Worship and Devotions

Fourth Sunday In Lent

March 15, 2026

Welcome visitors and old friends. Welcome regardless of belief, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic status, marital status, age, abilities, or life situation. Welcome believers and doubters as well as doubting believers. Welcome to share the fullness of Christ's love for the world! (Adapted from The welcome message from the Thomas Community in Finland. "Celebrating milestone moments" by Rev. Jukka Joensuu. Canada Lutheran January/February 2024 Vol. 39 No. 1; chorus of ELW 523)

Baptism is sometimes called enlightenment. The gospel for this Sunday is the story of the man born blind healed by Christ. "I was blind, now I see," declares the man. In baptism God opens our eyes to see the truth of who we are: God's beloved children. As David was anointed king of Israel, in baptism God anoints our head with oil, and calls us to bear witness to the light of Christ in our daily lives.

Music

O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate

O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate (Elw Accompaniment Edition) - Elw 722

Prayer of the Day

Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your Spirit, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Readings

1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14

Gospel - John 9:1-41

Music

Amazing Grace, How Sweet The Sound

Amazing Grace (Lyrics) - Susan Boyle

Sermon

Open our Eyes, Lord by Pastor Carol J. Dennison

One of the first rules of journalism is to be sure you cover the basics in a story: who, what, where, when, and why. Our reading from John today is filled with questions in all of these categories. The manner in which these questions are asked varies: simple inquiry, examining, quizzing, challenging, doubting, disputing, even interrogating. It is a continuation of the ongoing dispute between Jesus, the Pharisees and the Temple authorities in the previous chapters and will continue throughout the gospel. Jesus is upsetting the status quo and to make matters worse the ordinary people are believing him! These authorities have already decided that Jesus needs to die but they are stymied as to how to do it without having a riot on their hands. Today's encounters also reveal that questions can clarify understanding and lead to greater understanding and even faith.

Jesus has just left the temple as the authorities are picking up stones to stone him to death! As he walks along, he and his disciples see a man blind from birth begging in the street. "Why is this man blind? Did he sin or was it his mother and father?" ask the disciples.

"Neither of them. He was born thus so that God's work may be revealed in him."

Then Jesus goes on to speak of how they must do God's works while they can because a time is coming when they won't be able to do that. However, as long as Jesus is still with them, "I am the light of the world." This is what he has already told the Pharisees and others back in chapter 8. To show them what that involves he makes mud from the dust on the road and his spit and spreading it all over the blind man's eyes tells this man to go and wash his eyes in the Pool of Siloam, that is the "Sent Pool."

This raises some questions in my mind. Why didn't the man protest when this stranger put mud on his eyes or at least, ask what he is doing? Why did he do what Jesus told him to do? How did the blind man get to Siloam? Did someone help him find his way? Has this man heard Jesus before and recognized his voice? We don't know but we do know he comes back able to see!

It seems that Jesus is not there when he returns. His neighbours and those used to him being there begging are filled with questions: Is this really the man born blind or not? How did this happen? Where is Jesus?

The man himself says he is indeed the man born blind and relates what Jesus did and the results but he does not know where Jesus is.

"They", presumably those same neighbours and those used to his begging, take him to the Pharisees Why? It is the Sabbath day when this happens and the Pharisees have already had several encounters with Jesus over his healing people on the Sabbath. Way back in chapter 5, Jesus tells the man at the Beth-zatha Pool to stand up, take up his mat and walk and he does. When the authorities learn of it, they begin persecuting and trying to kill Jesus because he is not only breaking the Sabbath but also calling God Father, thereby making himself equal to God. (John 5:18) Little wonder then that they use this occasion to interrogate the man who once was blind! Again they ask how he became sighted and again he tells his story clearly and concisely. However, they openly accuse Jesus of being a "sinner" since he doesn't observe the Sabbath the way they think it should be observed. Some of them simply ask how it is possible for Jesus do such a thing. They are divided and ask the newly sighted man what he has to say about Jesus who gave him sight.

"He is a prophet." Notice that his opinion has changed from just the one who did this and now I can see to acknowledging Jesus as a prophet, sent from God.

Then the scene shifts to one with the Jewish authorities at the Temple. They deny that this man has received his sight. He could not have been blind to begin with! Someone decides to call in the man's parents and they affirm that this is indeed their son who was born blind but deny any knowledge of how it happened. Ask him! He's a grown-up! The gospel writer informs us that they were afraid of being kicked out of the synagogue as people who confess Jesus as the Messiah! Fear makes people act against their true feelings.

Now it is the Temple authorities who haul the newly sighted man back before them. They order him to say it is God who gave him his sight not Jesus who is a sinner. "I don't know whether Jesus is a sinner or not but I know I was blind and now I can see!"

They repeat the questions already asked. What did he do? How did he make you see?

The man tells them the truth. They have not been listening or they would know! Then he asks them an unusual, perhaps rhetorical question: Do you also want to become his disciples?

"What! You must be kidding. YOU are his disciple. We are disciples of Moses through whom God spoke. We don't know where Jesus comes from."

Now this man, eyesight restored by Jesus, let's them have it straight. "That's astonishing! You don't know where he's from yet he opened my eyes! God does not listen to sinners but does listen to those who worship God and obey God's will. No one has ever before made a person born blind able to see. If he was not from God he could not do it!" Note that the man now sees Jesus as being from God.

