Lord, I Believe

Author: Rev. Daniel Johnson
October 03, 2026

“They cast him out.”

That is where the final scene of John 9 begins. The man who had been blind from birth had received his sight through Jesus, but instead of celebrating what God had done, the religious leaders questioned him, pressured him, and finally rejected him. Then John tells us, “Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him…” They cast him out. Jesus found him.

There is something beautiful in that contrast. The religious leaders had no place for him, but Jesus did. They pushed him away, but Jesus drew near. And when Jesus finds him, He asks the most important question in the chapter: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

Everyone else had wanted explanations. Jesus wanted a confession. Do you believe?

Throughout John 9, we have watched this man’s understanding of Jesus grow. At first, He is “the man called Jesus.” Then, “He is a prophet.” Later, the man recognizes that Jesus must be “from God.” Now Jesus says to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.”

For a man who had spent his whole life unable to see, those words are powerful. The physical miracle was incredible, but the greater miracle was that he came to see Jesus for who He truly is. John 9 is about more than eyesight. It is about spiritual sight. You can have perfect physical vision and still miss Jesus.
The man’s response is simple: “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.

He does not have every question answered. He does not understand everything. But he sees Christ clearly enough to trust Him. Faith does not mean that every question has been answered. Faith means that Christ has become clear enough to trust.

Then the passage turns to the Pharisees. The man who began the chapter blind can now truly see, while the men who had physical sight all along remain spiritually blind. Their problem was not a lack of information. They had the Scriptures. They had seen the miracle. They had questioned the man and his parents. The evidence was right in front of them.

And still they refused to see.

Why? Because they were convinced they already did.

That is the warning at the end of John 9: the most dangerous spiritual blindness is the blindness that is convinced it can already see. If I know I am blind, I will look for help. If I know I am lost, I will look for a Savior. If I know I am sinful, I will look for mercy. But if I am convinced that I already see clearly, I do not believe I need anyone to open my eyes.

John 9 ends with two very different responses. One man says, “Lord, I believe.” The others say, “We see.” One recognizes his need and receives sight. The others insist they have no need and remain blind.

And that leaves us with the same question Jesus asked this man: Do you believe?

Not simply, do you know about Jesus? Not, have you been around church? But do you believe in Him?

And even for those who already believe, there is a posture here we never outgrow:

Lord, open my eyes. Help me see You clearly. Help me trust You fully. Help me respond rightly.
And when we do see Him clearly, our response remains beautifully simple:

“Lord, I believe.”

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