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[0:00] As the Lord might help this evening, I will direct your attention to the chapter that we read.

[0:11] That is the Gospel according to John and chapter 9, reading the verse which says, One thing I know, a twenty-fifth verse, One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see.

[0:40] The whole verse reads, to verse twenty-five, He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not.

[0:51] One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. The miracles which the Lord performed when he was here upon this earth are still being performed, not in the literal way, but in the spiritual way.

[1:22] Eyes are still being opened, ears are still being unstopped, lame people are still being enabled to walk in the Lord, and so hearts are opened to receive the good things that God communicates.

[1:45] That which is written aforetime, therefore, is written for our learning, that we through comfort and patience of the Scriptures might have hope.

[2:00] The case of this man that was blind from his birth is perhaps well known to you all. But there is much to God, much that could be considered, as we may have the help of God this evening, and enlightenment, in regard to the depths which couch beneath.

[2:30] The verse that I have read is, as it were, the crux of the whole matter. It is a focal point.

[2:41] One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see. The neighbors and the Pharisees were both blind, it will appear.

[3:00] And they could not see what this man saw. They did see about not with a right sight.

[3:15] He answered and said, whether he be a sinner or no, I know not. The people, the Pharisees, particularly, were saying that he was not, many of them, were saying that he was not a good man at all, the Lord Jesus, because he had effected this cure on the Sabbath day.

[3:45] And so there was a division. There's bound to be a division in every generation concerning who the Lord Jesus Christ is.

[4:02] there was much speculation regarding to his personality and person when Jesus was here upon the earth.

[4:17] Some said he was a good man. Some said he was of the devil. Some said he appealed to them.

[4:28] Others had no time for him. And so it is today. But this poor man that was born blind had a miracle worked upon him.

[4:45] We want to mix, as God may help, the spiritual and the natural as we see it here. The man himself was blind from his birth.

[5:00] Spiritually speaking, every one of us are in this category. We are blind from our birth. We do not see things at all.

[5:14] We do not observe Jesus Christ at all. And no doubt we can all, if we consider the matter, go back over a few years or more years and confirm that though we heard of Jesus Christ, yet that name meant nothing to us.

[5:38] Though he was a man that went about doing good, yet it meant nothing to us. Growing up from childhood into adulthood, yet was there a change?

[5:52] Well, there is an appointed time to be born again of the Spirit. But, we need to emphasize, the man was blind from his birth.

[6:05] He was blind naturally, he was also blind spiritually. spiritually. If we have sight, and therefore we have reason to bless God that we have sight, that is to see things around us, but we may still be blind otherwise.

[6:29] Some years ago, I had a man in a congregation and he was blind, but he said he thanked God, that God had given him spiritual sight.

[6:45] In one sense, it is preferable to be blind naturally in order that we may see spiritually. This man was the object of the Lord's pity and compassion, and not because he was blind, in so much that through this man a miracle was to be performed.

[7:15] A question was asked, which is often asked when calamities come about, and his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?

[7:36] and this does not mean to say that the man was not a sinner, or that the parents were not sinners, but they were trying to pinpoint, as it were, some particular sin, and therefore, as it was in the parents, so, retribution was fixed upon them in the blindness of their son.

[8:08] The Lord Jesus Christ clarifies the point when he says, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. We might well examine some of the points arising in our lives, and it may be there are times when God makes it clear that his chastening hand is upon us for this or that, but there are other times when it seems strange that such things should come upon this or that person, well, if affliction comes upon us, if adversity comes upon us, whatever that may mean to each of us, let us not forget this, that the works of

[9:14] God should be made manifest. There are times when affliction laid upon the body has been used of God in bringing about that situation where, again, under the power of the Spirit, there is a felt need of Jesus Christ.

[9:47] Naturally, nobody feels the need of Jesus Christ. they do not feel the need of a Savior. They do not feel to need him because they can manage things themselves.

[10:08] And then suddenly something comes along. There are occasions accidents when God's people even come into what we call accidents.

[10:25] Well, there is no accident with God. And some could speak of so-called accidents which have been for no other reason than that God should be made, that God should make his work clear, that his glory should be revealed, that there should be a benefit and blessing to the soul, that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

[11:02] And it is worth noticing this preposition in, in him, not outside of him. It was not just an outside experience of suddenly receiving his sight, but evidently there was some sight spiritually that he received at the same time.

[11:28] The Lord, when he was here upon this earth, says, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. As long as the person is blind, it may shine ever so brightly, but the light will never be seen.

[11:48] Jesus Christ here speaks of himself as being the light of the world, not the only time does he mention this. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, go wash in the pool of Siloam.

