4th SUN LENT – Key to dealing with the gospel…

    So, the blind man began to see.  The Pharisees blindness was revealed and affirmed.  Hmmm.  It’s a story of the development of a disciple who relied on his experience and the resistance of the Pharisees that became entrenched.  What is going on here?

Seems to me that what we had heard earlier in John details the two movements:

John 3:16f           “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.  “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1. God loved the world & therefore sent the Son.
2. God sent Son to save the world – those who believe receive eternal life.

John 3:19–21           And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.  For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed.  But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

1. Christ the Light elicited characteristic responses & reactions from all

a. Evil deeds require darkness.  Resist the light!  Avoid exposure!

b. True deeds escort persons to the light that their deeds may be seen clearly as done in God

Jesus is the Rorschach test whose very presence elicits personal responses.  Can any of us read and interpret our reactions to Jesus?  Who is Jesus for you?  How do you respond?

How ‘correct’ do your answers have to be?  How exact to what “you should believe?”  For, example:  Jesus is the One who Disappoints me every time.  Something like that?