Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Luke 18:35-43 comments: a blind man begging


18:35 ¶  And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36  And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37  And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38  And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 39  And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40  And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41  Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42  And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43  And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Here is a man, blind AND poor physically, much as the unsaved man or woman is spiritually. He has nothing with which to commend Himself to Christ but His physical misery and His poverty. That’s how we come to Christ if we come to Him at all. Christ responds to us in the depth of our despair, not requiring us to “get right” before He’ll deal with us. In regard to sin, David pleaded with God for forgiveness not because of the lightness of his sin, but because of the greatness of it.

Psalm 25:11  For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

A sick person does not make his case before a doctor on account of how trifling his or her sickness is but based on their sickness being significant and distressing. This man only cried out for mercy acknowledging who Christ was. He called out for mercy from one whom he knew had the power to have mercy on his weakness.

He wanted to see and knew that Christ, had faith that Christ, could make it happen. Here is Christ, on the way to His divine appointment, who stops to deal with this seemingly insignificant person’s handicap. Christ came to give sight to the blind. We would not see the truth were it not for Christ who is the truth.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The world that rejects Him as Messiah, Saviour, Lord, and God-in-the-flesh is blind. Satan, the god of this world, keeps as many of them in that condition for as long as he can.

2Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

They have but to cry out to Him to be saved from the darkness.

Romans 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

    12 ¶  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

When a great change comes over a person’s life because Christ has entered into it often times even those around them marvel and are amazed at the change. Of course, they might become annoyed at the change if the person simply becomes an annoying pain in the neck. But a reformed life after an encounter with Christ is a wonder to behold if genuine and sincere. God’s mercy is apparent when a person sees the light of Christ and becomes one of His. It is also apparent for the believer in his or her everyday life, in the grace that is shed on our time here on earth. What we need, every day, is mercy, is to repeat the cry of this blind beggar; have mercy on me. Open my eyes and let me see.

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