The Miracles Of Jesus (Pt 6) Series

Today in part 6 of study of The Miracles of Jesus.

We’ll be looking @ 4 miracles today.

And as my grandfather used to say “we are getting down to the short rows now!”

Body

We’ll begin with:

Jesus Feeding the 4k+

Found in Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-8,

This is the second recorded miracle of feeding the multitudes.

Please stand with me as we honor God while reading His word.

Matt 15:32-39 (read from my bible)

Re-read verse Matthew 15:33 “Then His disciples said to Him, “Where could we get enough bread in the wilderness to fill such a great multitude?””

Didn’t they learn anything? It was only back in chapter 14 of Matthew that He feed 5k+.

Slow on the uptake- Is that us?

Have we seen miracles in our lives, yet sometimes our “undeveloped” faith allows doubt to creep in?

Listen to Jesus’ words beginning in Mark 8:14.

Mark 8:14–18 “Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?”

I can just hear the disciples arguing:

Well, John was supposed to be getting the bread, but he was tooooo busy telling everybody, how much Jesus loved HIM!

Ok, back to the feeding of the 5k+:

v32-again, we see Jesus has compassion.

v33-Sometimes when we are in the wilderness, things are quite as clear as they should be.

Jimmy reminded me yesterday that when facing difficult situations, the strength of our faith, gives us clarity to remember that God can do anything and everything, if we just trust in Him.

Let’s move on to the miracle:

Healing the blind man in Bethsaida.

Found only in Mark 8:22–26 “Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.””

Mark 8:23 “So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.”

Led him out of the town

He was following Jesus, wasn’t he?

Jesus removed this man from his situation, in order to heal him!

This story is one of the amazing ones for me:

Obviously, He could have healed the man without touching him, much less needing to do it a second time!

Scripture doesn’t reveal to us, why this happened but maybe:

He was testing the man’s faith? Do you think Jesus tests our faith?

Maybe it was to test this man to see if he would be truthful, when asked “Do you see anything”?

I think it’s important to be truthful with Jesus. He already knows anyway, maybe He wants to see if we are willing to be truthful with ourselves?

Maybe it was to show the disciples that not all healing is instantaneous. That some healing is gradual, or in stages?

How about this: Maybe it was to show the disciples the imperfect perception of Him, that they had?

After all, this was right after He asked “have you not learned anything?”

For me, verse 26 is the key verse.

Mark 8:26 “Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.””

A quick note or two about Bethsaida:

Bethsaida- House of Fishing, located on the Northern shore of Sea of Galilee.

Home of Philip, Andrew, and Peter.

This is the last of the miracles recorded @ Bethsaida:

Feeding of 5000 (Luke 9:10-17)

Walking on water (Mark 6:45-51)

Healing of a blind man (Mark 8:22-26)

Bethsaida was a spiritually blind city.

Jesus condemned Bethsaida- Luke 10:13 ““Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon (SIGH-don), they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.”