I invite you—if you are willing—to close your eyes for a moment.
There is nothing you need to do.
Nothing you need to figure out.
Nothing you need to see clearly yet.
Simply notice your breath.
Notice that you are here.
This Lent, we are learning what it means to stay with God—
even when understanding comes slowly,
even when clarity is not immediate.
Remain here for a moment,
just as you are.
[Silence is kept.]
When you are ready, you may open your eyes.
Call to Worship
Gathered to Stay
Leader:
We come to worship not because we see clearly,
but because God meets us where we are.
We come with questions we cannot answer,
with stories still unfolding,
with lives not yet resolved.
People:
We come to stay with God.
Leader:
Here, there is room for truth spoken slowly.
Here, there is space to listen before we understand.
People:
We come to stay with one another.
Leader:
Let us worship the God who does not rush past us,
the Christ who remains,
the Spirit who opens what is ready to be seen.
People:
We come to stay.
Opening Prayer
In Unison
God of mercy and truth,
we come before you as we are—
not fully certain,
not fully settled,
not fully seeing.
Slow us down enough to notice where we are.
Quiet us long enough to listen.
Hold us steady when understanding comes slowly.
Teach us how to stay—
with you,
with one another,
and with the truths that are still taking shape.
We place this time in your care.
Remain with us, as we worship you.
Amen.
The Word–First Movement
Before Sight
Let us take a moment and settle into silence.
Today’s scripture from John 9 is extended and unfolds in stages.
For now, our invitation is simple:
to listen,
and to enter the story together.
Let us listen for the Word of God.
John 9:1–7
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; rather, he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.4We must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; rather, he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.4We must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”He kept saying, “I am the man.”10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”12They said to him, “Where is he?”He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.”But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”And there was a division among them.17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”He said, “He is a prophet.”
18The authorities did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received his sight19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;21but how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”22His parents said this because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Healed Man’s Testimony
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does God’s will, God listens to that one.32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?”And they drove him out.
Spiritual Blindness
Notes
v02“who sinned” — Reflects a common assumption linking suffering to moral cause; the question itself is left uncorrected until Jesus responds.
v03“so that the works of God might be revealed” — Redirects the discussion from causation to disclosure without assigning blame.
v04“while it is day” — Introduces urgency without specifying duration; the metaphor governs the action that follows.
v05“I am the light of the world” — Interprets the healing as sign, not merely remedy.
v07“Siloam (which means Sent)” — Links the act of washing to the theme of sending that runs through the Gospel.
Notes
v02“who sinned” — Reflects a common assumption linking suffering to moral cause; the question itself is left uncorrected until Jesus responds.
v03“so that the works of God might be revealed” — Redirects the discussion from causation to disclosure without assigning blame.
v04“while it is day” — Introduces urgency without specifying duration; the metaphor governs the action that follows.
v05“I am the light of the world” — Interprets the healing as sign, not merely remedy.
v07“Siloam (which means Sent)” — Links the act of washing to the theme of sending that runs through the Gospel.
v09“I am the man” — A simple assertion of identity that resists communal confusion and denial.
v14“it was a sabbath day” — Establishes the conflict frame without commentary; timing becomes interpretive pressure.
v16“there was a division” — Signals that discernment produces fracture rather than consensus.
v17“He is a prophet” — Marks growth in testimony without final confession.
v22“put out of the synagogue” — Names social and religious cost without evaluating it.
v24“Give glory to God” — Functions as an oath formula rather than a call to praise.
v25“One thing I do know” — Centers testimony in experience rather than doctrine.
v27“Do you also want to become his disciples?” — Irony exposes the instability of the interrogators’ position.
v30“Here is an astonishing thing!” — Reverses assumed authority; the healed man becomes the interpreter.
v34“born entirely in sins” — Reasserts the original accusation in dismissive form.
v35“when he found him” — Jesus seeks the one excluded by religious authority.
v37“You have seen him” — Sight and recognition are joined without explanation.
v39“for judgment” — Judgment is described as consequence rather than sentence.
v41“your sin remains” — Responsibility is tied to claimed sight, not to blindness itself.
