A Call Not Yet Understood

Luke 18:31-43

I would like to start with a quote from a many named Billy Graham;

Prayer is for every moment of our lives, not just for times of suffering or joy. Prayer is really a place; a place where you meet God in genuine conversation. When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God. We don’t need to be embarrassed that we are needy...Every feeble, stumbling prayer uttered by a believer is heard by God.

Introduction:

Good morning, everyone. This part of the Gospel Scripture presents us with a pivotal moment in the life and ministry of Jesus, a story brimming with deep insight and hope.

Imagine for a moment the bustling roads of ancient Jericho, a place teeming with travelers and merchants. Amidst this scene, we find Jesus addressing His disciples, offering a somber yet enlightening revelation about His impending passion, death, and resurrection. It is a path He has willingly chosen, filled with purpose and mission, yet misunderstood by those closest to Him.

Immediately following this intimate dialogue is the encounter with a blind beggar, a man who represents us all in our moments of need and yearning. This story not only demonstrates the healing power of Jesus but also reveals the contrasting responses to His presence—perception versus blindness, faith versus doubt.

What does it mean to truly see? How can we recognize the presence of grace and mercy in our lives? And finally, how does this journey of Jesus resonate with our own paths today?

Luke E. Dedication to the Cross: A Call Not Yet Understood (18:31–34)

18:31. Again, Jesus turned attention from the crowds and opponents to the disciples. They must know that he knew what was happening as he approached Jerusalem. He had begun to tell them about this before (9:22, 44–45; 12:50; 13:32–34; 17:25). First he gave an affirmation. The entire Old Testament prepared the way for him. Everything written in Scripture about him would take place. This appeared to be a reassuring statement, but it turned out to be just the opposite.

18:32–33. What did Scripture say about Jesus, the Son of Man? Enemy Gentiles would take control of him. They would ridicule and mock him, insult him, spit on him, and beat him. Then they would kill him.

18:34. Repeated passion predictions by Jesus did not penetrate the dense, stubborn predispositions of the disciples. They knew the definition of Messiah, kingdom, and salvation/deliverance. They knew Scripture’s teaching on God’s restoration of Israel’s rule. That death could come before the kingdom reigned in Jerusalem just did not compute in their brains. God was not yet ready for them to grasp all this, so he hid it from them. He was able to hide it because they were in no condition to grasp it. Here we see the connection between the electing, choosing work of God in carrying out his plan in his time and the free operation of the disciples’ will as they hung on to old ideas and could not grasp Jesus’ radically new teaching. The day would come when the disciples would turn the world upside down with the message of a resurrected Messiah. But at this moment they were confused about God’s timing, Scripture’s meaning, and their previous understandings.

Luke F. Dedication to Merciful Acts: Rewarding Persistent Faith (18:35–43)

18:35–36. Jericho marked the last stage of the journey to Jerusalem for Jesus. One last climb up the mountain—and the fateful trip would end. But Jericho was the first stage of the journey for one man, a blind beggar. He sensed a crowd coming and wanted to know what was the commotion all about.

18:37–38. The crowd told him Jesus was coming through the town. Immediately he shouted for mercy. He used the messianic title, Son of David, identifying Jesus’ royal roots and implying that this one would be crowned in his ancestor’s place.

18:39. The crowd had greater things in mind for Jesus than to tend to the whining of a blind beggar. They tried to quiet him. But the beggar refused to be silenced. He lifted his voice again and again to Jesus.

18:40–41. Jesus illustrated his teaching that it was important to care for the poor. He turned his attention from the crowd to talk to a blind beggar. He had a question for the beggar. What did he really want Jesus to do? The blind beggar did not hesitate. He wanted to see the world.

18:42–43. Jesus did not hesitate. “Your faith has healed you,” he replied. This disabled, poverty-stricken man refused to give up. He trusted in Jesus whom his eyes could not see. He gave God glory and praise, and this started a chain reaction among the crowd.

Application:

The Clarity of Purpose in Jesus’ Mission:

In verses 31-34, Jesus clearly explains to His disciples about His coming suffering, death, and resurrection, fulfilling what was written by the prophets.

to seek clarity in their own life purpose by continually aligning themselves with God’s Word and being open to His guidance. Mention the importance of being grounded in scripture to understand God’s plan and timing.

Spiritual Blindness vs. Physical Blindness:

The disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying about His future, representing a form of spiritual blindness. In contrast, the blind man, despite his physical blindness, recognized Jesus as the “Son of David” and cried out for healing.

Maybe sometime in our lives we need to examine areas in our lives where we might be spiritually blind.

Perseverance in Faith:

The blind man was persistent even when others scolded him to be quiet. His determination and faith led to his healing.

Can we relate to times when we can be criticized when we are seeking Jesus’ help. We must recognize the virtue of persistence and faith, showing how it can lead to transformative encounters with Christ.

The Power of Faith and Mercy:

Jesus responds to the faith of the blind man with compassion and mercy, leading to his healing.

How do we reach reach out to Jesus in faith, trusting in His mercy and compassion. How do you or we come to Jesus with our needs, believing that He cares and has the power to transform the situation we are in.

Response to God’s Mercy:

After being healed, the blind man immediately follows Jesus, glorifying God, which brings others to praise God as well.

How do we express our gratitude and worship in response to God’s blessings. Do our faith testimonies of God’s faithfulness lead others to Christ if we told them to people?

How does this help us? Some things to take note of.

Never give up on God; keep praying.

Know that God has a reward for your faithful, self-denying trust in Him.

Trust in God’s love and care for you.

Some questions to reflect on:

What does God expect of His people when the Son of Man returns to earth?

What rewards do you expect from God? Why?

Jesus knew His followers would face difficult and uncertain days. His march to the cross and His agonizing death in Jerusalem would carry them to their lowest emotional depths. Living in the dominion of evil as citizens of God’s kingdom would not be easy. Therefore Jesus wanted o encourage them to pray, even when it seemed like God wasn’t listening. Jesus encouraged His followers to: Pray with persistence and to Pray with humility.

You want to be Godly? Start with Prayer. For it is to His glory never to our own.