Morning Prayer: Tom Lyda Hymn of Grace *Amazing Grace!* The Witness of Scripture: John 9: 1-41 Anthem *Create in me, a clean heart, O God* Carl F. Mueller. FCC Chancel Choir Sermon *Tempted to Condemn* David Spain
Recorded on March 19, 2023
John is quite the provocateur. He has now moved from poking the bear to a full on, in your face confrontation as he tells his gospel story of Jesus. It all started happily enough, when Jesus brought out the best wine to keep the wedding party going, making everyone happy except for the vineyard owners in the Jordan valley wine country. It was a little less happy but still more good news than not when Jesus and Nicodemus talked of God being more expansive than even our best religious systems could describe, for God loves the world. Tensions grew when Jesus met a Samaritan woman in Sychar and his disciples learned that God’s love for the world meant that even people like her were included, as faith moved from idea to practice. But now, with this story from chapter 9, Jesus is no longer talking about wedding parties or church polity or inclusive religion. This story overturns the entire prosperity gospel mindset that believes if you are doing well God is favoring you, and if you are not doing well then you are not in God’s favor. The prosperity gospel has been around for a long time, Job’s magisterial story notwithstanding.
As we know John’s gospel is layered with symbols and signs of multiple meanings.John also loves irony, a form of humor—not knee slapping guffaws but humor that lowers our defenses and points toward truth, insight, reorientation. This particular story from John 9 is the apex of irony—the court jester comedy confronting faith that is tempted to condemn. Jesus offers a healing vision of faith not only to the one born blind, but also to faith that has become blind in its easy condemnation and presumptuous self-righteousness.
John’s framework for this story is brilliant—it is a stage play in 7 scenes.There is a comedian who has a humorous bit entitled ‘Meanwhile’ during which he mentions 5 or 6 stories, pointing out the absurdities to help us see better. John 9 is loaded with ‘Meanwhiles,’ which may be a good way to hear this story—scene by scene, letting its irony work in us and on us. You may have also noticed when hearing the story that it is loaded with questions—16 of them in the course of 41 verses. Faith is more richly lived asking hard questions than supplying easy answers, and John 9 is a cornucopia of questions!
The story begins with a question after a brief descriptive statement, and we would not gloss over that opening line. He is a man born blind, also referred to as blind from birth. How are we known, how are we identified? By our struggles, our disabilities, our situation?Is he more than a blind man? Who gets to label, what sticks? We know words can be weaponized. Does it matter if he is someone with blindness, or later in the story renamed as ‘the man healed,’ the ‘man with new sight,’ or ‘the visionary,’ or ‘the insightful one.’ Words matter, and so do the questions we ask because they reveal accepted assumptions, and the disciples have a big one. ‘This man was born blind and that is a direct result of sin—the only question is it his sin or his parents.’ The question is absurd, isn’t it? If it is his fault and he was born blind then he did something sinful in the womb?Are the disciples channeling part of Psalm 51 that proclaims we are sinners from the moment of conception? If not, then something his parents did is being taken out on the child? How cruel do we need to make God to fit our explanations for suffering? Sometimes we hear people say, ‘everything happens for a reason,’ and while that may be true there may not be a theological reason, or to say it more directly everything that happens is not God’s doing, which in essence is what Jesus says here. God is not the cause of this man’s blindness; in fact, it is just the opposite. God is in his healing, and so Jesus who lives on behalf of God’s love in this world brings healing to the man. This is what Christ’s light does, this is what children of light do—they bring healing not condemnation. We can ask who is to blame, but it is also important to ask who is to help?Jesus works up an earthy salve and applies it to the man’s eyes and sends him to healing waters to wash.Now, we wonder who is going to get him to the pool? He is not only blind; his eyes are also caked? Does he stumble around on stage? Anyone watching this scene in the audience knows that if one of the characters on stage doesn’t help him get to the pool, then someone from the audience will jump in to help. John’s subtle message is that healing is not just between Jesus and this man…the community has a role to play.
