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.”
Jesus is telling this man who He gave sight, that there is nothing back there in Bethsaida for him.
Do you have friends who have “gone back there” even though they probably knew in their heart that “there’s nothing back there” except heartache, strife and sin?
We talked about that a little bit in our men’s breakfast yesterday, how some friends have returned to a dark place.
We see so many passages in scripture where God tells us “there’s nothing back there”, beginning when He led the Israelites out of Egypt!
Let’s look @ our third miracle for today:
The heading in the NKJV reads:
A man born blind receives sight
Found only in John 9:1-12,
John 9:1–4 “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”
John 9:5–9 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.””
John 9:10–12 “Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.””
John 9:1 “Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.”
John 9:2 “And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?””
We see here, that there was a belief and understanding of generational curses of sin.
John 9:3 “Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
That is a big wow for me!
God allows things in our lives so His glory may be revealed.
He knows us before anyone else!
Jeremiah 1:5 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.””
He knows us better than anyone else!
Luke 12:7 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”
He knows why he created us:
Psalm 100:3 “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship (some translations “masterpiece”), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
Here’s a question to ponder this week, church:
How will God bring glory to Himself through us?
John 9:5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””
In this context the Greek transliteration of that word “light” means “spiritual light”. Jesus is claiming that He is the spiritual light of world! Hallelujah!!!
This is one of 7 “I AM’s” that John records that Jesus said.
John 9:7 “And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (SIGH-low-um)(which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.”
Listen to what Jesus said in v4:
John 9:4 “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”
Jesus was “sent” and He sends us! Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
One last thought about this passage:
With Jesus it’s not just about fixing what’s broken.
It is about making all things new.
He doesn’t just patch us up and send us back into battle.
He transforms us, changes us, makes us a new creation!
John 9:8–9 “Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.””
It was like they didn’t even recognize the blind beggar man!
Shouldn’t that be how Jesus has transformed us?
Now, for our last miracle to examine today:
It is Jesus healing the boy with the unclean spirit.
Found in: Matt 17:14-20/Mark 9:14-29/Luke 9:37-43,
I’ll read from Matthews gospel first:
Matthew 17:14–16 “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.””
Matthew 17:17–20 “Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
There are some noticeable difference from Mark and Luke’s compared to Matthews.
I’d like to read Marks recording of this event.
Mark 9:14–18 “And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.””
Mark 9:19–22 “He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.””
Mark 9:23–26 “Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.””
Mark 9:27–30 “But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.”
I know that is a lot of reading, but I think it important to examine the gospels with some intentionality.
If you go back and dig a bit into any of these 4 from today, this might be the one to set up camp for a minute. Especially, if you have any questions about the strength of your faith.
Let’s begin in Matthew 17:20 “So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
I can see Jesus saying that to me, because I want to have that kind of faith, and I’d like to believe I have that kind of faith, but do I?
These two versions of the event tell us that Jesus said:
We need to have strong faith, bolstered by prayer and fasting!
That faith that Jesus speaks of here, is a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Obviously, in dealing with the demon in this boy, it was different.
Mark 9:28 “And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?””
Mark 9:29 “So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.””
This kind- Ask Crystal what here bible says...
Lastly, this passage speaks to be that my faith in ever in a state of moving from being “undeveloped” into a “developed” state!
I don’t know about y’all, but I’m really enjoying this series, and learning a lot about myself, and my journey in my faith!
