Timothy 1:15-17 Luke 18:35-43 2024/02/04 Osaka Church
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
The Gospel tells us that a blind beggar whose eyes were opened by Christ “followed Jesus, worshiping God.” Here Gospel show us what he has come to see. He found God and the true way of life. It wasn’t just that his physical eyes regained sight. A new vision’ opened to him, more spacious and deeper.
There was another person who had their eyes opened and followed Jesus: the Holy Apostle Paul. He willingly took on the role of persecuting the Damascan Christians and hurried on his way “breathing murder” (Acts 9:1). On his way, he was suddenly surrounded by a bright light that came from heaven and was knocked down to the earth. Then he heard the voice of the risen Christ. “Why are you persecuting me?” When he got up, he had lost his vision. Through this experience, when he came to know Jesus as his Savior and was converted, “something like scales fell” from Paul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. But what he saw wasn’t the same. He was baptized and transformed from a persecutor to a preacher of the Gospel.
In the “First Letter to Timothy,” he says:
“Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners…of whom I am chief.”
When Paul regained his sight, the first thing he saw was himself as the “chief of sinners.” Paul boldly declared it with joy. He cried out with praise as he learns of the One who has shown him infinite tolerance and made him the recipient of eternal life.
“Among all the sinners, I am first.” …I am the chief sinner.
When we are about to receive the Eucharist, we will join Paul in confessing this. We, too, feel sad for our sinful selves, but also fill our hearts with gratitude and joy toward the Lord Christ, who offers His body and blood, even to us, saying, “Take and eat… take and drink.” Fill it to the brim with gratitude and joy. Our eyes were also opened by Christ. He was made to live not in the vision of this world, but in the vision of the Kingdom of God.
But what was the beginning of it all?
Isn’t this the Lord’s question, “What do you want me to do for you?” This blind man was a beggar. So he would have been caught off guard. He himself may have just wanted some change and said, “Son of David.” But Jesus knew. This man didn’t see what he truly desired. But he knew he couldn’t see what he was seeking. He knew that what he sees is not really what he wants.
“I want to see it, but I can’t find it. Please show me it…”
The Lord threw the question straight into his heart. “What do you want me to do?”
After a moment of confusion, he spoke up. “I want to see.”
What happened to the Holy Apostle Paul was the same as what happened to us when we first walked through the church gates. This question was asked by a person named Christ, who is the Word. Then, we decided with all our heart that we wanted to be able to see, and we raised our voices to the Lord.
When we raised our voices, and when we raise our voices, we jumped, or jump into a way of life that believed in Christ, who opened our eyes. It is this time when we regain true freedom and it is the time of God’s grace. Even though the first thing we see is a miserable image of ourselves caught up in sin, we know that the Lord of the cross has already forgiven us. That joy and gratitude overshadows the sadness of sin, and eventually we stand up and sing songs of joy while wiping away the overflowing tears.