“Eyes Wide Open” Matt 9:27-34

Matthew 9:27-31 “Eyes Wide Open”

So as Jesus is on the way to “heal” Jairus’ daughter, a woman runs to him to be healed and he heals her. Then, when he arrives at Jairus’ home, the girl is dead. Jesus (who says she's sleeping) raises her from her death bed and gives her a taco! Jesus is hilarious. Now matthew gives us a look at the power. Jesus had said in John 10:10 “ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” and he promises a complete resurrection.

Matthew 9:27–31 “ When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” 28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.”

Matthew 9:32–34 “ As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.””

Wow, powerful. Faith is such an amazing thing, An American missionary in Africa wanted to translate the English word faith into the local dialect. He could not find its equivalent. So he went to an old sage, who was himself a fine Christian, for help in rendering the needed word into understandable language. The mentor studied it, and finally said, “Does it not mean to hear with the heart?” Lets open our eyes and hearts as we examine it in detail.

Matthew 9:27 “ When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!””

Blindness was and is a huge malady in the middle east/Africa - Jesus is recorded to have healed 6 and I have no doubt he healed many others but these are signs that again, point us to his authority over, sin, sickness and even death.

Now this is similar to another event, but its not the same. We see later on turn to: Matthew 20:29–34 “ Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”

Why would they use the same phrase? well look at verse 31 of 9, these blind guys became evangelists. So its no wonder they would use the same phraseology. They cry for mercy, then essentially call Jesus King (Messiah). turn back..

the title is pointing to lineage that allows jesus to be declared as messiah. and the common folk didn't have a theological or political issue calling him such. You wont hear this from the leaders.

Matthew 9:28 “And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.””

They (no doubt being led) follow Him all the way home. They believe that Jesus can heal them. His testimony has gone out. But look what Jesus inquires of them

Do you believe I am able to do this? What have they asked for? Mercy. Eleeō in the greek, to show mercy, to show kindness and compassion for another.

whats the most merciful thing you could do for a blind man, just give them sight? Think about it. He needs them to SEE just calling him King, isn't calling him LORD

he doesn't say do you believe god can do this? he says do you believe I CAN DO THIS?

The obvious answer is yes, but this is another testimony that Jesus isn't just son of david. he is not just messiah/king. He is King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Son of God, WORD MADE FLESH!

Matthew 9:29–31 “Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.”

Desperate, they have brought themselves to Jesus. What did his touch feel like? The rough fingers of a carpenter? The caring hands of a shepherd? Did he boink them like the 3 stooges? (boink, nyuk, nyuk).

Jesus says, “According to your faith” means in response to not in proportion to their faith. Faith itself we have established cant do anything. Its who you go to, where it leads you to.

Now, why wouldn't jesus want to go viral? One commentator wrote, ““Warned … sternly,” from embrimaomai, could almost be rendered snorted and suggests an emotional outburst.” Its what most modern “preachers” would die for. To actually heal someone and then let everyone know.

Jesus doesn't want this to go out, because it is not time for the triumphal entry, the cross and the resurrection. Its not fate, but God plans. And Jesus knows that plan and when does this its not to keep secret but to manage “when” he goes to the cross. Some call it the Messianic secret. But its not. Its because of the revelation that the “messiah” is the Son of God (blasphemous to many of them because it destroys their supposed authority).

This “secret” is mentioned in matt/mark/luke. eg. Matthew (8:3–4; 9:29–31 our text; 12:15–16; 17:9) it why he told demons quiet because the recognized Him! “I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24–25, 34; 3:11–12; 5:6–8; 9:20)

Even the disciples, once they related that they understood the “secret of the kingdom of God” Mark 4:11 “And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,”, were sworn to silence (Mark 8:30) Mark 9:9 “Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”

But why? To avoid being a politcal leader. Another despot. To avoid just being another Itinerant prophet in the wilderness. To avoid being a KING. Jesus said in John 12:47 “And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” Jesus saves y’all. Thats his MO.

Now, I don’t have time to examine the demon possessed man, we’ll look at that next time.

An Application: Wiersbe said, “Blindness is a picture of spiritual ignorance and unbelief.” The bible really does present blindness in this manner, you and I are both spiritually blind -

Isaiah 6:10 “ “Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”” Matthew 15:14 “ Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”” Romans 11:25 “ For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”

Now, its not just Israels blindness but ours. And to hear the testimony of Jesus, the one that can remove our blindness requires we trust Jesus can do what is promised. That we are sinners that need Him. The sinner must be born again before he can truly see the things of God. John 3:3 “ Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

And the believer must be careful to grow spiritually or he will damage his spiritual vision. 2 Peter 1:5–9 “ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.””

Do you believe you can walk with Eyes Wide Open? Do you believe He can do this?

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