Det Gamle Evangelium

 

By Jakob Traasdahl

A Sermon

I know only one thing...
John. 9, 24 - 38

The story about the born blind is exceedingly remarkable and informative. First of all, we here have a simple believer of the old covenant, that by Jesu miracle is led over to the ground of the new covenant. He was a simple soul, who hadn't, like the pharisees, entrenched himself behind the thick walls of false, preconsieved ideas, or was captured in the selfpieties, dangerous net; no, he was surely longing for mercy, a soul in need of salvation, therefore he stood there, prepared for, and susceptible, when the salvation, came to his door. The story, is also remarkable by this, that it showes us, how a simple sincere faith, behaves, when it meets, the enemies.

But, the story is especially remarkable, as a reflection of, that enmity, that at all times, moves, in the pharisaic temper, against Jesus, and His salvation, on earth.

First, the pharisees accused Jesus, for healing the born blind, on a Sabbath. "This man is not of God, since He doesn't keep the sabbath," they said. But they didn't attain, their purpose, with this accuse, for, as the evangelist says; it were dissension among them, when others said, that a sinful human being, a man who desecrated the Sabbath, couldn't do sutch a miracle, like it were, to open the eyes of a born blind. It was, however, not the desecration of the sabbath, the poor pharisees were so concerned about, but they were much more concerned, about their honour and prestige: Because, if this should spread, among the people, that He, the Nazarian, they so deeply despised, really had done such a great miracle, His star, would surely rise, while their's, would sink more and more. Therefore, they once again called for the born blind, and said unto him: "Give glory unto God! We know, that this person, is a sinner. Thank God, that you have got your sight, but don't care at all, about Him, that did this miracle. Keep quiet about Him; don't go around like this, and praise His name; because, we, your spiritual leaders, can't accept it.

The pharisees, surely were thinking right about this. If the glorius acts of Jesus, were exposed, He would win glory and fame, and many, many, would follow Him. It goes on like this, nowadays to. The name of Jesus, is gloryfied for every soul ,who's saved. His free grace, rises in glory, for every soul who's saved. Because, those souls, whom has got their eyes opened, for the secret of the gospel, can't keep silent.

From the depth of their happy inner being, their song of praise, rises to "the Lamb that was slaughtered, and has bought them, to God, with His blood."

The form, in which, their praise and gloryfying, of the redemption, takes place, can often be simple, unsophisticated and exceedingly frail; but it,s a sure thing, and shall stand, as an unshakeable truth, in spite, of all the bible scholars, and pharisees' contradictions; that this living testimony, based on experience, and which, bursts out, of the redeemed ones hearts, is a great power, which in all times has laid the souls, down before, the feet of Jesus. It's this testimony; that I'm saved, how I was saved, and how every singel soul, on earth, can be saved. And this testimony, finds resonance, in the hearts, like nothing else; because the consciousness of being unhappy, and in need of blissfulness, are in spite of all, running through every human chest. Alas! What is the learned, dogmatized preaching, capable of, compared with, this simple testimony! What can all the moralists, and the builders of their own righteousness, in this world do, compared to, the true witnesses of the cross?

Therefore, a simple soul, that believes, and confesses an experienced truth - a blessed, redeeming truth - are really dangerous for det devil, and his kingdom, and for this reason, it's no wonder, that the evil enemy, by cunning, and by power, at all times has seeked to bind, the witnesses, of the Lord. Those, who He, has brought to life.

But speak out,you brother and sister, about what you have experienced; because, if you should be silent, the stones themselves had to speak out. Tell in humility, what Jesus has done for you, and about what you know, He will do, to each and every sinner. But do watch out, for the cunning of Satan. Because, if he can't stop your tongue, by enmity from the outside, he will try to poison the well, from which, the testimony shall flow, and bring the forces of haughtiness, and selfishness, to come alive in your soul, so they shall poison, the pure childlike mind, from which the testimony must flow. Look, and make sure, that it's Jesus' honour, and the salvation of the souls, you have in mind, only.

And if you are attacked by enemies, who,s afraid, that Jesus' prestige, shall rise, so don't be astounded, if these attacks, are coming, from such quarters, that you least of all, would have, expected them. It surely, must have been, a great affliction, for the born blind man, that his spiritual leaders opposed - but look how, he was holding on, to Jesus, and witnessed, to His glory; although, he had less knowledge, of who Jesus was, than you have.

