A Messiah of Mercy
Text: Matthew 9:27-34
Introduction
1. Illustration: As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev’s widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev’s wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband’s chest. There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband (Gary Thomas, Christianity Today, October 3, 1994, 26)
2. One of the great things about our God is that he is a God of mercy. He doesn't give us what we truly deserve and does give us what we definitely don't deserve.
3. As our Messiah, Jesus gives us the:
a. Mercy of Persistence
b. Mercy of Faith
c. Mercy of Authority
4. Read Matt. 9:27-34
Proposition: Jesus gives mercy to anyone who asks.
Transition: Jesus gives us the...
I. Mercy of Persistence (27-28).
A. Have Mercy On Us
1. Jesus had just finished bringing a dead girl back to life, and as he left her home when "two blind men followed along behind him..."
a. Blindness was a common problem in the ancient world, often caused by poor hygiene.
b. Blindness was one of the grimmest maladies in the ancient world and was considered to be only a little less serious than being dead (Wilkins, NIV Application Commentary, New Testament: Matthew, 372).
c. Think about if you will. In today's world, blindness is a serious condition. Even though there are many modern advances like brail, special canes, seeing eye dogs, and special services for the blind, it is still a very debilitating and devastating condition.
d. However, in the ancient world none of those things existed, and blind people were left at the mercy of others for their very existence.
e. These men were desperate for someone to help them, and their desperation is indicated in the fact that the word "followed" is an active verb in the Greek text.
f. In other words, they kept following him!
2. Not only were they following him, but they were making a spectacle of themselves because they kept "shouting, '“Son of David, have mercy on us!”'
a. Mercy: to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need (Louw and Nidda, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Symantic Domains).
b. They cried out, not for justification, but for mercy. They did not make demands, but sought Jesus with a humble, trusting petition (Horton, CBL: Matthew, 179).
c. It is interesting that they are requesting mercy from Jesus. In 9:13, Jesus states that mercy is one of the things that God requires of us.
d. Therefore, he is about to practice what he has been preaching (France, NICNT: Matthew, 366).
e. This is the first of seven occurrences of "Son of David" in Matthew, whereas it is used only once by Mark and Luke. Again we see Matthew's stressing of Jesus as Messiah (France, 366).
f. The title "Son of David" was a royal title of the Messiah, and most expected that the Messiah was to be a political deliverer who would set them free from Roman rule.
g. This may explain why Jesus seems to ignore them at first, because he did not want to confirm them their political expectations (Horton, 179).
3. Now I want you to notice just how persistant they are in this text. In verse 28 it says, "They went right into the house where he was staying..."
a. They followed him right into someone's home and kept persisting that Jesus grant them their request for mercy.
b. Illustration: At one church that we pastored, the parsonage was right next door to the church. One Sunday night after church, we walked into the parsonage to find this one family from the church sitting in our living room. If that wasn't bad enough, they stayed for what seemed like an eternity. Finally about 10:00, I said "Well you don't have to go home but you can't stay here!"
c. These two blind men were persistent enough to risk being rude and maybe even beaten up.
d. But isn't that what Jesus told his disciples to do when they pray?
e. Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
4. So Jesus seeing their persistence turned to them and said, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”
a. The messianic age promised to bring healing to the blind, which Jesus told John the Baptist was one of the signs that he indeed was the expected Coming One. The Old Testament records no healing of blindness, and none of Jesus’ followers is ever recorded to have given sight to the blind.
b. But Jesus’ healing of the blind is one of his most frequent miracles (Wilkins, 372).
c. Like each of those in the preceding healing scenes, they trust in Jesus’ ability to heal them.
d. Their "Yes Lord," showed that they believed that he was more than the Son of David, but the Son of God (Horton, 181).
e. It wasn't because of their persistence that they were healed, but it was the thing that got them in the door.
B. Sticktoittiveness In Mercy
1. Illustration: American Gail Devers won the 100-meter dash by only 6/100 of a second over her four top competitors in 1992. Gail suffers from Grave’s disease. Just one year before she won the Olympic gold, Gail came within two days of having both feet amputated. After surviving that scare, she began to train and push herself toward her goal. Her determination and persistence won the day. Who would have thought the fastest woman in the world was the same woman who almost lost her feet. This showed the triumph of the Olympic spirit.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
Never stop praying.
3. One of the great keys to the spiritual life is persistence.
a. We are told never to give up praying.
b. We are told never to give up hoping.
c. We are told never to stop believing.
4. Persistence is the key to prayer.
a. Jesus tells us to "keep on asking, seeking, and knocking."
b. When we pray we are never to stop.
c. When we pray we should never think that God isn't listening.
d. When we pray we should never allow the Devil to convince us that God won't answer us.
e. When we pray we need to build ourselves an altar and say, "Lord, I am going to stay here until you answer me!"
5. Persistence is the key to spiritual growth.
a. If we give up we will never get to where God wants us to be.
b. If we give up we will never realize all that God has for us.
c. If we give up we have allowed the Devil to win.
6. Persistence is also the key to mercy.
a. We should never stop seeking it.
b. We should never stop asking for it.
c. Because God will never tire in giving it.
7. We should never:
a. Give up
b. Give out
c. Give in
Transition: Jesus also give us the...
II. Mercy of Faith (29-31).
A. Because of Your Faith
1. Next, we see Jesus make an extraordinary gesture. Matthew tells us, "Then he touched their eyes..."
a. Jesus touching their eyes is an extraordinary gesture because to a blind person touch is very important.
b. A blind person compensates for their lack of site by a heightened sense of touch (France, 367).
c. Jesus not only wants to touch their eyes, but also their spirits.
