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Printed Service – Sunday 15th March 2026
Prepared by Rev. Saul Tadzaushe
“From Darkness to Light “
Call to worship Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Hymn STF141 – Abide with me Watch on YouTube
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide:
when other helpers fail, and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need thy presence every passing hour;
what but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
I fear no foe, with thee at hand to bless;
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.
Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies;
heav’n’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
Henry F. Lyte, 1793-1847 Music: W.H. Monk, 1823-1889
The Lord’s Prayer : Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever Amen
Hymn STF248 – I heard the voice of Jesus say
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I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary, worn, and sad;
I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give
The living water; thirsty one, stoop down and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;”
Look unto Me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my star, my sun;
ad in that Light of life I’ll walk til traveling days are done.
Til traveling days are done.
Bible Reading John 9:1-41
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him. ”But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”“How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”“Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore, the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath .”But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So, they were divided.Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man replied, “He is a prophet.”They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”“We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him. ”Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you. ”Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind. ”Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Reflection on the title “From Darkness to Light “
The blind man was born blind and as a result of that blindness he was a beggar. A condition of Darkness and suffering which was unbearable.
Jesus saw him, went to him ,and healed him. Everything started with Christ. He is the source of our salvation. He knows more about our conditions than ourselves. Let us learn to wait for his coming.
Why suffering and Darkness to humanity?
1The falling of Adam and Eve brought suffering and Darkness into the world which was perfect and good.
2 The original sin caused by Adam and Eve caused suffering and Darkness. For the wages of sin death. Romans 5:12
3 The scripture from John is reminding us today that suffering is not always a result of man’s sin. There are so natural causes of suffering as well and world systems.
4The Bible shows us right from the book of Genesis that suffering and Darkness when Adam fell was ordained for the purpose of demonstrating the glory of God, to display the authority and works of God through the history of mankind and finally the suffering and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We may be marginalized, excluded ,rejected and persecuted. It will come to pass but the plan and purpose of God will prevail.
We are also invited to participate in God’s missional work of redemption as we suffer with Christ and humanity and God’s creation for a greater purpose.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. All who believed in him were given power to become the children of God. Hence the blind man’ s story is about displaying the power of God over every situation that suffering and Darkness will not take control of the kingdom of God and his children. Amen.
Hymn STF556 Just as I am.
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Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou biddest me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fighting’s and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Blessing : Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.