The Works of God

From John MacArthur’s sermon, Jesus Opens Blind Eyes, delivered December 13, 1970 on John 9:1-12:

And Jesus says that in effect in verse 3, and it’s an important statement that He makes in verse 3, He says this, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.” You see, all suffering is not a result of sin necessarily. It doesn’t have to be. “But this man is blind that the works of God should be made…what?…manifest in him.” He’s not blind because of sin, this man is a prepared vessel, he is a miracle waiting to happen (emphasis mine). Kind of exciting, isn’t it? He was born blind for one reason, so God’s glory could be seen in this healing by Jesus Christ. That’s why He was born blind…for the glory of God…sometimes is why suffering comes. You know, Job’s friends tried to tell him that the reason he was having such problems was because he was such a lousy person, such a sinner. And Job couldn’t figure it out. But it was all for God’s glory…sin had nothing to do with it and doesn’t here. Even affliction can be for the glory of God. All these things can happen for the glory of God and this was a prepared vessel, a miracle waiting to happen. This was a blind beggar sitting at a gate waiting for the time planned in eternity past that Jesus would pass by and manifest His glory by touching his eyes so he could see. Fantastic truth.