Miracle in the Mud

As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him,  “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither  this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s  works might be displayed in him. 4 We must do the works of him who sent me  while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the  world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said these things he spit on the  ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,”  he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left,  washed, and came back seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before  as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s  the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.” He kept saying, “I’m the  one.” 10 So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered,  “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam  and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.” 12 “Where is he?”  they asked. “I don’t know,” he said. John 9:1-12 

^Bible text on slides  

Intro Hook: Right before someone comes over to my house—especially if it’s  someone important—I go into overdrive. I start frantically vacuuming, wiping  down counters, lighting candles, fluffing pillows… you’d think a magazine crew  was coming. Let’s admit it; we all have that closet in our house that we absolutely  do not want anyone to open, because if they do, there will be an avalanche of stuff  that will fall out of it. Why? Because I want everything to look perfect. I want to  appear like I have it all together. But here’s the thing—what if the most important  guest of all, Jesus, doesn’t wait for the perfect version of us? What if He shows up  when things are still a mess? That’s exactly what happens in John 9. Jesus doesn’t  avoid the mess—He makes a miracle out of it. He doesn’t ask the man born blind to  clean up first. He makes mud, rubs it on his face, and sends him to wash. What if  God wants to work through your mess, not around it?  

Sermon Title: “Miracle in the Mud”  

Big Idea: Jesus doesn’t just fix what’s broken—He redefines what’s possible.  The way to a miracle is through the mud  

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Point 1: The Purpose in the Problem (v. 1–3) As he was passing by, he saw a man  blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his  parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus  answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. (slide) 

• How it became known that the man was blind from birth is not disclosed. This  detail, in addition to heightening the effect of the miracle, signals that human  beings are spiritually blind from birth.  
• The disciples assume, like most Palestinian Jews of their day, that sin and  suffering are intimately connected. In one sense, they are correct; they are simply  working out the entailments of the fall.  
• Sometimes people try to draw a straight line between someone’s personal  suffering and a specific sin they committed. But that’s not always how it works— and the Bible makes that clear. Yes, there are moments in Scripture where sin  leads to suffering (like when Miriam spoke against Moses and was struck with  leprosy in Numbers 12, or the warning in 1 Corinthians 11:30 about taking  communion in an unworthy manner).  
• But to say every time someone is sick, struggling, or going through something  hard it must be because of sin—that just doesn’t line up with the rest of the  Bible. Look at Job. He went through unbelievable suffering, not because he  

sinned, but because God had a bigger purpose. Or Paul in 2 Corinthians 12—he  had a thorn in his flesh, not because of sin, but to keep him dependent on God.  • It’s kind of like this—once, a friend of mine went through a really tough season  with their health. Out of the blue, someone asked them, “Is there any sin you  haven’t confessed? Maybe that’s why this is happening.” It was well-meaning,  but it wasn’t helpful—and it wasn’t biblical. That question added shame to an  already painful situation. What they needed wasn’t blame—they needed comfort,  faith, and someone to remind them that God’s grace is present even in pain. Not  all suffering is punishment—sometimes it’s a platform for God to show His  power.  

• Jesus doesn’t deny that there’s a general connection between sin and suffering— we live in a broken world because of the Fall. But He absolutely shuts down the  idea that every individual suffering is the direct result of a specific personal sin.  When His disciples looked at the blind man and assumed someone must have  

sinned to cause his condition, Jesus corrected them. “Neither this man nor his  parents sinned,” He said. “This happened so that the works of God might be  displayed in him.”  

