LUKE 18:35-43 "JESUS OF NAZARETH PASSETH BY"
A) Our Lord is going through Jericho for the last time. * He has set His face toward Jerusalem and
the cross! * In just a few hours, He will be sitting at the table of Mary, Martha & Lazarus.
* It will not be long until He sits in the Upper Room! * It wont be long until sweat as drops of
blood will drop from His brow in Gethsemane.
B) In just a little while, He will be tried in a mock trial. * It will not be long until the cat-o’-nine
tails will pierce the flesh of His back & make it impossible to know that He is even a human being.
* He is going through Jericho for the last time!
C) As He comes through Jericho, great crowds gather to see Him.
* His fame has traveled all over Palestine! * It has been said of Him over all the land,
* "This man can cause blind eyes to see, deaf ears to hear, still the waves & calm the storm."
D) This man causes people with leprosy to be cleansed. * This man heals the sick!
* This man raises the dead! * All over Palestine it has been told that our Lord performs miracles!
* Everywhere He goes, people rush to see Him and throng to His side!
E) He now comes through Jericho and as He comes to Jericho, the crowds rush to see Him!
* There is a blind man sitting by the way. * He is begging. * He doesn’t know why there is all the
commotion. * He hears the people as they pass by. * He looks up and says,
* "What’s happening? Why all the commotion? What’s all the rush about?
F) The people tell him these words: "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." * Isn’t that beautiful?
* The blind man said, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
* The disciples said, "Don’t do that, leave Him alone!" * They rebuked the man!
G) The man pressed them even more, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
* The more they tried to hush him, the more he shouted, "Jesus, Thou Son of David ......."
* Jesus did have mercy, and the man was marvelously healed!
* I want you to notice four simple and brief truths!
(1) IF OTHERS HAD NOT COME, HE WOULD NOT HAVE COME!
* If others had not come, he could not have come either, for he had no way to see!
A) It was the beating of others’ feet upon the pavement that caused him to want to come to Christ!
* He knew nothing about who was in town! * He knew nothing about the fact that Jesus of
Nazareth was there! * He didn’t know that this was his opportunity to be healed!
B) Though his eyes were blinded, he began to hear people as they flocked by,
* And He heard the beating on the pavement of the city’s streets.
* In fact, in Lk.18:36 it says, "And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant."
C) He would not have come himself if others had not been going.
* Ladies and Gentlemen, that is why it is easier to be saved in a church like ours than in others!
* There’s people come to this church and not like my preaching, yet when the invitation comes,
they come down the isle, as conviction settles.
D) It is because they hear the beat of others moving! * They see the tears!
* They hear the cry of those at the altar. * They see others on their knees at the altar,
* Then they also came! * So this blind man inquired as to what was happening!
E) They replied, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." * Jesus passes by you this morning!
* He wants you to cry and ask for mercy!
F) Do you know that you are responsible for others? * If these others had not come, he .......
* Had he not heard the rustling of the feet, he himself would not have cried, "Jesus, Thou Son ......."
* Husband, if you would come to Christ, your wife would come to Christ!
G) Dad, if you would come to Christ, your son or daughter may come to Christ!
* The rustling of your feet would help to save others!
* This morning, not only do you hold your own destiny in your hands, but you also hold the
destiny of your wife, your neighbors, your children, and those who look to you!
* Don’t you think it is important that you be saved?
(2) JESUS CHRIST PASSED THROUGH JERICHO ONLY A FEW TIMES!
* Listen carefully! * Do you know that the average person does not have many good chances
to be saved? * You wonder why I put on the pressure.
* You wonder why I say, "Please don’t wait, don’t put it off!" * WHY?
* I’ll tell you why! * It’s because the average person doesn’t have many good chances to be saved!
A) Perhaps you had a narrow escape and you thought, "You know, if I had died ......."
* And that thought laid heavily on your soul, "I’ve got to die, I have to face God!"
* And before you know it, Jesus has passed by!
