LAte ugly draft Luke 18:35 - 43
Posted by: pastorbob <pastorbob@...>
When Jesus Stops Luke 18:35 - 43
This is one of those scriptures that digs deep inside of our human-American weaknesses. I hurt when I read this and ponder it for what God is speaking to us.
It hurts because it highlights a problem that is far too common in our country and our world today.
It hurts because of the way we pretty much ignore those on societies margins. The Periphery people.
The poor, the dirty, the disabled…those who are different.
Acknowledging them only as habit or an uncontrolled reflex.... like sneeze or hiccup. A quick nod of the head and twisted smile as we hurry about our business.
We know they are there.... but we don't want to know they are there
We are all so busy…and so distracted by our phones, personal drama and our "self absorbed selves" that we often have no clue what is going on arounds us.
We have seen the videos of people laying in the street bleeding as hundreds of people walk by oblivious to the person in need.
We have heard the text of the Parable of the Good Samaritan where 3 people you should EXPECT to have compassion walked away from a hurting man only to have the last person in the work you would EXPECT to help stop and render aid.
We have all provided an answer to a question that was not asked because we were not really listening.
Perhaps God get so busy He overlooks us or stops listening? We are made in His image after all. Right?
Luke 18:35 – 43 "As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant.37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." 38 And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me recover my sight."42 And Jesus said to him, "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well." 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God." ESV
Time after time in the text we find Jesus stopping, or going out of His way, to hear our cries for help!
Our text today is just one of many examples of His compassion and care for us, His wayward children.
- UNMET NEEDS
Blind man begging
Definitely has needs
Begging only income to meet needs
Heard the crowd coming by and asked what was going on
They told him Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, but
He had heard of Jesus before and cried out for Him.... as "Jesus, Son of David"
He knew his need for Jesus
- SOME HELP/MOST HINDER
People tried to shut him up
Who knows how many times they had walked past this poor man and done nothing.
Who knows how many times he had heard their pace quicken as they approached him ….and slowed after they passed.
Who knows how many folks felt a sense of self-righteousness as they tossed a few pennies his way
Just like people try to keep a hurting world from Jesus today
Why?
Maybe they thought he was not worthy.
Maybe they were embarrassed by their inaction
Maybe they were jealous because they were "In Front"
Maybe they didn't want Jesus to use up all His "magic" before He got to them
Yes, I said Magic
Not because Jesus is "magic"
Jesus can do anything He choses because He is the Sovereign Lord God Almighty
I said "Magic" because that is the way people sometimes treat His grace and provision.
They think they should ask and *POOF* He
makes it appear
We do not have because we ask wrongly
What are we missing from God because we are not asking for it or are asking wrongly...... or our asking this so convoluted not even God can figure it out!
James 4:1-10 "What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." ESV
Asking Rightly:
Humility
Resist the Devil
Draw near to God
Repent
Cleans your hands
Purify your hearts
**BROKENESS – knowing your need for and depending on
God
The blind man was broken of all pride, all he knew was NEED and he had heard that Jesus, the Son of David, could help
No one else had
The blind man was determined and yelled more and louder.
How hard do you work to be heard by God?
What are you NOT WILLING to submit to find help and hope
- JESUS CARES – ASK HIM
Cry out to Him…He will Hear and He will Listen
Jesus asked what he wanted ... not what he needed
He wanted to see
He was very clear and straightforward in his request
No flowery intro
No KJV language
No hesitation
No "off you would/want too/ etc
Let me SEE!
Jesus said ok.... then see
The Spoken Word of God
His eyes obeyed God and he began to see
When Jesus Stopped
- KNOW WHY YOU RECEIVE
What God gives you is not for you
For His glory
To help you follow Him
To draw others to glorify God
So they may follow Him
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