Not seldom, we hear; that old christians, teachers and priests, on places, where there are spiritual emotions, are rising to resistance, against the lifemovement, that Jesus causes, with His gospel, and it's, beyond all measure, a sad thing that it,s so; because, by this, the careless and unconcerned world, finds a welcome support, in it's stubbornly refuse. We know, of course, that it can come frailties, into the lifemovements. Great frailties, of different kinds. But, there's nothing strange about that, when we know, how frailty, we poor humans are, and how Satan is working, to destroy the good seed, by spreading his corn cockle. It's though, far better, to be in the lifemovements, despite we also see, the evil seed in rise; than to stay distinguished out of it, like those pharisees, at that time. Whom immediately rang with tocksins, when any lifemovement, threatened their authority, and disturbed their blunted calm.

It's quite touching, to see, how this simple man, in the gospel, defended himself, or, rather defended Him, who had healed him. "I don't know if He,s a sinner," he answered. The truth, that Jesus, the man who had healed him, was both God and man, had not yet dawned, upon him: But, he added: "I know only one thing - I used to be blind, and now I can see."

Are you able say the same, dear friend? Then, you have most strictly, "view of the matter" and can defy all objections.

But now, these evil-minded hipocrites seeked, if they could find something to criticise, in the way, it had happen. So they asks: "How did He give you your sight?" They couldn't deny, that the man had got his sight; but couldn't there be something, to criticise, in the way, it had happened?"

Some years ago, it took place a great revival ,in a certain part, of our country. But there were something peculiar, about this revival. The souls, were not only wakened up, but they also, really became seeing. They were aware, of something peculiar, in the word of God; something, they never had any idea about before, and it were a whole lot of stir, about this view. The old christians, at that place, were at first confused, afterwards, in a highly degree, suspicious. Old experienced lay preachers, from other places, were prescribed, to give their opinion, about this new view. Several priests, of high standing, were also asked; but, it were a whole lot, of confusion. Some said, it was a true view, others, that it was totally wrong. Then, a man came; an old, venerable, christian, of the Haugemovement (Hans Nielsen Hauge 1771 - 1824, the most wellknown, Norwegian revivalist preacher, ever), who should give his opinion. He was firstly a bit unstable; because the rumours had confused him. But then, he met one of the new leaders, and asked him; just like the pharisees did, in the gospel: "How come, you got this sight ?" The man answered:
"I got hold of a tract, written by a Swede, who'se name, is Rosenius. It talked about, the free grace; and when I read it, it were just like a cover, felt from my eyes. I had, for a long time, been unhappy, and without peace; but now, I came to see, that my sins were washed away, for over eighteen hundred years ago, in the blood of the Lamb. The old man, was deeply moved, embraced the young one, and said: "God bless you, brother!" The same thing, happened to me, after I, for over twenty years, had stood in the dusk, and preached for others."

Now, the dear old one, understood, the coherence. But, another one, also came. He to, should test, this new view. And he came, to a different conclusion. After he had spoken, with some of the released souls; he said, something like this: "It has happened to easy, and to soon for you. Your penitential excercise, hasn't lasted, long enough; you have reached the faith, to soon, and this new view, is just a false, imagination." I, myself," he said, "has to fight and struggle, and hope, that I one day, can reach it." This, he said about, what, these young ones, already had come in possesion of. But the happy seeing ones, answered: "We, who were blind, now sees; God give, that you, could get salve on your eyes, so you could see, too."

The man in our text, asked his opponents, if they also wanted to be, His disciples, since they were, so bent upon, to know, how he got to see. But then, they answered, in "holy" anger: "You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but this fellow - we don't know were He's from. But then, the simple man, replayed: "Well, that's strange! You don't know where He's from, and yet He gave me my sight." And then he added a word, that must have penetrated, into their inner beeing; when he said: "We know that God doesn't hear sinners, but hears anyone who worships God, and does what He wants." By this, he accused them, straight ahead, for beeing sinners, who directly opposed God. And for that reason, He hadn't heard them, and revealed Himself unto them. They weren't truly, god-fearing: because, if they had been so, the Lord would have revealed Himself, unto them. It was a sharp sting, and we also notice, that it pierced them; because now, they made short work out of it, and answered: "You're entirily born in sin, and you will teach us?" And they expelled him. Now the poor man was over with his spiritual leaders; because they, couldn't bear anyone, in their sociaty, that gloryfied the despised Nazarene. Imagine what a haughtiness, and what a conceit, that a simple, and illiterate man, like him, would teach them! They, who weren't born in sin, like this one; who'se corporal blindness from his birth of, in accordance to their opinion,had to be a testimony, to the effect that, he was born in sin, in a higher degree, than ordinary people.