Vocabulary
v01τυφλός (typhlos) — blind, unable to see; functions both physically and metaphorically
v02ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) — to sin, miss the mark
v03φανερόω (phaneroō) — to reveal, make manifest
v04ἔργα (erga) — works, deeds; actions that disclose divine purpose
v05φῶς (phōs) — light; that which reveals and gives life
v07Σιλωάμ (Silōam) — Siloam; associated with sending
Vocabulary
v01τυφλός (typhlos) — blind, unable to see; functions both physically and metaphorically
v02ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) — to sin, miss the mark
v03φανερόω (phaneroō) — to reveal, make manifest
v04ἔργα (erga) — works, deeds; actions that disclose divine purpose
v05φῶς (phōs) — light; that which reveals and gives life
v07Σιλωάμ (Silōam) — Siloam; associated with sending
v15ἀναβλέπω (anablepō) — to recover sight, to see again
v16σχίσμα (schisma) — division, rupture
v17προφήτης (prophētēs) — prophet, one who speaks on behalf of God
v22ἀποσυνάγωγος (aposynagōgos) — expelled from the synagogue
v25μαρτυρία (martyria) — testimony, witness
v38προσκυνέω (proskyneō) — to worship, show reverence
v39κρίμα (krima) — judgment, decisive separation
I invite you to remain with what you have heard.
You may close your eyes,
or gently cover them with your hands,
or sit quietly with the words of the passage.
There is nothing you need to figure out.
Simply stay.
[Silence is kept.]
Leaders may want to read the scripture slowly
in their hearts twice before proceeding.
The Word–Second Movement
After the Miracle
The story continues.
What has been given now begins to be questioned.
What was experienced must now be explained.
Listen now for the questions that arise
when something changes
and no one knows what to do with it
Let us listen for God’s Word together.
John 9:8–23
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”He kept saying, “I am the man.”10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”12They said to him, “Where is he?”He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.”But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”And there was a division among them.17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”He said, “He is a prophet.”
18The authorities did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received his sight19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;21but how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”22His parents said this because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; rather, he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.4We must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”He kept saying, “I am the man.”10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”12They said to him, “Where is he?”He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.”But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”And there was a division among them.17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”He said, “He is a prophet.”
18The authorities did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received his sight19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;21but how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”22His parents said this because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Healed Man’s Testimony
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does God’s will, God listens to that one.32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?”And they drove him out.
Spiritual Blindness
Notes
v09“I am the man” — A simple assertion of identity that resists communal confusion and denial.
v14“it was a sabbath day” — Establishes the conflict frame without commentary; timing becomes interpretive pressure.
v16“there was a division” — Signals that discernment produces fracture rather than consensus.
v17“He is a prophet” — Marks growth in testimony without final confession.
v22“put out of the synagogue” — Names social and religious cost without evaluating it.
Notes
v02“who sinned” — Reflects a common assumption linking suffering to moral cause; the question itself is left uncorrected until Jesus responds.
v03“so that the works of God might be revealed” — Redirects the discussion from causation to disclosure without assigning blame.
v04“while it is day” — Introduces urgency without specifying duration; the metaphor governs the action that follows.
v05“I am the light of the world” — Interprets the healing as sign, not merely remedy.
v07“Siloam (which means Sent)” — Links the act of washing to the theme of sending that runs through the Gospel.
v09“I am the man” — A simple assertion of identity that resists communal confusion and denial.
v14“it was a sabbath day” — Establishes the conflict frame without commentary; timing becomes interpretive pressure.
v16“there was a division” — Signals that discernment produces fracture rather than consensus.
v17“He is a prophet” — Marks growth in testimony without final confession.
v22“put out of the synagogue” — Names social and religious cost without evaluating it.
v24“Give glory to God” — Functions as an oath formula rather than a call to praise.
v25“One thing I do know” — Centers testimony in experience rather than doctrine.
v27“Do you also want to become his disciples?” — Irony exposes the instability of the interrogators’ position.
v30“Here is an astonishing thing!” — Reverses assumed authority; the healed man becomes the interpreter.
v34“born entirely in sins” — Reasserts the original accusation in dismissive form.
v35“when he found him” — Jesus seeks the one excluded by religious authority.
v37“You have seen him” — Sight and recognition are joined without explanation.
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch him, and say that we love him. Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen. Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.
