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“Clear Blindness”
Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41; 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Rev. Sandy Nuernberg
Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI
Fourth Sunday of Lent -
Self-Development Sunday
Baptism and Communion Sunday
March 2, 2008
Please pray with me, O
Lord, as we are taught by your Word, help us to think on our faith of your
Son Jesus Christ as the healer and of those in our midst. This is how we see
you, O God, as you share our needs and weaknesses, and you reach out in your
steadfast love for us day after day. AMEN.
“If you were blind, you would not have sin.
But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”
John 9:41
In my reckless blindness, little
did I know or see what was ahead of me. I thought back then in 1979 that I was
going to my aerobics classes to ‘stay fit’! My instructor, Joyce Sorenson, had
us push away the tables and chairs at the Edgewood school library for enough
floor space to move back and forth, jump up and down, and include warm-up and
cool-down muscle exercises lying down, all to taped music. Even in my medical
professional background, I was blind to the idea that if we did these exercises
regularly, we’d be healthy and wise as we aged!! But I remember her telling us,
blatantly, “You probably won’t lose pounds, but inches.” She saw things then
pretty clearly; really, she was planting seeds for us to practice our personal
discipline and to care for our bodies over time; today’s world might find these
as rather ‘foundational’ issues. Back then, we were a minority of guys and gals
probably knowing there was no real proof in her words; just in her looks. What
we saw in Joyce was the picture of physical well-being.
Joyce told us, as I brought some
friends to class, instructors throughout the nation were being taught that small
doses of exercise regularly were advantageous for cardiac and physical
strengthening; for our good health. This was, at a time before personal
trainers, weight-building, Curves, The Princeton Club, and the
Exercise Studio, Joyce’s place now on University Avenue in Madison. For me,
I really thought that, if I was honest with myself, I wanted an outlet for
stress-release at my full time job at SMHMC, and selfishly, I loved the
fast-paced music we heard as she taught us. I got into it; I bought the tights,
tops, Reebock shoes, you name it, all to be in better shape! And you know what?
Joyce was right; it worked, for me. I lost inches, built sturdy muscles ( for a
gal, I thought! ), and generally stayed in this setting of personal health care
three times a week for over twenty years. I thought then it a bold risk; today
as I have returned from academia and renew my physical strength and build my
cardiac mentality in running and frequent exercise, I’m seeing a bit more
clearly of its importance for my health; no blindness to it, but fresh and
active exercise again!
In our Gospel story, John helps
us find meaning in Jesus’ healing a man, born blind. There is more than ‘what
meets the eye’ in this story of the blind man, the Pharisees, and Jesus;
clearly, a blind man is miraculously healed, clearly, in his washing in Siloam
he is in boldness brought from darkness to light and to faith in Jesus Christ,
the prophet of God, clearly, there is understanding of suffering and sin in our
story, and clearly, yet sometimes unclearly, Christ’ absence and presence is
what’s important in our story.
For me, and coincidentally today
(we are baptizing a new young child today!), in our clear blindness, this is
truly a story of baptism. It’s a miraculous beginning of new life in Christ for
the blind man seeing Jesus. It’s a clearness in knowing by the Pharisees (they
think) of questioning Jesus’ healing and curing in timing and effect. It’s
Jesus’ authority they have a problem with, as they are blind to that part of
their faith of ‘seeing is believing.’ (In Jesus’ actions, they challenge the
Law from God in Jesus Christ).
In the end, though, it’s Jesus’
presence letting them know they don’t see, even if they think they do. He sends
the blind man to be washed at Siloam, meaning ‘Sent,’ and Jesus, the sent One by
God the Father, is sent to give understanding, sight, and new life in showing
forth the glory of God in saving the world. The climax, the last sentence makes
for the best part I think; Jesus says,
“If you were blind, you would not have sin.
But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”
Jesus is telling the Pharisees
(and us) that if we are unknowing of God’s ways, if we’re ignorant of them, we’d
be without sin, BUT we (and the Pharisees) assume that we know it all, and see
it all, and so we really are sinful! You see, Jesus’ is without sin and the
Pharisees (we) are not! Really, their sin is incorrectly calling blindness as
sight; it’s their spiritual blindness!
Yes, for us, in this Lenten
season, and at this baptism of Kayli Mae Berg, in our own cleansing in the Holy
Spirit of baptism, let us see clearly and spiritually what unites us with
Christ; Christ is with us. As Jesus’ spit and mud cleared and cleansed
the eyes of the blind man, Jesus reached and touched him. We are, in baptism,
initiated into the church; God reaches and touches us, we are promised God’s
grace upon us, and in God forgiving our sins, we are called to a life of
Christian service and fulfillment.
In our baptism, just like the
blind man, we find God’s seeds planted for new life in Christ! In our sacrament
of communion at the Lord’s table God’s works are revealed in God; you and I are
fed spiritually with the food of life in Christ’ presence as renewal in our life
with Christ. We’re never all knowing of God’s ways; that’s clear blindness! But
as we celebrate both sacraments this day, let us be given clear sight and new
understanding, let us see clearly of our ways, and let us be sustained in our
growth on our journey with/to Christ Jesus. Let us strive to carry God’s gifts
of love and grace to others in our baptism and communion by the Holy Spirit that
nourishes and nurtures each of us.
Thanks be to
God. AMEN.
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