{"id":57,"date":"2016-06-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-06-03T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/2016\/06\/03\/sunday-30th-march-2014-can-you-see-clearly\/"},"modified":"2016-06-03T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-06-03T00:00:00","slug":"sunday-30th-march-2014-can-you-see-clearly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/2016\/06\/03\/sunday-30th-march-2014-can-you-see-clearly\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday 30th March 2014 &#8211; Can you see clearly?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"paragraph\" style=\"text-align:left;\">Use the player to hear this week&#8217;s homily.<\/div>\n<div class=\"wsite-html5audio\"><audio id=\"audio_415486718906598148\" style=\"height: auto;\" class=\"wsite-mejs-align-left wsite-mejs-dark\" src=\"https:\/\/theword-this-week.weebly.com\/\/uploads\/4\/1\/5\/2\/4152650\/sermon_lent_4a.mp3\" preload=\"none\" data-autostart=\"no\" data-artist=\"Rev Daryl\" data-track=\"Lent 4a - preached HT Dubbo Vigil Eucharist 29-3-14\"><\/audio><\/div>\n<div class=\"paragraph\" style=\"text-align:left;\"><strong>The Word This Week:<\/strong><br \/><span><br \/><span>4th Sunday in Lent<br \/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"\">\n<li style=\"\"><a style=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu\/texts.php?id=27#hebrew_reading\">1 Samuel 16:1-13<\/a>\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li style=\"\"><a style=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu\/texts.php?id=27#psalm_reading\">Psalm 23<\/a>\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li style=\"\"><a style=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu\/texts.php?id=27#epistle_reading\">Ephesians 5:8-14<\/a>\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li style=\"\"><a style=\"\" href=\"http:\/\/lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu\/texts.php?id=27#gospel_reading\">John 9:1-41<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span><strong>Thoughts on the Word:<\/strong><br \/><\/span><br \/><span><\/span><strong>John 9     (NRSV)<br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span><br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span>As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, \u2018Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?\u2019 Jesus answered, \u2018Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God\u2019s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.\u2019 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man\u2019s eyes, saying to him, \u2018Go, wash in the pool of Siloam\u2019 (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, \u2018Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?\u2019 Some were saying, \u2018It is he.\u2019 Others were saying, \u2018No, but it is someone like him.\u2019 He kept saying, \u2018I am the man.\u2019 But they kept asking him, \u2018Then how were your eyes opened?\u2019 He answered, \u2018The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and  said to me, \u201cGo to Siloam and wash.\u201d Then I went and washed and received  my sight.\u2019 They said to him, \u2018Where is he?\u2019 He said, \u2018I do not know.\u2019 <br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span><br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span>\u00a0They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight.  He said to them, \u2018He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.\u2019 Some of the Pharisees said, \u2018This man is not from God, for he does not  observe the sabbath.\u2019 But others said, \u2018How can a man who is a sinner  perform such signs?\u2019 And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, \u2018What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.\u2019 He said, \u2018He is a prophet.\u2019 <br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span><br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span>\u00a0The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received  his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his  sight and asked them, \u2018Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?\u2019 His parents answered, \u2018We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened  his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.\u2019 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, \u2018He is of age; ask him.\u2019 <br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span><br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span>\u00a0So for the second time they called the man who had been blind,  and they said to him, \u2018Give glory to God! We know that this man is a  sinner.\u2019 He answered, \u2018I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.\u2019 They said to him, \u2018What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?\u2019 He answered them, \u2018I have told you already, and you would not listen.  Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his  disciples?\u2019 Then they reviled him, saying, \u2018You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.\u2019 The man answered, \u2018Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.\u2019 They answered him, \u2018You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?\u2019 And they drove him out. <br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span><br \/><span style=\"\"><\/span>\u00a0Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, \u2018Do you believe in the Son of Man?\u2019 He answered, \u2018And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.\u2019 Jesus said to him, \u2018You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.\u2019 He said, \u2018Lord, I believe.\u2019 And he worshipped him. Jesus said, \u2018I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.