BLIND FAITH

Scripture: I Corinthians 13:8-13; II Corinthians 4:13-18

Text: And Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.”

(John 20:29)

INTRODUCTION

Last Sunday, after the worship services were over, and a wonderful lunch with Barbara and two good friends from the congregation, and a mid-afternoon visit with another dear member of this church living at Lenbrook Square, I returned home, watched the Masters’ Tournament on TV and then, somewhat inspired, I decided to play a few holes by myself at a nearby golf course.

Walking with my bag of clubs through the misty weather, reminiscent of Scotland, I hit a few good shots and as usual, some pretty poor ones and finally wound up on the ninth tee – which is a par 3 – around 6:00 that evening. With a seven iron, I knocked the ball over a ravine, watched it bounce on the green and roll into the hole. At that moment, two thoughts occurred simultaneously to me: first, I had never done that before and probably never will again, and second, nobody else was there to see it happen.

I waited a few moments and then spotted another lone golfer coming over the hill behind me. I called out to him, saying with all the humility I could muster, “I just shot a hole-in-one!” He smiled and said, “I didn’t see it, but I believe you.” So I walked across the bridge to the ninth green, picked the ball up out of the hole, looked back at my witness and waved to him as he clapped his hands.

Now, I have never told a golf story like that before from the pulpit, mostly because there was nothing to tell. But since all of you generously gave me a set of clubs for my tenth anniversary two years ago, I figured it was time for a progress report.

And here’s the real point of the story: there are those who say that “seeing is believing” and that may be true if you want to verify a hole-in-one. However, when we are talking about the transcendent reality and mystery of God and the presence and life-changing power of Jesus Christ in our lives, we cannot always say that “seeing is believing.” For more often than not, the truth is that we “believe what we cannot see” and sometimes we describe that experience as “Blind Faith.”

The Gospel of John, chapter 20, reports that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem, but Thomas was not there with them. When the others told Him about what had happened, Thomas replied, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails…and place my hand in His side, I will not believe. Eight days later, Jesus came among them again and this time Thomas was present. The risen Lord said to him, Put your finger here and see my hands…put out your hand and place it in my side…do not be faithless, but believing. Thomas, dazzled and humbled by His appearance, exclaimed My Lord and my God! And Jesus concluded, saying Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe (John 20:19-29).

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Could it be that Jesus was talking about you and me and all the rest of us who have lived “this side of Easter” down through the centuries? None of us were there to witness those miraculous and mysterious events of long ago, and yet, by faith, we believe all these years later that they happened and that the gospel story is true. As Christians, we can’t prove it with hard evidence or indisputable facts. But we can and do affirm it through our own experience, which has been formed in our hearts and minds and souls by the inspiration of the Bible, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer and the witness of the church across ages of time.

The Apostle Paul said it would be so in his letters to the Corinthians, reminding them and all of us ever since that although Now we see in a mirror dimly, someday we will see face to face (I Corinthians 13:12), and that The things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (II Corinthians 4:18).

Those profound words point us toward the hope and the assurance we have been given of life forever with the Lord in heaven. But the apostle was also trying to tell us that in the good times and especially during the hard times here on earth, we do not walk through the valley of the shadow alone. For in the midst of the darkness and despair, Jesus promised that His Spirit would be there with us, to comfort and to guide us, to heal our hearts and provide us with the inner peace and courage and strength we need to go on instead of giving us (John 14:1-6, 16-29).

Has that happened in your life? It happened to Helen Keller. In a story Dr. Frank Harrington once told from the pulpit of Peachtree Presbyterian Church, he said that Helen Keller didn’t go to church during her early childhood. She was deaf, could not speak and was blind. She had no opportunity to learn the story of God as revealed in Jesus. Then she was taken to visit Phillips Brooks, the greatest preacher of his generation, and he told her in the simplest possible language how God had sent Jesus of Nazareth to show His love, to teach us His will, to make Himself known to us.

