Text: John 9: 24-41
If we had a person here in our midst who had been blind from the day he was born, and now on this day, he hears the word of a physician —and follows it and of a sudden —he is no longer blind but can see —SAY WE WITNESSED THIS we would be overwhelmed by the event. He was blind, but now he can see —oh,! we would be amazed by the fact! We would be mightily impressed, and would never forget it. BUT THAT HAPPENED HERE TODAY IN OUR VERY MIDST. Through baptism. It has happened to this child, Joshua Paul.
In the catacombs of Rome where early Christians gathered to hide from hostile authorities to keep from being killed and to live and to worship, they left on the walls frescoes, pictures of what they treasured. The story of the man born blind appears seven times in catacomb art, most frequently as an illustration of Christian baptism. This story was taken by the early church as an interpretation of what happens in baptism.
When the early Christians were about to baptize a person who had been prepared and was brought forward to be a member of the Body of Christ, i.e. the church, they read Chapter 9 of John —the story of the man born blind and healed through washing —they read this chapter together.
The early Church Fathers referred to baptism as the washing away of blindness. Tertullian opened his book (or tract) on baptism with the words ‘Happy is the sacrament of our water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free unto eternal life.’
Augustine comments on our text: “This blindman stands for the human race ....if the blindness is lack of faith, then the seeing (illumination) is faith .... He washes his eyes in that pool which is
interpreted ‘one who has been sent’; he was baptized in Christ.”
I would like to draw from the entire ninth chapter of John for our sermon today to show what God does in baptism. FOR THE MAN BORN BLIND WHO IS MET BY CHRIST AND HIS LOVING ACTION: Instead of darkness or blindness, there is light and ability to see. There is much stress on the fact that the man in our text was born blind. It is mentioned —this fact of being blind at birth —no less than seven times.
Now when we consider a little child —that cuddly little bundle who is so winning —mostly because he is so small and helpless and dependent —we overlook this fact of his being blind. Unless he is enlightened, unless he receives the vision of God he will remain in darkness —He will not know who he is and what he came into the world for. But Christ comes and brings enlightenment starting with the washing of baptism. The one who has the Christ and his light through faith has the vision of God.
But how can such a little child be enlightened? He does not know, surely he does not know what is going on. He cannot have faith or comprehension. So some will argue.
The only way this little one is going to know of Christ (have the vision of God) is if the church loves him —and, loving him, teach him of the good news we have. The first and second —and third lesson —and all the way through the last lesson we teach should be this: God loves you so much that he has adopted you to be his own, and we, the church, love and care for you as a brother. You start teaching that lesson from the very first day. We know that an infant child may not understand much but he surely feeds on love —and he is nourished by the love that people can give to him. The parents can love him just because Christ has loved us and gave His life for us. The parents can be patient and forgive because Christ forgives us and is patient with us and keeps bringing us back.
The child is going to know of Christ as the church shows care for him. The child will know of Christ as people in the church live the life of Christ, live the way of the cross in the community. He will not know the fullness of the faith as a baby or as a little boy —or as a young man. BUT LOVE CANNOT FAIL. He will know someday. He will know the greatness of what has happened to him in the claim of God in baptism —the miracle of new life —someday I believe that. I am filled with high hope for him because of the Word of God.
Now in the ninth chapter of John we see a gradual dawning —an increase in knowledge for this man who received his sight from Jesus.
The Jews —it is the way of the world with, or against, the baptized —would not accept that Jesus had accomplished the restoring of sight to this blind man. They hounded the man who had been born blind. “How were your eyes opened?” The man Jesus did it. “Where is he?” I don’t know.
Later on they wanted to press him further on this matter so they asked, “What do you say about Jesus?” The former blind man said: He is a prophet.
Now in the part of the chapter that is the text for today the Pharisees (or Jews) are pressing him again and are trying to teach that Christ is not good or able to heal blindness. The man says plainly to them: I don’t know whether Jesus is a sinner or not, but once I was blind, now I can see. The man has great power.
Growing recognition of the fact and the power of Jesus as the one who gives light and goodness in life —This is the thing that happens to the child who is brought up in the baptismal covenant. He doesn’t know all the answers about Jesus, but he learns of his life and his power —because of what Christ —and the Body of Christ —can do and has done for him.
When the man who had been born blind answers the Pharisees that someone who does such great things —so good —has got to be from God —he gets clobbered by the Jews. The baptized, who live by their baptism, may share the same reaction from the world —but they hold fast to Christ who gives light and life.
Finally this man is confronted again by the Christ who tells him who he is and asks, “Do you believe?” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
The child who is baptized may not know the fullness of the truth of Christ, but as he experiences the power of God through the Church —through loving people as well as the Word and Sacraments —he will one day also fall down and worship Jesus as the Lord.
He will someday know how much he needed this act of baptism, this washing away of blindness of the natural man. He will someday know how necessary it was for God to come to him and to give forgiveness and light. He will know that he passed from blindness to the vision of God through Christ (Once I was blind —now I can see). He will know it because of the church, the caring, faithful, loving, teaching, acting church. And he will be glad for the judgment of God. The judgment of God upon this little one baptized here today is YES, you are my child. That’s what I want to teach him to know the rest of the years I have to be his earthly father and his brother in the church. Will you help me to teach him that?
AMEN: YES, YES and it shall be so.
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