03/15/2026
Sermon, 4th Sunday in Lent, March 15, 2026
Peace to you and to this house. Amen. We turn our attention to the gospel reading.
Jesus gives sight to a man who was born blind. He had not known sight at all in his life. He had not seen the golden rays of sunrise or sunset. He had not seen rays of light dance upon the surface of a lake nor river. He had not seen the furious clouds of the heavens waiting to dump their deluge. He had not seen the face of beauty in young lady. His life was dominated by what he could take in by his other senses: tasting his food, smelling the flowers of spring and the pungent smell of the city dump, hearing the commotion of the city and the songs of birds, and finding his way about by feeling his way around. He did not know sight at all in his life. You might say, “He did not know what he was missing.” But life without seeing is a difficult if not painful life.
The blind man probably could not live on his own and depended on the kindness and goodwill of others. His was a life that was at the mercy of those around him. To us regular folks, he is most puzzling. Mainly we ask, “Why?”
Our sinful flesh wants answers. Why? This past week has been a very different week for me. I was visiting with someone. This person asked me, “Why am I here? I cannot take care of myself. My husband is dead. My parents are gone. I cannot go back to my home. Why?”
The disciples ask that very question, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” It is a simplistic notion that really has not gone away. It is the notion that God punishes us immediately for things that we do and do not do. And there is some thinking still around that if we do all of the right things God will bless us in this life with a new car, a beautiful spouse, obedient children, money coming out ears and so forth. We mature Christians ought to know better than to think such things.
The disciples are confident Jesus is divine so they ask their question. It is close to the end of Jesus ministry. They have been with Jesus three years and have seen and heard a lot from Jesus. Imagine learning about God at the feet of Jesus. Whoa.
We see in the text that there really is not that much extraordinary about the disciples. They are with Jesus and still do not get what Jesus is about, and especially God’s ways.
Jesus answers “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Jesus tells them what is transpiring, all the events that happen are in God’s control and even this event is not by chance but part of God’s plan, is so that God delivers us from spiritual darkness, from sin, death and hell.
God does know what he is going to make of us. How often do we think and pray that God will take care of something in our lives, a struggle with an embarrassing sin, a sickness, or something that troubles us. And then, when things work themselves out, we think that we are done and would rather that God leave us alone for we are done. Hardly.
It is unfortunate that the saying, “What does not kill me only makes me stronger,” has become rather cliché. Or another variation is that, “God is working it out for the best.” We tend to wonder what good can from a sister afflicted with cancer and count her days of life. Or a child who has an incurable disease that will make them waste away until they breath their final breath. Or the father of young children who dies unexpectedly in a car accident. We wonder, and we won’t know.
God tells us not to get caught up in the things that we do not know, not to probe his hidden but to turn to what he does tell us, his word. Turn to his word and his spirit will comfort you.
God transforms this blind man. Jesus makes mud out of spit and dirt, puts it on the guy’s eyes, and tells him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. He does and can see. Having been born blind, he must have been taken aback. Now he has vision, he sees color, distance, light and darkness, and people. His life is changed.
Paul writes in Romans, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”
God works in this guy. Now, for the sake of time some of the verses of John’s 9th chapter were not read in the gospel reading. Some big stuff happens to this man after he is given his sight. Step by step this man had been abandoned or rejected by men, by neighbors and acquaintances in verse 8, by parents in verse 23, by the Jewish authorities in verse34. Step by step he grew in his convictions. Jesus had purposely absented Himself, but not really. His Word sustained the man, under trial, and thus he grew spiritually. Thus Jesus often does to us for our good. This man withstood every onslaught from unbelievers.
God works especially through us. He works by us in the lives of others. We become little Christs as we serve those around us. And since God uses us to serve, think about what you are doing when you refuse or find excuse to not serve.
God wants to change us. He does this as we come to him in his word, when we read it in devotion or study. He comes to us when we hear it, either preached or read to us. He changes us as we meditate on his word. Like, when you might have a passage going on around in your head as you go about your week, and things transpire which help you appreciate what God tells us in his word.
Jesus gives to us an excellent example of service in our gospel reading. He serves the blind man by giving him sight and sustaining him as he experiences onslaught. It is the model for us to help others so that God is glorified.
The disciples one day were bickering amongst themselves as to who was the greatest and what was the proper measuring stick to determine who was most important within the group of the 12. The Lord challenged them to look at greatness in a completely different way. Jesus said that greatness for servants of Christ is measured with a different measuring stick than the world uses. Jesus says that if you want to be great you must be a servant of all.
Jesus taught a powerful lesson about servanthood. He taught that lesson on the night of the final meal he would eat with His disciples. Luke tells us all 12 were gathered in an upper room with Jesus in their midst. Off to the side, nearly forgotten, was a basin. In the basin was water.
On that night, when the 12 were gathered with Jesus in their midst, the basin was unattended.– until Jesus got up and took the basin and knelt down and began washing the feet of each disciple. It was a very awkward moment. You see, they recognized the One with the basin. They knew where He came from. He was the Son of God, from the right hand of the Father. Finally Peter, speaking up as if to voice the concern, the awkwardness, and the embarrassment of the whole group, said, “Lord, You can't do this. Of all the people in the room, you shouldn't be doing this!”
The Lord was teaching them about a newer, grander, more blessed way of life. He was getting them ready for what was going to happen less than 24 hours later. As He hung on that cross, and they watched Him bleed and groan and gasp, that same thought washed over them that should come to us as you and I picture that scene. It’s supposed to be the same feeling the disciples had when Jesus took the basin. “Lord, this isn't right. You’re not supposed to be doing this. I’m the one who should be there. I’m the one who should be suffering, not You.” But the Lord makes it clear that, through that cross, He gives more than an example; He gives us new life. New life as we look to Him and recognize the blessings of His service, of His ransom, of His deliverance. We come to rejoice and hold onto and remember that great beginning. That beginning, our salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, is what enables us to live “the lifestyle of faithful stewards”
How do you look at God and His blessings to you? The abilities, the gifts, the finances, everything that He has to pour out to you. When you think of God, is He the kind of God who gives you just one cup? It's going to have to last. Or is He about free refills? Listen to this powerful word of God from 2 Corinthians 9:8: "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." Because God is the God of free refills, He keeps refilling His serving people with more time, with more love, with more gifts and abilities to be able to be channels of His love. When we recognize that we have been saved, something happens inside of us and that desire to serve gets a new spark.
When God’s people come together, it’s not unusual for the pastor to say, “Go in peace. Serve the Lord.” Then there’s a response that the people say. Do you remember what it is? It’s “Thanks be to God!”
Why does that phrase, “Thanks be to God,” belong after those two phrases? The first part, “Go in peace,” means we’re saved. It means we have a healthy relationship with God, we’ve left our sins at the foot of the cross, He’s forgiven them, and our relationship is restored. Therefore, we leave with peace, peace from God and peace with God. That’s a grand thing. That kind of peace enables us to live “the lifestyle of faithful stewards.”
But think about it; why do I need to thank God when I am being sent out into the world to “serve the Lord”? It’s because not everyone is able to do that. There are only so many people who are able to “serve the Lord.” Did you know that? Not everybody can serve the Lord. Only those who have peace with God can serve Him and are able to be His channels and His vessels. That’s why we have the response, “Thanks be to God!” I have peace with Him! Thanks be to God! I can serve Him, even me!
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.” … May the peace that passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus now and forever. Amen.
