| March 18, 2007
You are welcome to reflect on this message
John’s story of the man-born-blind is a 1‑act play in 6 scenes. With 12 disciples, a bunch of neighbors, some snooty Pharisees, 2 parents, the blind man and Jesus. The last 2 get most of the attention, though not the kind either of them wants. John weaves his story around them, ‘cause they’re the only sinners in it. Wink, wink! The man, because he shouldn’t have been born blind. And Jesus, because he shouldn’t have broken the Sabbath. Jesus was always breaking some code or other. To hear the religious tell it, Jesus and the blind man were heretics! But they’re the ones who make everything else happen, though only the blind man is there from beginning to end.
Jesus slapped some “mud in his eyes,” then split. But not before advising him to "Go wash in the pool of Siloam." That means the man never saw what Jesus looked like. ‘Cause he left before he could see. And that’s the last anybody sees of Jesus, till he returns at the end of the story. Meanwhile, man who’s sight was restored is on his own.
Something very powerful happened to him, though he doesn't have a clue how it occurred; what he did to deserve it. Or even who his healer was. But all of a sudden those were just the things everybody else around him wanted to know. It has a frantic pace to it, as the poor guy’s bombarded with questions coming at him from all sides. “How were your eyes opened? Where's the man who did it? What do you think about this fellow who healed your blindness? Who is he?” Nobody shouts "Hallelujah!" Or "Praise God!" No one bothered to ask him what it feels like to be able to see for the first time in his life. Just "how," "who," "where," and "what."
The inquisitors assume he's mixed up in something he shouldn't be involved in. And for all he knows, they may be right. But he also knows he can see! And this new thing that's come into his life has compromised his and everybody else’s capacity to know anything for certain. The others seem to be saying Jesus’ act of compassion was a bad thing. Some folks are afflicted with moral blindness. They can’t tell the difference between good and bad. But morality doesn't even register on the blind man’s radar screen. All that matters to him is whether he can see or not. Since this inquisition is insisting that blind is good and seeing is bad…then he'll just have to be counted among the sinners! It's serious because if Jesus cured him, then Jesus must be from God. And worse, they’d be wrong! Because that wasn’t the same God the Pharisees worshiped.
So under the barrage of cross-examination, the man offers timid one‑liners at first. "Yeah I’m y’huckleberry!" "Gosh, I don’t know." "Look, he put mud on my eyes, then I washed it off in the pool, and now I see." But as the interrogation keeps coming, even his own Mamma and Daddy start to feel the heat. And they try to beg out of it. That's when the man decides to be more courageous about breaking the rules himself. It’s easy to understand him getting a little bit irritated over their pettiness. Besides, Pharisees don't make the rules, they just worship them. And woe to those who don't do likewise.
So on his way out the back door, the formerly blind man sums up the situation with no mean bit of sarcasm: "Y’know it’s an amazing thing. Ya’ll don't know where he comes from. And yet he healed my blindness!” “We know God has no regard for sinners, but those who worship him and obey him, God OK’s.” “Since creation morning, no one has ever opened blind eyes!” “Well, if he wasn’t from God he could do nothing." (See Acts 5:38-39).
And everybody who heard it just took a deep breath and held on tight, to see what’s coming next. A nobody from nowhere, a blind sinner from birth, has just told-off the religious keepers of the law! And said they couldn't see God if he’s as plain as the nose on their faces! Whoa! And not for a New York minute would they allow an insult like that to go unanswered! Like a grizzly backed up against a wall, they rise up on their hind-legs and look down their collective-noses into his bright, new eyes and squawk: "Well! Here you are born-in-sin and you're trying to teach us?"
They couldn’t deny what happened to him. All they could do was kick him out of the church, because he’s just another heretic like Jesus. It’s a shame that his parents and the neighbors were embarrassed. But something good does come of it. The Other Heretic hears all the commotion and calls on the man with the mud on his face; a perfect Stranger as far as he’s concerned. He peers at the Stranger, but remembers something familiar about the sound of his voice, “Oh no! Here we go again." More questions! "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
Say what? As the man winces from one-question-too-many that day. But this query sounds different from the others. The tone of the voice and the kind eyes change the way the words sound. It doesn't feel like an accusation. More like an offering. You know, from one heretic to another? Intrigued, the man responds to the Stranger: "Do I believe in the Son of Man? And who is he, Sir? I’d like to know, so that I may believe in him." "Ah, you've seen him. The one speaking to you is he." Eureka! Now he knows who did it! Now he really sees! "Lord, I believe!" And this time, there’s none o’ that “help my unbelief” stuff! Heal somebody of blindness, and it becomes easy to give allegiance to Jesus. He progresses from the beginning of the story, where he called Jesus a man. Next he calls him a prophet. And finally a man sent from God.
20/20 vision is a demanding gift. Because once we see something, then we're responsible for it. It’s why many don’t want to see. There’s irony here as the blind see more clearly. And the seeing see less. As does anybody who prefers the darkness of their preconceptions to the light of reality. Inconvenient truth. You will notice that this didn't take place in a church. It happened outside the boundaries of the circle of religion; in complete defiance of the rules. It wasn't condoned by the professional religious community. They just kicked both of these heretics out of their congregation. Jesus, for healing. The blind man, for being healed. And more often than not, church gets real crazy like that. Its why a lot of people don’t come back to church. And I can’t blame them.
