Your world may be dark, small , and has a less chance of success , but the faith of the two blind men showed that it can be bright, widen and successful if we keep on doing what they did.Read the story.
1.KEEP ON HOPING - v30
1.1 Their predicament
-They were blind,they don’t have Braille before,but we have now yellow lines to help the blind,like here in Japan
-Its always dark,they can feel but cant see,can hear but cant appreciate
1.2 Their Perspective
-They keep hoping
When they became blind they don’t want to be like
that forever(but there were some who want to be )
-When they heard about the Son of David ,it gave them
a slim chance
-Israel is so big for them although small country because their blindness limited them to look for Jesus
- Will you have a chance to meet Jesus since you dont know where to find Him
-But for them, even a very slim chance is a reason to
hope
-For them if there is a hope there is reason for living
-They just did not let that hope go
-They refuse to concede defeat, they might even say to
themselves"There is a reason to live as long as we
keep hearing that He heals"
-They became prisoners of hope Zech 9:11-12
2.KEEP ON WAITING
2.1 Important things to know about waiting
- It is not easy
- It can bore you
- It can discouraged you
- It can kill your hope
2.2 Important things to avoid while waiting on God
-Don’t self-pity in waiting-Waiting in self-pity is a disaster, Self-pity is the step to defeat
-Doing nothing at all while waiting-what happened if they just whisper "Jesus heal us" or"The Lord knows our situation since He is Omniscient". Will they be heard? Remember there are actions on our faith that we need to do.(See preaching Action on the faith)
2.3 Things needed to do while waiting
-waiting with enthusiasm How?
a.By looking for encouragement V
30. both were blind seated alongside the road.They maybe both blind but we can assume they talk to each other. Knowing they were both blind and assuming they were led their by someone we can also assume they also encouraged one another .Also because of the way they shouted we can also assume that both of them were involved.
While waiting for something, look for encouragement,and don’t sit with people who will discouraged you. People who are waiting patiently for the Lord may find themselves discouraged when they sit with the wrong people. Choose the people you listen while waiting on the Lord. Some people are not helpful.
b.By remembering His promises.
The way they shout His name " Merciful Son of David, we can assume they heard about Davids word like Ps 130:5 I wait eagerly for the LORD’s help, and in his word I trust. (GNB) Ps 25:3 Yea, let no one who waits on You be shamed.So they remembered his promises to be encouraged in waiting
-Waiting with preparation
The way they duet in shouting and the way they shouted was like an scripted act they had prepared beforehand. V30 said "They cried out"(to call aloud to scream)"they gave a loud cry"-BBE .They were prepared for this moment .
-Waiting with attention
We can assume that they were vigilant while waiting for the Lord to pass by.If they sleep or procrastinate, they might had missed His passing. This passing of the Lord in Jericho was the last one because He will go to Jerusalem to be crucified. Their only resource here for sign that He was passing by was their ear,and they used that effectively. They used what they have and don’tcomplain on what they don’t have. Their hearing was enough to look for a sign He had come. Don’t loose the small resource you have, that may be just the right one you needed to unlock things. Do you treasure your small BS, your small savings ,your small job.That can be a stepping stone.And their ears did not fail them.They heard the news Jesus is passing by v30.
-Waiting with expectation- These two did not wait in vain.They were expectant. When we wait we should expect.We can assume again they know Psalm 5:3
-Their waiting with enthusiasm, preparation ,attention,and expectation was rewarded when they heard He was passing by.
3.KEEP ON PERSISTING
-Jesus was passing by, their moment had come, so they shouted in a very loud voice Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. Their voice must have been very loud that the people (crowd,multitude) rebuked them, gave them orders to be quiet,warned them that they should be silent,scolded them and told them to be quiet.
What should be your reaction if you are in their shoes? Will you back out, because people don’t understand you or even have pity on you,or will you shut up since there are so much crowd and the chance to be heard will be slim. The greatest reason to stop at all is you dont know which direction He will be passing. But what did they do?
-But V.31 said "But they shouted even more loudly","But they went on crying even louder""But they raised their voice the more"
-Why is it they do that? did they felt thats their only hope or chance(but they knew that already),or they felt being harassed and mistreated so they shouted louder and more?
-No,the reason they shouted all the more because they were more sure Jesus was passing by(because if Jesus was not passing that way no one would rebuked them)
-They turn their mistreatment to their advantage. So they persist all the more in mistreatment.And Jesus took notice and heard them.v32 And Jesus stood still, and called them.Their persistence paid at last! Luke 18.8 "I say to you that he will quickly do right in their cause. But when the Son of man comes, will there be any faith on earth?"Persistence is an act of faith
4.KEEP THE FOCUSING ON YOUR NEED
-Why did the Lord need to asked what they want? Does He not knew they were blind?
-he want to see if they knew what their asking
-they could have cried mistreatment,or judgement crowd
But they said what they want, their eyes to see.No hurt feelings, no self-pity,no misfocus.
-Jesus would like us to be like them so He asked them specifically to teach us to accept our condition that God gave us (sickly, poor, not so beautiful) but not to gave up asking Him for upgrade in our condition.
-Remember we are created to give Him glory Illus John 9:3 Jesus answered, `Neither did this one sin nor his parents, but that the works of God may be manifested in him;
-And Jesus, being moved with pity, put his fingers on their eyes (touched them-Jesus touched those He loved and had compassion): and straight away they were able to see, and went after him.v34 These two were allowed by the Lord to follow Him unlike others, that He healed.
CONCLUSION.
Several thousand years ago the walls of Jericho came down,God heard the shout of Israelites and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. It was also here(v29) that these two blind man shouted and God heard their plea to gave them victory. My friend and brothers time spoke that God is the same yesterday,today and forever. He willl still had an ear to hear even when the world is loud in telling us God wont and cant hear, Just keep that faith shouting.
