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“TEARING DOWN THE WALL…OF BLINDNESS” (4/3/11)

SCRIPTURES: Ephesians 5: 8-14 & John 9: 1-25, 35-41
KEY CONCEPTS: During this Lenten season, what might be blinding us spiritually from
seeing (& experiencing) the reality of Jesus’ teachings?
OPENING THOUGHTS:
Good morning, Our Hope! It’s good to be home with you this day! I want to take just a
moment to thank all of you for being here today & for all of you that stepped up & led in
worship over the past 3 weeks while I was on family vacation & officiating a holy union in the
southern part of Georgia! Thank you 
This morning, on the first Sunday of April, we acknowledge last month’s theme (“Reflections
From the Heart”) & build on what Revs. Chris Glaser & Tessie Mandeville shared toward
April’s worship theme. April’s theme – which is also the national theme for Metropolitan
Community Churches (MCC) – is “TEARING DOWNS WALLS, BUILDING UP HOPE”.
So, I ask you on this the 4th Sunday of Lent, what barriers or walls need to be torn down in
your lives in order for God to build up “hope” in you? What obstacles, habits or thoughts are
limiting you at this moment in your spiritual journey? Specifically, this morning, what is
blinding you God’s best for you? And what needs to be torn down or removed from your lives
in order to see what God wants you to see during this season of Lent, moving toward
resurrection & Easter? Please join me in looking at today’s Gospel reading…
BIBLICAL EXEGESIS – JOHN 9: 1-25, 35-41:
Today’s reading from the Gospel of John recounts the story of Jesus’ healing of a man born
blind & what legal & family dramas were created by this man’s healing. I want to look at:
 The words & actions of Jesus the Christ
 The words & actions of the neighbors, Pharisees & parents
THE WORDS & ACTIONS OF JESUS THE CHRIST:
Historically, today’s healing took place during the final year of Jesus’ ministry – which grew
into a “year of opposition” – specifically in dealing with the Pharisees & other religious
leaders of Jesus’ day. This healing story reflects some of the tension between Jesus & the
Pharisees.
Jesus & his disciples see a man blind from birth. The disciples erroneously believe that the
man is born blind because of either sin by himself or his parents (which was a commonly
held Jewish belief). Contrary to popular opinion, Jesus states as the purpose of the man’s
blindness as being in order for God to receive glory – by healing the man—that day! Jesus
used saliva to make a paste to place on the man’s eyes. In ancient days, saliva was
believed to have had medicinal value. Once the man goes & washes, he is healed & can
see! Jesus then disappears – just as the nosey neighbors, the fearful parents & the legalistic
Pharisees all show up!
THE WORDS, ACTIONS OF NEIGHBORS, PARENTS & PHARISEES:
The behaviors & pettiness of the neighbors, Pharisees & parents remind me of all the
reasons why truly spiritual people leave churches & synagogues & never return. Now
certainly, the healing of this man born blind was a huge deal! It should have been one of the
happiest days of his life (& the lives of his parents & all who loved him). Instead, it became a
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day of enduring interrogations, judgment & skepticism.

(1) First, let’s look at the nosey neighbors (& so called friends):
o Questioned his identity
o Didn’t believe his story
o Took him to the Pharisees – that only further complicated the situation

So, the lessons for us?

When God is doing something in the lives of a friend or family member, how about we allow
God to work & not seek to limit God by “how things have always been” or how God did things
in my “my old church” or “my old denomination”?
(2) Second, let’s look at the fearful parents:
o At least they attested to him being their son
o Allowed fear to overtake them – this was the 1 st time he’d ever seen his parents’ faces
& all they could do was say, “Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”
o Their fear? That they’d be put out of the synagogue...

Our contemporary lesson?

