Sunday morning, August 10, 2025, Cole Tuck delivered a sermon titled “Man Born Blind,” based on John 9, focusing on Jesus’ healing a man blind from birth.
The sermon explores the disciples’ assumption that the man’s blindness was due to sin, which Jesus refutes, stating it was to display God’s works. The narrative follows the man’s healing, the Pharisees’ legalistic rejection of Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, and the man’s growing faith, culminating in his worship of Jesus. Cole draws five key lessons: suffering isn’t always divine punishment, legalism distances people from God, sin can hinder prayers, true vision requires admitting spiritual blindness, and faith develops gradually.
Talking Points
- Suffering and Divine Purpose: Suffering, like the man’s blindness, is not always a result of sin but can serve to glorify God, challenging assumptions about divine punishment (John 9:3).
- Dangers of Legalism: The Pharisees’ focus on Sabbath rules over the miracle of healing illustrates how legalism can blind people to God’s work, distancing them from true righteousness (John 9:16).
- Sin and Prayer: While the healed man suggests God doesn’t hear sinners’ prayers, scripture shows God hears repentant sinners, but unrepentant sin can hinder prayer effectiveness (John 9:31, James 5:16).
- Spiritual Blindness: True spiritual vision comes from acknowledging one’s sinfulness, as the Pharisees’ self-righteousness kept them blind, while the man’s humility led to faith (John 9:39-41).
- Gradual Faith Development: The healed man’s faith evolved from recognizing Jesus as a prophet to worshiping Him as Lord, showing faith can grow over time (John 9:17, 38).