Jesus Reveals (Light in Darkness)

In Week 1 of our Seeing Jesus Clearly mini-series, we explore John 9 and the truth that Jesus reveals light in the midst of darkness. The story of the man born blind is not just about physical healing but about how Christ exposes every heart. The disciples assumed his suffering was punishment, but Jesus reframed it: suffering can be a stage where God’s glory is displayed. Through mud, water, and obedience, the blind man was given sight for the first time.

This miracle shows that Jesus does more than suspend the natural order—He restores it to what it was meant to be. The man’s healing came through obedience to Jesus’ command, reminding us that true faith is active. But while one man rejoiced, the Pharisees resisted. Their interrogation and control reveal what spiritual blindness looks like: hardness of heart. You can have perfect eyesight and still miss God’s presence. Religion without encounter becomes control, and pride calcifies blindness.

By contrast, the man who once sat in darkness ends the chapter worshiping Jesus. The Light of the World doesn’t just open eyes—He creates worshipers. Jesus’ judgment in John 9 is not arbitrary condemnation but a revelation of the heart. Those who admit their need receive sight. Those who claim to see remain blind.

This sermon calls us to self-examination: when Christ’s light shines on your life, how will you respond? Will you resist and cling to control, or will you, like the man born blind, confess, “Lord, I believe”? As C.S. Lewis wrote, “I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” Jesus is the Light by which we finally see clearly.