Beware of Spiritual Blindness
John 9:13-41

Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Isa.6:9
This phrase tells us of a disease that was common before the time of Jesus, during his time and even in our time.  It’s called “spiritual blindness.”  it can affect anyone.  It is predominantly seeing in those who don’t believe in God; however, there have been reported cases of this disease found in churches throughout the world.  Jesus called out a church in Asia minor that suffered from it.  Laodicea; Jesus himself told this church, you don’t even realize that you are blind.  This is a severe case. In fact, such cases are found among religious people.  The religious people, Pharisees and scribes had a tough time understanding Jesus; they looked for ways to get rid of Jesus since they did not believe he was the Messiah.  Jesus called out the religious people blind guides.  (Matt.23:16,24).  They had failed to see God’s work in Jesus; they failed to recognize God in their midst.
It’s interesting that we find their spiritual blindness at it worst right after Jesus healed a man who was blind. leaders, right after the healing of a man that was blind from birth.
Jesus and his disciples found a blind man on the road; Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud and put in on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash at the pool of Siloam (sent).  The man did just as Jesus told him and he came back seeing.
The neighbors did not recognize him.  Some could not understand how he could now see.  He told people “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put in on my eyes.  HE told me to go to Siloam and wash.  So I went and washed, and then I could see.” (v.11)
They brought the man to the Pharisees to get information as to how he was healed. (v.13)
The day on which this miracle took place was a Sabbath (v.14).  The Pharisees also wanted to know how he was healed and they asked him.
The Pharisees had a problem with the miracle and their own laws.  Their whole group was divided because in their estimation the miracle was done on the Sabbath; therefore, whoever did the miracle is not from God for not observing the Sabbath; but then this miracles was extraordinary.
     – He doesn’t keep the Sabbath-He is a sinner
     – How can a sinner do such a miracle?

The Pharisees had already determined that Jesus wasn’t from God.  They didn’t believe he was the Christ.
Spiritual blind people failed to see God at work in their midst.
The Pharisees were skeptical about the man being totally blind.  They even called the parents of the man that was blind to question them regarding their son.  Is he your son? Was he really born blind?  How is it that he can see now?
The parents confirmed that he was their son, but they didn’t know how he was healed.  They told the Pharisees to ask him since he is a man already.(V.22)  The Pharisees had decided that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah would be put out the synagogue.
Spiritual blind people cannot see God in their midst. They cannot see God’s works.
All they wanted to be right about was Jesus to be a sinner for violating their law of the Sabbath.  They were blinded by their own laws and traditions.
Think about this.  A man who was born blind is healed and all they cared about was that it was done on the Sabbath.  They placed more emphasis on their customs than on human being.  Instead of praising God for this marvelous healing, they bring the man to question the healing and even though that he was truly born blind.  This man’s life was transformed and they don’t see it.  Why not?  They were blinded by their religion.
This is the problem with spiritual blindness, God is doing works all around them, but they fail to see it.  They are blinded by their selfishness; blinded by their expectations; blinded by their own traditions
They questioned the man a 2^nd time (v.24-34) Read
Whether he is a sinner I do not know, one thing I know, I was blind and now I see.  V.25
What did he do to you?  I told you already and you didn’t listen, why do you want to hear it again?  Do you want to become his disciples?….(v.27)

 -They kicked the man out of the synagogue for his firm belief in Jesus.
Jesus heard what happened to him and found him and asked him. “Do you believe in the Son of Man? (v.35-41)
The man believed in Jesus and worshiped him.

Check out Jesus’ statement which offended the Pharisees. (v.39 “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

This offended the Pharisees, they knew exactly what Jesus was saying. What? Are we blind too?
If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.  Your problem is that you think you can see and in reality, you are blind.
They failed to see God at work in their midst because they were blinded by their expectation about Jesus.  They already made up their minds that Jesus wasn’t the messiah, even when he gave them many convincing proofs of who he was.
They were blinded by their traditions and practices.  Those things were more important to them than lives being transformed by the power of God.  When you value your traditions more than people, you are spiritual blind.  You still don’t see people as God sees them.
There are those blinded to the truth of Jesus, they are offended by it because it goes against everything they do and believe.
When I hear Christian people say things like, Christmas is not Christmas without the lights or the ………  You are spiritual blind.
There are churches across the globe that are blinded by their denomination; they interpret the Bible according to their council.  There are some who would not invite you to speak if you do not belong to that denomination.  Apparently, God can only speak if you belong to a denomination.  This is spiritual blindness.
The religious people of Jesus’ day thought they could see very well, until God himself came in their midst and did marvelous things, but they failed to see him.
Can you imagine, God himself working in your midst and you don’t see him because you are blinded by something else?
What is keeping you from seeing Jesus at work?  Are you experiencing spiritual blindness?  He can open your eyes, so you can see him clearly if you so choose.

Matthew 13:14-16
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.  But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” NIV