Divine Delivererance Defeats Deafness/Dumbness Series

MARK 7:31, 32

DIVINE DELIVERERANCE DEFEATS DEAFNESS/DUMBNESS

I. THE SUFFERER: *

A. Sources.

B. Stymied.

C. Sustained.

II. THE SYMPATHIZERS: **

A. Selective.

B. Surety.

C. Supplications.

III. THE SINNER: ***

A. Separation.

B. Solitude.

C. Speechless.

It seems like Jesus was never really able to rest or to catch His breath. There were so many needs, so many people with infirmities, that He was constantly beset for help. However, I never read in the sacred Scriptures where He was disturbed by the people calling out for help. In fact, it seems that the Holy Word portrays just the opposite. His heart was broken due to the effects of sin on and in people and He tried to heal, help, and convert as many as He could while here on this earth.

This text is just one of many in which it seems like He was beset by a needy person as He ventured on His journey. As He was traveling with His disciples, He was suddenly confronted by a group of people who brought to Him one who was both deaf and dumb These twin maladies often go hand in hand due to the fact that it takes hearing to be able to speak properly. As we grow from an infant into the early years of childhood, we begin to mimic the sounds that we hear.

Often, the parents of a youngster who is beginning to speak will find that each child has its own name for certain things such as a bottle, a pacifier, a blanket, shoes, etc. The child forms the words for these items according to what it hears. Over time, the hearing improves and the child begins to slowly change its speaking words to conform to the sounds it is hearing in a better, clearer means of articulation. Without hearing, the child is unable to form the words properly-if at all-and the end result is that the child is both deaf and dumb. This often marks the person for life and the results are not always the best. Such was the instance here.

As I read these two verses, I see three things which arrest my attention. The first one is THE SUFFERER, himself. The next part of verse 31 which speak to me has to do with THE SYMPATHIZERS-his friends, of this man. Then, I notice the man as a type of we who are THE SINNERS who are deaf and dumb in the sight of God.

* THE SUFFERER: We do not know how old the man was, we do not know his name, we do not know if he was married, nor do we know how long he had these afflictions. What we do know is that this nameless man could not hear and he could not speak and he was brought to Jesus. This is the best place to bring anyone, regardless of the afflictions-bring them to Jesus.

As the man was brought forward to the Master, his friends announced that their friend could not hear nor could he speak fluently. We are not told the Sources of this man’s problems. We do not know if he was born with these impediments, nor do we know if at one time he could hear but due to various circumstances, he lost his hearing and this hampered his speaking development. The history of these curses is hidden and we are never told the reasons why this man was in the straights he was. Yet, the same thing is true to every one of us who comes to Jesus in our blighted estate. The history of all of us is not important when we meet Christ. Just as the Master never questioned the man nor his friends regarding the past-He never questions us about our past-it is the present and the future which matter to Him.

With such hardships as the man endured we do know that his growth and development, both as a person and as a thinking rational person, was Stymied. Ever since he lost his hearing, he was never able to hear the glad songs of the lowly birds as they sang to wake up the morning sunshine. Since his difficulties, he was never able to hear the sweet voices of those who loved him so much. One wonders when it was the last time he heard-if he ever heard-the sweet voice of his mother tell him that she loved him. One has to wonder if he ever heard the melodious voice of his wife, if he was married, tell him that she loved him. If he had children, did he hear them giggle with delight over a silly story, or hear then laughed when he tickled them and, if he was a daddy did, he ever hear the tender cries of his child who fell and scraped his/her knee?