\u2019 Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, \u2018Surely we are not blind, are we?\u2019 Jesus said to them, \u2018If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, \u201cWe see\u201d, your sin remains. <\/strong><br \/><span><br \/><span>  Let us pray \u2013 In the name of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit.<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  This week our Gospel an account provides us with some clear distinctions between those who can see, and those who are blind.\u00a0 Now of course at the start of the passage we see Jesus bring healing to a man who is physically blind, a wonderful miracle which defies the laws of nature as we understand them, but as we shall see this is not the greatest miracle of this Gospel passage.\u00a0 We see a great contrast however when we look to what Jesus does <strong><em normal>not<\/em><\/strong> achieve in this passage \u2013 He does not cure the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees \u2013 they remain unable to see Jesus for who he truly is, they continue to reject him.<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  OK so let us look a little deeper at our passage.\u00a0 We begin with the blind man.\u00a0 The disciples ask Jesus who\u2019s sin caused this man to be born blind \u2013 his own sin or that of his parents\u2026 They ask this because the prevailing view of the time was that anyone who was suffering any form of disability was suffering under the judgement of God \u2013 which of course meant that they were sinners who deserved this \u2013 or in the case of a child born with a disability, it could have been because of the sins of the parents\u2026 Jesus is clear in his response \u2013 this man\u2019s condition was not caused by sin, that is not how God works, while there are consequences to sin, God does not mete out physical punishment in this world \u2013 rather the consequence of sin is separation from God, death and eternal separation \u2013 what we call hell, but for us who have placed our hope and faith in Christ these consequences no longer apply, for they have been dealt with by Christ\u2019s sacrifice.\u00a0 <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  So, no this man was not being punished for sins, he was born to be someone<em> in<\/em> whom God\u2019s works might be revealed.\u00a0 It is important to look at that statement \u2013 God\u2019s work is to be revealed <em normal>in<\/em> this man \u2013 the place where the real work of God is going to be effective in this man is not through the external healing of a physical disability, as amazing and profound as such a miracle is. Rather God\u2019s work will be revealed <em>in him. <\/em>We will come back to that a little later.<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  Now I want us to look at what happens after that amazing physical miracle \u2013 The Pharisees enter the story now, seemingly looking for information about who this Jesus character is.\u00a0 The trouble is that they start their search for answers about Jesus, by blindfolding themselves.\u00a0 You see many Pharisees show us that they have already decided that this man couldn\u2019t be from God \u2013 they say \u2018This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.\u2019. The Pharisees have established in their own mind what God is like and how people who are \u2018true believers\u2019 should behave and live.\u00a0 Anyone who doesn\u2019t conform to the standard that they have set for God, anyone who fails to meet their expectations about observation of laws and regulations is clearly not from God \u2013 they are clearly sinners.<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  Now lets be clear, the Pharisees were not just being good Jews following the Old Law \u2013 they had developed their own interpretations and regulations regarding the Law, and overlaid these on top of it.\u00a0 Their interpretation of the Sabbath law was a clear example of this\u2026 they were incapable of seeing the true intent of the Sabbath as established in the Old Covenant , because they had veiled it, covered it up with their own expectations about what was right and just.\u00a0 Because they had veiled their eyes with their own prejudices and their own expectations, they were incapable of seeing that the point of the Sabbath was to allow us to reflect on God\u2019s glory, to give us rest in the arms of God. When confronted over a separate issue around the Sabbath in Mark 2 Jesus says that the Sabbath was made for man \u2013 not man for the Sabbath. <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  The Pharisees had lost sight of this truth,\u00a0 they couldn\u2019t see that Jesus healing this man of his blindness on the Sabbath, brought glory to God.\u00a0 All they could see was the failure to meet their own expectations.\u00a0 I wonder brothers and sisters how often we blind ourselves to the Glory of God because we have set our own expectations, and placed our own veils over our eyes. Just as the Pharisees placed their own expectations and limitations on the Old Covenant, Christians can run the risk of placing our own limitations on God. <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  An argument I have often heard from people who reject God is : well I just can\u2019t believe in a God who would send people to hell\u2026 Some Christians have bought into this and have started teaching that hell doesn\u2019t exist, or that it is temporary\u2026 they have overlaid their own expectations and their own view of what is \u2018just\u2019 and \u2018right\u2019 over what has been revealed to us in scripture.