Hey, this is Cameron/Evo1

For some reason, Myspace is not letting me post a blog so I thought I'd put it here:

Lent blog Number 3

OK, study three is going to be on John 9. The magnificent man born blind. What was his discipline or sacrifice? Well, let's see. This chap is an inspiration to me, since I'm someone who spent a long time ignoring God – and even being His enemy.

Before we think about this guy – oh what a shame we don't know his name, if I may, I am going to call him Clark because on the face of it he's just an ordinary guy with poor eyesight but once he takes off his shirt!– but before we think about Clark, let's just spin through his colleagues. That is, I want to very quickly think about those other blind men that Jesus helps.

In no particular order:
Mark 8 tells a story of a blind man that is healed by Jesus in two stages. The blind man himself is not recorded as asking for help but instead, the people that had brought him begged Jesus to help.
In Mark 10, Bartimaeus cries out for Jesus to help him, the healing is immediate.
In Matthew 9, two blind men cry out to Jesus and on answering a question, the healing is immediate.
In Matthew 20 (and a parallel in Luke 18), two other blind men call out to Jesus and similarly, after answering a question, their healing is immediate.

So what of Clark. Uniquely, we are told that Clark has been born blind. This seems to be important. We don't know how the others had become blind, but it seems that the healing of a man born blind was more impressive than the rest. Now I'm reading John 9, and I can't get the feeling that anyone is asking Jesus to do anything for him – not even the man himself. Let us get into Clark's head. Just before this event, John 8 had ended with Jesus claiming to be "I Am". And that was so offensive to the Jews that they had decided to stone him to death there and then. Except even though he was Israel's most wanted at that moment, he just slipped away out of the grasp of those murderous people. It was as if they could not see him. It was as if they were completely blind to him.

I mention this as a parallel to many of Jesus' healings were he was in the middle of a massive chain of respect from the crowds who were bringing their sick to him. This time, it was quite the opposite. He was invisible to the crowds. He was certainly invisible to Clark – as was everything else. And then the disciples turn their attention to Clark. Do they ask if Jesus can help him? No. Instead, in his earshot I'm sure, they ask the question, "Is it because Clark did something wrong that he's being punished with blindness or is it because of something his parents did?". That must really have made Clark's day. But he would I'm sure have been used to people talking about him like this. He certainly was not entitled to go into the temple with the rest of the men because of his blindness (Leviticus 21:18). How could he even know anything of God?

But then, he hears something I'm sure that he's not heard before. Jesus – the one they'd called Rabbi, says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work 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."

What's this. Clark maybe himself thought his blindness had been his fault – and maybe his mum and dad had been happy for him to shoulder the responsibility – see the support they give him later - NOT. But now, this respected Rabbi was saying he'd been blind as a beacon for God. So that other people might see something from his life. This man says he's the light of the world – what on earth does that mean – light had never been any use to Clark?

Hold on, what's going on now, did he just hear someone spit on the ground? Urgh, for goodness sake, what was that for? A big lump of mud and spittle pressed into his face. What's that you say, "Go and get washed?" Thanks very much, I never asked you to squish mud in my eyes did I? Get washed you say, you who claims to be the light of the world. And actually you who also said that it's not my fault, but that God had a reason for these years of misery and unclean status. Where did you say I needed to wash? Siloam? Do I know that place? How will I get there anyway? Why don't I just rub it out of my own eyes in the nearest stream and try to keep away from these bullies? No, he doesn't sound like a bully. Let me stumble off on my own, if it's the last thing I do, I'm going to do what he says.

And so he finds Siloam – we don't know how but he does. And he washes out the stuff that would make a seeing man blind. And as he washes, the mud comes off and the blind man can see. He comes home seeing. He comes home seeing. And then the fun really starts. Those that had always treat him like an outcast can't believe what they're seeing. None of them had felt like taking him to see Jesus had they or to anyone else for that matter. Isn't that the filthy blind beggar? Nah, it just looks a bit like him.

And how many times I wonder had Clark stood and said nothing as they poured scorn on him. But not anymore, Jesus said that the reason he'd been blind was so that God's work might be displayed through his life. It was time to start shining that light. "I AM THE MAN"

So they take him to the Pharisees – so now they decide to take him somewhere, now he doesn't need their help. And read it for yourself, look at how he – the lowly blind beggar – shines the light of the Lord. "He is a prophet" "Isn't it remarkable that you who think you know something of God's work don't even know where he comes from but yet he has opened the eyes of a man born blind!" Of course, his parents don't get involved. They are afraid of being thrown out of the synagogue. Their son has just been healed of a lifelong affliction and they choose to keep out of it. No wonder God chose this man as his example.

And so to end, what was Clark's sacrifice? He starts off just hearing the same old same old. But then he has to respond to Jesus – he doesn't get an immediate healing. There's some hard work for him to do. Find his way to the pool called "Sent". And then he can see. But that's only the beginning of it. Jesus' words rattling around in his head, just how powerful a witness he becomes. Now that he can see, he is entitled to rejoin his brothers in the temple and become a whole member of Jewish life. But his sacrifice? For Jesus' sake, he takes himself right outside again. His parents hadn't been prepared to do that. For them, being put out of man's religious club was too much of a price. But not our Clark. He steps up to the plate and gives away what he only just qualified for.

Would you do that?