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• John certainly does not think that the occurrence of blindness from birth was  outside the sweep of God’s control, and therefore of his purpose.  • In other words, this man’s blindness wasn’t a punishment—it was part of a  bigger purpose. God was going to use it to put His power on full display.  • Illustration: I’ve counseled a lot of people through grief and through difficult  moments in your life. Through tears, they asked me, “What did we do wrong?  Did we miss something? Is God punishing us?” In that moment, I gently  reminded them of this passage—John 9—and Jesus’ words. Their suffering  wasn’t proof of guilt; it was a platform for grace. And years later, that same  couple was able to comfort and counsel others going through similar pain—God  used their story in ways they couldn’t have imagined.  
• God was fully in control. The man’s blindness wasn’t random, and it certainly  wasn’t meaningless. It was woven into God’s sovereign plan to reveal His glory.  • Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s find someone broken so I can show off.” He said, “Here’s  someone broken—and I’m going to bring beauty through it.” (slide) • Application: What if your struggle isn’t punishment, but preparation for what  God wants to display through you?  

Seam: So Jesus gently corrects His disciples. He redirects the conversation away  from blame and toward purpose. And maybe He wants to do the same for us.  

Point 2: The Miracle in the Mud (v. 4–7) 4 We must do the works of him who  sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in  the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After he said these things he spit on the  ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,”  he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left,  washed, and came back seeing. 

When Jesus says in John 9:4, “We must do the works of him who sent me,” He uses  both a plural and a singular form. That’s not a grammatical accident—it’s deeply  intentional. Jesus is the one uniquely sent by the Father (John 6:38), but He also  draws His disciples into the mission. It’s like He’s saying, “I’ve been sent to do the  Father’s work, and you’re coming with Me.”  

This is why I never do ministry alone and I always bring someone along. You  should do the same.  

6 After he said these things  

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• After declaring, “I am the light of the world,” Jesus doesn’t just talk about light —He puts it into action. He sees a man born blind and steps in to do what no one  else could. Verse 6 begins with the words, “Having said this…”—which ties  directly to the idea that Jesus came to bring light to dark places. And in this case,  that light comes in a most unexpected way: through mud made from spit.  • We are going to see this man now go from darkness to sight.  

he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his  eyes.  

• How does Jesus bring healing? With something that seems odd—even offensive:  saliva and dirt.  
• Now, let’s be real—using spit and mud to heal someone seems strange, even  gross. In Jesus’ day, saliva was often considered unclean. Rabbis warned against  using it in healing because it resembled pagan magical practices. But Jesus flips  the script. He takes something seen as impure and uses it to bring healing. That’s  the gospel in action—God takes what the world calls dirty and does something  divine with it.  
• And this isn’t the first time we’ve seen God work through unexpected means.  Think of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He was told to wash in the Jordan River—not  the cleanest or most prestigious river in Israel. He was offended at first, but when  he humbled himself and obeyed, he was healed. God’s power flowed through  muddy waters.  
• Or remember when Elijah stood against the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.  To prove God’s power, he didn’t make the altar easier to ignite—he drenched it  in water, again and again. You don’t pour gallons of water on something you’re  trying to set on fire… unless you serve a God who shows His power through the  impossible. And fire came down from heaven.  
• That’s how God works. He doesn’t need pristine conditions to move. He brings  miracles out of mud. Light from dirt. Healing from spit. So if your life feels like  it’s stuck in the mud right now—if it’s messy, confusing, and uncomfortable— don’t lose hope. With God, even mud is a miracle in the making. If you’re  walking through the mud, keep going. You may be just steps away from seeing  clearly.  
• What if God isn’t trying to clear away your mud but rather do something in you  and through you, amidst all the mud?  
• What if Jesus isn’t trying to clean away your mud because He wants to reveal  himself to you amidst your mud. What if the mud in your life isn’t the actual  

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problem and salvation won’t come from it being removed but rather it will come  from when you obey the Lord.  

• Obedience precedes clarity.  
• You don’t have to fully understand to fully obey.  
• Illustration about Victoria saying yes to the pastor that counseled us that if she  was ready to be married to a pastor. she had no idea what she was signing up for.  but obedience preceded clarity.  
• What if your mud is your miracle?  
• What if there is a miracle in the mud?  
• What if God isn’t trying to clean away your mud but rather transforming you and  shaping you amidst the mud?  

he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his  eyes.  

