March 30, 2014
John 9:1-17
We’ve been talking
about “Making Change” in our lives and in our community. This series is not so
much about the physical or outward change we’re doing as much as it is about
“Heart Change”. And… with heart change… the outward change becomes apparent and
sustainable. Thus far… we’ve reflected on “Change of Season”… “Change of
Habit”… last week… “Change of Circumstances”… and today… “Change of Heart”
Prayer…
In our story today…
and it’s a much larger story than we’ve read is about Jesus giving sight to a
blind man... Of which he… the blind man… his parents, Jesus’ friends, and
probably others think, the blind man or his parents have sinned. The context of
this story is that Jesus is on the run. In the previous chapter Jesus is
talking with some Jews and most likely Pharisee’s about Abraham and then makes
the statement in Vs 58 that gets him almost killed.
Jesus says, “I tell
you for certain that even before Abraham was, I was, and I AM.” then the people
try to stone him and he ran off.”
So… here we find
Jesus on the run and likely not in the mood to heal anyone as he is trying to
get away. Yet… as they see this blind beggar along the road, his friends ask
the question… “Teacher… why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his
parents sinned?” As I mentioned… Jesus is on the run and not particularly
interested in helping this guy… Yet… feels compelled to say and do something as
I think he looks over his shoulder to see whose around… then says, “no neither
sinned.”
I know it sounds
strange to say Jesus isn’t interested in helping someone. But Jesus didn’t help
everyone he encountered. Jesus didn’t physically heal everyone he saw. But in
this story… Jesus has a change of heart and gives sight to this blind man. And…
with this change of heart, Jesus changed every part of this man’s life.
If we look at this
story closely… we would see it has nothing to do with whether or not this man
or his parents sinned. But… that this is a story of a perceived problem this
man has. Vs 8… this man’s neighbors know him and his problem all too well. You
see…this blind man from birth is nothing more than a mooch… a beggar… a
vagrant… thus he’s stigmatized because he’s unclean. According to Jewish
society… he’s less than a person and rather easy to dismiss. I wonder how many
times do you think about people like this and dismiss the beggars standing on
some busy intersection holding a sign wanting money?
You see… it’s easy
for us to look at others with their problems and say… she’s an alcoholic… he’s
a drug addict… the kid with his pants half off as a drop out… she’s depressed…
etc. All of these scenarios are for the other… But we often do this to
ourselves as well. We often see ourselves as dropouts… disappointments…
failures. We often see ourselves as problems, which limit us… and when invited
to seek change, we often sabotage ourselves out of fear. This happens to us as
the church as well. However… most of us have learned to cope with our
limitations.
I remember years ago when life wasn’t so
pleasant… I saw myself as a big loser with a BIG L on my forehead. Nothing was
working… my life seemed doomed, then an invitation to look more closely to
Jesus came. I chose to walk that path… more to the point… the Holy Spirit
pushed me… to make a deeper commitment to following Jesus.
Then a strange thing happened… the people I
hung out with saw it differently. I had had a change of heart. I no longer
found the need to do the deviant things I was doing and no need to associate
with the people I was associating with. I found acknowledging Jesus not only
changed my heart and my life… but that acknowledging Jesus was simply too much
for the people I was hanging out with.
The blind man in our
story has a similar response, but from the Pharisee’s. Jesus illustrates this
in a response from Mark’s gospel when he says, “The people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
me.”
When Jesus invites a
change of heart in our lives… life will change. We might need a big push…but
life will change when our heart changes.
Now a WARNING… just
because we have a change of heart, and Jesus comes into our lives… doesn’t mean
life is going to be all hunky-dorie and great. There will still be struggle and
challenges. I continue to be challenged in my faith walk. Wednesday evening
Hannah shared that she struggles with faith and guess what… Hannah is only 16… Well
Hannah… I’m 58 and I’m struggling at times too. Mr. Terry is 69 and he
struggles… and Mr. Leo is 96… Mr. Leo do you struggle? YES!!!
And sometimes… I
wonder if my change of heart is even worth it, even with the promises Jesus
makes about having new life. You see… change is always a risk. However, I can
tell you… and I suppose some of you out there can as well…even though there are
challenges and doubts of faith at times… I can tell you… it’s worth it to
continue the journey… because you do get life assuring glimpses of the new and
abundant life Jesus offers.
For the man born
blind that Jesus helps Vs 35-38 of the larger story are key despite the
disruption of his life. These verses point to where change of heart really
happens for the man and for us.
When Jesus heard what had happened, he went
and found the man. Then Jesus asked, “Do you have faith in the Son of Man?” He
replied, “Sir, if you will tell me who he is, I will put my faith in him.” “You
have already seen him,” Jesus answered, “and right now he is talking with you.”
The man said, “Lord, I put my faith in you!” Then he worshiped Jesus. (John 9:
35-38 CEV)
For me my friends… this
is the grace and love of God.
For me… this is
where the blind man has the ultimate change of heart.
For me…. This is
where God is revealed in Jesus and we too are able to “SEE” and make change in
our lives. And indeed… have a Change of Heart.
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