Jesus can cure physical and spiritual blindness.

All of the miracles of Jesus had spiritual significance, and this is especially evident in his healing of the blind. Implicit in every instance in which Jesus healed someone of physical blindness, is the message that he also heals of spiritual blindness. Many helps are available to blind people today to enable them to overcome the limitations associated with blindness, and to function as productive members of society. In contrast to this, and the time of Jesus, blind people were at a very serious disadvantage in society, they earned their living by begging, and usually they lived in poverty. Jesus’ compassion moved him to restore sight to the blind, and his compassion also moved him to give sight to those who were spiritually blind.

…….One of the greatest attributes of being filled with the Spirit is that it causes you to see things and situations as the Lord does. Many times in life we hear people say, “I just don’t see it that way”. Most people will never comprehend the message of the Gospel without the help of the Spirit.

GOLDEN TEXT:

Mar 10:52  And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

A BLIND MAN BROUGHT TO JESUS

A. Healing Begins

Mar 8:22  And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

Mar 8:23  And 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 upon him, he asked him if he saw ought……..In this story, Jesus had already ministered to Bethsaida and they refused to take heed to his preaching. In Luke chapter 10 he condemns the town and foretells their judgement.

Luk 10:13  Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Luk 10:14  But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

Back to Mark 8:23  And 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 upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

This is one of the few times Jesus actually used a method other than just speaking or the laying in of hands.

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

…….He takes the man by the hand and leads them out of the town to perform this miracle. Many people have differing thoughts as to why Jesus took action to this healing as He did, but I personally think He wanted to see the man’s hunger after giving him just a taste of what he asked for.

…….I truly believe that our faith at times is tested in this way. We say that we want so much from the Lord, and when He puts it in our hands at times we neglect to take action. God does not desire for us to minister with a handicapped sticker. He desires us to have full liberty in everything we place our hand on!

B. Healing Made Complete

Mar 8:25  After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

…….Jesus doesn’t minister and heal partial or half way.

Mar 8:26  And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

…….Because the town was full of evil disbelief, they would not be entertained by the healing of the blind man. May we never be robbed of God’s work because of unbelief.

A BLIND MAN CALLS TO JESUS

A. A Desperate Cry

Mar 10:46  And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

Mar 10:47  And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

…….When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was near, He screamed to the top of his lungs for mercy! How many times have we cried out to God in desperation?! Sometimes it takes a whisper and other times it takes a cry, but Jesus has always been right in time.

Mar 10:48  And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

…….When the crowd who thought this man was too low and unimportant to get the attention of Christ, he refused to be ignored! He fought with the tools he already had, and ambitiously sought the attention of the one who could heal!

B. A Merciful Response

Mar 10:49  And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.

Mar 10:50  And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

Mar 10:51  And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

…….Even thought Jesus knew the need of the blind man, he was still asked what he needed. Just like every other persons need that had been healed by Christ, we must come to the realization of what our need is. The ability to see our setbacks and need is an attribute of being filled with the Spirit.

Mar 10:52  And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

…….Bartimaeus needed no touch at all, all he needed was to come in contact with Jesus and for Christ to speak healing on his life! If we desire healings from the Lord, we must desire to be in His presence. While the Holy Spirt will not dwell where He is not welcome, He will always abide where He is worshipped!

JESUS SEES A BLIND MAN

A. Jesus, the light of the world

Joh 9:1  And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

Joh 9:2  And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

…….Here Jesus uses this circumstance to minister in two different ways. The disciples at this time still didn’t understand the depth of the ministry of Christ. Coming from all different beliefs, some thought that the blind man’s need was the result of a past sin. While some physically suffer from the consequences of past sins, not all can be judged this way. This is why we must love all people and care for others equally, we never know what they have or haven’t been through, neither do we know what the Lords will is for their life!

Joh 9:3  Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

…….Some of our setbacks in life are placed there just so our attention can be placed directly on Christ when the need takes affect. What a thought, that revelation of the Lord can come through a need! Sometimes that is the most life changing way…

Joh 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Joh 9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

……. Jesus reminded His disciples, as long as I am in the world I am the light of the world. Jesus came not only to restore physical sight, but of much greater importance, to give spiritual sight. His ability to heal physical blindness proved his ability to heal spiritual blindness.

B. Sight for a Blind Man

Joh 9:6  When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

Joh 9:7  And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

Joh 9:8  The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

Joh 9:9  Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

Joh 9:10  Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

Joh 9:11  He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

…….After teaching his disciples, Jesus proceeded to heal the blind man, so that the works of God would be made manifest in him. The pool that Jesus commanded the man to wash in was a reservoir in Jerusalem near the temple. The blind man went and washed his eyes, and came seeing. When neighbors who had known this blind man before Jesus healed him, had questions about his healing, he stated to them emphatically that Jesus had restored his site. Later, this man confessed his faith in Jesus as the son of God.