Prayer, Compassion, and Willingness
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we saw the great faith of the gentile woman which was very different from the other things that we have seen in the book of Mark but it foreshadowed what is to come through Jesus where he is not exclusive to the Jews but he is for everyone.
Tonight we see Jesus performing another miracle like is super common in the book of Mark but there are a few things that are different in this one. As we go through this we are going to pay special attention to what Jesus does. You are all starting off a new school year and these three things that we can gather from this text can change your year for the better. Whether you are a 7th grader or a senior these things that Jesus does are what we should do in life and are a great way to make a kingdom impact in your school this next year.
Lets begin by reading the text then we will see what we can pull from it and take into this new school year.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Jesus typically healed people by just the power of his words but this man here could not hear his words because his issue was deafness. We can assume that the man was not born deaf but it came later in life because he could speak somewhat though it was with great difficulty. This could have come from disease or some accident. This adds to the impact that this healing made because this man was restored to the ability that he once knew so well.
Through this he wanted to tell everyone what had been done for him, Jesus healed him in private and told him not to tell but the more he told them not to the more that they did. As the message began to spread these people began to wonder if Jesus was the Messiah, their teaching tells them that he is not but a lot of what he does sure seems like he is. We know that their teaching was wrong and that he was the Messiah.
In our Christian walk we are called to grow to be more like Jesus and from this story we can learn a few crucial things for us to start doing that will grow us more like him. There things are helpful in any stage of life but what better one than the start of a new school year. In this story we see that Jesus was prayerful, he was compassionate, and he was not afraid to get his hands dirty doing the work God had planned for him.
Lets pray then start to look at each of these things more closely.
pray
Prayer
Prayer
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Jesus often looked up to Heaven when he prayed, he didn’t do anything without communication with the Father. He lived a life of prayer always seeking the guidance and the will of the Father. A prayerful life is something that should define us and just like in this situation we should always begin things with prayer.
Think about how prayer could affect your day to day life. It says in Romans 12.12 “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” constant prayer will guide us through life in a far better way than anything else. Think about if you were to go through this school year more prayerfully. Maybe you don’t know what that would look like and that is okay. I would encourage you all to try this and just see. Maybe you hang a note up in your locker or change the lock screen on your phone or fold a piece of paper in your pocket to remind you to pray.
When you do this do not be afraid to be specific! When you walk by someone that you know doesn’t know Jesus pray that they would know him. Pray for opportunities to share with that person specifically. Maybe a friend tells you about a struggle and you can pray for them. Maybe you have a test and you studied for it and you pray that God would help you use that knowledge you studied. Pray for friends, pray for family, pray for teachers, pray for coaches, pray specifically for anyone and anything. Living a prayerful life can change the way that you go through life and will open up opportunities for God to work in your life.
Jesus lived a life of prayer and we need to live a life of prayer as well.
Compassion
Compassion
And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
Jesus sighed. We often sigh when we are confronted with different things. We sigh in relief when a teacher moves a due date or when a player on our team scores in a crucial moment in the game, we also sigh when we are deeply moved by something. Jesus in this moment was moved with compassion for this man. Compassion is something that is not as prevalent in our culture today.
Compassion is just concern for the sufferings of others. When a friend has lost a loved one are you indifferent or compassionate? When someone is struggling with something at school are you compassionate towards them, are you caring towards that issue?
I say that our world is not a very compassionate place because everyone is so self centered and it is easy to get wrapped up in. It is in becoming concerned with the hurts of others that we find compassion and we find something far deeper than a self centered life.
We need to start putting ourselves aside and start being compassionate towards others. The biggest suffering that many are going through and don’t know is lostness. Don’t be so hung up on yourself that you are scared to share the gospel because of what others will think about you, have compassion towards them and think that you do not care what they think about you. Share the gospel out of the compassion of your heart.
How often do you feel the pain of others? Have you ever cried because of what someone else is going through? Jesus had a compassionate heart towards the pains of others and by us doing the same we develop a desire to reach them with the great hope that we have and to be there for them.
Jesus was a man of prayer that was compassionate towards the needs and hurts of others and we should strive to do the same.
Willingness
Willingness
And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.
The last of the points for tonight is Jesus’s willingness. He was willing to get his hands dirty and help with the issue. Now we don’t have the ability to do miracles like Jesus but we cam still emulate this in other ways. For example earlier I said you should pray for lost people that you know, don’t just pray for them but get in there and share the gospel with them. When you are compassionate towards others bear those burdens with them don’t just look in from the sideline and feel it.
So often we would rather not deal with it and just leave it to someone else. When we do this we miss out on so much. The biggest thing that we miss out on is being a part of the will of God. So many want to serve from the sideline but the scriptures call us to get in and get after it.
I think of the show dirty jobs. In the show Mike doesn’t just look at the job and tell what all the people have to do, he gets in there and tries it himself. This leads to a better show for one thing but it also leads to him having a greater appreciation for the job itself. Our spiritual lives are no different, when we get in there and get dirty we will grow our compassion and strengthen our prayer lives.
In other areas that we have studied we have seen Jesus touch the unclean and here he stuck his fingers in this guys ears. He was willing to get in there and do the work of the Father. We need to do more than just praying for the lost but we need to share the gospel with the lost. We need to be the hands and feet of Jesus here and now.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This passage shows us so much about how we can be more like Jesus and it points us straight to the gospel. In the book of Isaiah it says this...
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
This is a prophecy predicting the one that is to come and be the savior of the world. This is Jesus. He came and made a way for forgiveness. Once you put your faith in Jesus as your one and only savior you begin being conformed to the likeness of him. Some of the ways that we do this are through prayer, compassion, and willingly serving him.
Maybe today you hear this and think that you want this because you realized just how bad you are and just how much you are like the world. Well there is good news for you, the Bible says that everyone that calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Salvation is possible for you, just call upon his name and put your faith in him. It is a simple thing that has eternal effects.
For those of you that know Christ as your Lord and Savior, this school year live for him with all that you have and I promise without a doubt that you will not regret it. Pray often and pray specifically. Live a compassionate life and sympathize with the needs and the hurts of those around you and in that share the gospel and point them towards scripture. Most of all don’t be afraid to get in there and get your hands dirty, do the work of the Lord yourself every opportunity that you get. Don’t rely on me to share the gospel with everyone in this town. Know this I am here for you and I am praying for you and I am compassionate towards you. If there is anything that you need whether it be biblical advice or just someone to listen to your struggles I am here. Shoot me a text, call me, come up to my office, come to youth a bit early. Life is hard and we are not called to go it alone, living life like Jesus if of infinite value though and I once again promise that you will never regret it.