This morning we have experienced the scene captured in John’s 9th chapter. Our drama enfolds with Jesus speaking to a man who was born blind. Jesus has compassion upon this man and heals him while those around the two have much to say about it.
The disciples were concerned with why the man was blind. Was it his sin or his parents, they wondered. In their understanding of God, good health was the result of God’s favor and God bestowed favor on those who were righteous.

The Pharisees were also deeply concerned with righteousness. They were trying to find a way to discredit Jesus. Many were following him instead of them and He did not always do things the way that they would. In this event, he even healed this man on the Sabbath; completely at odds with the Hebrew law. The Pharisees had made a career out of trying to follow the law perfectly. They felt that by adhering to the law, they would find their righteousness. Unfortunately, their extreme behavior was devoid of love, missing the point of the law altogether.

And at the center of this drama were a blind man and our Lord, Jesus. Imagine this man; blind from birth. Not only did he have to learn how to survive in a world that he could not see; he also had to survive the injustice of being viewed by his society as defiled, defective and unworthy. This man had been an outcast all of his life and suddenly he meets Jesus and his world is turned upside down.

We do not know how many years of struggle this man had endured. We know that he is of age; at least 13 years old. Imagine his experience of gaining his sight after all those years. Not only did he now see; an experience in of itself but for the first time in his life, he was not an outcast. He was loved and accepted for being a child of God. Jesus reached out to this man and did so much more than heal his blindness. Jesus opened up a whole new world. This man now had a “family”. He had a group that he belonged to. No wonder this man went around everywhere he could saying, “All I know is I was blind and now I see!”. His elation was evident everywhere he went. His new found life, made him bold and wise. For years that man sat and begged for charity so he might eat. He was the lowest of the low. Ritually unclean which meant some may have offered him money for food, but no one would sit and talk with him. No one wanted to befriend him or invite him to their home. This man was used to shriveling in his shame. A quick thank you was likely all he had ever said to his fellow Jews. So imagine their surprise when he walked right in to their midst a s bold as daylight! He no longer slunk in the shadows. He walked with his head held high. He was not intimidated any longer. He had to share his new found freedom; the freedom that can only come from an encounter with Christ.

I too have seen this type of transformation. I too have seen lives drastically changed. In a women’s prison in New Hampshire several years ago, a group of women gathered together. Half the women were inmates and half were Christian women who longed to share Christ’s love. In three days, stories were told, songs were sung and Christ entered and changed lives. You can imagine these inmates; women who had lived lives filled with pain, filled with shame. These women too were outcasts in their society. They too were not befriended or invited into folks’ homes. And Christ came and freed them from their prison of addiction, violence and isolation. And what was equally amazing is that those Christian women were also freed that week end. They too had been in prisons. They did not look like the inmates but in their hearts, they needed a touch from Christ as well. Unlike the Pharisees, these women knew that their works could never bridge the gap between them and God. Only through the transforming love of Christ, could they be made free.

This morning as we meditate on the story of Jesus and the blind man, we too can join in the drama. We can come to Christ safe in the knowledge that he will set us free.; free form our own bondage. Bondage from our own areas of shame, isolation, and loneliness. And we too can join with the man who is not longer blind in sharing with others boldly what Christ has done for us. We too can join in a new fellowship not only with Christ but with all of Christ’s followers. The scripture tells us that once the blind man boldly challenged the Pharisees, they threw him out of the temple. That did not stop him for a second. Not only had Christ’s touch made him bold, but he knew he belonged to a community that was far better than the one that had never accepted him to begin with. He belonged to that community of Christ’ followers. It was within this community that he would find love and acceptance.

Are we that type of community today? Have we been individually transformed by Christ so that others see our joy, our boldness, our great love? This morning we will come to the table. We have an opportunity to look at ourselves and take stock. We know that it is in partaking of this bread and drink that we refresh ourselves anew. We remember what Christ did for us and we remember what it means to be united in Christ. Like the blind man who received his sight; we should be bold and joyful witnesses to what Christ has done for us. Today, we all join together. We have seen the drama of the blind man made whole. We experience the drama of Christ’ last supper as we partake of our communion meal when we remember Christ washing his disciples feet and charging them with the commandment to love one another. I pray that you will meet the living Lord today just as that blind man so many years ago. I know that when you encounter the light of the world, you too will go boldly where each of us are compelled to go; telling our story; I once was blind but now I see! Amen.