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"Spiritual Sight Or Spiritual Blindness?”

Luke 11:33-36

INTRO: The gift of sight is a wonderful gift of God. God placed man in a beautiful world which He had created and gave him the ability to view all its beauty and its splendor. I believe one of the most horrible things imaginable would be to be blind from birth. To be deaf would be terrible, to not have the sensation of touch would be awful, but not to have the ability to view all the beautiful things in God's world would be a tragedy!

To never see a beautiful sunset, to not be able to view all the colors of the rainbow, to never look upon the delicate splendor of a rose, or to never see what your family looks like; how sad! But there are many blind in our world today, maybe even some here this morning, spiritually-blind, that is! I'd like to title the message, "Spiritual Sight Or Spiritual Blindness?"

The spiritually-blind have never really looked to God for salvation. They have never saw how Jesus can change a heart and make it profitable for Him. They have never saw Jesus for Who He is: Savior and LORD! Jesus said in John 6:40, "This is the will of him that sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day!" The spiritually-blind man must look by faith to God for Salvation, so he can see the light of God's truth.

In Luke 11:33-36, Jesus relates a parable contrasting spiritual sight and spiritual blindness. Only with good spiritual eyesight can one receive the light of God's truth. There are four great spiritual truths found in this parable, I want us to examine.

(1) The Eye Is The Receiver Of Light

Luke 11:34a—“The light of the body is the eye...”

A. THE NATURE OF SIGHT. The word "light" comes from Greek word which means “lamp". The eye receives light for the body, thus it is the lamp of the body, but if the eye is bad, light cannot be received. When light cannot enter the body through the eye all that is left is darkness.

B. THE NECESSITY OF SIGHT. What is light? That by which objects are rendered visible. Spiritually, light is God's Word. The Psalmist sad in Psalm 119:105—“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” A blind man no matter what degree of light encountered, cannot see the light. The same is true of a spiritually-blind man. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 tells us, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” It is by the Holy Spirit that the spiritually blind person can receive sight. 1 Corinthians 2:9-14 tells us, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The spiritually blind must by faith trust Christ to see spiritually (Isaiah 45:22).

(2) The Eye That Is Single Can Receive Light

Luke 11:34b—“Therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body is also full of light..."

A. THE PROBLEM OF DEFECTIVE SIGHT. The word “single" is translated from a Greek word which means "singleness of purpose" or "single-folded, without a fold". A person with an astigmatism has a structural defect of the eye so that light rays do not converge to a point on the retina. There is a "fold" within the eye, something is out of place or complicated, thus the eye is not "single." (Herbert Lockyer. All The Parable of The Bible. p. 149). A spiritually blind man has a "fold" in his spiritual eye thus he cannot receive God's light.

B. THE PRECIOUSNESS OF DIVINE SIGHT. A "single-eyed" man by faith receives the things of God and serves and pleases God. Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:17-18—“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” If spiritually, our eye is single in its devotion to God then the Holy Spirit can illuminate all our way! Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14—“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul declared by these words his “single-eyed” devotion to the Lord. Note the words, “thy whole body also is full of light.” When Christ is the light of our lives then our light shall shine as a lamp!

(3) The Eye That Is Evil Cannot Receive Light

Luke 11:34c-35—“…But when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

A. THE TRAGEDY OF SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. Notice the Lord’s word in v34—“ But when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness…”. The word translated "evil" is translated from a Greek word which means "diseased or bad". A blind man no matter how intense the light cannot see it, because the eyes are bad or diseased. This is also true for a spiritually blind person. John 1:4-5 tells us speaking of Christ, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

B. THE TRUTH ABOUT SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. Jesus said in v35—“

Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."

Matthew Henry wrote: “How can they have instruction, information,

direction, or comfort, from the gospel, that wilfully shut their eyes

against it? and what hope is there of such? what remedy for them?…

Take heed that the eye of the mind be not blinded by partiality, and

prejudice, and sinful aims.” (Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary). A

spiritually blind man cannot receive the light of God's truth. Speaking of

the Israelites, Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:14-16—“But their minds

were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in

the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ. But

even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.”

The man with an eye that is evil cannot see; and a spiritually blind man

cannot see either, until the Spirit of God lifts the veil. But PRAISE GOD

the Spirit can remove the veil and cause our sin-blinded eyes to see! The

man that was born blind after Jesus healed him declared, “Whether he

be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind,

now I see.” (John 9:25). That’s what happens to the lost person when

the Spirit opens his eyes to his spiritual condition and the light of God’s

truth floods his soul!

(4) The Eye That Is Single Reflects Light

Luke 11:36—“ If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.”

A. THE PRIVILEGE OF SHINING. If our souls be full of light, of the light of Christ, then our light shall shine as that of a lamp (B. W. Johnson. The People’s New Testament). What a joy and privilege it is to let our light shine for Jesus! Jesus said, “If thy whole body therefore be full of light… the whole shall be full of light…”.

B. THE PURPOSE OF SHINING. Jesus said in Matthew 5:16—“ Let

your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and

glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

CLOSING: Proverbs 4:18-19 tells us, “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.” What is your condition today? Spiritually enlightened or spiritually blind? You can see and receive God's light by placing your faith in Christ today! The Lord invites in Isaiah 45:22 says, "look unto me, and be ye saved, all ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." It only takes a look of faith, will you look to Christ today?

Child of God, are you "single-eyed" today? Can you say as Paul, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain?"

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