Never Be Embarrassed To Call On The Lord Series

Monday of 33rd week in Course

The miracle stories in the Gospel have a number of common elements. When Jesus came into the world, it was God breaking into a world of weakness, rebellion and sin. So it shouldn’t surprise us if there is conflict when Jesus breaks into the kingdom of sin. Look through the Gospels and you’ll find that almost every miracle is accompanied by conflict–with the people, with the Pharisees, even with His disciples.

Let’s look at the scene here. Jesus is at Jericho, right next to the Dead Sea. It’s an oasis on the Jerusalem road, a place to refresh yourself before trudging into the dry valley known to the locals as the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus is making his last journey to the city of David, and He knows it will be his journey of death. The disciples following Him don’t necessarily understand any of it, despite the predictions He has made, and His clear teaching that if they would be like Him, they must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow.

Up until that time Jesus has resisted being called Messiah, because to the people, Messiah meant military conqueror, the one who would overthrow the Romans. Jesus came to overthrow the most evil kingdom, the power of Satan. He came to liberate us from sin and death, the real enemies of humanity. The Romans were a mere inconvenience by contrast. So every time someone called Jesus Messiah, He shushed them. Not so this blind man.

The controlling story is the one we heard on Saturday–pray without ceasing and never give up. The blind man cries “Son of David, have pity.” The crowds are irritated; why the delay? They try to shush the blind man. But he will have none of it; his need is too great. He cries out as loudly as he can, “Son of David, have pity.” And Jesus, acting as the Messiah who gives sight to the blind, heals the man miraculously.

Do we have the fortitude to follow in this man’s footsteps, to proclaim Jesus as Lord when all are telling us to shut up? Do we have the patience to pray and pray again for justice when all around us are clamoring for revenge, for more executions of prisoners, for stiffer jail sentences, and while others are shouting us down when we suggest that all should have the right to send their children to the schools of their choice?

Those are profound questions that challenge us as we hear them. But they are one of the needed actions today in the Body of Christ. We imperil our souls if we ignore the need. And we certainly hinder the growth of God’s kingdom on earth. Do we hesitate out of fear of embarrassment or of losing customers for our business? Take up that cross; follow Christ. His way is not just the best way; it’s the only way.