2. Another reason that Jesus touching them is important is seen in what He tells them. He says, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”
a. It was an indication to them that he was there to help, but Jesus also wanted to use his touch to encourage their faith (Horton, 181).
b. There persistence got them mercy, but it was their faith that got them their sight.
c. They believed in Jesus power to heal, and for this reason Jesus granted their request.
3. However, it was not their faith alone that accomplished this miracle.
a. Jesus' touching the blind men's eyes...was not the sole means of this healing: it also depended on Jesus' authoritative word (Carson, Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM).
b. Hebrews 1:3 (NLT)
The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command...
c. It was a combination of their faith and in the power of Jesus command.
4. What happens next is a little confusing. Matthew tells us, "Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, 'Don’t tell anyone about this.'”
a. Jesus was not interested in gaining a reputation as a miracle worker alone because that was not the real reason he came to earth.
b. These are the first ones to refer to Jesus as "Son of David," and Jesus command that they not publicize the healing has more to do with their perception of why he came then the healing itself (France, 368).
c. The Greek word here means "to state something with sternness - 'to insist sternly (Louw and Nidda, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Symantic Domains).
d. He carefully avoids stirring up in the crowds a misunderstanding of his messianic identity.
e. Although miracles will attest the authenticity of his gospel message about the arrival of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus does not want crowds to clamor for the miracles alone
f. He is the Savior, who has come to bring salvation from sin (Wilkins, 373).
5. Unfortunately, they do not heed Jesus warning, because "they went out and spread his fame all over the region."
• Sometimes our excitement about what Jesus has done in our lives does not always mean that we act with maturity.
• All too often we act out of impulse and let our spiritual excitement get the best of us.
• But we can hardly judge these men, because we would have probably done the same thing in their shoes.
B. Believing For Mercy
1. Illustration: Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us.” — Oswald Chambers
2. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
3. By faith we believe that God is merciful.
a. Nehemiah 9:31 (NLT)
But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!
b. We may not be able to comprehend His mercy.
c. We do not deserve His mercy.
d. But we realize that He freely gives us mercy.
4. By faith we trust God will grant us mercy.
a. Being merciful is a part of His character.
b. As a result, we know that God will grant us mercy when we ask.
c. Since He has been merciful in the past, He will be merciful in the present and in the future.
Transition: Jesus also gives us...
III. Mercy of Authority (32-34).
A. Jesus Cast Out the Demon
1. The scene shifts from the two blind men to a man who could not speak.
2. Matthew tells us, "When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus."
a. There are a few things that we must take note of here.
b. A man was then brought to Jesus who could not speak. It is possible that he could not speak or hear because the word used here can mean both (BAGD).
c. However, the text indicates that his condition was caused by demonic possession (Horton, 183).
d. Now we must show some caution here. Just because this man's condition is caused by demon possession doesn't mean that anyone who is mute or deaf is possessed.
e. It just so happens that in this case his condition was the result of demonic possession.
f. Furthermore, Jesus helps this man because he had mercy on Him.
3. Now notice what happens next, "So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak."
a. Notice that the text mentions nothing about Jesus healing the man even though he is able to speak.
b. It wasn't so much that Jesus gave him the ability to speak, but rather that he took away the reason he was unable to speak.
c. Jesus casts out the demon and the man's voice returns.
4. Now I want you to notice the reaction of the crowd. Matthew says, "The crowds were amazed. 'Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!' they exclaimed."
a. While it is true that miracles were done in the OT by Prophets such as Elijah and Elisha, no one had ever seen someone perform one right after another like they did with Jesus (Horton, 183).
b. David is the only recorded Old Testament figure God used in exorcism so the crowds were greatly impressed with his miracles (Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary – New Testament).
c. To these people, Jesus was in a league by himself! It wasn't just the miracles, it was His authority.
d. Matthew 7:28-29 (NLT)
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
29 for he taught with real authority—quite unlike their teachers of religious law.
5. However, not everyone recognized Jesus authority. “But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”
a. They couldn’t refute His miracles, because they were obvious.
b. So they did the next best thing, they claimed that they were evil.
c. It was because they didn’t accept not only who Jesus was, but also the authority with which He came.
B. Authority of Jesus
1. Illustration: Amy Carter brought an assignment home one Friday night while her father was still President. Stumped by a question on the Industrial Revolution, Amy sought help from her mother. Rosalynn was also fogged by the question and, in turn, asked an aide to seek clarification from the Labor Department. A "rush" was placed on the request since the assignment was due Monday. Thinking the question was a serious request from the Prez himself, a Labor Department official immediately cranked up the government computer and kept a full team of technicians and programmers working overtime all weekend...at a reported cost of several hundred thousand dollars. The massive computer printout was finally delivered by truck to the White House on Sunday afternoon and Amy showed up in class with the official answer the following day. But her history teacher was not impressed. When Amy's paper was returned, it was marked with a big red "C."
2. Matthew 28:18 (NLT)
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth."
3. Jesus has the authority to grant mercy.
a. He has the authority to grant it in heaven.
b. He has the authority to grant it on earth.
c. Exodus 33:19 (NIV)
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
4. Jesus has passed on His authority to His Church.
a. Jesus has given us the authority to show mercy to others.
b. Mark 16:17-18 (NLT)
17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages.
18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
c. Jesus has given us the power to show mercy to others.
d. Jesus has called us to use this authority to show His mercy to others.
Conclusion
1. Have you received mercy today?
2. Have you been persistent in asking for mercy from God?
3. Have you believed by faith that you have received God's mercy?
4. Have you used the authority of Jesus to show mercy to others?