He was expelled; and who should take care of him, now? The Saviour, whom he so bravely had defended, without really knowing Him to well, weren't far off. Immediately He got hold, of the poor expelled man, and said unto him: " Do you believe, in the Son of God?" And he answered: "Who is He, Sir, that I can believe in Him?" But Jesus said, unto him: "You've seen Him, it is He, who is now talking to you." Then the man replaid: "I do believe, Lord!" And he bowed down, to worship Him. "
How easy and simple! When Jesus asked him, if he believed, he asked, to ascertain, what to believe in. And when Jesus, had pointed at Himself, as the object for the faith, he immediately believed, and worshipped.

Believed, and worshipped - look, this is the way! The born blind, are standing here,as a shining example, for us, who is so confused, in so many speculations, about what the faith is; that we totally forgets, to plainly believe in Him, who has revealed Himself, unto us, as our Saviour. You can, by this event see, that to believe, is simply to believe. The man didn't had to listen, to a long sermon, about what faith was. He already knew that, at the moment he said: "Who is He, Sir, so I can believe in Him?" But he needed a new object, to believe in; and when he came to hear, that Jesus was the Son of God, he believed, and worshipped.

Now the gospel tells you, dear soul, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has taken all your sins, on Himself; has wiped out, the written aknowledgement of debt, and nailed it, to the tree of curse. It tells you, that you have absolution, for all of your sins, in the blood of the Lamb, and that God has "bought you free of bondage, and condemnation, in the loved one." Do you believe this?
"Yes," you say, "I believe everything, the gospel tells me, about Christ."

Well, then you're happy, and blessed. If your sin are wiped out, and you are pardoned, in the loved one, then you also must be, a blessed child of God. "N-o,-," you're saying, "I don’t dare believe, that I already are; I'm afraid, that I'm not truly converted, the sin is still so powerfull in me."

Accordingly, you don't believe the gospel, at all. Because, the gospel doesn't say: "When you feel, that you are truly converted, and has become, the master of your sin; then you shall believe." If so, it would be your conversion, you had to believe in. And, that you can't believe in that, before it has come in order, is an obvious thing. You don't believe in the gospel, at all! You believes, that the gospel brings salvation, when you have come, to a certain point, in your conversion. But you don't believe, in a present, real, fullfilled salvation. Because, if you believed in such, you had to be, happy. The enemy, are conceiling the gospel for you, by driving your conversion, as a wedge, between you and Christ, and because of that, you remain standing, engaged, with your conversion, and finally, never comes through that, to Christ. You harness the horse behind the carriage, and therefore, it stands still. Now, it's our Lord's will, that you shall believe, quite plainly, on Jesus, just the way you are. And, if you do that; conversion, regeneration, sanctification - will all come, in it's right order.

I now assume, that you are aware, of being a lost sinner. And I'm asking you, in the name of the Lord; " What are you waiting for?" Isn’t Jesus standing by your side, just like He did, with the born blind, and asks: "Do you believe, in the Son of God?" Do you believe, that the Son of God, really is your Saviour, that according to, what you learnt as a child, has redeemed you from the sin, death and the devil, and has given you eternal life? Simply, believe in this. Believe this truth, like you believe in other things, that is true, and you shall immediately, be happy.

There was a young man, who saw some numbers, in a newspaper, and he suddenly became so happy, that it looked like, he's gone mad. In the same house, it lived some poor people, and unto them, he gave every penny he had - all because of, a feeling of great thankfullness. And what had these numbers, told him? Yes, they told him, that he had won, a great amount in a lottery, and now was, at once, a wealthy man. He simply believed, in the numbers, because, they where just the same, as those, he had on his little lottery ticket.

And you, dear friend, you're not obliged, to a lottery, that can deceive you, but to a credible speach, well worth receiving, that Christ Jesus came into the world, to save sinners" (1 Tim.1,15). Now, simply believe, in the gospel, just like the man, believed in the numbers, and you'll be happy like him, and you'll be thankfull like him, and you will, in your thankfullness, at once, begin to do something, for Jesus.
Oh, it's a shame, that Jesus, the Son of the Living God, has revealed Himself, so gloriously, unto us, in His gospel, and that we, despite this, don't believe, in Him. We're saying, that we believe, in everything, that the gospel tells us, about Him - and though, we barely believes, a iota of it all, which also, our cheerless, and powerless life, in it's lack of peace, clearly prooves. Lord, open our eyes! Amen.

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