Sermon Notes—"Restoring Sight to the Blind"
December 17, 2017
Scripture: Luke 4:16-21

Lesson Text
16And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Luke 4:16–21 (ESV) 

Spiritual blindness - the condition of being either UNWILLING or UNABLE to receive SPIRITUAL TRUTH.
Bible KNOWLEDGE is not a cure for spiritual blindness.

12Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. 14Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."
Matthew 15:12–14 (ESV) 

39Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" 41Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.
John 9:39–41 (ESV) 

Sources of spiritual blindness:
1. SATAN. He has blinded unbelievers to their need of a SAVIOR.

4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 
2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV) 

2. SELF. Even though Jesus came to restore sight to the blind, most people have BLINDED THEMSELVES and are content to live in darkness.

14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: " ' "You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive." 15For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'
Matthew 13:14–15 (ESV) 

3. GOD. In righteous judgment, God has PERMANENTLY blinded some people who have been stubbornly UNREPENTANT.

40"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them."
John 12:40 (ESV) 

Warning: After receiving spiritual sight, BELIEVERS can develop BLINDSPOTS when they rely on themselves and stop seeking God's direction.

15" 'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Revelation 3:15–17 (ESV)