\u00a0 Others just have decided that they don\u2019t like the writings of St Paul \u2013 because Paul is too big on laying down moral expectations\u00a0 &#8211; they proclaim that they will just stick to the words of Jesus \u2013 and forget Paul\u2026 Others have decided that they just can\u2019t accept that Jesus really rose from the dead \u2013 that doesn\u2019t happen after all \u2013 it must be just a theological device, to help s to understand Jesus lives on through us\u2026 Really?!\u00a0 Using the Gospel account we read today, some say that this blind man wasn\u2019t really cured \u2013 after all miracles like that don\u2019t happen\u2026 it must be just a fictional narrative used to tell show us that Jesus is from God \u2026 <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  Brothers and sisters there are many many more examples and they are all examples of how we can blind ourselves to God acting in the world, and prevent Him from acting in us.\u00a0 Did you note that all of these positions I just outlined start from the position of overlaying our own expectations and placing our own limitations on God?\u00a0 Pauls instructions about morals don\u2019t need to be obeyed because they don\u2019t fit with my understanding of the world\u2026 the resurrection couldn\u2019t have been a real event because in MY experience that sort of thing doesn\u2019t happen \u2013 neither does the spontaneous healing of blind people so all the miracles must be false\u2026 <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  Brothers and sisters God is NOT subject to our expectations and limitations! He is the creator of the entire universe! Just like the Pharisees, who couldn\u2019t see God\u2019s glory being exposed right in front of them, being spiritually blinded by their own expectations and rules with which they had veiled the old testament scriptures, we become spiritually blinded when we start to overlay our own conditions, expectations and limitations on God. <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  Now I am not saying that we shouldn\u2019t read the bible in its correct context, I am not saying that we shouldn\u2019t seek to understand what it meant to original audience, these things are important! What I am saying is that when we do that, when we study scripture and find there are difficult teachings, or things with which we struggle, we can\u2019t just overlay our own rules and expectations onto that, or choose to ignore that bit.\u00a0 When we do that we place our own limited flawed human understanding above the revealed Word of God \u2013 and by doing that we veil our hearts to His message, we erect barriers between us and God \u2013 we become spiritually blind just like the Pharisees. <br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  But what of the miracle that was even greater than giving the blind man back his sight? The greatest miracle is that when Jesus sought the man out after he had been chastised by the Pharisees, he handed himself over to Christ.\u00a0 When given the opportunity to \u2018believe in the \u2018Son of Man\u2019, this fellow doesn\u2019t start laying down his own rules and expectations \u2013 he doesn\u2019t place limitations on his belief \u2013 he simply says tell me who he is, so that I might believe! When he hears that it is Jesus, again he doesn\u2019t lay down a contract for belief, he doesn\u2019t try to overlay his own understandings and expectations about what this \u2018Son of Man\u2019 should be like to be worthy of him \u2013 no he simply said \u2018Lord I believe\u2019, and worshipped Him.\u00a0 The great miracle is that the one born blind in this story was the one who in the end could see clearly, while the Pharisees \u2013 those who should have been able to see, were stumbling blindly.\u00a0 God\u2019s work was revealed <em>in <\/em>the man born blind as he was transformed and became a member of the Kingdom.<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  I finish this week with a challenge for you. I want you to examine your faith \u2013 I want you to decide if your faith is like that of the man born blind, who despite being laboured with this disability for much of his life was able to see clearly, about the most important thing each of us face, his relationship with God. Or are you stumbling around in the dark, spiritually blind, placing your own expectations and limitations on your relationship with God?<br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  If we find ourselves in the Pharisees camp, we need to lay aside those things which prevent us from full and vivid relationship with God.\u00a0 We need to make a choice to accept God as He reveals Himself, and when things trouble us, when we don\u2019t understand, we need to look to God for answers through prayer and study \u2013 and not simply overlay our own limitations or expectations on the one who is creator and sustainer of the universe. <br \/><span><br \/><span><br \/><span>The Lord be with you.<br \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span>  <\/p>\n<p><span><\/span><br \/><span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><!--[if gte mso 9]>     Normal   0               false   false   false      EN-AU   X-NONE   X-NONE                                                                                                     <![endif]--><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Use the player to hear this week&#8217;s homily. The Word This Week:4th Sunday in Lent 1 Samuel 16:1-13\u00a0 Psalm 23\u00a0 Ephesians 5:8-14\u00a0 John 9:1-41 Thoughts on the Word:John 9 (NRSV)As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, \u2018Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/2016\/06\/03\/sunday-30th-march-2014-can-you-see-clearly\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Sunday 30th March 2014 &#8211; Can you see clearly?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=57"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewordthisweek.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}