TWO IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGES!

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

TWO IMPOSSIBLE CHALLENGES!

Mark 8:23-26

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.

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

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.

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

CHALLENGE #1 – THE UNSEEING EYES

The Old Testament prophesied that when Messiah came He would restore sight to the blind. John the Baptist, imprisoned and discouraged wondered about the man he had baptized and promoted as the anointed one. He mused in his dungeon as to whether Jesus was really that one. He sent messengers to Jesus for confirmation and Jesus responded by pointing out fulfilled prophecy.

Matt 11:4-5

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Much has been made by some of the spittle of Jesus upon the eyes of the blind saying that the act was nasty or even humorous but no eye salve could have done what was done on that day. Personally I think it was an act of re-creation. Jesus made fresh eyes for the man!

The man had come from no sight at all to incomplete sight. He said, “I see men as trees walking!” Can you imagine the mixture of excitement and disappointment that must have been his? It is hard to miss the spiritual application of this as well. We move from spiritual blindness to salvation and then on to spiritual maturity with all the emotional complications of that journey. After Jesus’ second touch the man saw all things clearly. Oh, how we long for that day. Paul told the Corinthians that we now see through a glass, darkly, but one day we will see face to face. May that day soon come!

CHALLENGE #2 – DON’T TELL ANYONE ABOUT THIS!

Mark 8:26

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

In verse 23 Jesus led the man out of “the town.” Now, in verse 26 Jesus tells the exuberant man neither to go into “the town” nor to tell this to any in “the town.” I wonder what the problem was with this particular town. No matter, they would soon hear the good news from this one who had received his sight! When Jesus touched his eyes He also loosened his lips.

Ps 63:3-4

3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.

4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Dear Lord, you have touched my eyes and made me see now open my mouth that I may tell the good news to others that sit in darkness. AMEN