Fourth Sunday of Lent                        

          March 17, 2023

Dear Road Church Friends,

The Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent is the story of Jesus restoring sight to a man who was born blind in John 9. Restoring sight to the blind was something Jesus frequently did. But John’s account is mostly about how the recovery of sight drastically changed this unnamed man’s life, and not all of it was for the better. 

Jesus’ healing of this blind man sets off a chain reaction, of events in the lives of the man’s neighbors, parents and religious leaders. Ironically, with his “new eyes” he sees that the people he has loved and respected his entire life are more blind than he ever was. He learns they have chosen to close their eyes to Jesus who came to be the Light of the world. We soon realize that John’s story of this man who “once was blind, but now can see,” is an allegory. It is about much more than seeing with our physical eyes. It’s about spiritual sight. We are meant to see ourselves as characters in this story: the blind man, his neighbors, his parents and his religious teachers all of whom are blind. Jesus came to heal us of our blindness, and to enable us to see the world through the new eyes and vision that only Jesus can give.

      SCRIPTURE:  John 9:1-41     SERMON:  Seeing the World with New Eye 

       John 9:1-9---"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man”….

     John 9:35-41---"Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “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 said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

A SUN-DAY HYMN

Lord of all being! Throned afar, thy glory flames from sun to star;

Center and soul of every sphere, yet to each loving heart now near!

Sun of our life, thy quickening ray sheds on our path the glow of day;

Star of our hope, thy softened light cheers the long watches of the night.

Lord of all life, below, above, whose light is truth, whose warmth is love,

Before thy ever-blazing throne we ask no luster of our own.

Grant us thy truth to make us free, and kindling hearts that burn for thee,

Till all thy living altars claim one holy light, one heavenly flame.

by Oliver Wendell Holmes

Blessings to all,

Pastor Norm

Our service on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/COwwyXB0p98?feature=share