One Thing Sermon Series
True Sight
Sermon follow-up 7/6/25
Introduction
In a world where we often take our basic abilities for granted, imagine suddenly experiencing something you've never had before. For those who are colorblind, special glasses can reveal a world of color they've never seen. The emotional reactions in these moments are powerful - the overwhelming gratitude when a major obstacle is removed from someone's life.
This same transformation happens spiritually when Jesus heals our blindness and restores our sight.
What happens when Jesus encounters someone who is blind?
In John 9, we find the story of a man born blind whose life was forever changed when Jesus crossed his path. The disciples saw this man as an object for theological discussion, asking Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus quickly dismissed their question, explaining: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Then Jesus did something unexpected - he spit on the ground, made mud with his saliva, put it on the man's eyes, and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam.
The scene is jarring if you stop to think about it. This blind man was not just the object of discussion but now had mud caked on his face. He was blind, not deaf - he heard everything happening around him. Anyone watching might have thought Jesus was mocking him.
Why did Jesus heal the blind man in such an unusual way?
The healing process Jesus used seems strange to us. He could have simply spoken a word to heal the man. Instead, he created a messy, humbling experience that required the blind man to trust and obey.
When Jesus told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, think about what that meant for a blind person. How would he find his way there? Would someone guide him? The account doesn't provide these details - it simply says "the man went and washed and came home seeing."
This unusual method had purpose. In the ancient Near East, saliva was thought to have medicinal properties. More importantly, the washing in water carried deep symbolic meaning for Jewish people, representing purification rituals. The pool's name, Siloam, means "sent" - further emphasizing the man's obedience to Jesus' instructions.
What was the blind man's testimony after being healed?
After his healing, the man faced intense questioning from neighbors and religious leaders. His testimony remained remarkably consistent and simple: "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
When pressed further by religious leaders who were trying to discredit Jesus, the man's response became even more powerful: "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see."
This simple testimony frustrated the religious leaders who were looking for ways to explain away the miracle. They couldn't deny the obvious transformation - everyone knew this man had been blind his entire life, and now he could see.
What price did the healed man pay for his testimony?
The man's unwavering testimony came at great cost. In that cultural context, everything revolved around connection to the Jewish synagogue community. Being excluded meant shopkeepers might close their stores when you approached, you couldn't get a job, and you'd lose access to community resources.
Despite knowing these risks, the healed man boldly declared about Jesus: "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." For this statement, he was thrown out of the synagogue - cut off from his religious community.
Imagine his day: he woke up blind, received his sight, and then lost his entire community. But the story doesn't end there. Jesus sought him out again, and this time the man could actually see his healer.
Jesus asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus replied, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
The man's response was immediate: "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
How does this story apply to our spiritual blindness?
This story reaches a decision point for all of us. Spiritually speaking, we're either blind or we can see - there's no middle ground.
If you're not following Jesus, you are already spiritually blind. What you see around you is just a pale, dim reflection of the fullness of life Jesus offers. All it takes to see again is to cry out to him and ask that he would show you the light.
For those who have already experienced this spiritual healing, this story serves as a powerful reminder of what Jesus has done. Think back to that colorblind man's reaction: "You guys see this every day?" Let that be your reminder of how remarkable it is that you were once blind but now you see.
Life Application
The man born blind had a simple but powerful testimony: "One thing I know, I was blind but now I see." His witness didn't require theological expertise or perfect understanding - just honest sharing of his personal experience with Jesus.
This week, consider these questions:
Challenge yourself to share your story with at least one person this week. Remember, you don't need to overcomplicate it - simply share how Jesus has changed your perspective and given you spiritual sight. Your testimony of moving from darkness to light might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
Introduction
In a world where we often take our basic abilities for granted, imagine suddenly experiencing something you've never had before. For those who are colorblind, special glasses can reveal a world of color they've never seen. The emotional reactions in these moments are powerful - the overwhelming gratitude when a major obstacle is removed from someone's life.
This same transformation happens spiritually when Jesus heals our blindness and restores our sight.
What happens when Jesus encounters someone who is blind?
In John 9, we find the story of a man born blind whose life was forever changed when Jesus crossed his path. The disciples saw this man as an object for theological discussion, asking Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
Jesus quickly dismissed their question, explaining: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Then Jesus did something unexpected - he spit on the ground, made mud with his saliva, put it on the man's eyes, and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam.
The scene is jarring if you stop to think about it. This blind man was not just the object of discussion but now had mud caked on his face. He was blind, not deaf - he heard everything happening around him. Anyone watching might have thought Jesus was mocking him.
Why did Jesus heal the blind man in such an unusual way?
The healing process Jesus used seems strange to us. He could have simply spoken a word to heal the man. Instead, he created a messy, humbling experience that required the blind man to trust and obey.
When Jesus told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, think about what that meant for a blind person. How would he find his way there? Would someone guide him? The account doesn't provide these details - it simply says "the man went and washed and came home seeing."
This unusual method had purpose. In the ancient Near East, saliva was thought to have medicinal properties. More importantly, the washing in water carried deep symbolic meaning for Jewish people, representing purification rituals. The pool's name, Siloam, means "sent" - further emphasizing the man's obedience to Jesus' instructions.
What was the blind man's testimony after being healed?
After his healing, the man faced intense questioning from neighbors and religious leaders. His testimony remained remarkably consistent and simple: "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
When pressed further by religious leaders who were trying to discredit Jesus, the man's response became even more powerful: "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see."
This simple testimony frustrated the religious leaders who were looking for ways to explain away the miracle. They couldn't deny the obvious transformation - everyone knew this man had been blind his entire life, and now he could see.
What price did the healed man pay for his testimony?
The man's unwavering testimony came at great cost. In that cultural context, everything revolved around connection to the Jewish synagogue community. Being excluded meant shopkeepers might close their stores when you approached, you couldn't get a job, and you'd lose access to community resources.
Despite knowing these risks, the healed man boldly declared about Jesus: "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." For this statement, he was thrown out of the synagogue - cut off from his religious community.
Imagine his day: he woke up blind, received his sight, and then lost his entire community. But the story doesn't end there. Jesus sought him out again, and this time the man could actually see his healer.
Jesus asked him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus replied, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
The man's response was immediate: "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
How does this story apply to our spiritual blindness?
This story reaches a decision point for all of us. Spiritually speaking, we're either blind or we can see - there's no middle ground.
If you're not following Jesus, you are already spiritually blind. What you see around you is just a pale, dim reflection of the fullness of life Jesus offers. All it takes to see again is to cry out to him and ask that he would show you the light.
For those who have already experienced this spiritual healing, this story serves as a powerful reminder of what Jesus has done. Think back to that colorblind man's reaction: "You guys see this every day?" Let that be your reminder of how remarkable it is that you were once blind but now you see.
Life Application
The man born blind had a simple but powerful testimony: "One thing I know, I was blind but now I see." His witness didn't require theological expertise or perfect understanding - just honest sharing of his personal experience with Jesus.
This week, consider these questions:
- What was your life like before encountering Jesus? How were you spiritually "blind"?
- How has Jesus opened your eyes? What do you see differently now?
- How can you share your "one thing I know" testimony with someone this week?
- Are there areas where you're still resisting Jesus' unusual methods of working in your life?
Challenge yourself to share your story with at least one person this week. Remember, you don't need to overcomplicate it - simply share how Jesus has changed your perspective and given you spiritual sight. Your testimony of moving from darkness to light might be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
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