• Some early Christians saw echoes of Genesis 2:7 (7 Then the Lord God formed  the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his  nostrils, and the man became a living being.) here—God creating humanity from  the dust. It’s like Jesus is doing a creative miracle, forming sight where there was  none, just like the Father formed man from the ground.  
• Jesus is signaling that He has divine authority to work even through what others  see as defiling. Just like when He touched a leper and didn’t become unclean but  made the man clean (Matthew 8:1–4), here Jesus is saying, “I’m not afraid of  your mess. I can use it.” He’s not just healing physical blindness—He’s revealing  His identity as the one sent from God who brings light into the world.  
• miracle in the mud. miracle through the mud. if you are going through mud, keep  going.  

7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left,  washed, and came back seeing. 

The Pool of Siloam  

When Jesus made mud from His spit and the dust of the earth, then smeared it on  the eyes of the blind man, He told him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. At first  glance, that may sound like a strange instruction—but it’s packed with meaning.  John makes sure we don’t miss it by translating the name for us:  

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Siloam means “Sent.”  

If the significance of the saliva is somewhat obscure, John will not allow ‘Siloam’  the same freedom.  

Now think about this for a second—this detail is too rich to gloss over. Jesus, who  over and over again in the Gospel of John identifies Himself as the One sent by the  Father (John 5:36, 6:29, 7:29, 8:42), is now sending a blind man to a place called  “Siloam”… and John makes sure we don’t miss what that name means—he literally  stops to explain it: “Siloam means Sent.”  

Siloam means “Sent” (Greek: Apostello – the same root word for “apostle”).  That’s not random. That’s revelation.  

The Sent One is sending one to a place called sent. (slide) 

Don’t miss the symmetry. Don’t miss the theology. This is more than just directions  to a location—it’s a symbol-rich, gospel-soaked moment. Jesus is the One sent from  Heaven, on mission from the Father, bringing light into darkness. And now He  sends this man on a journey—through the mud, still blind, carrying nothing but trust —to a place that reflects Jesus’ own identity.  

The Walk To Siloam:  

Visual Map Slide  

• Jesus could’ve healed the man instantly, as He had done before (e.g., the  centurion’s servant, Jairus’ daughter). But here, He intentionally involves  obedience in the miracle. It was a test of faith and trust. Jesus gave the man a  strange, humbling command: walk through the city, covered in mud, still blind,  and wash in a specific pool. The man obeyed—and was healed.  
• Did the man walk blind the whole way? Yes. Jesus anointed his eyes before  sending him. That means he had to navigate Jerusalem blind, likely stumbling,  confused, probably mocked or questioned. This wasn’t a short trip—it was about  a 1/4 mile journey from where the miracle likely took place (near the Temple) to  the Pool of Siloam.  

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• Imagine how the blind man felt. He’s just been told to walk across the city with  mud on his face. He can’t see, he’s probably confused, and he might even feel  embarrassed or vulnerable. But he takes each step in faith because Jesus told him  to.  
• Obedience unlocks breakthrough: The man’s healing came not when he heard  Jesus, but when he obeyed Him. In a very real sense, this is a living parable of  what saving faith looks like:  
• Trusting Jesus enough to follow Him before you see the result.  • Jesus meets us in the mud but sends us to the water. He meets us in our  brokenness but doesn’t leave us there—He leads us to the place of cleansing,  clarity, and transformation.  
• You don’t have to understand the command to obey it. The man didn’t ask Jesus  why. He just went. And on the other side of obedience, he saw Jesus for who He  truly was.  

Application: There are times in our lives when we feel like that—walking through  life with “mud on our face,” facing situations that don’t make sense, feeling  awkward or out of place. But just like the blind man, we’re called to trust that  there’s a purpose in the journey.  