Spiritual fear (or fear of any kind) will cause us to turn our backs on “family members” – both
family of origin & family of choice. Additionally, just so we’re clear: God created the family
BEFORE God created the synagogue, church or mosque! So, it might be wise for us to
value family at least as much as we value organized places of worship.
(3) Thirdly, let’s look at the legalistic Pharisees:
o What was most important to these men? The presenting issue was that Jesus had
“made clay – from dirt & saliva – which they deemed as work” on the Sabbath. And
they were so busy “trying to enforce the Sabbath rule” that they totally missed the
bigger picture of:
 A man born blind could now see – for the 1 st time in his life!
 Though packaged differently than they had expected – maybe Jesus of
Nazareth was more than they’d originally thought!?
 Maybe they still had spiritual lessons to learn on & about the Sabbath?
o The Pharisee’s real issue was not wanting to lose religious power, authority or
status
Our spiritual insight?
Spiritual pride & haughtiness blind us to God’s ever changing truths of our day! Those of
us that have known of/about God for a long time often mistaken being familiar with God &
God’s teaching with having an intimate connection with God. We take certain liberties with
God & even become flippant in our approach to God & all that is holy in our world & in other
people – created in the very image of God.
Some of us may miss the miracle of Jesus’ ministry & resurrection this Easter because we
already “think we know it all.” We think we have an inside track with God & that we’re a little
bit better than others. And the sad reality is that those who live like they’re better than
someone else – in reality – don’t truly believe it. Often these types of people suffer from low
self-esteem, wondering if God even loves them.
Thankfully, the good news from this One who gave physical sight to the blind is that “Yes,
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God DOES love each of us!” And thanks be to God that it’s never too late to open our
spiritual eyes to the truth & realities of who God wants to be in our personal lives & who God
is in our global community. And even as we can willingly choose to open our spiritual eyes,
we know that…
ILLUSTRATIONS: (Online reading)
There is still spiritual blindness in our world today - which is why there’s such an international
need for justice, freedom, equality & funding! In two weeks, Our Hope MCC will have an
opportunity to help “bring light & hope” to areas of our world that are still not accepting of
GLBTQI youth, women & adults.
What will the MCC Easter offerings for Global Ministries support? Three very different &
necessary ministries:
1. Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) growing ministry in Asia, specifically across
the Philippines & in Kuala Lumpur
2. MCC’s newly created Global Justice Institute (through MCC New York) to create a
safe house in Uganda for Christians (particularly women) & LGBTQI activists who face
horrific persecution
3. MCC’s ministry in Russia, including the re-publishing of the first booklet in Russian
that deals with homosexuality & the Bible, theology & human rights. Monies will also
be used to sponsor Russia’s first-ever LGBT Christian Conference.
EASTER OFFERING IMPACT IN ASIA: (Online Reading)
This past year, MCC held our first-ever REVM clergy event in the Philippines. Through MCC's Easter
Offerings for Global Ministries, we have a wonderful opportunity to build on the success of that event
& to support our sisters & brothers in the Philippines. The leadership of MCC's Asia Pacific Initiative
(API) has selected four strategic ministry opportunities -- and your generosity this Easter can help turn
these opportunities into realities. Here's how your Easter gifts will help support MCC's growing
ministry in Asia:
 
-- 1. These funds will help underwrite API's 2011 "October Philippine Initiative." Rev. Elder Ken Martin
will be on-site with our churches, members & leaders in the Philippines for the entire month of
October. Rev. Stedney Philips, Barbara Crabtree, Rev. Ed Paul & Rev. Karl Hand will also be
ministering on-site for part of the month.
 
API members will offer leadership development events throughout the month of October, including
programs on "Local Church Infrastructure and Board Development" & "Developing a Strategy for the
Future." A REVM Follow-up will take place, MAP evaluations will be offered & courses will be taught in
"MCC Polity" & "Sexuality Studies." Interspersed with these learning opportunities will be planning
sessions for 2012's conference.
 
-- 2.  Your Easter Offerings for Global Ministries will become part of the vital start-up funds for MCC's
"All-Asia Christian Conference" to take place in 2012.
 
-- 3.  A portion of this year's Easter funds will help support the pastor's stipend & building subsidy for
MCC Quezon City during 2011.
 
-- 4.  Finally, if we exceed our target of raising $30,000 USD through MCC's Easter Offerings for
Global Ministries, the API has set an "over & above" goal of using some of these monies for Elder
Martin to conduct a ministry trip from Manila to Kuala Lumpur during October.
(Taken directly from MCC Easter offering email by Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, March 2011.)