St Matthew, Chapter 9, verse: 30-31, The Blind believe

Our paragraph topic is:  (Two blind men) Part 4.  

Jesus touches the eyes of the two blind men and immediately they gain their sight.  They have persevered for success.  They were persistent for their reward.  They believed for the transformation.  Christ healed them.  Jesus then gives them strict instructions saying,  "See that no one knows of this!"   Christ gave them sight and he gave them instructions.  The instructions were to see.  He had just given sight to two blind men who badly wanted to see.  He had caused their eyes to be opened that they may experience the world as others.  He had given them joy that they could now walk upright without the assistance of others.  He had given them sight so that now they did not have to depend upon the words of others but could see and believe for themselves.  And he told them to SEE!  

He told them to SEE that no one knows of this.  And so they left with those instructions to see that no one knows.  But they did not see no one.  They did not know no one.  So they did not heed his instructions and told no one.  And no one told someone.  And someone told someone else.  And someone else told another someone.  And another someone told another, and another, and another and before it was all over they had become celebrities.  They had become like anchormen in the field telling the story of how Christ gave them sight.  They told their story of how they heard about him.  They gave detailed information on how they got to meet Christ.  They talked about the journey that they had to make with him before he saw them.  They also repeated phrase for phrase the words that he said to them to make the drama more exciting and the capture the attention of the public that listened to their story.  They spread the fame of Christ throughout all the district, contrary to what he had instructed them to do.  And no one made them someone.  And no one made sure that all knew of this Christ.  They were blind and Christ told them to see that no one knows of this.

No one wants to be someone.  No one wants to have fame.  No one wants to be popular.  No one wants to have success.  No one wants people to know him.  No one wants people to like him and to he wants to be in the spot light.  And Christ told them to see.  Yet they were blind and did not see.  For no one took their hand and led them.  No one led them down the wide path of destruction.  They did not have to follow.  They did not have to see.  They could have not seen no one and kept the miracle to themselves.  They could have not spoken to no one and not spread the news.  They could have not told someone and been wise as Christ had instructed them.  But no one compelled them to act.  No one opened the door for them to speak.  No one brought them forth before the people and moved them to tell someone.  And they were blind and could not see.

It seems insane to not want to be known, to not want fame and fortune.  Today in our society no one want to be unknown.  No one wants to be not liked.  No one wants to be loved by many.  No one wants to not be popular.  No one wants to not have money.  No one wants to not have fame and fortune.  And no one will not do anything to get it.  So in our societal structure no one will tell lies to get to the top.  No one will deceive to get to the top.  No one will steal to get where they want to go.  No one will kill to get money.  No one will destroy to get what it wants.  No one will manipulate.  No one will lust and use sexual gratitude to seduce what it wants.  No one will forsake values and morals to get to the top.  NO ONE will do anything to succeed in this societal structure.  And Christ told the two blind men to SEE that NO ONE knows.  All they had to do was to not tell no one.  If Christ gave you a miracle today would you tell no one? 

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?