B) Jesus did not pass through Jericho many times! * If this blind man were to get healed,
or get saved, it would be one of just a few times, for our Lord seldom came through Jericho!
* Maybe you had an illness, or a pain in your chest, and you thought it was a heart attack.
* You said, "Oh, I’m going to die," but you don’t ever do anything about it!
C) You’ve been to church time after time, felt God tug at your soul, and didn’t do nothing .......
* Jesus passed by and you didn’t grab hold of Him! * He’s passing by right now, what are .......?
* If you feel this morning the least desire to be saved, I beg you this morning in the name of Jesus,
give your heart to Jesus and be saved, for Jesus of Nazareth passeth by!
D) He wont pass by many times in your life! * Satan knows that if he can get some baby to cry,
he can get your mind off the message! * Or kids cut up in service, or adults talk .......
* Satan knows that you will have squandered another chance to be saved!
E) You know, Jesus doesn’t pass by very often! * That feeling you feel, that conviction you feel,
* That burden you feel, that load of sin you feel, you wont feel that very often!
* When you feel it, act upon it! * Be saved today!
(3) HE NEVER PASSED BY AGAIN!
* This man didn’t know that Jesus would never pass by again!
* This man only knew that there were feet beating on the pavement!
* He didn’t know that this would be the last time for Jesus to pass by!
A) He said, "What’s all the noise about?" * They said, "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by! ......."
* The man said, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
* He did not know it, but that was the last opportunity he would ever have!
B) Now, this morning may be His last time to pass by you!
* He may pass by next Sunday, but you don’t know that He will!
* He may pass by three more times in your life, but you don’t know that He will!
C) This may be your last chance! * My mind is filled with stories that make me weep.
* Say, look at that pew on which you are setting. * Somebody sat on that pew before and heard
the gospel as Jesus passed by for the last time!
D) Yes, on that pew right where you are sitting this morning were seated others who thought He
would pass by again! * Those pews on which you folks are sitting this morning,
* Others sat there one time thinking they would have plenty of chances!
* They thought what you are thinking this morning, "I’ve got plenty of time!"
E) This morning, somebody has sat on the pew where you are sitting. * Jesus passeth by.
* "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy ..." * He never passed by again!
(4) NOTHING COULD KEEP THIS FELLOW FROM GETTING SAVED!
* This poor blind man sitting with a cup, no doubt, begging for money, said, "What’s all the
noise about?" * "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by!"
* He said, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have ......." * They said, "Shhhhhhh!"
A) He said, "Jesus, Thou Son of David, have ......." * They looked at him and said, "Hush!"
* He said, "JESUS, THOU SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!"
* He was going to get healed before Jesus got by!
B) Do you know what I think is one reason that he hollered so loudly?
* Probably because he couldn’t see! * Jesus was maybe over in his direction, but just in case He
wasn’t, the blind man shouted loudly so that He could hear him over here!
C) He was going to get saved! * Let me tell you this morning, if you’re not saved,
* Do it before you leave this morning! * Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!
* Do not leave without Christ! * This morning, Jesus of Nazareth passeth by!
D) Don’t let anything stop you! * Don’t let your parents stop you!
* If they say you should not join Faith FWB Church, obey them, but if they say you shouldn’t
get saved, get saved anyway! * Jesus of Nazareth passeth by!
* Popularity may say, "Don’t be saved." * Do it anyway!
* Business may say, "Don’t be saved." * Do it anyway!
E) Luke 18:42 tells us, "And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee."
* The man didn’t join a church, he didn’t get baptized, he didn’t turn over a new leaf,
* He didn’t perform any good works, * He was saved through Jesus Christ!
* Jesus said, "Thy faith hath saved thee."
CLOSE
A) Say, over here on my right, if you don’t know that you are saved, Jesus of Nazareth passeth
by you this morning! * You folks here on my left, if you’re not saved, Jesus of Nazareth .......!
B) Listen to me! * Jesus loves you folks and He is passing by!
* Let me plead with you, don’t let Him pass by without you crying, "Jesus, Thou Son of ......."
* Please, Come to Jesus!
