“I Was Blind, Now I See”Lesson 16

Purpose

To help us have a greater understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ as:– the Light of the World, and – the Good Shepherd.

Two stories/two concepts

• John 9. Jesus affirms that he is the Light of the World and heals a man who was born blind. The healed man testifies to the Pharisees and worships Jesus.

• John 10:1–15, 25–28. Jesus teaches that he is the Good Shepherd and that he will lay down his life for his sheep. The Lord’s sheep are those who hear his voice and follow him.

Jesus gives sight to a man who was born

blind.

The disciples’ query reflects two concepts found in the Judaism of their day—• that suffering was the result of iniquity, and • that there was a premortal existence of some

kind.

When Jesus saw a man who had been blind from birth, His disciples asked Him, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).

What was Christ’s answer? (John 9:3-5)

3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

The Pool of Siloam

The man who had been blind testified several times that Jesus had healed him (John 9:10–11,

15, 17, 24–25, 27, 30–33)

His understanding of the healing and his Healer grew only with time.

• Immediately after the healing, he reported only that it was done by “a man that is called Jesus” (John 9:11).

• Later he declared of his Healer, “He is a prophet” (John 9:17).

• Still later he emphatically declared, “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:33).

• Finally, with commitment and resolve, the man believed and accepted Jesus as “the Son of God” (see John 9:35–38).

Blind man

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Conversion is a process that seldom occurs in an instant suddenly. Gospel grace dawns gradually upon most believers” (The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [1979–81], 2:188).

The former blind man was cast out of the synagogue (John 9:20-22, 34-35)

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue….34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.35 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?

Cast out of the synagogue

Because the synagogue was so integral to Jewish society, to be cast out of the synagogue meant more than being excommunicated and losing fellowship with the religious community. It meant banishment from cultural and social affairs as well. This threat was apparently severe enough to keep the parents of the man born blind from getting too involved in the investigation of this miracle. (Institute Manual)

What kinds of threats (real or perceived) do we face when we bear our testimonies?

When Jesus heard that the man whose blindness had been miraculously healed had been cast out of the synagogue, He

sought out the man and taught him that He was the Son of God.

In this way, the Savior helped him “see” even more clearly.

“Now sight had been given twice—once to remedy a congenital defect and once to behold the King of Kings before He would ascend to His eternal throne. Jesus had quickened both temporal and spiritual vision” (President Howard W. Hunter, “The God That Doest Wonders,” Ensign, May 1989, 16–17).

Jesus teaches that

he is the Good

Shepherd

Sheepfold

John 10:1–15, 25–28

Group 1: John 10:1-8Group 2: John 10:9-15Group 3: John 10:25-28

Elder John R. Lasater, 1988

We are the sheep—what is our sheepfold?

• What is the door?– After the sheep were gathered in the enclosure

for the night, the shepherd would lie down to sleep in the entrance, barring the way so predators or thieves could not hurt the sheep. The Savior’s statement, “I am the door,” makes clear that He was willing to “lay down [His] life for the sheep” (John 10:7, 15), and that He ultimately will decide who will enter the kingdom of heaven. (Institute Manual)

We are the sheep

• Who are the thieves and robbers who try to enter the sheepfold? (See John 10:1)

• How do sheep recognize their shepherd? (John 10:3–4.)

• How can we hear the Lord’s voice? (D&C 1:37–38; 18:33–36; 97:1.)

• How are we protected when we know and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd?

Elder Neal A. Maxwell referred to scriptures which declare that the Savior waits for us “with open arms.” He then suggested why the Lord stands at the door or gate to determine who may enter: “He waits for you ‘with open arms.’ That imagery is too powerful to brush aside. … It is imagery that should work itself into the very center core of one’s mind—a rendezvous impending, a moment in time and space, the likes of which there is no other. And that rendezvous is a reality. I certify that to you. He does wait for us with open arms, because his love of us is perfect” (“But a Few Days” [address to CES religious educators, Sept. 10, 1982], 7; si.lds.org).

How have you been blessed for following the Savior?

How has the Savior has helped you “see” spiritually?

How has this spiritual sight made a difference in your life?

Jesus declared his ability to lay down his life and to take it up again

(John 10: 17-18)

• The people reacted to this in different ways– Some said he was mad and had a devil– Others asked how the devil could heal the blind

This was during the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah (our early December)

Jesus was walking in the portico (porch) of the temple

John 10:24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

How would you have responded to this?

John 10:25-3025 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.30 I and my Father are one.

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:32-3932 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand.

The Savior’s reply invited those who heard Him to believe in their own divine potential, which He

would help them realize if they would follow Him.President Joseph F. Smith taught:“Christ is the great example for all mankind, and I believe that mankind were as much foreordained to become like him, as that he was foreordained to be the Redeemer of man. … We are … in the form of God, physically, and may become like him spiritually, and like him in the possession of knowledge, intelligence, wisdom and power.“The grand object of our coming to this earth is that we may become like Christ, for if we are not like him, we cannot become the sons of God, and be joint heirs with Christ” (Teachings: Joseph F. Smith, 152).

President Brigham Young (1801–77) posed the question, “How are we to know the voice of the Good Shepherd from the voice of a stranger?” He answered this question by saying: “When an individual, filled with the Spirit of God, declares the truth of heaven, the sheep hear that, the Spirit of the Lord pierces their inmost souls and sinks deep into their hearts; by the testimony of the Holy Ghost light springs up within them, and they see and understand for themselves” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 319).