Reflection
When We Feel the Pressure to Explain
Something has happened.
The man can see.
But no one knows what to do with it.
The neighbors are not hostile. They are confused.
They remember him one way. Now he stands before them another way.
And confusion quickly turns into questions.
“Is this the man?”
“How were your eyes opened?”
“Who did this?”
Notice what is happening.
The miracle itself is not denied.
The change is real.
What creates tension is the need to explain it.
There is a quiet pressure in this part of the story.
Not the pressure to lie.
Not even the pressure to disbelieve.
But the pressure to explain more than one knows.
The man speaks plainly:
“I do not know.”
“He put mud on my eyes.”
“I washed.”
“I see.”
He does not offer theology.
He does not defend a theory.
He does not solve the puzzle for everyone else.
He simply tells the truth as far as he can.
And that is not enough for the people around him.
We know this pressure.
We feel it when someone asks us to explain our faith in neat sentences.
We feel it when something changes in our lives and others want clarity before we have it.
We feel it when silence becomes uncomfortable, and we rush to fill it.
There is a kind of safety in saying, “We know.”
It steadies the room.
It protects us from uncertainty.
But the story suggests something else.
Faith, at least here, does not begin with certainty.
It begins with honesty.
“I do not know.”
“One thing I know…”
And sometimes staying with God means allowing that to be enough.
Not mastering the meaning.
Not resolving the tension.
Not defending ourselves with answers.
Just telling the truth as far as we can see it.
And remaining there.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God,
we confess that we do not sit easily with uncertainty.
When answers are not immediate,
we rush to fill the silence.
When questions arise,
we reach for explanations that steady us.
We prefer clarity to patience.
We prefer certainty to trust–to faith.
Forgive us for the times
we have spoken more than we truly know,
for the ways we have protected ourselves
with “we know”
instead of admitting,
“I do not yet understand.”
Forgive us when our need for answers
has made it harder for others
to tell the simple truth of what they have experienced.
Teach us to be honest before you.
Teach us to remain when understanding comes slowly.
Teach us to trust that you are at work
even when we cannot explain how.
In silence, we place before you
the places in our lives
where we are still learning to stay.
Silence.
In the holy name of Christ, we prayer. Amen.
Assurance of God’s Grace in Christ
Loved ones, hear the good news in the Gospel reading today:
God does not wait for our certainty
before drawing near to us.
In Jesus Christ,
we are met in our questions,
held in our unfinished understanding,
and forgiven in love.
As Jesus heals, he also waits for us to process.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
you are forgiven, made whole, and welcomed into God’s reign.
Thanks be to God.
The Word–Third Movement
The Cost of Truth
The story continues.
Questions harden.
Positions settle.
Voices sharpen.
What began as confusion
now becomes confrontation.
Listen for what happens
when honesty becomes costly.
Let us listen for God’s Word together.
John 9:24–34
The Healed Man’s Testimony
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does God’s will, God listens to that one.32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?”And they drove him out.
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; rather, he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.4We must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”He kept saying, “I am the man.”10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”12They said to him, “Where is he?”He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.”But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”And there was a division among them.17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”He said, “He is a prophet.”
18The authorities did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received his sight19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;21but how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”22His parents said this because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Healed Man’s Testimony
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does God’s will, God listens to that one.32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?”And they drove him out.
Spiritual Blindness
Notes
v24“Give glory to God” — Functions as an oath formula rather than a call to praise.
v25“One thing I do know” — Centers testimony in experience rather than doctrine.
v27“Do you also want to become his disciples?” — Irony exposes the instability of the interrogators’ position.
v30“Here is an astonishing thing!” — Reverses assumed authority; the healed man becomes the interpreter.
v34“born entirely in sins” — Reasserts the original accusation in dismissive form.