Meanwhile, the neighbors are brought on stage. They tell us something important—that not only is he blind but he has been reduced to begging. He is a ‘blind beggar’ and there is nothing in that moniker that speaks of his humanity.In fact, the neighbors have become so conditioned to see him this way that some of them don’t see him in any other way. Well, that happens…we get in our lanes, we have our perspectives, and sometimes those perspectives become labels, and sometimes those labels have a condemning tone to them. It can be easy to dismiss [fill in your favorite non-flattering label]. Is someone’s condition their conclusion?Can a leopard change its spots?We would at least give the neighbors a couple of kudos—at least they engage the man rather than dismiss him; at least they open themselves to the possibility that by connecting with him they might be enriched by his complexity; and they learn something about faith from the man…faith is not just belief. This man is not sure what he believes, but he does know what he experienced.They hear him. ‘When in doubt, be human.’ At least the neighbors talk to him.
Meanwhile, the Pharisees are next in the inquisition line. We remember that Pharisees are too often maligned as always being enemies of Jesus, which they were not. The Pharisees sought to give practical advice for how to live the faith.Is it possible to get enamored with one’s perspectives, convinced that propositions on God become absolutes about God in which faith becomes certainty? It happens, but not in this initial conversation. The Pharisees are struggling with a critical question—what are the markers of faith? Is it keeping the Sabbath or is it compassion extended even on the Sabbath? So, the religious authorities turn to this man who had no status—blind beggar, remember—and they ask him what he thinks?It is a good example of what Walt Whitman once advised—“be curious, not judgmental.” And this man, now referred to as “formerly been blind” says he thinks whoever healed him is a prophet. We note in the story that this is not the last word he offers, because as the story moves his words shift from prophet to healer to Messiah. It is an important picture of faith—that it grows, reflects, thinks, changes. Faith is dynamic, not static; better developing than dogmatic.
Meanwhile, the now sighted man’s parents are next to be questioned by the ‘Jews’ and this is a critical cautionary moment. In spite of what was happening in the late first century and what has happened in the centuries since, it is neither good biblical interpretation nor good faithful practice to condemn ‘the Jews.’ Were there some who had become harsh, perhaps even punitive in their faith?Apparently so, but the healing response to that is never to respond in kind. Sadly, the parents show us the results of punitive faith—it is fear. Time and again the biblical story reminds us that faith is made possible when people are able to ‘fear not.’ John Powell and Stephen Menendian have written, “the problem of the 21st century is the problem of ‘othering,’ of engendering ‘marginality and persistent inequality across the full range of human differences…discriminating against those outside the privileged power structures.John’s audience is called to offer belonging instead.” (quoted in an article by Lynn Jost in The Christian Century, p. 26) Belonging, not punishment; welcome, not rejection.
Meanwhile, the earlier group of Pharisees makes a second appearance, and by now the audience realizes what those on stage do not—that the man’s healing is an occasion to celebrate, to rejoice, to wonder, to marvel. Instead, this has become an incident of fear, anger, derision, hostility. By now we realize John wants us to know it is the marginalized who are seen by Jesus and even more ironically it is the marginalized who see Jesus. We can’t help but wonder why he who once was blind now sees, while others reject that possibility all the while revealing their own failed vision.Their interrogation leads to accusation leads to exclusion leads to condemnation. As the man who can see very well now is left on stage alone thanks to this religious group who has turned their backs on him, the audience is left to ponder what constitutes religion—is it separating or including; is it dividing or restoring; is it condemning or reconciling?
Meanwhile, after a long absence from the stage, Jesus returns with the man who has been cast out by the Pharisees. Maybe Jesus sees something of himself in this man, for he too is soon to be cast out, crossed out. It is an important move in the drama, for we note that it is now these Pharisees in their exclusionary practice who have been moved to the sides. Jesus’ presence with this man anticipates what he would say that John records one chapter later – “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” Jesus is with the cast out, cast off, cast aside, and it reminds us all these years later that First Christian Church of Norman—this body of Christ—is to be the kind of place that stands with someone like this who has been booted. Where do we cast our lot?
Meanwhile, the lights fade on center stage and the lights on the edge come up slightly.John tells us that after watching all of this, some of the Pharisees ask a question—the last one asked in the story.“Surely we are not blind, are we?”Jesus does not so much answer the question as he does invite them to envision their faith—a faith of humane connection not convenient categorizing, a faith of humble compassion not caustic criticism, a faith of helpful community not cosmic condemnation. And that is where the lights fade on stage except for the soft light shining that not even the darkness can overcome.
Meanwhile, the last scene is not included in John’s story. Instead, it is our scene, the church’s scene because we know the best part of any stage play is after it is over and the people are walking to their cars in the parking lot, pondering John’s question – “who is tempted to condemn?”