Sermon Notes for March 26-Ps 23, Eph. 5, John 9, I Sam 16

March 26-John 9, I Sam. 16, Ps. 23 Eph. 5:8-14

I’ve worn glasses most of my life. I recall vividly having to walk several steps toward the eye chart to to have any idea of what they asked me to see.So, it is no surprise that images of vision capture me. -I Sam. 16. Samuel blind to the preference of God.Samuel sees  physical attributes and birth order, but he does not perceive the view of god.Jacobsen-. We rely for almost everything on our sight, but it often proves untrustworthy.(social psyc) We also tend to pick our leaders--politicians, principals, coaches, celebrities, and so on--based on our society's norms about appearance. Samuel cannot imagine that god would choose the one hidden away working as a shepherd, the runt of the litter.

Ps. 23 deep dark valley of the shadow-sometimes it is difficult to catch even a  glimmer of light in a valley-It can be peering into the grave or it can by the psychological dark valley of depression that lacks the energy to even look for the light. It uses a traditional hebrew image of salvation as being in a safe space with plenty of elbow room, as opposed to the constricted world of danger around the next unseen corner.why, the bright presence of God accompanies us on the mountaintop or the valley floor.

Eph. 5:8-14, light and dark imagery is a favorite tool for religious perception.Peeler-The group Paul has categorized as darkness, whose work produces non-fruit, does things in secret.Action reveals character. Action reveals intent.  Light exposes the cover of secrecy and darkness into the state of revelation. Back-room deals come to light when they are revealed to transparent view, as we say today..In a fascinating turn, then, Paul declares that everything which has been revealed  is now light.  Darkness is now exposed by the light. So a redemptive possibility exists even there. . If the people of the light expose the deeds of those in darkness, that  can result in those people’s transformation. Paul’s citation of a poem  makes it more likely that salvation is in fact in view.This passage is the opposite of the Adam and Eve story from last week -they live in the light-exposed for all to see-no hiding place, nor do they wish one.

Few passages demonstrate John’s method of levels of understanding more than this long chapter.John 9 healing of blindness-physical and spiritual  blind to faults-blind to good points in soc, psyc.Perhaps the greatest blindness is the question raised at the start of the chapter.Blind to god’s hand-blind to God’s agent-So locked in their way of seeing, they create a religious trial over a healing. John’s account makes a mockery out of their religious trial.The man’s sight is restored instantly, but his spiritual sight develops with the story.

Blind about causation-the disciples assume someone has sinned; they figure that misfortune has to come out of a misstep in morality;they need to blame the victim. People can’t believe that they are seeing the blind man now with sight.The religious authorities may be worse, as they see a blessing of healing and have to try to contort it to be the product of evil.

Role expectations and slots blind us. I see a teller in a bank and recognize them, but not on the street. I recall how astounded students were if they saw a teacher in the grocery or the pharmacy.

All of our texts alert us to a salient Lenten fact: the most difficult thing in the world to see are our own hidden assumption, the glasses we wear to look at each other, especially with the blinder that prevent us from self-examination.