St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse: 28-29, The Blind believe

Our paragraph topic is:  (Two blind men) Part 3.  

Christ has reached his destination.  The two blind men have followed.  They have approached Christ asking that they receive their sight.  Jesus questions them saying "Do you believe that I can do this to you?"   Without having any hesitation the two answered, "Yes, Lord.”   They wanted their sight.  They believed that Christ could provide it to them.  After the long years of darkness, they heard of the miracles.  They heard of the things that Christ was doing with the lame, the sick, the possessed, and the ill.  They thought that if he could do these things with those people then maybe he could help them to see.   They were ready.  They believed.

The two had heard much about Christ.  The words had travel throughout the district about his miracles.  He was well known and the two blind men had hope.  Their hope became joy when they heard that Christ was coming their way.  And their joy spurred them to action when he passed their way.  Their action compelled them to follow him.  They pleaded for pity.  They asked for favor, but nothing happened.  They were persistent.  They did not give up.  And when the journey ended and Christ reached the house, their opportunity was at hand.  They came before Christ asking that they might see.  At the moment of truth, they searched themselves and found belief.  So Jesus touched their eyes and said,  “Let it be done to you according to your faith.”   And so it was.  They received their sight from that moment and were able to see. 

The blind believed.  Somewhere in their darkest need they found belief within themselves that allowed them to be healed.  And those with sight, did they believe?  The sighted saw.  The sighted were witness to what Christ performed.  The sighted had visual experience to his miracles.  The sighted had the foundation for belief.  They knew that what they saw was real.  They witnessed the paralytic get up from his bed.  They witnessed the leper being cleansed before their eyes.  They saw the results of the possessed being relieved of demons.  They knew with their own eyes.  And they praised God that such power had been given to men.

How is it then that the blind gained faith?  They did not see the miracles.  They did not have the visual memory to base their beliefs upon.  They did not know if what was spoken was real.  They only heard of the miracles.  Yet they wanted to believe.  They wanted to know.  They wanted to have faith in him who performed miracles.  And that want opened the door for the truth to come into their lives and bring about a transformation that opened their eyes.  That want opened the door and allowed the miracle to take place.  How do we believe today?  How do we open the door to the power of Christ and allow him to perform miracles in our lives?  How do we bring forth the power of faith into our lives?  Is it through being blind or through being sighted? 

St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse: 28, The Blind believe.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Two blind men) Part 2.  

Christ has continued on his journey until he reached his destination.  The two blind men have followed, continuing to cry out to him to have pity on them.  They are determined.  They are persistent.  They persevere.  They desire their sight.  The two blind men have heard the news of the miracles of Jesus.  They want to be a miracle also.  They want Christ to open their eyes and give them sight.  So they continue to follow him , crying out, "Son of David have pity on us."

Christ arrives at his destination and rests in the house.  The two blind men follow.  They finally come to Christ seeking a way to find their sight.  Christ asks them, "Do you believe that I can do this to you?"   Christ questions their belief in him.   He wants to know if they are certain of their belief.  He wants to know if they have no doubts within themselves.  He wants to know if they have no fear that will cause them to disbelieve in what they desire.   They have followed him during the journey.  They have continued to ask for pity.  They have persevered.  They have been persistent. 

The two blind men did not know Christ.  They had only heard of the things that he had done.  They had heard of the miracle he performed with the leper.  They had heard of the miracle that he had performed with the paralytic.  They had heard of the many things that he had done by way of what the people were saying about this man called Jesus.  They knew that he was that man because they had heard, through the people talking, that he was coming.  They had heard, through the talk of the people, that he was on their road.  They had heard the crowds that followed him.  They had heard the calling of his name by the people who were in the crowd.  They did not know him.  They had only heard of him.  They could not see the things that he had done even if they were present when they were accomplished.  They could only hear of them. 

They had no sight to see.  They had only hearing to hear.  Did they believe?  Did they know that he was the one?  Were they certain of his power?  How were they to know?  How were they to believe?  How were they to be certain?  Somewhere within themselves, they found hope, again.  Somewhere within themselves they found a ray of belief.  Somewhere within themselves they found the possibility of joy.  Somewhere within their deepest darkest world they found a desire that sparked their belief in a possibility of having sight. 

