Sight for Those Who See Not

worlddic.com, Epictetus., Dr. Hammond., Bp. Hall.

John 9:39-41

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.…

Jesus has come into the world for judgment, but not for the last and unchangeable judgment. "His fan is in His hand." He sits as a refiner. His cross has revealed the thoughts of many hearts, and everywhere His gospel acts as a discoverer, a separator, a test by which men may judge themselves if they will. Light no sooner comes than it begins to judge the darkness. When the gospel comes, some hearts receive it at once, and are judged to be "honest and good ground," and "come to the light, that their deeds may be made manifest," etc. Other hearts at once hate the truth, because their deeds are evil. Observe —

1. Wherever Christ comes the most decided effects will follow. Whoever you are, the gospel must be to you a savour of life or of death, antidote or poison, curing or killing. It will make you see, or else, because you fancy you see, its very brightness will make you blind. If you live without it, you will die; if you feel that you are dead without it, it will make you live.

2. Christ has come that those who see not may see.

(1) The gospel is meant for people who think themselves most unsuited for it and undeserving of it; it is a sight for those who see not.

(2) Since Christ has come to open men's eyes, I know He did not come to open those bright eyes that seem to say, "No oculist is needed here." When there is a charity breakfast the invited guests are not the royal family. So Christ comes to the needy.

3. Let us take the blind man for a model.

I. HE KNEW THAT HE WAS BLIND, and took up his proper position as a beggar. Many of you are too high, and must come down. You fancy that you have kept the law from your youth, are and all that you ought to be. As long as you think thus the blessing is delayed. But some of you say: "I scarcely know my condition. I am not right, I know; I feel so blind." You are on your way to a cure.

II. HE HAD A SINCERE DESIRE TO BE ENLIGHTENED. Christ heals no one who evinces no desire to be healed.

III. HE WAS VERY OBEDIENT. As soon as the Lord said, "Go, wash," he went; he had no Abana and Pharpar which he preferred to the pool. That is a good word in the prophet, "O Lord, Thou art the Potter and we are the clay." What can the clay do to help the potter? Be pliable.

IV. WHEN HE SAW, HE OWNED IT. The least that you can do for your Healer is to confess Him.

V. HE BEGAN TO DEFEND THE MAN WHO OPENED HIS EYES. When the Lord opened the eyes of a great blind sinner, that man will not have Him spoken against. Some of your genteel Christians do not speak for Christ above once in six months.

VI. WHEN HIS EYES WERE OPENED, HE WISHED TO KNOW MORE. "Who is He?" And when he found that He was the Son of God, he worshipped Him. If you have not seen Jesus of Nazareth to be "very God of very God," you have seen nothing. VII. HOW IS IT THAT SUCH BLIND MEN COME TO SEE?

1. They have no conceit to hinder Christ. It is easier to save us from our sins than from our righteousness.

2. They refuse to speculate; they want certainties. When a man feels his blindness, if you discuss before him the five nothings of modern theology, he says: "I do not want them: there is no comfort in them to a lost soul."

3. They are glad to lean on God.

worlddic.com

Are we blind also? — All quarrelling is about the application of general granted rules to personal private cases.

(Epictetus.)There is no such hindrance to proficiency as too timely a conceit of knowledge (Revelation 3:17; Luke 8:13, 15).

(Dr. Hammond.)I suppose that many might have attained to wisdom had they not thought they had already attained to it (Jeremiah 8:8, 9; Isaiah 42:18-20).

( Seneca.)It is a woeful condition of a Church when no man will allow himself to be ignorant (Psalm 12:4).

(Bp. Hall.)