Fourth Sunday in Lent March 14-15, 2026
“Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Joy” John 9
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
There are some people who can tell great stories. They offer important thoughts about what they are telling you. They can give you details to fill in the picture. They bring you along as they speak so you ask the question – what is going to happen next? Who has been a great storyteller for you? A mom? A dad? A grandparent? A friend? A teacher?
John, this writer that you heard, is an amazing storyteller. This story is a true one about a man who had been born blind. It begins like this, “As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth.” His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
We always have to find someone to blame, right? We are comfortable with that question – whose fault is this? A man has cancer? Well – he must have smoked for twenty years. What would you expect? Liver problems? Drank too much. Heart attack? Not enough exercise. Too many cookies!! Car accident? Going too fast, might have been texting.
Man born blind? Either he did something or possibly the finger should point at his parents. But Jesus said of this, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But this happened that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” (John 9:3)
Then the rest of this story, as true as can be, defines what the work of God was in his life. The work of God, first, was the healing that Jesus offered to this man. He had never seen light, or colors, or the beauty that takes your breath away. Jesus changed that. Do you remember the disgusting thing Jesus did? He spit on the ground. Made some mud. He must have really spit a number of times!! Then he put this mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. And, wall-ah, “The man went and washed, and came home seeing.” (John 9:7)
Now, that is a work of God. But that was only the first of many of the works of God in His life.
Having Jesus do this miracle for him actually made this man’s life more difficult. The day when Jesus did this merciful act was on the Sabbath. Merciful acts that could wait a day, or so, should wait, according to some of the religious folks. This man became an outcast from the authorities and even from his parents. I don’t see anyone, other than the man born blind, who was joy filled because of this miracle and the new life it brought him.
His parents were asked the question, “Is this your son? Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?” The parents didn’t want to get into trouble. They gave this side-stepping response, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” (John 9:19-21)
The Pharisees questioned this man a number of times. Who did this? How did he do it? There were no words of joy and congratulations about this miracle. There was not the expression, “Oh, I’m so happy for you!” After more interrogations this man says, “One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see.” This really got the authorities mad. “Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (See John 9:24-33)
That was the last word the Pharisees were going to take from him. They said to him, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. (John 9:34)
Remember what Jesus said what this merciful miracle was all about? “This happened so the work of God might be displayed in his life.” He had to stand alone in all of this. His family didn’t support him. The powerful in that community determined he had no worth. But the rejection or abandonment of others wasn’t going to destroy him. The work of God was now shown in how he became stronger in his life and in the conviction of who Jesus was and what Jesus, and Jesus alone, did in his life.
Great stories don’t become stagnant. They move. They grow. They’re vibrant. Four different times this man becomes more enlightened about who Jesus is. His first word about Jesus is: “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes.” (John 9:11) Six verses later he is asked, “What do have to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” To this he replied, “He is a prophet.” (John 9:17) Then he says of Jesus, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:33) And finally, the full understanding of the work of God came to him. Jesus looked for the man and found him and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man? “Who is he, sir?” Tell me, so I may believe in him.” Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking to you.” And now get this – this man says, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him.” (See John 9:35-38) He grows in his confession of Jesus from his belief that He was simply “a man” to “a prophet” to “one who has come from God” to “Lord, I believe.” When Jesus said of the impediment of this man, “This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”, the work of God was much more than giving him sight, it was the regeneration of his soul.
But this story is not just wrapped up so neatly at the end. It isn’t an “All’s well that ends well” story. The last verses of this reading are, “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (See John 9:39-41) Jesus challenged them if the work of God would be displayed in their life. Would they repent? Would they seek God? Would they come to faith? The Scriptures say, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8) Would that happen to those who saw the miracle of God but rejected having Jesus in their life? Would they draw near to God?
Will you draw near to God? Jesus wants all those who are blind in their soul to come to His light and truth. That light and truth that He imparts is knowing Jesus has come to restore us. He wants our confession of Him to become bolder and broader. We confess with amazement, “He is my Lord.” “He is my Savior.” Like the blind man whose story got a rewrite, we can say, “One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see.”
I wonder what story God is writing in your life. How is the work of God shown in your life? Today we have a special experience at Ascension – the choir from Concordia University in Nebraska is with us. Some of you are here in worship because they are here. Some of you sang with Concordia years ago. I want you to look back and see how God has put His finger on your life and has written your story. In dark times, hard times, the best times, He has been writing your story by His faithfulness to you. He gave you faith and confidence in God’s love for you. And for you students – God has great things in store for you. You are a child of God. You can spend your life growing in faith in Jesus, and in the amazement of God’s love for you and your deep love for others.
I love it when someone can tell a story. I especially love it when God is writing and telling our story. It has a great beginning, a wonderful middle and the best ending!! Amen!!