Talk about speaking truth to power! Predictably they see him as a threat trying to teach them! They drive him out of the synagogue!

Jesus, hearing what has happened, seeks out this newly sighted man. His questions are pointed and have to do with the man's faith. "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

The man asks who this person is. He wants to know so he can believe in him! He obviously trusts Jesus.

Jesus tells them, "I am the man, the one you see before you."

The newly sighted man exclaims:" Lord, I believe," and then falls down before Jesus and worships him. What an increase in faith!

Jesus tells him that he is there to judge the world- to make the blind see and the sighted blind! He is turning the world upside down!

Some nearby Pharisees overhear this exchange and say to Jesus, "We aren't blind are we?"

"If you were blind that would not be a sin. Now that you say you see, you remain in your sin."

Perhaps we hear this story and think it means we should not ask questions! Yet that is not true. Someone once said that the only bad question is the one you do not ask. The point is that we learn as we ask honest questions, as we seek to understand. However, when we use questions to negate others, to put them down and make us the source of all truth, we are not asking questions, we are dictating our opinions. Jan Richardson puts it this way: "These questions are not doorways into conversation. These questions are fences, ...walls... designed to reinforce the boundaries of what these people already know, and to keep their landscape of belief, experience, and knowledge safely contained." (Jan Richardson. "Lent 4: Here's Mud in Your Eye"(Lent 4: Here's Mud in Your Eye « The Painted Prayerbook)

Notice how the man born blind and made sighted increases in faith and expands his faith as he is forced to tell his story and answers their questions. Their interrogations actually enable him to clarify in his own mind what has happened and he moves from seeing Jesus as the nice man whose actions and order gave him his sight to seeing him as a prophet, then as someone from God and finally as the Son of Man and worthy of worship!

This lesson invites us to ask ourselves some questions. How do I react to events that are outside my experience? When I ask questions am I seeking to expand my vision or confine it? Am I willing to listen to others as they respond and engage in conversations that allow each of us to speak our truth and then together to expand our faith?

Jesus put mud and spit on the eyes of the man born blind and told him to go to "Sent" Pool to wash it off. He did not tell him why. The result was totally unexpected! When have you been in a situation that seemed like you were covered in mud and spit metaphorically of course? A situation with no easy answers, a seemingly impossible place? Jesus also sends each of us back to the Living Water, Jesus, to the water of our baptism, to wash ourselves through prayer, true conversations, hearing God's Word and being willing to try the impossible even when we are sure it won't work!

I have been there many times throughout my life. I know I have told you this tale many times but bear with me. When we had just returned to B.C. from Ontario and were living in Chetwynd, my husband became ill and was put on medical leave. I needed a job to pay the bills! I asked my Pastor back in Ontario to pray that I would find a job. A few weeks later he phoned and said that he kept getting the same answer to his prayers and wasn't sure he should tell me. That scared me since he was not one to say he got messages from God to tell people! I said he should just tell me even though my stomach felt like it had dropped! "Tell her to go to seminary." Oh.

When I told my husband he said, "I've been telling you that for years." Long story short within six months I began seminary in Saskatoon. The rest is history. God's answer to my situation was not the one I wanted or thought I needed but it was the best decision I ever made.

Similarly, back in 2010, my husband suddenly became very ill and was med-evacuated to Lion's Gate Hospital in North Vancouver where he spent eight weeks in the Intensive Care Unit. The first month of that we were not sure he would survive. Every minute of every day I asked God to heal him so I could take him home. Then one day, I finally asked God to heal him in whatever way God saw was best for him. Your will be done even if it isn't what I want. The next day he began to improve and we had another fourteen years together.

As we continue through these last weeks of Lent, ask yourself what situations you find yourself in that seem impossible or difficult. Then ask God to show you what God wants you to do. The answer will probably be one you will wonder about but you won't know until you wash off the mud! Let the Light of the world shine on the problem and you will be able to see more clearly.

O God, open our eyes that we may see by your Light who you want us to be and where and what you want us to be and do. By the power of your Holy Spirit, guide us in the way you are preparing for us. Amen.

Prayers of Intercession

Reconciled by God's mercy and sustained by God's presence, let us pray for the world and its needs.

A brief silence.

God our shepherd, we pray that you guide the church. Lead Christians in our community and across the globe in right paths for your Name's sake. We ask you to give our leaders, lay and ordained, wisdom, courage and love. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God our provider, we cry out for this planet and the life it holds. Rescue endangered animals and plants, preserve threatened ecosystems, and save creatures from natural disasters. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God our sovereign, we plead for your peace on earth. Bring an end to war and violence, and raise up leaders in governments, courts, schools and community organizations who seek goodness and mercy. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God our healer, we call to you in our need. Uplift all who are made to feel unimportant and transform the hearts of all infected with bigotry and prejudice. Care for all in special need of healing or comfort this day. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God our friend, we praise you for the diversity of people among us. Awaken us to share and receive the gifts we each possess, and stir up a spirit of understanding, celebration, and welcome for all. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

God our home, we thank you for all who have died and completed their baptismal journeys. Grant us faith to live until we too dwell in your house forever. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

Receive our prayers, O God, through Jesus Christ, our strength and salvation.

Amen.

Music

Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou My Vision - The Petersens (LIVE) - YouTube

Go Now In Peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQg2XqZcZjIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQg2XqZcZjI