LENT 4 Mar 22, 2020 John 9:1-41
LENT 4 John 9:1-41 A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
Introduction: The gospel for this Sunday is the story of the man born blind healed by Christ. “I was blind, now I see,” declares the man.”
Welcome to virtual worship during this time.
The Lord be with you.
Confession and Forgiveness
If you were to keep watch over sins, O Lord, who could stand? Yet with you is forgiveness, and so we confess.
(I invite you to reflect in a time of confession as we start this virtual worship.) Amen.
Confession: Gracious God, have mercy on us. We confess that we have turned away from you, knowingly and unknowingly. We have wandered from your resurrection life. We have strayed from your love for all people. Turn us back to you, O God. Give us new hearts and right spirits, that we may find what is pleasing to you and dwell in your house forever. Amen.
Forgiveness: Receive good news: God turns to you in love. “I will put my spirit in you, and you shall live,” says our God. All your sin is forgiven in the name of ☩ Jesus Christ, who is the free and abounding gift of God’s grace for you. Amen.
You might sing a gathering song here that draws your heart and mind to focus on God.
Greeting: The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Prayer of the Day: Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your Spirit, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
HEARING GOD’S WORD
FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
PSALM: Psalm 23
SECOND READING: Ephesians 5: 8-14
Read the Gospel: John 9:1-41
Glory to you, O Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
SERMON
We started Lent with a Pharisee, Nicodemus, who seemingly had everything that education, social status, and privilege could provide. But he still needed to be born again in-order to see how the unseen, the hand of God, impacts the seen, the reality of our lives.
Peel the onion and the next layer is the woman at the well, nameless, status-less, powerless. Just a plain ole ordinary sinner with “a past,” with “baggage.” She has been rejected by five husbands and is now living with a man. Jesus approaches her and offers “living water.” He has the “gift” and is the “giver” that allows us to worship in Spirit and in truth. We have gone from “the chosen people” who don’t quite understand to “the outsiders” who are just plain wrong. The discussion is deepening.
Today we meet a man born blind. Do you see how the discussion is deepening and becoming more complex? This man’s problem is not a mistaken theology or a messed up life, he was born blind and so considered by all cursed. We know this scenario. I don’t care if you discuss about God putting you in the wrong body and gender issues, if you want to discuss about God putting you in the wrong skin, tribal politics, if you want to discuss about God and the role of diabetes, alcohol, deformity ie health issues – shall we add the question of abortion – all these complex issues that we debate today and that divides and polarizes everywhere, not just the ole USA. If the unseen world impacts the seen world, if God has all the power and is involved in his world, then the question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents…” is explicitly or implicitly on our lips. Where is God in the messy scenarios of life?
SIN with a big S means a separation from God and sin with a little “s” means actions have hurt ourselves or others and divides us. We look with our eyes and know things are not right and we hear that little voice of doubt on our shoulder asking…And where is God? Where is God in all this mess? We turn the finger from ourselves because that may be too painful and we wave our finger at God, “Where are you?” (Lt Dan in Forest Gump. Lt Dan being so angry about loosing his legs in Vietnam and being allowed to live, climbs up the mast of the shrimp boat in the middle of a gale and yells at God..) Where were you God, MIA?
Amazingly, Jesus affirms that neither the man is guilty of sin and being cursed, nor were the parents being punished for their sins. How many of us, when times get tough, jump to the conclusion that God is punishing us for known or unknown sin. We forget that it may be that the laws of nature are functioning. An alcoholic may have a feta alcohol syndrome baby. A thalidomide baby may be born from taking a drug, innocently. Being faithful workers at the Twin Towers many died. Good people get hurt for no fault of their own and we reflect, “God where were you?” Somehow the answer, “he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him” is questionable salve for the wound of grief.
This story leads us to reflect on the role of TIME. This man has been blind from birth. This is not a lay-your-hands-on-the-TV and have faith answer. God does not always work on our timeline. Because we do not see the answer, does not mean that God is not answering or will not answer. Because we do not understand the dynamics does not mean that God is not acting. Because we do not have the dream life, does not mean that we are not growing and developing in ways we do not understand or that God is upset with us. That is not saying that blindness is good!!! Or unpainful! Or to be endured! The Psalms of Lament speak into these hours of pain. But we can affirm that we do not know everything. Now is not forever.
As life unfolds, COMMUNITY is involved. The man born blind impacts the people around him. His parents are called to account by the Pharisees. They have walked the journey with their son, scrutinizing their lives as to what they did wrong, struggling to help him grow, and now called to testify. We walk with each other in the trials of life and we too are called upon to act or react. Right now as we isolate to slow down the progress of Covid-19, we need each other even more as economic and health challenges are faced. As fear drives some to hoard, we will be challenged to make choices that impact our families and neighbors.