[12:15] He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. This was a supernatural work of God.

[12:30] It seemed irritating, and without much purpose, to Naaman the Syrian, that if he went and washed seven times in the Jordan, that he would be healed of his leprosy.

[12:52] And here again, we have a washing, in the pool of Siloam, anointing the eyes with clay. And yet, in both cases, there was the glory of God revealed.

[13:12] And so developed from this enquiries as to how this had come about. Now, if we take this along with us, and God has opened your eyes, there may well be some enquiries as to how it's come about.

[13:34] How is it that you see things spiritually that you did not see at one time? Well, now, it may not be possible for you to answer that question.

[13:48] Now, this man in our text was quite clear about one thing. one thing I know that whereas I was blind, now I see.

[14:07] Perhaps the most important two words in this text are these, I know. There was no doubt in the man's mind that a great change had been effected.

[14:23] and if God has opened our eyes spiritually, there will be no doubt in our souls that God has accomplished something in the most remarkable way.

[14:42] I know that whereas I was blind, now I see. Let us now leave the general narrative, at least for the time being, and take a few points in regard to this remarkable change.

[15:09] It may be that all of us have read the scriptures from as early as we could read at all. and yet being born blind spiritually there was nothing beautiful, nothing attractive in the scriptures at all.

[15:37] We might have memorized them or some of them and yet they meant nothing at all. I remember very well when I was a schoolboy that we had to learn by heart the Ten Commandments.

[15:57] And I managed to memorize these Ten Commandments but the celebrity of them didn't touch my heart at all. The holiness of God reflected in them was not seen by me at all.

[16:16] time. But then the time came when my eyes were opened and I saw in the scriptures what I had not seen before.

[16:34] I saw there was a beauty in the scriptures that I had not seen before. not only had light and a sight been given but accompanying light so the light shone upon the sacred pages and upon my soul as it had an effect upon this man.

[17:06] one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see. We might make this point this evening.

[17:19] He didn't begin to talk about the beauties of nature. At least it's not recorded. He saw and his mind by reason of the inquiries was immediately directed to the person who had opened his eyes.

[17:43] He could not say very much about this man. He knew his name was Jesus but that was just the name.

[17:55] In our day of course we regard Jesus as the name of the Christ of God. In the scriptures we read of another man whose name was also Jesus although he was called Justice.

[18:18] So strange though it may seem Jesus was not just an isolated name who was never used by anyone else.

[18:32] So to this man whose eyes were opened Jesus that was a man's name. We find in the case of another blind man I think mentioned in the gospel according to Mark he was sitting by the wayside begging and the noise of the passing crowd when Jesus was to come that way made him ask who it was and they said Jesus have Nazareth passed it by but he said Jesus their son of David have mercy on me now one saw only Jesus of Nazareth the other saw Jesus their son of

[19:32] David have mercy upon me in other words though he was blind outwardly yet at that time he had a spiritual understanding a spiritual sight of who this man was the Lord can give us very quickly a clear vision and view of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see we might just touch upon the time after the man had been cast out of the synagogue excommunicated it driven out of the church not compatible with the church belief he was cast out but though he was cast out God had not cast him off and so

[20:38] Jesus heard that they had cast him out and when he had found him he said unto him dost thou believe on the son of God one thing he knew that he was blind but now he saw and here is the second thing that he was to know that Jesus was the son of God who is he Lord that I might believe on him and Jesus said unto him thou hast both seen him and he it is that talk is with thee with such words proceeding from the mouth of the Lord subsequently he could say surely one thing I know that whereas I was blind and now I see and now it's another thing that I know not sought for but but the Lord revealed himself to me and he told me that he was speaking to me and therefore

[21:40] I know that this Lord Jesus is the son of God he answered and said who is he Lord that I might believe on him and Jesus said unto him thou hast both seen him and it is he that talk is with thee and the outcome he said Lord I believe and he worshipped him he believed here was the great and glorious creator of heaven and earth who had condescended to open his eyes to form his eyes to give him sight and now in a very special way the Lord had appeared unto him and assured him that it was Jesus speaking to him so one thing

[22:46] I know that whereas I was blind now I see it is as we may read in the scriptures of truth and the scriptures of truth become becomes a different book for the most part people regard the holy bible as just another book but not the book and not the most important of all books the only book that can be trusted the only book that will tell us the truth the only book that will be a commentary on itself so that in considering the scriptures comparing the scriptures our eyes may be open to see that this is the truth by comparing scripture with scripture emphasis is placed in some quarters of the importance of reading other people's thoughts and commentaries is a big help in coming to a knowledge of the scripture