It’s like Jesus is saying: “If you want sight, if you want transformation, if you want  to truly see—you have to respond to the One who was sent. You have to walk by  faith in the direction I’m pointing you toward. Because everything I’m sending you  into is connected to who I am.”  

Where is Jesus calling you to walk by faith today? What’s your “walk to Siloam”?  (slide) 

And maybe that’s a word for us today. Sometimes Jesus doesn’t just heal us  instantly—sometimes He sends us on a journey that’s messy, confusing, even  humbling… and the only thing we’re sure of is that it came from Him. But when the  Sent One sends you, you can trust that healing is at the other end. You don’t have to  see the whole way—just take the step He’s asking for.  

Miracle in the mud. Miracle through the mud.  

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Application: So let me ask you: What step of faith is Jesus—the Sent One—asking  you to take this week? Where is He sending you? And will you go, even while  you’re still walking blind?  

Theologians and historians have pointed out that this pool wasn’t especially clean,  nor was it particularly famous in its time. But that’s part of the beauty of the  miracle. God often chooses the ordinary, the overlooked, and the unexpected as the  setting for His power. Think of Naaman in 2 Kings 5—he was told to wash in the  Jordan River to be healed of leprosy. He almost refused because the Jordan wasn’t  impressive.  

But the miracle wasn’t in the water—it was in the obedience.  

Or remember when Elijah drenched the altar in water before calling fire down from  heaven? That’s not how you start a fire. But with God, it’s always the opposite of  what you’d expect.  

He doesn’t need dry kindling—He just needs surrendered hearts.  

So when Jesus tells this man to go walk—blind and muddy—to a pool called  “Sent,” it’s not just about rinsing off his face. It’s about revealing the One who was  sent by the Father to give spiritual sight. It’s about trusting that healing comes not  from the pool itself, but from the One who gives the command.  

And here’s what makes it even more powerful: this man had to walk by faith, not by  sight. He had to take each step not knowing if this would work, not seeing the  outcome, literally stumbling forward in obedience. That’s where many of us are.  We’re in the mud. We’re walking blind. We’re uncertain of what’s next. But here’s  the truth: if you’re walking through the mud, keep walking. The miracle might be  just on the other side of your obedience.  

The way to a miracle is through the mud  

So don’t despise the mud. Don’t discount the walk. Don’t downplay the weird  instructions. God often works through the unexpected, not around it. And He still  meets people—like you and me—not in our perfection, but in our obedience.  

It’s not about how clean the water is. It’s about who told you to jump in. (slide) Page 8 of 12

Seam:  

You see, obedience always leads to transformation.  

The blind man didn’t argue, debate, or delay—he just walked. Mud on his face, no  visibility, no clarity—only trust. And somewhere between the mess and the miracle,  something happened. That’s how Jesus works. He meets us in the dirt, sends us out  in faith, and on the other side… there’s sight. Not just physical, but spiritual. Not  just healing, but a whole new identity.  

But here’s the thing: when God changes you, people will notice.  

And that’s where the story picks up. The man comes back—new, whole, walking in  light. And suddenly, the people who used to walk past him, ignore him, or pity  him… they don’t even recognize him. Why? Because when Jesus changes you,  you’re not just healed—you’re different. Your life becomes a living sermon. A story  that demands an explanation.  

So now, let’s lean into the final part of this story: What happens when  transformation speaks louder than explanation?  

Before-and-After Photo Concept slide 

Point 3: The Testimony in the Transformation (v. 8–12) 8 His neighbors and  those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit  begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like  him.” He kept saying, “I’m the one.” 10 So they asked him, “Then how were your  eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my  eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received  my sight.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he said. 

It’s hard to imagine the daily life of someone who’s been blind since birth. In the  first century, a man like that had almost no options—he would’ve spent every day  begging, sitting in the same spot, relying on the generosity of others to survive.  

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His neighbors walked past him so often, they likely stopped really seeing him. He  was part of the scenery.  