The parents affirm their son’s blindness but they are afraid of the repercussions from the religious power structure. Yup, even we live and work within power structures that define our lives. We know that fear and concern. When the governor says to close churches, we do. Often we are held accountable by powers that have not walked in our shoes, who do not understand of life journey, and the moment is very scary.
This story leads us to reflect on my source of HOPE. Jesus tells his disciples in verse 5, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Seemingly impossible situations resolve in amazing ways. I believe we say, “Necessity is the mother of creativity.” Penicillin is invented. Social laws are reformed. Humanity is discovered in “the other” we meet at the borders of our world. Jesus stoops and scoops up mud to put on the man’s eye sockets. We are back at creation. Jesus does not do some hocus-pocus magic trick, he scoops up mud, and tells the man to go and wash. We look for a miracle, a sudden deliverance from our situation we struggle with but I see Jesus acting with ordinary elements, in partnership with the man who must obey and go to the pool of Siloam. Nothing is beyond the power of God and that gives me hope. Jesus throws light on a dilemma and sees resources we are blind to and can act with us to create a future.
Meanwhile, the Pharisees are arguing about the “laws” of the Sabbath. Is it proper to heal on the Sabbath? Hope does not come from law or authorities but from Jesus who is the “Light of the World.”
Jesus sends our man to the pool of Siloam. I cannot help but reflect on the connection of water and baptism. In times of social distress like with Covid-19, we can return to our baptismal promises that give us hope. We are claimed through baptism. The Holy Spirit is working in us and around us. We have an eternal identity as “Child of God.” We are secure in God’s love. We are people of hope!
This story leads us to reflect on POWER. We meet a man who is powerless. We meet the Pharisees who are confused and powerless to explain the cure. We meet parents who are silent in the face of that power. So where does our power come from? Our abilities? Our connections? Our status?
Jesus steps into this man’s life. Jesus has the power to change ordinary mud into eyes, even on the Sabbath. “Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” The word “judgment” is a bit harsh to our American ears so perhaps we can read it as “reveal” or confront us with the truth of our blindness. Again the response is ours. Our now sighted man bows in worship. The man realizes his power does not come from vision, from religious approval, but from relationship with Jesus.
As we walk through Lent, through Covid-19, through the challenges that life presents to us right now. May we never forget that God is active in ways we do not see or understand but which impact our reality. God uses the ordinary things in our lives in unseen ways that draw us into new ways of action and that give us hope. But perhaps most importantly, our identity, our security and our power do not rest in ourselves or the systems that dictate much of our life but in the God who is the Light of the World.
Thank you LORD,
AMEN
(Spend some moments reflecting and praying and perhaps singing a song that reminds you of God’s love.)
Prayers of Intercession
Turning our hearts to God who is gracious and merciful, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
God of insight, open the hearts of the church and the world to all who testify to your deeds of power (like Jonathan Edwards, whom we commemorate today). Raise up voices in your church that are often silenced or overlooked due to age, gender expression, race, or economic status. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of insight, empower us to care for the land and all living things that dwell in it and beneath it. Provide rich soil for crops to grow. Bring rain to lands suffering drought. Protect hills and shorelines from damage caused by erosion. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of insight, bring peace to all people and nations. Anoint leaders who seek goodness, righteousness, and truth on behalf of all. Frustrate the efforts of those who would seek to cause violence or terror. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of insight, you care for our needs even before we ask. Come quickly to all who seek prayer this day (especially). Accomplish healing through the work of doctors, nurses, physical therapists, nutritionists, and all who tend to human bodies. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of insight, help this assembly lift up the unique gifts of each person who enters, no matter their physical capacity, cognitive ability, or sensory need. Help us to be creative and brave in making our facilities and our ministries accessible to all. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
God of insight, you call out to those who are asleep and awaken them to new life with you. We give thanks for your saints (especially). Join us together with them as your children in this world and the next. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
According to your steadfast love, O God, hear these and all our prayers as we commend them to you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Offering Prayer (Reflect on the gifts you bring today, physical and spiritual.) Let us pray:
Prepare us to witness to your goodness with every gift you have given us to share, that all people may know your peace through Jesus Christ, now and forever. We offer you ourselves, our gifts, our fears, and our hopes for the future. Amen.
Blessing:
Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation.
Holy God, speaking, spoken, and inspiring, ☩ bless you, unbind you, and send you in love and in peace. Amen.
Dismissal
Go in peace. Share the good news. Thanks be to God.
On the Way to Wonder 