What are we going to do with this story? Is there anything about it that has to do with us? Remember, we're in John's Gospel. And for him, the Pharisees have a role to play like the bystanders at the cross. They operate like an examination board. Asking questions. Probing. Exposing. Exterminating. But the only ones getting exposed, are them! The ritually pure, methodological fundamentalists are worse than theological ones. Keepers of the faith and prosecutors of those who don't; according to their strict standards at least. And few did, especially Jesus.
Today's Pharisees are the hyper-religious extremists of all religions, who follow the script so religiously, that they believe they’re the only ones who can tell the prophets from the heretics? Who are the watch-dog guardians of the faith, law‑abiding, pledge‑paying, creed‑quoting, Bible-memorizing folks who can spot a heretic a mile away? I think you know. John’s telling us, these are the people to watch out for! Because they think they can see. They like to think they’re the only ones who know who's in and who's out. And that they can see better than other people.
And they’re not shy about telling you that you don't really see what you think you see. Or what you do see is wrong. And you don’t really see it, because it's not what they see. See? I don't know that they do this to be mean. I hope they do it because they love God and want to protect you from believing the wrong things. But, I doubt protection is their real concern.
A whole lot of things happen in this world that don’t have anything to do with God. Mostly things about money, power, getting our way, others not getting theirs. People will kill for stuff like that! What if something I see is not of God and I believe it is? That’s a question the Pharisees forgot to ask. Where’s Gamaliel when we need him? Some people are so sure of everything, that they trust nothing, beyond themselves. Like God doesn't work on Sundays. Or Moses is God's only authority. And anybody born blind has to be a sinner. When are we going to quit blaming people for the way they’re born? Don’t observe the Sabbath? Kick ‘em out! Instead of healing the hurt; blame the cause! That’s about the best some churches can do. Why people don’t come back. And furthermore, nobody can teach them anything. How can they if they know-it-all already?
Today's Pharisees are like the ones in this story: they see the least because they stand to lose the most. Truth blinds like that. I mean who wants to change for God’s sake? We’d much rather things stay the way we are, even if it’s wrong. Being wrong hasn’t stopped anybody yet from wrong-headed, soft-mindedness. And people still come to church like the Pharisees approached Jesus, with a mind to judge, examine, evaluate. With such it’s up or down, in or out; agree or disagree. Instead of trying to understand, or learn something new. Or god-forbid change! But this story underlines the difference between condemnation and compassion. And here's this man born blind who isn't certain about anything; an agnostic at best, a heretic at worst. But he's the one who sees the light! It’s the only thing he was sure of. And if doing that for him makes Jesus a heretic, then he’d just as soon be a heretic too. Today we call them the de-churched. And they’re all over the place around here on College Hill.
So what if it is God and I don't believe? I seriously doubt the blind man deliberated over the theological aspect, while Jesus was rubbing mud on his eyes! But I do know what he had to say after it was over. He just put it down there where the cows could get to it. "Is he a sinner? I don't know. That’s God’s business. All I know is, once I was blind but now I see!" Amazing grace. As always, that’s enough to know.
So here ya'll came to church in Lent to worship God, and all you get is some mud in your eye! And a few days hence, Jesus finds himself nailed to a Roman cross, naming what put him there: “...they know not what they do!” The great sin of church people: refusal to see something they don’t want to see; to have sight, but no vision.
Prayer 3/18/07
Let it bless the humble and judge the proud. Let the gospel light of Christ illumine our lives, so we may see with your eyes. Clarify the complexities of our clouded lens, as we see “thru a glass darkly.” If we can’t see our goodness because of yours, grant us more sight. If we can’t see your goodness because of ours, expose our blindness.
Who of us is free of the darkness of the pride of having to be right? Or the fear that blinds? Or broken promises; wavering enthusiasm? Pettiness, petulance, the penchant to blame. If we thrive as sunshine soldiers, weatherize our souls to serve Thee in any season. If we’ve lost Thee in a changing world that refuses to stand still, may this hour remind us that Thou art “the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” Only our understanding of Thee, or misunderstanding changes.
For the many ways we close our eyes to reality, and shut our minds to the truth, forgive us. With our limited vision, we label others, quick to judge them and excuse ourselves. Especially do we find it difficult to see those who are different, who look different, think different, and sin different. Save us from thinking that those who are different are bad. Or that sin has to do with birth instead of choice. Unwise decisions, not our DNA.
May we accept with graciousness, the opportunity offered in this worship. Heal our bodies with thy touch, lift our spirits with your forgiveness, inspire our souls with your compassion for a person, more than an observance of the Sabbath.
Grant us wisdom, greater than our ability to know. Show us a vision, larger than our ability to see. Fill us with strength beyond our ability to endure. So that our faith around here will be contagious; and our witness may have integrity, and our lives might shine in the darkness from this Meeting House, the gospel truth that’s able to illumine your world. Amen.
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