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As Jesus went along, he saw a man who was blind. He had been blind since he was born. Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned? Was this man born blind because he sinned? Or did his parents sin?” “It isn’t because this man sinned,” said Jesus. “It isn’t because his parents sinned. He was born blind so that God’s power could be shown by what’s going to happen (John 9:1-3).

We are exploring together what it means that Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” Already in the Old Testament, light is an image attached to Immanuel. John picks up this picture in his gospel and its meanings sort of explodes on the page like a light bulb given power in a dark room. Our text is one of those detonations. The disciple’s understanding of the world is turned on its head.

In this story the disciples are asking the questions. “Why is this man blind? Why is he this way? Did his parents sin? Or was it he, himself?” The disciples are trying to understand the condition, meaning, and purpose of this man’s life. If he is blind, if he is disabled, isn’t it because he or someone has sinned? Why would he be this way if no one had sinned? Whose sin caused this man to be born blind?

In their way of looking at the world, a problem like blindness was always the direct effect of someone’s sin. Today, we think such ideas are old fashioned. We are too educated for such simplicity. But just hold on. What is our gut reaction when someone is homeless or a refugee? For many of us, our first response is to ask why. To stand back and analyze the situation. And isn’t that exactly what the disciples were doing? Analyzing the situation, making it fit into their worldview.

They don’t see a man in need of healing, do they? They’re blind to his pain. They see an example from the Theologians Case Book! This promises to be an interesting discussion.

Likewise, we try to explain what we see as unfortunate, lamentable, disadvantageous, regrettable. But in doing this we place ourselves at the centre of our questions. In such thinking, God is put in the sidelines.

In our text, Jesus flips the disciples’ thinking on its head, as he so often does. How does he respond to their questions, “who sinned?” Jesus responds by shifting their focus from the blind man to God and to Himself as the Light of the World. He says to them, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” This is not just about the blind man; this is about God’s work and God’s plan.

Jesus intends to point us beyond the problem to the possibilities it presents. When we see an afflicted individual, we should not start with blame, but rather how can peace, comfort, and healing for this person show the glory of the God. We should be about the business of trying to bring such wholeness to him and others.

Jesus continues to rebuke his disciples when he later says, " While it is still day, we must do the works of the one who sent me. Night is coming. Then no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” In other words, don’t let your opinions deflect you from the task that God has put you here to do. How often do we analyse and dissect rather than act to bring God’s light into the world? How often do we apply our theological minds to working out why something is the way it is, rather than doing what we can to right the wrongs we see?

To paraphrase Jesus, “Whoever has eyes to see, let them see!”

On your ornament, you can draw one of two things: an eye, suggesting that we need to see the world in a new light, or a light, indicating that Jesus is the light of the world, who will show us a new way to look at the world.

As for something to do: as you go about your day, ask Jesus to show you how your opinions are keeping you from bringing God’s glory into other people’s lives.