Prescription for Spiritual Blindness

Can you imagine not being able to see at all? To live in total darkness? There is a story in John 9 about a man who had been blind since birth; he had no way to take care of himself other than to beg. But all that changed one day when he met Jesus… Jesus gave him sight, and in the process revealed for us the prescription for spiritual blindness (unbelief).

1. Accept Jesus’ compassion for you. (John 9:1-5)

Jesus doesn’t want anyone to live in spiritual darkness. He is the light of the world and He came so that we can see the light! Jesus was ready to reveal God’s glory by compassionately healing this man’s blindness; and He will do the same for anyone who is spiritually blind. Jesus provides for us what no one and nothing else ever will. He rescues us from spiritual darkness.

2. Follow Jesus’ command to you. (John 9:6,7)

Jesus could have healed this man with a word; why did He go to the trouble of making mud pies for his eyes? Jesus was preparing him for an act of faith. In order for the man to see, he had to faithfully follow Jesus’ command to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. The truth is, believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord requires an act of faith from us too. And with that decision comes great eternal benefits! (John 3:16)

3. Experience Jesus’ change in you! (John 9:8-12)

After following Jesus’ command, this blind man experienced radical life change! Some of the people who had known the man when he was blind couldn’t believe that this was the same man. And who could blame them? But Jesus changed this man’s life. There is nothing more inspiring than a changed life! (If you missed it, listen to the testimony from Spencer in the sermon link below).

What is the one thing that will keep us in spiritual darkness? Unbelief. Willful unbelief will keep anyone in spiritual darkness. In the balance of this chapter, we see five characteristics of willful unbelief exhibited in the response of the religious leaders to Jesus healing this man.

1) Unbelief sets unrealistic expectations. (John 9:16)

What would your reaction have been if you had seen this man healed by Jesus? I would have been astounded, amazed, thrilled for him. But when the man shared with the Pharisees how Jesus had healed him, do you know what some of them said. 16 …“This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” John 9:16. They were more concerned about Jesus breaking their Sabbath laws than him giving sight to a man who had been born blind!

2) Unbelief always wants more evidence, but never has enough. (John 9:18-20)

The religious leaders would not believe that this was the man who had been born blind, no matter what he and others said. Reminds me of a famous quote from John D. Rockefeller who at the height of his wealth owned 1% of the U.S. economy. Adjusted for inflation, he was worth $418 billion! Someone once asked Rockefeller, “How much money is enough?” He famously replied, “Just a little bit more.” Unbelief is like Rockefeller with wealth; it always wants just a little bit more evidence, but never has enough.

3) Unbelief does biased research with a closed mind. (John 9:24-25)

These men had already made up their minds; they had decided that Jesus was a “sinner.” All they needed was this guy to confirm what they had already decided was true, with absolutely no evidence. But there was one problem. This man was not willing to tell their truth; he only wanted tell what was the real truth. 25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25.

4) Unbelief rejects the truth. (John 9:26-28)

The religious leaders asked him the same question multiple times, hoping that he would give them the answer they wanted. Sounds like Einstein’s definition of insanity… “Doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.” Unbelief can seem insane when the truth is presented again and again but yet it is rejected over and over, waiting for the answer it wants. Unbelief rejects the truth.

5) Unbelief is mired in darkness. (John 9:39-41)

Jesus came to the world to save; to give sight to the blind; to offer light to a dark and blind world desperately in need of a Savior. Anyone who cries out to Him for that light will see, no longer mired in darkness. But those who reject Him will remain in their sin and guilt of unbelief.

So do you want to see? Follow the prescription for spiritual blindness and surrender your life to Christ today! For much more, click here to listen to: Light in the Darkness: Part 9.