[24:13] I remember a godly minister who was blessed to me many years ago who only read the bible he didn't refer to any other book his grandson told me that his grandfather only read the bible and he was a man of great gifts and blessing and great power in his preaching but he only read the bible now one thing I know and that whereas I was blind now I see oh how wonderful if god should show to us the holy scriptures in such a way that we can see that here is the truth here is the fountain of life here is the living word and if a dark appear bewail thy want of sight no imperfection can be here for all god's words are right whilst we look at the particular case here let us also consider ourselves one thing

[25:39] I know now the suggestion of the natural mind the suggestion of satan the suggestion of some people is that you must know a lot I remember one person being seen by the deacons of a church and the poor woman had a great deal to say and one of the deacons said well if that's all you can say it's not worth proceeding but do not be discouraged because this man said one thing I know and if you can say one thing that's absolutely solid ground it will be sufficient because if there's one thing this is a start this is an eternal start so to speak and this is a start that will lead you on to other greater things as it was in this case one thing his eyes were opened another thing the

[26:57] Lord revealed himself to this poor man and so are your eyes opened are my eyes opened to see anything to see anything in the scriptures and then one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see let us consider the worship in the house of God and the preaching of the word since we are born blind generally speaking the preaching of the word is set at naught there are some living hearers in congregations but sometimes there are critics and the critics are pitting their intelligentsia that is their intellectual ability against the grace that is given to the man to preach the truth but the time comes if our eyes are opened when we see the preaching of the gospel differently now when this happens quite often a mistaking thought occupies the mind the man never used to preach like this he's changed but if it's examined it's not the man that has changed he's been preaching the same for years but you have changed your heart has been changed so one thing I know that whereas

[28:50] I was blind now I see I see there is something in the gospel I see there is something in this means by which the Lord himself has decreed by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe we find that the apostle Paul himself writing to the Romans he says for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek both blind religious or intellectual both blind for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed now we should notice that this man he couldn't call upon him until there was a revelation given and then he worshipped him and how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard so not only are our eyes opened but ears are opened and this is because

[30:21] God's nature is given to this newborn soul and has faculties of being able to rejoice in the truth and how shall they hear without a preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent as it is written how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things so something new is seen and felt in the preaching of the gospel the opening of the eyes the opening of the ears is only part of God's operation because there will be closely allied the opening of the heart we find that

[31:31] Lydia's heart was opened to receive the things that were spoken of poor this man's eyes were opened Lydia's heart was opened another person's ears are opened but the whole thing centers in this have we in any way had our faculties opened I do not mean the natural faculties but the spiritual faculty given to us so one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see one thing I know that where I was deaf now I hear one thing I know where my heart was as hard as a nether millstone yet now it is soft and I am able to receive that great truth that

[32:33] I have despised before so we find 29th of Isaiah and in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness the meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord and the poor among men shall rejoice in the holy one of Israel in that day in that day when God performs a miracle oh what a day that is some of us know this already and I trust that we may all know if we do not know it already eyes open ears open hearts open to rejoice in the scriptures and also to rejoice in the preaching of the gospel but there is yet a more important point and that is our attention in regard to the

[33:43] Lord Jesus Christ because after all as John Newton says paraphrasing one of the Lord sentences what thinking of Christ is the test to try both your state and your scheme you cannot be right in the rest unless you think rightly of him and the only way in which you can think which I can think rightly of him is for our eyes to be opened that we may see things in God's light that we may be blessed with the grace of God that enables us to believe that this is the Son of God now in order to this there must be an experience an experience of course all people have experiences of all sorts of things but when

[34:46] God brings us into the place to have an experience of his operation upon our soul then it will be an experience indeed you will not be able to deny as this man could not deny that he was still blind now you may not see very clearly but because there is another case in the scriptures of a man that had his eyes touched and the Lord said to him what can you see he said I can see men as trees walking in other words he could see the outline but he couldn't see the detail and maybe many people that are not blind no God has opened their eyes but they need a second application in order that they can perceive the depth which coucheth beneath that man was taken out of the town into the country and then the

[35:57] Lord put his hand a second time to this man's eyes and then the man saw clearly and sometimes we have to be taken from one place to another place a place where perhaps we're not so interrupted as before and then a clearer revelation is given of the beauties of our Lord Jesus Christ so one thing I know it was going to stick on that and I would certainly say to all of you any of you if you've got one thing you've got something yes you've got one thing God will not ask you at the day of judgment how many things have you got but one thing and this was satisfying to the Lord Jesus Christ one thing one little revelation a little if it comes from thee will be of great avail to me one glance dr.

