Seeing with Jesus' Eyes: From Blindness to Compassion

The service opens with announcements about Holy Week, community meals, and practical instructions for submitting prayer requests. A prayer invokes the Holy Spirit, remembers Christ’s coming sacrifice, and lifts global and local needs—service members, victims of war, those recovering from surgery, and people grieving loss. The Lord’s Prayer functions as a communal anchor before the transition into a series of reflections and stories.

A humorous anecdote about Arnold Palmer introduces a deeper theme of different kinds of blindness. The account of the man born blind becomes central: the disciples immediately ask whether sin caused the condition, while Jesus reframes the situation, declaring the man’s blindness an occasion for God’s glory. The physical healing—mud mixed with saliva applied to the man’s eyes—serves as a dramatic teaching moment rather than merely a miracle.

A core conviction follows: God does not cause disease or tragedy; life’s fragility, human choices, and natural forces produce suffering. Yet God often shows up amid those tragedies through compassion, rescue, and community response, revealing divine glory in human acts of mercy. The Pharisees represent the worst form of spiritual blindness, refusing to recognize God’s work because it contradicts their expectations and rules.

An extended illustration about Xerox’s PARC and the invention of the personal computer exposes institutional short-sightedness. That story parallels religious leaders who fail to see the messianic work before them; it also celebrates innovation when unforeseen tools—like the internet or simple smartphone recordings—become means to extend worship and connection. The narrative closes with a call to discipleship that asks for a surrendered life so that followers may see through the “eyes of Christ”—grace-filled, compassionate, and merciful—and to let those transformed lives reveal God’s glory to the world. The service concludes with an offering prayer, the hymn “Open My Eyes That I May See,” and a benediction sending worshipers into the world as agents of Christ’s sight and love.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God does not cause tragedy Tragedy and disease arise from fragile life, natural forces, and human choices, not divine punishment. Holding to this distinction prevents a theology that blames victims and redirects energy toward compassionate response. Recognizing God’s presence in the aftermath reframes suffering as a place where divine glory can be revealed through human solidarity and mercy. [36:23]
• 2. Spiritual blindness hides truth Religious systems and assumptions can block sight more effectively than physical blindness, creating explanations that protect status and avoid costly change. Those who cling to convenient doctrines may reject clear signs of God’s work because acceptance threatens their authority or comfort. Openness to surprise requires humility, a readiness to let longstanding interpretations be challenged. [33:24]
• 3. Sight comes through surrendered heart True spiritual sight follows a decisive turning: entrusting life to Christ’s service opens perception to grace, mercy, and compassion. This surrender reshapes priorities, making the world legible through Jesus’ values rather than cultural expectations. Such sight produces action—service, generosity, and a willingness to stand with the marginalized. [47:02]
• 4. Innovation reveals unexpected opportunities Institutions often see only what fits current identity and so leave transformative ideas on the table; conversely, curiosity and risk can turn abandoned inventions into widespread blessing. Technological and liturgical innovations can widen the church’s reach, calling for discernment about which changes glorify God rather than merely gratify novelty. Embracing well-tested creativity can make the church a conduit of healing and connection. [44:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [06:31] - Announcements and Holy Week
• [20:55] - Prayer Requests and Opening Prayer
• [23:39] - The Lord’s Prayer
• [31:04] - Arnold Palmer Anecdote
• [33:24] - Disciples’ Question on Blindness
• [35:47] - Healing the Man Born Blind
• [36:23] - God and the Problem of Suffering
• [40:09] - Pharisees and Spiritual Blindness
• [41:19] - PARC, Xerox, and Short-sightedness
• [44:33] - Innovation, COVID, and YouTube Worship
• [46:33] - Only the Blind Truly Saw
• [47:02] - Call to Surrender and Sight
• [51:04] - Offering Prayer and Hymn
• [00:00] - Benediction and Sending

Bible reading
John 9:1-7, 35-41 (ESV)
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.
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Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to you, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Observation questions

1. What was the first question the disciples asked when they saw the man born blind, and what does this reveal about their assumptions? [33:24]
2. How did Jesus reframe the purpose of the man's blindness, and what specific action did he take to heal him?
3. What was the Pharisees' primary objection to the healing that had taken place? [40:09]
4. What invention did the Xerox executives fail to recognize the value of, and what was their reason for dismissing it? [41:19]

Interpretation questions

1. The disciples saw the man's blindness as a result of sin, but Jesus saw it as an opportunity for God's glory. What are the practical consequences of holding each of these two different viewpoints when we encounter suffering?
2. The Pharisees were experts in religious law but were blinded to the work of God happening right in front of them. What kinds of religious rules or traditions today might cause people to miss where God is actually at work?
3. The story of Xerox's PARC shows how an institution can be blind to innovation that doesn't fit its current identity. In what ways can a church become similarly short-sighted, focusing only on what it has always done? [44:08]
4. The man born blind was the only one who gained both physical and spiritual sight, while those with physical sight remained spiritually blind. Why is it that sometimes those who feel they have the least to offer spiritually can end up seeing God most clearly?

Application questions

1. God does not cause tragedy or disease; life’s fragility and natural forces produce suffering. [36:23] When a difficult circumstance arises, what is your gut reaction? Do you ever find yourself wondering if God is punishing you or someone else? How can remembering that God shows up in the midst of tragedy change how you respond to it?
2. Religious systems and assumptions can create a blindness that protects our status and avoids costly change. [33:24] Is there a long-held belief or a comfortable way of doing things in your faith that you feel God might be challenging? What would it look like to have the humility to be open to that surprise?
3. True spiritual sight follows a decisive turning: entrusting life to Christ’s service. [47:02] What does it practically mean for you to "see through the eyes of Christ" in your daily life? Can you identify a recent situation where you saw with grace, compassion, or mercy instead of judgment?
4. Innovation and well-tested creativity can turn abandoned ideas into ways to widen the church’s reach and be a conduit of healing. [44:33] What is one "pipe dream" or new idea for showing God's love in your community that you or your church have been hesitant to try? What is one small step you could take to explore it?
5. The man born blind was kicked out of his religious community for telling the truth about his healing. [45:38] Have you ever experienced tension between following what you believe God is doing and staying in the good graces of a group? How did you navigate that?
6. The call is to be agents of Christ’s sight and love in the world. What would it look like for you to intentionally "go now into the world to be the eyes of Christ" this week? Who in your life needs to be seen with the eyes of compassion and mercy?