Notes
v02“who sinned” — Reflects a common assumption linking suffering to moral cause; the question itself is left uncorrected until Jesus responds.
v03“so that the works of God might be revealed” — Redirects the discussion from causation to disclosure without assigning blame.
v04“while it is day” — Introduces urgency without specifying duration; the metaphor governs the action that follows.
v05“I am the light of the world” — Interprets the healing as sign, not merely remedy.
v07“Siloam (which means Sent)” — Links the act of washing to the theme of sending that runs through the Gospel.
v09“I am the man” — A simple assertion of identity that resists communal confusion and denial.
v14“it was a sabbath day” — Establishes the conflict frame without commentary; timing becomes interpretive pressure.
v16“there was a division” — Signals that discernment produces fracture rather than consensus.
v17“He is a prophet” — Marks growth in testimony without final confession.
v22“put out of the synagogue” — Names social and religious cost without evaluating it.
v24“Give glory to God” — Functions as an oath formula rather than a call to praise.
v25“One thing I do know” — Centers testimony in experience rather than doctrine.
v27“Do you also want to become his disciples?” — Irony exposes the instability of the interrogators’ position.
v30“Here is an astonishing thing!” — Reverses assumed authority; the healed man becomes the interpreter.
v34“born entirely in sins” — Reasserts the original accusation in dismissive form.
v35“when he found him” — Jesus seeks the one excluded by religious authority.
v37“You have seen him” — Sight and recognition are joined without explanation.
v39“for judgment” — Judgment is described as consequence rather than sentence.
v41“your sin remains” — Responsibility is tied to claimed sight, not to blindness itself.
Vocabulary
v25μαρτυρία (martyria) — testimony, witness
Vocabulary
v01τυφλός (typhlos) — blind, unable to see; functions both physically and metaphorically
v02ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) — to sin, miss the mark
v03φανερόω (phaneroō) — to reveal, make manifest
v04ἔργα (erga) — works, deeds; actions that disclose divine purpose
v05φῶς (phōs) — light; that which reveals and gives life
v07Σιλωάμ (Silōam) — Siloam; associated with sending
v15ἀναβλέπω (anablepō) — to recover sight, to see again
v16σχίσμα (schisma) — division, rupture
v17προφήτης (prophētēs) — prophet, one who speaks on behalf of God
v22ἀποσυνάγωγος (aposynagōgos) — expelled from the synagogue
v25μαρτυρία (martyria) — testimony, witness
v38προσκυνέω (proskyneō) — to worship, show reverence
v39κρίμα (krima) — judgment, decisive separation
Let us sit in silence,
allowing God to meet us here.
[Silence is kept.]
Leaders may want to read the scripture slowly
in their hearts twice before proceeding.
The Word–Fourth Movement
Being Found
The story is not finished.
After he is driven out,
Jesus hears.
And Jesus goes looking for him.
Listen now
for what happens
when Christ finds the one who has been sent away.
Let us listen for God’s Word together.
John 9:35–41
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; rather, he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him.4We must work the works of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes,7saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
8The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”9Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.”He kept saying, “I am the man.”10But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”11He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”12They said to him, “Where is he?”He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind.14Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.15Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.”
16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath.”But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?”And there was a division among them.17So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”He said, “He is a prophet.”
18The authorities did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the one who had received his sight19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;21but how he now sees, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”22His parents said this because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Healed Man’s Testimony
24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”25He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”26They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”27He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”
28Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”30The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does God’s will, God listens to that one.32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind.33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”34They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?”And they drove him out.
Spiritual Blindness
Notes
v35“when he found him” — Jesus seeks the one excluded by religious authority.
v37“You have seen him” — Sight and recognition are joined without explanation.
v39“for judgment” — Judgment is described as consequence rather than sentence.
v41“your sin remains” — Responsibility is tied to claimed sight, not to blindness itself.
Vocabulary
v38προσκυνέω (proskyneō) — to worship, show reverence
v39κρίμα (krima) — judgment, decisive separation
Vocabulary
v01τυφλός (typhlos) — blind, unable to see; functions both physically and metaphorically
v02ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō) — to sin, miss the mark
v03φανερόω (phaneroō) — to reveal, make manifest
v04ἔργα (erga) — works, deeds; actions that disclose divine purpose
v05φῶς (phōs) — light; that which reveals and gives life
v07Σιλωάμ (Silōam) — Siloam; associated with sending
v15ἀναβλέπω (anablepō) — to recover sight, to see again
v16σχίσμα (schisma) — division, rupture
v17προφήτης (prophētēs) — prophet, one who speaks on behalf of God
v22ἀποσυνάγωγος (aposynagōgos) — expelled from the synagogue
v25μαρτυρία (martyria) — testimony, witness
v38προσκυνέω (proskyneō) — to worship, show reverence
v39κρίμα (krima) — judgment, decisive separation
Reflection
When We Feel the Pressure to Explain
We have walked with this story.
