Faith in Jesus overcomes the darkness of doubt
Bible Passage:
John 9:1-7, 13-17- 34-39
Pastor:
Pastor Glen
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Sermon Date:
2011-03-26
The devil, the evil one or Satan began his destructive work in the Garden of Eden inserting doubt into the life of Eve about the Word and command of God. “Did God really say…? Doubt remains an appropriate weapon of choice by the devil. If the devil and his allies can get us to doubt the word and promises of God then he succeeds in getting us to doubt the love mercy and forgiveness of a giving, almighty and gracious God. He will use doubt about God and his promises in your life.
Take note of how Jesus overcomes the darkness of doubt!
In our gospel lesson the thoughts of the disciples are often thoughts that those who are afflicted may have. God is punishing me for some sin. As Jesus walked along the road, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. Jesus' disciples asked, “Teacher, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” It was simple, as far as the disciples were concerned. If something goes wrong in a person's life, that means that somebody did something wrong.
Deep down inside, we cling to that same question or conclusion. It comes to light when we suffer, when we face obstacles in life, and when we face sickness. In those moments of frustration, when we cry, "What have I done to deserve this?" In those dark moments, when we search our lives: "I must have done something wrong."
In desperate moments, when we pray, "If you take this away, God, I'll do something good." Deep down inside, we're just as stuck in this cause-and-effect thinking as Jesus' disciples were. They were only responding with what they could see, what they believed had to be the natural result, the most obvious answer.
But what was the answer from Jesus, the God almighty in human flesh; “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus said, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:3-5 The disciples asked, "Was it because he or his parents sinned?" Jesus answered, "No it wasn't! But because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him, for you."
Because of his blindness, Jesus says, you will see.
What do the disciples see when they look at the man? They see the blindness. They see a question to be answered, a problem to be solved. Do they see a person, in need? Do they see a living, breathing person, struggling to live without sight, struggling under the weight of other people's judgment, struggling with his faith life or lack of it? They saw a blind man who must have sinned or at least his parents.
What do you see in your life when you look around? Perhaps, you see an imperfect marriage partner. Perhaps, you see an insecure job or uncertain career path. Perhaps, you see too much crime and cancer and confusion in this world. Perhaps. you see a future without daily bread. Like the disciples, you’ve only seen the circumstances, but you’ve anticipated the consequences based on limited information and human understanding. When we mourn, give up and throw a pity party for ourselves we’re doing more than doubting our abilities - we’re sinfully doubting God’s abilities, and sinfully denying God’s promises. The disciples were focused on what people do or do not do for God. We’re giving up on the One for whom nothing is impossible! Keep your focus on the one who brings light and hope to our doubting darkened world.
What did Jesus do in the midst of the doubt filled questions? Having said this, he spit on the ground made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam.” So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” John 9:6,7 You would think that the cured blind man would only experience good things now that Jesus had come into his life. But the questions only continued. “ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. ‘He put mud on my eyes,’ the man replied, ‘and I washed, and now I see.’ 16 Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.’ But others asked, ‘How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?’ So they were divided. 17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, ‘What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”
The Pharisees were dedicated to keeping the Law of Moses. They confront the man born blind as liar who could not have been healed. They rejected Jesus and so they rejected any evidence of a miracle. Here's a man, blind from birth, trying to get somebody to see what has happened in his life, jumping up and down in front of the Pharisees who are supposed to know all about God and God's ways. They refused to accept Jesus. They refused to accept this miracle and thus to deny the good that happened to this blind man. They show no love or compassion for a man who life had been changed because they rejected Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. The faith of the man born blind was in a process of coming to know Jesus but he clung to the facts even when the Pharisees wanted him to reject Jesus. In the rest of the verses of John 9 the man's own parents are threatened by the Pharisees. They stick to the facts. "He was born blind. Somehow, he got his sight. We don't know anything more. Ask him, he's of legal age."
The devil wants to keep us in the darkness of doubt and false assumptions so we question God’s love for us. Jesus points us to God’s loving plan for our lives. We are not saved by our works as the Pharisees believed. We are not saved by our works as we believe in our natural goodness. We are rescued from our sin by God’s grace that is his undeserved love for wretched sinners. The only way to counteract Satan’s weapon is with the truth of His Word and promises. After the former blind man had been thrown out by the Pharisees Jesus compassion becomes personal in bringing him not only physical sight but also spiritual eyesight that is knowledge and faith in Himself. “Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. What a wonderful reminder that faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Faith in Jesus overcame the darkness of doubt. Jesus personally came back to this man to witness to him that he was his Savior.
You and I can hurt like crazy from our inner darkness, but Jesus brings light – like being trapped in a deep underground cave and seeing light at the end of a tunnel, not just a pinprick of light, but a huge hole blasted open that bathes us in the warm glow of his mercy and says, “I know you’re scared. I know you feel alone. But you don’t have to be afraid any longer. I, Jesus, am your light. My light is the complete forgiveness of all your sins. That truth bears repeating. My light is the complete forgiveness of all your sins. I’ve got my arms around you.
Have you ever picked up a picture done in embroidery, admired its beauty of colored strings woven just right, and then looked at the other side to see a tangled, confused mess? Do you ever see in your life a tangled, confused mess? But the Lord sees on the other side a perfect picture as he weaves his loving promises and perfect plans into the picture to turn out just right. And as God weaves his loving promises and perfect plans into the picture of our life during our time of grace, just as he did for this blind man – God opens our eyes to see what we need most. He opens our eyes to see his precious promises contained throughout the pages of Holy
Scripture fulfilled on the cross. God opens our eyes to see heaven open as the waters of baptism drown away our every sin. God opens our eyes to see that in Christ body and blood there is the forgiveness of sins. God opens our eyes to see Jesus the light of the world. Jesus enables us to see God and his love in all that we do and say as we live our lives filled with the light of his Word. Faith in Jesus overcomes the darkness of doubt with the light of knowing Jesus is the Light of the world.
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