[37:09] watts put it like this had I a glance of thee my god kingdoms and men would vanish soon vanish as though I saw them not as a dim candle dies at noon now have you had a thing like that it may not have lasted very long but I say have you a thing like that it was just a glance of god but it was sufficient to blot everything else out or whether the adversity was out out or in what you saw just a glance of Jesus Christ in the song of Solomon you may say oh well of course that's a very deep book but well yes it is mysterious in some things but let me just draw your attention to the third chapter by night on my bed

[38:20] I sought him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not I will rise now and go about the city and the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth I sought him but I found him not how was it that her soul loved the Lord do you think that there is just a faint movement in your soul of love to the Lord now be assured of this that if that is so it didn't come from your nature it came from God himself but we go on the watchman that go about the city found me to whom I said saw ye him whom my soul loveth so if she was asking one of the watchmen as to whether he had seen him whom her soul loveth then surely the

[39:36] Lord had opened her eyes to see something of a precious nature in the Lord Jesus Christ it was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth now remember if we are born blind as we are and thus we are blind spiritually from birth there will be no attraction in the Lord Jesus Christ it was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my mother's house and into the chamber of her that conceived me all commencing with the words of our text one thing

[40:37] I know that whereas I was blind now I see it may well be that the incident in the song of Solomon was not coming forth from a father or mother in Israel but in the youth of soul experience and this has no connection with age naturally there there was a delighting in the Lord oh that you could find him are you inquiring are you inquiring of God perhaps you feel you dare not open your mouth to others but are you asking of God how where his beloved is oh that thou would reveal them by thyself Jesus reveal thyself to me is the line in one of our hymns one thing I know that whereas I was blind one thing

[41:38] I know that where I had no feeling toward the Jesus Lord Jesus Christ now I have a feeling you will have to answer these questions yourself before God about these are important things and I want to stick on this one thing oh if you can say one thing do not I love thee dearest Lord behold my heart and see and tear each hated idol down that dares to rival thee one thing oh to have the eyes opened who who who had opened his eyes has

[43:18] God opened your eyes in regard to spiritual things and are you wondering who it is was it just a man that directed such an argument to your mind that you could say yes I can see that this was Jesus Jesus of Nazareth but Jesus the Son of God that's a very different matter and now one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see that the people of God are journeying on to a place where they shall rejoice and be in the presence of God forever you may have even said already the people of God they possess something what it is I don't know but they possess something which

[44:19] I do not have at the moment but you've got the beginning one thing I know whereas I was blind now I see are there small things remember the word of God says despise not the day of small things we can so easily look at fleeting experiences and Satan will certainly help you in this and dismiss them as matters of little account or do prize the least view and vision you have had of the Lord Jesus Christ that has touched your soul and has brought you to see and to know him is life eternal without him I must perish we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren here is that true can you see and what you see often has its reflection in our heart do you love the brethren and those that are often despised by many people in religion or do you still love the brethren and the sisters because you can see that Christ is in them the hope of glory so one thing I know my thought and viewing of the people of God the church of God is different from what it was

[46:09] I now feel drawn to them because I've looked at them I've watched them and I've heard them sometimes speak of those glorious things as touching the king and of speaking of his glorious majesty of his condescension of his love to poor sinners who cannot help themselves to those who are ready to drop into the pit oh to those who are ready to drop into the pit yet who can tell but God will turn and be gracious unto me and though my sins deserving hell are not despair for who can tell one thing I know so then why do we know that our eyes are opened because we see the scriptures differently we see the truth differently we see the gospel differently we see the preaching of the gospel differently we see there is something in Jesus Christ that we never saw before and we see also that there is something in God's people that is desirable with them numbered may I be now and through eternity we know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren and we love the brethren when we love God and keep his commandments so seeing because our eyes are opened seeing we may well see doctrine experience and practice our mind goes to the 12th chapter to the Hebrews which opens wherefore seeing we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses your eyes are opened seeing we are also accompanied compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us looking unto Jesus and without sight we could not look unto Jesus but it says looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your mind a sinner is a sacred thing the Holy Ghost has made him so and here yes this man who was a sinner though this miracle worked upon him was for the glory of God so that whilst others were disputing about the person of Christ he says whether he be a sinner or no

[50:00]  I know not but I will not be diverted from this point one thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see we leave the few remarks in the hand of God oh that he may make the application that will glorify his great name Amen Amen Amen Thank you to you to each banda