Miracles of Jesus - The Deaf and Mute

Let’s Breakdown what we are dealing with

Deaf - means that you can’t hear

mute - means that you can’t talk, can make a few syllables but cannot commmunicate through speech

the man in this story is deaf and mute

he has never heard birds sing, water being poured, and he has never heard voices or words

you should know that if you are born deaf, you can’t learn how to talk

because hearing and speaking go together . . . without hearing your mind cannot develop speech

you hear words with your ears

you mimic the words with your mouth

and then your ears hear your attempt to say those words

your mind makes corrections

and you repeat the cycle until you get it right and da,da,da,da becomes daddy

he is deaf, and because of his lack of hearing, his mind has not developed speech, so he is deaf and mute

So when Jesus heals him, the fact that the man can hear is amazing, and the fact that the man can talk immediately is crazy amazing . . . Jesus created years of brain development in an instant

Different Angle

This is another example of God’s unlimited power . . . God can do anything but fail.

but we are going to look at this from an evangelistic angle

We are called this year more than ever to to reach the lost, and there are some powerful lessons for us

God uses people to reach people.

Mark 7:32 NASB95

32 They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.

They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with much difficulty

They brought to Him - they brought . . . some people brought this man to Jesus

God uses people to reach people

two weeks ago with the woman with the issue of blood heard, we see the words, “after hearing about Jesus” . . . someone told her about Jesus

last week friends carried a man on a cot to Jesus

this week other people are involved in bringing someone to Jesus . . . God uses people to reach people

and if we reflect, 99.99% of us became Christians because God used someone, worked through someone to bring us to Jesus

someone told us about him

someone read the Bible to us

someone took us to church

someone enrolled us in a Christian school

someone handed us a gospel pamphlet or track

God uses people to reach people

who did they bring?

one who was deaf and spoke with much difficulty,

a man who could not communicate about his condition

and this man might not even fully understand his condition

I doubt he really comprehends what is missing in his life

if you have never heard sound, how can you know exactly what you’re missing?

you just know something is off, wrong, not right, something is missing

and they implored Him to lay His hand on him

but this man has some people who understand WHAT he is missing, and WHO he needs

thus they are willing to beg Jesus on his behalf

they cared enough to beg

loved enough to beg

had faith enough to beg

they intercede

God uses people to reach people

God sees people.

Mark 7:33–34 NASB95

33 Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; 34 and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”

Jesus, the Christ, Savior of the World, the Messiah on a Mission, hounded by crowds . . . could have said, “be healed” and moved on

but God sees people

Jesus sees the man, really sees the man, sees that man

pay attention to how Jesus demonstrates that he sees this man

first he takes him away from the crowd

Jesus dealt with the woman with the issue of blood in front of a crowd

Jesus dealt with the paralytic man in front of a crowd

but this man he takes aside . . . why? . . . .

what would happen if a man’s hearing was restored in a loud, surging crowed?. . . terrifying

Jesus takes the man’s condition into account, and knows it will be best to heal him away from the crowd.

God sees people

next Jesus communicates with him, on his level

this man can’t hear, so you can’t use sound to communicate with him, you must use touch and sight

so Jesus communicates with him, on his level

fingers in his hears . . . something is wrong with your ears, I will fix it

saliva on tongue (only speculation) . . . something is wrong with your speech, I will fix it

looking up into heaven . . . this power comes from above

deep sigh (greek word indicates sadness, groan) . . . your situation moves me to compassion

Jesus communicates with him, on his level

and when this man is healed

he will know that Jesus fixed his ears

Jesus fixed his speech

the power came from God above

and Jesus cares for me

God sees people.

and he said to him, , “Ephphatha!” meaning, “Be opened!”

ears be open

mouth be opened

they woman with the issue of blood need things dried up

the paralytic man needed things forgiven

you need things opened

I’m giving you what you need because I see you

Mark 7:35 NASB95

35 And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.

again, amazing that he can hear, and super amazing that he can immediately talk plainly

Let me be crystal clear

God uses people to reach people.

you are that people

YOU are the connection for God to reach your family, friends, co-workers, fellow students

and though there are churches on every corner, There are a lot of people who have not heard plainly about the Love of God, and how he demonstrated it through the sacrifice of his only begotten son, Jesus

they’ve heard some bad things about churches

they’ve heard some stereotypes about Christians

they’ve heard the name of Jesus mocked

They’ve seen some people who carry the name of Christ behave badly

They’ve seen some bad paintings of what Jesus looks like

but they have never heard the truth of who Jesus is, and what he did

they have never heard the gospel of Christ

spiritually, they are deaf

and if you have never heard, you can’t speak . . . you can just make strange sounds, put together some syllables

ask most people, what does the Bible teach about heaven, salvation, eternal life

and what you will get back is some strange sounds, syllables put together that make no sense

spiritually, they are mute

in Bible days, the deaf were often considered insane . . . cause they acted and sounded crazy

that’s why more and more people come across as insane today, they are spiritually deaf and mute

so they need you to interceded

God uses people to reach people, and you are that people.

how?

start by praying

these people went to Jesus and begged Jesus, implored Jesus to help the man

we learned in Bible study that prayer is the biggest part of evangelism

When Christian evangelism first started on the day of Pentecost, what were they doing? . . . . Praying

We also learned in Bible Study that when God puts someone on your heart and mind, pray as soon as you can for them . . . that’s God calling you to pray for them

pray and then reach out . . . they begged Jesus, AND brought the man to Jesus, they put some action to it

share the gospel

invite to church

share the Christian social media post

reach out1

God uses people to reach people . . . and you are that people

so pray and put some action on it

and remember . . .

God sees people.

God sees people . . . so you see people

people are not stats, people are people

people who need help, people who need the truth, people who need a touch from God, people who need to be saved

cause remember some have never heard, and if you’ve never heard it, how can you know what you’re missing?

see people, see what their missing, and have compassion on them

see people and communicate with them on their level

show them that you care

Salvation

I’ve said God uses people to reach people, and God sees people

so God came in the flesh

yes, Jesus came as a human person

and he dwelt among us full of grace and truth

as a human, he Communicated on our level

ultimately communicated his love through the cross

communicated his power through the resurrection!