So when this same man showed up, eyes wide open, seeing everything for the first  time, people were stunned. They couldn’t believe it. Some even thought, “It must be  someone else—just someone who looks like him.”  

Some found it easier to believe that the blind man had somehow disappeared, and  the fellow before them was someone else, someone who bore a remarkable  resemblance to their blind neighbour.  

But the man stood his ground and said, “I’m the one.”  

This man’s transformation is so radical, so visible, that people don’t know how to  process it. All he can do is tell the truth as simply as he knows how: “The man  called Jesus made mud, put it on my eyes, told me to wash, and now I can see.”  

Notice—he still hasn’t seen Jesus with his own eyes yet. He only knows His name  from what people have said. But even without a full theological understanding, he’s  already telling his story. His testimony is simple, but powerful: “I was blind. Now I  see.” That’s what real transformation looks like. And the people around him?  They’re not skeptical because they doubt his honesty—they’re stunned because his  story doesn’t fit their categories. They’re desperate to meet this miracle worker  named Jesus.  

And even though the healed man doesn’t know where Jesus is at the moment, he’s  already become a living, breathing sermon about what Jesus can do.  

The blind man’s obedience led to his healing.  

It wasn’t the mud that healed him, but his faith in Jesus’ words and his willingness  to follow through.  

The mud was a temporary state; the washing brought permanent transformation.  

Even if you’re in a season where you feel like you’re “walking with mud on your  face,” it’s not the end of the story. There’s a purpose in the process, and on the other  side of obedience and faith, there’s transformation and clarity.  

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Call to Faith: Trust God in your own “muddy” situations, believing that He has a  plan and that their faith and obedience will lead to something greater.  

Close:  

Church, let’s pause for a moment and let this sink in. The blind man in John 9 didn’t  just get his sight—he got a new story. A story that began in the mud, in the mess, in  the place where he felt overlooked and broken. And Jesus, the Light of the World,  didn’t walk past him. He stopped. He got His hands dirty. He made a miracle out of  the very thing everyone else avoided.  

Maybe you’re sitting here today, and your life feels like it’s covered in mud. Maybe  it’s a marriage that’s crumbling, a diagnosis that’s weighing you down, a secret  shame you’ve carried for years, or a dream that feels dead in the ground. Can I tell  you something? Jesus isn’t waiting for you to clean it up. He’s not asking you to fix  yourself first. He’s standing in your mess right now, ready to make a miracle.  

If you are going through mud, keep going.  

I think of my own life—times when I’ve felt stuck, like I was walking blind with  mud on my face, unsure if God was even there. But every time I’ve taken a step  toward Him, even when it didn’t make sense, He’s met me. He’s washed away the  shame, the fear, the doubt, and given me eyes to see Him clearer. And church, He  wants to do that for you today.  

The blind man’s story isn’t just history—it’s an invitation. Jesus is the Sent One,  and He’s sending you to the pool of Siloam, to the place of trust, to the place where  obedience meets transformation. Your mud isn’t the end of your story—it’s the  beginning of His glory. (slide) 

Call to Action  

So here’s what I’m asking you to do this week: Take one step of faith toward Jesus  in your mess. Write down the mud in your life—the struggle, the pain, the thing  you’re afraid to name. Bring it to Jesus in prayer. Maybe it’s confessing it to a  trusted friend or joining a small group to walk through it together. And then, share  your story. Tell someone what Jesus is doing in your mess. Because your testimony,  like the blind man’s, could be the miracle someone else needs to see.  

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If you’ve never trusted Jesus before, today’s the day. Come talk to me or one of our  elders after the service—we’d love to pray with you and help you take that first  step. Church, let’s not leave here the same. Let’s walk toward the One who makes  miracles in the mud.  

Let’s pray. Jesus, You are the Light of the World, and You don’t shy away from our  mess. Thank You for meeting us where we are and leading us to transformation.  Give us courage to take a step of faith this week, to trust You in the mud, and to  share the story You’re writing in us. In Your name, Amen.  

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