Title: Blind Man of Bethsaida
Text: Mark 8:22-26
Date: April 12, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Mark 8: 22: And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23: And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24: And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25: After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26: And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
The various miracles the Lord Jesus performed teach us various truths of how the Lord works the miracle of his saving grace in each of his elect.
I. THIS MAN AND HIS FRIENDS
Mark 8: 22: And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
First, notice that Christ came near to where this man was.
We find this throughout his earthly ministry—our Lord’s going to the various places where he worked his miracles was not by accident. When the Lord is ready to give one of his elect children sight, it is the Lord who draws near to us.
Bethsaida was the town upon which the LORD pronounced woe. But it was the town from where the Lord called Philip, Andrew and Peter. Sin is hereditary—the whole town was full of sinners born of sinners. But thankfully grace is of God who chooses whom he will. Though this whole world is under the wrath of God thankfully God does call some out of it by his grace.
Second we see the man’s condition--this man was blind.
This is the spiritual condition of all men born into this world. There are no exceptions.
Romans 3:11: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
1 Corinthians 2:14: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The Lord Jesus came to where we were and redeemed those given him of the Father by his own blood and through the gospel of Christ he causes the blind to see out of obscurity, and out of darkness (Is 29: 18.) He says these are my witnesses…
Isaiah 43: 8: Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. 9: Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
Then notice that the blind man’s friends brought him to the Master.
If God gives you eyes to see Christ, you will discover you have a dear, loving friend in that one who kept bringing you to hear the gospel of the true and living God.
Do you have friends that are yet blind in their sins? One of the most loving things you could do for them as their friend is invite them to hear or give them a CD.
This man’s friends knew Christ was the only one who was able to give their blind friend sight so they brought their friend where he was.
But his friends did something else—v22:…they besought the Lord Jesus to touch him!
That is what we do for those we love—we pray that our great Physician will touch them. Our touch will not heal them but his can. When we have done all we can do in bringing our loved ones to hear the gospel. We do the only other thing we can do—we beseech the Lord Jesus to touch them.
II. LET’S SEE WHAT THE LORD JESUS DID
Mark 8:23: And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
The Master took the blind man by the hand.
The Lord did what the blind man could not do. The blind man did not have sight to reach out and take Christ by the hand—Christ took him by the hand.
This is the hand of the sovereign God who holds the waters in the hollow of his hand, the hands which were pierced for those he loved from everlasting—
Isaiah 49: 16: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
He took each by the hand when the Father entrusted them into his hands and he shall take each of his children by the hand in irresistible grace and never let you go.
John 10: 28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Next, he led him out of the town.
Isaiah 42: 16: And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
When our great Shepherd saves one of his own—he calls them out of the world. He draws us without the camp.
· Out of our way into his way
· Out of our vain opinions into his truth
· Out of the town of sin and rejection into submission at his feet
· Christ separates us from everything that would separate us from him.
Hebrews 13: 11: For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
2 Corinthians 6: 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
True God-given sight sees what is dung, counts it dung and repents from it to lay hold of Christ by faith. If the Lord Jesus has drawn you out from all others to him that is when a work of grace has begun in the heart.
Then the Savior spit on his eyes and put his hands upon him. (turn to Rev 3: 18)
The spit represents the eye salve of the gospel.
Revelation 3:18: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
· Through the gospel the law enlightens us to see our sin and shuts our mouths
· The Gospel is the light where we behold the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus—for therein is the righteousness of God revealed
· Justice and mercy for his elect
· Justification accomplished by him
· Reconciliation made by him when were yet enemies
· It comes to us out of his mouth and anoints our eyes.
He touched him—it is the touch of his all-powerful hand that makes this means of grace effectual to give us sight. Without the Masters touch our preaching will not heal.
The Savior Made the Man Tell What He Saw—v23—he asked him if he saw ought
When the Lord gives one of his elect sight the Lord requires a confession from us—not one time but all our life.
Romans 10:5: For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6: But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise,…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.
We confess him before men in baptism and in our walk.
Matthew 10: 32: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
We confess our sins to him--1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
III. WE SEE THAT THE LIGHT OF GOD’S GRACE SOMETIMES COMES GRADUALLY.
Mark 8:24: And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25: After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
This man was given sight gradually.
All saved sinners trust the same Savior, experience the same grace, and believe the same gospel. But we do not all experience grace the same way.
· Blind Bartemaeus was given sight all at once
· The blind man in John 9 had to go wash in the pool of Siloam and then he came away seeing
· But the Lord gave this man sight gradually
Some of you may see right now like this man did at first. He had light but his vision was blurred. But he did not pretend to see what he did not see. He confessed what he saw.
· First, we see sin only in what we do, then we see sin is what I am in my heart—woe is me I’m undone!
· First, we see the righteousness of God in Christ’s accomplished work of redemption, then we see he accomplished it for ME!
· First, we see that Christ is the foundation open for forgiveness, then we experience the peace that comes from knowing he has forgiven me!
· First. Righteousness is revealed—that is the Light of Christ’s Person and Finished Work, then all other doctrine that agrees with the complete atonement accomplished for his elect at Calvary becomes clear.
Note: But though some are given light gradually, we must not conclude, that the believer comes to be in CHRIST gradually. The opening of our eyes spiritually is the result of us being put in Christ from eternity. We had to be brought to faith in him because in eternity God blessed us with all spiritual blessings when he put us in Christ.
Christ always finishes what he begins--v25: After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
Philippians 1: 6: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
The Son of God never stops working until he says, “It is finished.”
Proverbs 4: 18: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
1 Corinthians 13: 12: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
IV. THE MASTER SENT THE MAN WITH SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS.
Mark 8:26: And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
The Savior did not forbid him to tell others, but he forbid him tell any in the town.
The town of Bethsaida despised Christ. Now the Lord forbid them the gospel.
Matthew 11: 21: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22: But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is not a beggar. If any closes their eyes to his gospel, refuses to hear his word, rejects the privileges he has brought near—Christ will leave them in their blindness. It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
I have been your friend tonight—I have taken you to the great Physician. I do pray that he will take you by the hand, lead you out, and give you sight. If he has, confess him and continue walking in the light he has given you—he will give you more light.
AMEN!