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WHAT IT TAKES TO BE PART OF GOD’S FAMILY

You know, only two of Jesus’ miracles are recorded exclusively by Matthew. One of them is found in Matthew 9, a chapter with a whole chain of events, linked together sequentially and they all happened within a few hours.

First, came the healing of the man sick of palsy, followed by Matthew’s call to be Jesus’ disciple, and a wonderful supper at Mathew’s house. Then come the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead, the healing of the woman with a chronic hemorrhage, followed by our feature story for today, the healing of two blind men. And while Matthew doesn’t name the owner of the home where the miracle took place, it’s commonly believed to be Peter’s home. And based on the way these two blind men slipped so easily into the house, one would assume at least one of them knew very well the layout of the house.

The Bible does not tell us how these men came to believe in Jesus. But I think it would be safe to assume they had heard from the people around town the news of the miracles being performed far and near.

For example, they may have listened in on the conversations of the women when they came to the well to draw water. I’m sure what happened at a wedding some 15 miles away in Cana, had Capernaum buzzing in amazement. Near the end of the festivities, they ran out of wine, and someone called Joshua, in Hebrew, or Jesus, in the vernacular, told the servants to get some jars of water, pour it into other jars: and it turned into first-rate wine! How the women in Capernaum must have oo-ed and ah-ed in disbelief!

On another occasion Jesus had turned up at the local synagogue one Sabbath and began to teach. He didn’t quote the Jewish rabbis. He just spoke from his heart and it blew the people away. In the middle of His talk, a mad man began shouting, “Why are you bothering us?

Have you come to destroy us demons” (Mark 1:27 NIV)?

And right in the synagogue he performed an exorcism. That shook them up even more!

But a day or two later, came a story everyone was talking about: a leper had been cured! They said some putrid fellow came right up to Jesus, and people were falling over themselves to get out of his way. He said to the Master:
“If you are willing you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40.
Rumor had it that Joshua simply said,
“I am willing, be clean” (Mark 1:41 NIV)!
And every trace of leprosy disappeared instantly, just as it had for noble Naaman centuries before.

I can well imagine that in the hearts of the two blind men, this became the event that sealed their determination to find the man called Jesus and seek His healing . . . if only they could find him!

Then on that most memorable of days, news spread through the village that the pretty little daughter of Jarius had unexpectedly died. The professional mourners made their way to the house and began to wail at the front gate. Then the rumor spread that Jairus had found Jesus, Who agreed to go to the ruler’s house. Grabbing their sticks the blind men headed out to the fancy part of the village where the synagogue ruler lived. They heard the din of the wailing in the distance. Then, at an intersection, they became aware of a crowd. They could see nothing, so they asked, and learned that Jesus and His attendants were walking to the home of Jairus. They joined the group trying to find a way to get close enough to ask the great favor.

Moments later they heard a voice. It sent tingles up their spines. A strong voice, like a person of authority that doesn’t have to raise his voice to be obeyed. Yet gentle, with compassion in every word. They heard Him say:

“Who touched my clothes” (Mark 5:30 NIV)?

Silence fell over the crowd as if a giant sound-proof door had slammed shut on them all. In the silence they heard a teary, timid voice say, “I did. I’ve been sick for 12 years. I’ve been to every doctor in Palestine, and I’m not better, I’m worse. But I believed that if I could just touch the hem of your coat I’d be healed. And just as I believed, it’s happened. I’m healed. I feel it within me.” Her voice grew stronger as she talked.

The two blind men were electrified. This was their day too, their opportunity. This could be the day they’d see again! I hear one say to the other, “This is it. Let’s go.” But they had already lost their chance. Within seconds He disappeared. They struggled to move forward, but were pushed back by the crowd.

A short time later, the crowd began to shout. The little girl had been brought back to life! The cheering was deafening. If this Joshua could raise the dead, giving someone back their sight would be nothing! They had to move forward. They had to get to Jesus. But even as they tried to press forward, using their sticks as entering wedges, the crowd surged forward. The two sensed the direction instantly. They were moving down the street towards Peter’s house.

Sure enough, the crowd stopped outside Peter’s house. Moving as quickly as they could, they groped their way into the house. They recognized Peter’s voice giving orders, trying to bring order to the confusion. But one of them couldn’t wait any longer. Without a second’s deliberation he yelled out, so everyone in the house could hear,

“Son of David, have mercy on us” (Matthew (9: 27, NIV)!

All eyes looked at the sightless men. They stood erect, lifeless eyes staring straight ahead, fingers tightly clutching their sticks. On their faces the crowd saw a strange mixture of expectation and uncertainty. Then the two felt His presence. Felt something electric they’d never known in their lives before. It had both sensitivity and strength. It took their breath away, even before they heard a word. But when He spoke, that same voice that had healed the ill woman within the hour, the same voice that had raised the little girl from the dead within the hour, the last remnant of uncertainty evaporated.

“Do you believe that I am able to do this” (Matthew 9:28, NIV)?
they heard the gracious voice ask.
They answered spontaneously:
“Yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:28, NIV)!
And a moment later they saw as clearly as brightly as they had as lads. And still looking straight ahead, they found themselves gazing into the luminous eyes of the one who had opened their eyes.

For a moment they didn’t know quite what to do. Almost speechless at the miracle, they just couldn’t take their sight-filled eyes away from the beauty of His face. But then I imagine they felt compelled to fall at His feet and worship Him, the Son of King David, the Kingly Messiah about Whom they had heard in the years they attended synagogue.

And I hear one of them murmur from a heart full of gratitude: “Son of David, You had mercy on us!”

In this story there are several highly personal issues for me.

First, I’m impressed by the persistence of these two men. A connection with Jesus became so all-important that nothing could deter them. And at the first opportunity one of them yelled so his words would drift above the din of the crowd and penetrate the heart of Jesus.

Second, the blind men had considered a body of evidence about Jesus, and none of it first hand—until the day of their healing, that is. After thinking about it, they came to a conclusion. Jesus must be the one their Bible had said would come. He fulfilled all the specifications. And they convinced themselves, Jesus had to be the Son of David, the promised “King.” And that’s the way they addressed Him.

Yes, that’s the reason Matthew drops this brief tale into the same chapter that describes his own personal call. The cry from two sightless men showed just what Matthew wanted to emphasize in his Gospel. It would record how these two blind people recognized Jesus as the rightful successor on the throne, the one who fulfilled all the promises; it reveals Jesus as the King, or as John later described him, the Lion King, in his Revelation.

Third, though earnestness and belief, based on the evidence they had, they realized intuitively that they were not worthy of His favor.

Then fourth, without a moment’s hesitation, without any attempt to compose the right words of a perfect speech, they spontaneously declared, “Yes, Lord.”

Finally, although they could not see it, in the last few seconds of their blindness, the two hands of Jesus were at that same instant being extended towards their uplifted, expectant faces. And He touched them, and quietly murmured,
“Let it happen exactly as you believe.”

And they saw instantly, in brilliant Kodak color. And seeing Jesus’ wonderful face, they experienced pure bliss.

Some things never change. You too can experience for the first time, or experience again as you did at the beginning of your Christian walk, the bliss of being in His presence, of seeing life through eyes of faith in rich clarity and color. But you must be in earnest, give full consideration to the evidences around you, give voice to your need in prayer, and claim His mercy. So when He asks, “Do you believe I can help and heal you?” a simple, “Yes, my Lord and King,” will be enough for Him to give you spiritual sight for the rest of the journey of life, one day at a time.