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The Sunday Before Lent
Jesus Heals the Blind Beggar
February 14, 2010
NKJ Luke 18:31 Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we
are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets
concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 "For He will be delivered to
the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. 33 "They will
scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." 34 But they
understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did
not know the things which were spoken. 35 Then it happened, as He was coming
near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a
multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of
Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me!" 39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet;
but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 So Jesus
stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near,
He asked him, 41 saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord,
that I may receive my sight." 42 Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight;
your faith has made you well." 43 And immediately he received his sight, and
followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise
to God.
Jesus is approaching Jerusalem for the last time—a crowd is following Him along
this last short stretch as He approaches the city—and the usual throngs of
people are following Him--He pulls the 12 to the side to speak to them in as
private a manner as would be possible under these circumstances—He tells the 12
one more time that He would have to die at the hands of His enemies—this is the
second time He is telling them—and they still don’t understand—hear the words of
Christ as He tells the 12 the first time—just prior to His transfiguration
NKJ Luke 9:22 [Jesus] saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be
rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be
raised the third day."
And Jesus adds details soon after His transfiguration
NKJ Luke 9:44 "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is
about to be betrayed into the hands of men."
Matthew recorded the detail of Jesus using the word crucify to describe His
death
NKJ Matthew 20:18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will
be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him
to death, 19 "and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to
crucify. And the third day He will rise again."
NKJ Matthew 26:1 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings,
that He said to His disciples, 2 "You know that after two days is the Passover,
and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
But the disciples did not understand the things Jesus was teaching them
NKJ Luke 9:45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from
them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about
this saying.
How many times have we read a passage of Scripture—and it really wasn’t revealed
to us what it meant—then years later—it all becomes clear—and it brings us
comfort—that is the way it is with these disciples—Jesus presents the details
that would comfort the disciples later—after His death and resurrection—He spoke
these words to His disciples—knowing that they could not possibly understand
Jesus spoke knowing that the memory of these words later would strengthen their
faith—Jesus was making sure that they would know that He gave Himself to be
sacrificed—He wouldn’t be crucified because of the power or cunning of the
Jews—He did not want them to doubt—He wanted them to recall these words of
Isaiah
NKJ Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His
mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers
is silent, So He opened not His mouth.
Jesus was that Lamb—He knew He was entering Jerusalem for the slaughter—that was
God’s plan—the innocent Lamb of God would be sacrificed—once—for all—that Lamb
wants everyone to remember that He is the fulfillment of that verse written by
the prophet Isaiah under inspiration of the Holy Spirit— Jesus spoke these words
now—knowing they would not be understood—but they would be remembered—for
example—after the resurrection—the women approached the tomb—the angels reminded
them of what He said before His death
NKJ Luke 24:6 "He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when
He was still in Galilee, 7 "saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the
hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' " 8 And
they remembered His words.
THE FAITH AND LOVE OF THE BLIND MAN
Jesus immediately follows His discussion with a living example of faith—healing
the blind man
TEXT: NKJ Luke 18:35 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a
certain blind man sat by the road begging. 36 And hearing a multitude passing
by, he asked what it meant. 37 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was
passing by. 38 And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!"
The man had faith in Jesus through hearing—not hearing Jesus—but hearing of
Jesus—he knew Jesus could heal him—his faith came from hearing—in harmony with
that faith the man cried out for the Lord—just as Paul tells us in Romans
NKJ Romans 10:13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." 14
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall
they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher?
TEXT: NKJ Luke 18:39 Then those who went before warned him that he should be
quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 So
Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come
near, He asked him, 41 saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said,
"Lord, that I may receive my sight."
The man stood firm—called out to Jesus—wouldn’t be driven away from awaiting an
answer—in true faith the man called out to Jesus—He knew Jesus could heal
him—and the man cried out repeatedly to ask the Lord to restore his health—where
others may have been afraid and ashamed to call out so loudly for the help of
Jesus—this man stood before the world and cried out in a loud voice—because he
knew Jesus could help—this man ignored the world—and focused on the only thing
that mattered—Jesus
So it should be with us in time of need—seal out the devil and his world—and
focus on the words of Christ—now Jesus pushes everyone else aside when He hears
the man—He asks the man what he wants—Jesus makes the man pray for his sight—he
asks Jesus to heal him—that is the lesson and example for us to take from this
story—God answers prayer—for us—just as Jesus answered this man’s prayer—so it
is for us all—stand firm on faith—pray to God for the things we need—await God’s
answer—don’t be swayed by men who have no faith—men who may be workers of the
devil
NKJ James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is
like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
TEXT: NKJ Luke 18:42 Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your
faith has made you well." 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed
Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
LUTHER’S SPIRITUAL INTERPRETATION
Luther says this blind man represents the spiritually blind—the old Adam in all
of us—those that cannot see or know the Kingdom of God—but by faith they know
their blindness to spiritual things—and by grace they receive the sight of
salvation—like the blind man—they sit along the side of this highway we call
life and they beg—until they hear the Word—when they hear the Gospel—they cry
out to the Lord—and His grace sets them free from their affliction—they are made
whole in Christ
Christ departed to return to heaven—but He left His Church—He left us believers
to love our neighbors into heaven—our love is the love of God—because God is
love
NKJ 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not
know God, for God is love.
We are to love all that God sends to us—because God sends them for us to love
them—it is part of His plan—we love them—they love one another—they love someone
else into knowing God—and on it goes
Jesus taught us this lesson
NKJ Matthew 25:40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say
to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did
it to Me.'
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!