As Dr. Brooks told her the story through the interpreter, Helen Keller’s face lighted up and she spelled into the hands of that interpreter this sentence: “I knew all the time that there must be someone like that; I just didn’t know His name was Jesus.” (From a sermon entitled “A Sense of What is Vital” by Dr. Frank Harrington, Peachtree Presbyterian Church, November 6, 1988).

Now, I’ve met only a few people who were blind since the day they were born. But I have known many others who have been knocked down by some kind of tragedy, pushed around by the unfairness of life, women and men who have suffered broken relationships, shattered dreams and have descended into what the mystic named John of the Cross called “The dark night of the soul.”

And yet, as Christians, I have watched them hold onto hope, come through the pain and gradually but steadfastly find the help they needed to put their lives back together again. How? By blind faith, the kind of faith which Soren Kierkegaard described that “sees best in the darkness.”

And if that is where you are today, in the darkness, looking for, praying for some light at the end of the tunnel, then know this: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1). Which means that even though we are not able to see the solution right now, God has promised to all those who put their trust in Him, that by the healing power and peace and presence of Jesus Christ, He will work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). It may not turn out exactly the way you want it to, but somehow, someday, the light of God’s love and grace will come shining through.

II.

Now there may be some people here today or listening by radio or watching on television who are hesitant about, perhaps even resistant to this theological notion of “Blind Faith.” It sounds somewhat anti-intellectual and overly emotional and conjures up the image of leaving our minds outside the door as we enter into the sanctuary. And I must confess that at times in my own life, I have felt that way. “Seeing is believing,” we say, and that is the philosophy we live by.

“The check’s in the mail.” “Oh really? Well, I’ll believe it when I see it.” “I’ll call you this week to set up an appointment for lunch.” “Yes, thank you, but I’ll believe it when I see it.” “Looks like we’re going to make our annual giving goal this year.” “I sure hope so, but I’ll believe it when I see it.”

You see, many of us live our lives according to that philosophy. In our practical, logical, skeptical way, we say “Prove it to me. Show me the money! Give me the facts and nothing but the facts. And then, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Have you ever heard of Charlie Boswell? At one time, he was the top-ranked blind golfer in America. There is a group of them, you know, and with some help from caddies who line up the shots, these blind golfers can hit the ball a mile – and accurately.

Some years ago, the comedian Bob Hope, who used to be an avid golfer himself, was asked to present an award to Charlie Boswell at a dinner celebration. Hope was skeptical, and couldn’t resist kidding a little as he came to the podium. “Outstanding blind golfer, eh? I’d like to play you sometime.”

Boswell replied, “Mr. Hope, I’d enjoy a game with you too.” Hope said, “I don’t think you understand. I only play for money.” “So do I” answered Boswell. “It makes things more interesting.” Well, the comedian was on the spot. He said, “What kind of handicap would I have to give you?” The blind golfer responded, “I’ll play you even up.” Hope was delighted. He asked, “What’s your best starting time?” Boswell smiled and answered, “Midnight.”

That story is true, and Bob Hope said later it was “an eye-opening” lesson for him about people with disabilities who can do far more than we give them credit for. Next Sunday we’re going to hear Jean Driscoll, who in her wheelchair has won the Boston Marathon eight times, speak about that on Disability Awareness Sunday, so I hope you’ll come back!

And here’s the point: if we rely only on those things we can see and comprehend and accomplish by ourselves as the litmus test for what we believe, then we are going to miss the deeper realities of life and the gifts of faith and hope and love which God wants us to receive.

CONCLUSION

Paul didn’t miss it. He found it! And by blind faith, he put his trust in the Lord and sent word to the Corinthians, saying Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we shall see face to face…for the things that are seen are transient; but the things that are unseen are eternal. That’s what Thomas discovered as well, when he fell to his knees before Jesus and exclaimed My Lord and my God.

And looking at him through the eyes of love and grace, Jesus spoke to Thomas, just as He speaks to all of us today, saying Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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