They had not heard of sight being restored before.  They knew of no one who had the power to give sight.  There were no doctors.  There were no healers.  There were no medicine men who could help them.  They lived in a dark world of acceptance.  This was their fate, to live without sight.  And then the word spread.  And then they heard of miracles.  And then they began to wonder.  And then they began to talk among themselves.  Could this be?  Could this happen?  Can our world change from darkness to light?  Is it possible that we can be given sight?  Nothing that they had known before gave them belief.  Nothing that they knew of led them to believe that there may be some hope.  No one that they knew could help them before.  And yet there was the word spreading throughout the village of this man called Christ.

Where do you find belief when there is none?  Where do you find hope when all you have heard is without hope?  Where do you find possibility when no one knows of anything possible?  We live within the world of the blind men, without any reason or understanding of change.  We accept the current condition and live without the belief of having something that would bring us joy.  There is no hope.  There is no possibility.  There is no change.  And then the word comes.  Christ asks,"Do you believe."   He wants to know if you have belief.  He wants to know if you still have what was given you from birth.  He wants to know if the spark of life is still within you.  He wants to know if you are still whole or if you are empty.  He wants to know, if, out of the darkness of your life, there is still a ray, a glimmer of hope that is hidden in your closet, forgotten, that he can call upon.  Do you recognize the hope that is within you or do you close the closet door and deny that it exists? 

St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse: 27, The Blind believe.

Our paragraph topic is: (Two blind men) Part 1.  

Now Jesus has just raised the ruler's daughter from the dead.  Having finished this miracle St Matthew tells us that he travels on from there to other destinations.  And following him are two blind men.  They are crying out, "Have pity on us, Son of David!"   Christ does not respond to them as he travels to his destination.  They are crying for pity.  They are crying for his sympathy.  They are crying for his emotional response as they follow along with the rest of the party that is following Christ. 

Two blind men following Christ.  They wanted to see.  They wanted to be made whole like others that they heard talking.  They wanted to perceive the sunset.  They wanted to enjoy the radiance of the moon.  They wanted the things that others took for granted, their sight.  For they walked in darkness.  They stumbled day and night.  They depended upon the world for their guidance.  They knew not who they were.   And then the word came, about a man who did great things.  The word came, to their ears, that there was a man who cured a leper.  The word came, that there was a man called Jesus who cast out demons.  They heard others talking about how Jesus cured a paralytic who had never walked.  They heard the word.

And it came to pass that the word became exciting.  It came to pass that more people were talking about Jesus.  It came to pass that Jesus was in that district.  It came to pass that it was heard that Jesus was coming to their town.  And it came to pass that it was heard that Jesus was traveling on their road to another destination.  The two blind men were excited.  The two blind men thought about what they would do.  The two blind men waited with anticipation of the crowd passing by.  The two blind men were ready to meet Jesus.

And it happened, the day and the time came and the two blind men heard him coming.  They did not know who he was.  They had never heard his voice before, but they heard others calling his name.  They did not know where he was going.  They did not know who he was with.  They did not know how to reach him, but they had a plan.  They knew what they would do.  They knew how they would act.  They knew that they had to follow.  They cried out in a loud voice,  "Have pity on us, Son of David!"  

They followed and cried out.  They followed and cried out.  They asked for pity.  They asked for understanding.  They asked for sympathy.  St Matthew tells us in this verse that Christ did not recognize them.  He tells us that Christ did not stop for them.  He tells us that Christ continued on his journey.  Yet the two blind men did not stop their cries.  The two blind men did not stop their following.  The two blind men did not give up.  They persevered.  They continued with their plea.  They were persistent.  They were motivated.  They were strong.  They reached out for their goal, to have sight.  It was in their reach.  It was close.  It was nearby.  For all the time they had waited, planned, wanted, expected, believed and desired, the dream had come to pass right before their blind eyes.

Christ is passing by us today.  He is within our reach.  He is walking past our jobs, walking past our homes, walking past out schools, walking past our shopping areas, walking past our clubs and bars, walking past our gyms and stadiums and ball fields.  Will you cry out for help?  Will you ask Christ for pity?  Will you plead for your dream to come true after wanting for so long?  Will you persevere?  Will you be strong?  Will you be persistent?  Christ is walking past you today, what will you do?