We have heard of sight restored,
questions raised,
pressure applied,
and a man driven out.
And we have heard that Jesus went and found him.
Before we move toward closing,
you are invited to remain with a few questions.
There is no need to answer aloud.
Simply let them rest where they land.
Pause.
Where in your life are you still saying, “I do not know”?
Pause.
Where have you felt the pressure to explain more than you could?
Pause.
Have you ever been driven out—misunderstood, dismissed, or left outside?
Pause.
And in those moments, where may God have met you—even if you were unaware at the time?
Pause.
And one more: Is there someone in your life who may be standing outside even now?
Pause.
Let us remain in silence together.
Silence.
Closing Prayer
Gracious Christ,
you see us more clearly than we see ourselves.
You hear what is spoken
and what remains unspoken.
You know the places where we are still unsure,
still pressured,
still standing outside.
If we have rushed to certainty,
steady us.
If we have felt driven out,
find us.
If we have overlooked someone
who stands at the edge,
open our eyes.
Meet us in the places
where understanding is still unfolding.
Stay with us
as we learn to stay with you.
We place our unfinished answers
and our quiet questions
into your care.
Amen.
Final Encouragement
Friends,
today’s worship unfolded differently.
That is all right.
Thank you for staying—
with the story,
with one another,
and with God.
This kind of listening is holy work.
It shapes us quietly,
even when it feels unfinished.
Go in peace.
And as you go,
remain attentive to the One
who seeks and finds.
Amen.
Reflections for Later
For Newcomers
If you are new to this community of faith,
you may still be learning how to see where you belong.
In John 9, the man did not understand everything at once.
He spoke only what he knew:
“One thing I know…”
You do not need to have everything figured out here.
You do not need full clarity or perfect language.
Faith often begins with honesty, not certainty.
Stay curious.
Stay open.
Christ meets people who are still learning.
For Those Rooted in This Community
When we have walked with a community for years,
it is easy to say, “We know.”
John 9 reminds us that even the familiar story
can still confront us.
Where might God still be enlarging your sight?
Where might patience be needed instead of quick explanation?
Staying with God is not something we outgrow.
It deepens.
Remain open to being surprised again.
For Churches Without a Pastor
Waiting can feel like being driven out—
uncertain, exposed, without clear direction.
In the story, when the man was sent away,
Jesus went and found him.
Leadership may shift.
Structures may change.
But Christ does not withdraw.
Even now, in this in-between season,
God is at work—
quietly forming,
quietly guiding,
quietly seeking.
Stay with one another.
Christ is staying with you.
Suggested Songs (Optional)
Songs may be sung, listened to, or replaced with silence, depending on the needs and gifts of the community. Participation matters more than perfection.
Glory to God (GTG, 2013)
The Presbyterian Hymnal: Hymns, Psalms, & Spiritual Songs (TPH, 1990)
Sing the Faith: New Hymns for Presbyterians (STF, 2003)
Stay with Me (GTG 227)
Spirit of the Living God (GTG 288, TPH 322)
Need Help?
Follow the link for tips and pointers to help you lead and design worship using this resource.
Written by Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
These materials may be used and adapted for worship and educational purposes within Christian communities. They may not be sold or redistributed for commercial purposes without permission.
Resource Details
Date: March 5, 2026
Scripture: Psalm 23, John 9:1-41
Theme: Staying with God as Our Eyes Are Opened
Lectionary: RCL Year A
Need Help?
Follow the link for tips and pointers to help you lead and design worship using this resource.
Written by Rev. Matthew J. Skolnik unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.
These materials may be used and adapted for worship and educational purposes within Christian communities. They may not be sold or redistributed for commercial purposes without permission.
Resource Details
Date: March 15, 2026
Scripture: Psalm 23, John 9:1-41
Theme: Staying with God as Our Eyes Are Opened
Lectionary: RCL Year A
Scripture on this page is from The Shared Word Translation (SWT), an ongoing translation project within ChurchCommons.org.
