which they deserve. It’s been the question that every single atheist ever poses to us Christians… trying to fix the apparent contradiction of a good God, yet living in an evil world. Does God permit evil? Why doesn’t God stop it? He’s either not good or not all powerful and thus, he’s not the God you Christians think he is. Checkmate… or so they think. In our human nature, we want to know that there’s a reason for everything. We want to believe that nothing ever happens just by chance… because that means evil might happen to me? And I’m supposed to be innocent. I haven’t done anything deserving it. But the reality is… we’re not actually seeing the world clearly if this is how we think. It’s like those times in school where the answer is staring us straight in the face and we still can’t see it. For consider what we call first article gifts. God has given us “body and soul, eyes, ears, and all our members… [also,] clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have.” You notice how no atheist mentions why they have any of these things… but only ever comments when they’re missing? For we must see this world through more than eyes.
In our Gospel lesson, we read about the miracle of Jesus giving sight to a blind man. But the reality is, that’s only half the miracle. Jesus gave this man his sight back, but he gave him so much more. He opened his eyes to see the light of the world. For so we learn today:
THE LIGHT OF CHRIST HAS TURNED OUR BLINDNESS INTO SIGHT!
I.
Jesus and his disciples had just escaped from a heated debate with the Pharisees in the temple. The Pharisees were ready to stone Jesus for his claims. However, Jesus escapes because he becomes hidden from their eyes… The irony is… It was upon leaving there that they pass by this blind man. We must understand that there’s more than one miracle happening here. The language of sight or blindness has long been used for believing or unbelief. It was thus assumed by Jesus’ disciples the reason for this man’s blindness, as we read, “And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2. Who sinned? Why did this happen to this man, Jesus? There must be a reason for God to withhold such a gift as sight. For it’s not just the disciples who think this way. This idea is prevalent still today. What goes around, comes around. You get what you deserve. Karma. This is all the same thought that anything bad in the world is a direct result or punishment for the evil you commit. So, why do bad things happen to “good” people?
As Jesus reminds us, there’s no easy explanation for all the evil in our world. It’s difficult for us to see the reason for all suffering and illness. Even as Christians, we so often try to comfort ourselves and others with the thought that “God has a reason for our suffering.” And this is true… but not always helpful. For it’s not often given to us to see or understand God’s reasoning. Nor should we believe that the reason is God’s punishment of a particular sin of ours. Consider the Pharisees in our Gospel lesson… every answer they were looking for was standing right in front of them. They questioned this man born blind twice and his parents once. Yet, they still couldn’t accept what they saw. In essence, they had become blind, as was evidenced by their statement, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner,” John 9:24. The reality is, we all have our own blindness. We were born blind in sin. We can’t see this world clearly because our perception has been warped by our selfishness, our idolatry, our own sin.
II.
For there’s more than one miracle that occurs. The blind man wasn’t the only one who couldn’t see. Yet, Jesus in his gracious visitation came to him, spitting on the ground, and anointing his eyes that his vision would be restored. This is what Jesus came for, as he says later, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind,” John 9:39. Jesus has come to open our eyes by faith. He’s come to restore our sight that we may see the Light of the world. Only in the light of Jesus can we see this world properly. For by faith, we see clearly. We see that there’s no such thing as a “good” person… the question isn’t, why do bad things happen to good people? It’s why do good things happen to us who are evil? That’s the answer we should really seek! Consider Jesus’ reply to his disciples, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him,” John 9:3. This man wasn’t blind because of his sin or another’s sin. Rather, his blindness would reveal something far greater, the grace of almighty God! That’s the answer, why do good things happen? It’s because God has chosen to display his goodness to you!
For this is the work which God chose to display. He sent Jesus into the world to be our light and grant us sight by faith. Jesus has anointed us and sent us to wash in baptism. Cleansed of our sins, we may see now with more than eyes. With these eyes, let us look to the cross. Let us not see death and defeat but the water of life flowing from Jesus’ side. For the cross is where we see the goodness of God overflowing to us and through us to the world. God has displayed such mercy and grace that it may be shown in you. For just as the man says, “We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him,” John 9:32. We know God doesn’t listen to sinners. He listens though to his Son. He listens to his redeemed children, to you, on account of Jesus who has worked such a great and good work on the cross.
By faith, we now see. Give glory to God that he has displayed in You his mighty work of salvation. Give glory to God that we may see clearly his love, his mercy, and his grace given and shed for you in Jesus own body and blood. For this is now our work… to proclaim Jesus who has given us sight. In Jesus’ name. Amen!