The Foggy Becomes Clear

Mark 8:22-33

I want to take three distinct stories together today. For the form a package of the Messiah that was hard for Jews to understand in the first century.

And I believe still hard for us to grasp fully today.

-Jesus heals

-Jesus the Messiah

-Jesus will die

This is an absolute rollercoaster of 11 verses.

Imagine a superstar comes to your favorite sports team. Is declared the future of the franchise and then in moments says, actually I’m retiring.

Or an amazing musician that is touring the world and gaining money and fame - calls it quits.

Or the person you fall in love with says - I actually don’t want to ever get married.

In many ways these verses do that but so much more. It’s a punch in the gut. And yet - these three stories illustrate something that has to happen to us as it did to the disciples. Go from FOGGY to Clear. From lack of understanding to full understanding.

Let’s take the first story first and we will see that the gospel writer is setting us up for clarity.

Jesus Heals Blind Man

Mark 8:22–26 NIV

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

This is the first healing that doesn’t take right away. Which is weird right? I mean for Jesus it’s weird.

It’s pretty normal for us. Like we often try something when we are sick and it doesn’t work right and we have to try something else or try again.

-Sometimes we need multiple treatments.

So in some ways this feels pretty normal. But we are talking about GOD here. You don’t think he can’t heal on the first try? The God who never makes mistakes is like —- whoops that didn’t work? Wow… okay, let me try this.

We can dismiss the idea that Jesus didn’t just get things right the first try. That’s never happened with Jesus… He’s healed from distances, from the hem of his cloak, from just saying the words… and really - HE IS GOD.

Therefore, we can determine something else is going on.

Jesus is very intentional and decided to heal this man in two stages.

Stage 1 - Mark 8:23-24

Mark 8:23–24 NIV

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

Stage 2 - Mark 8:25

Mark 8:25 NIV

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

Why did Jesus do this? The rest of what we are going to cover today is actually going to explain that. Jesus is revealing something…

ABOUT OUR FAITH

ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO SEE

1 Corinthians 13:11–13 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

The apostle Paul when talking about spiritual growth he uses two illustrations.

1- like a child - growing.

2- like a blurry reflection — versus seeing it clearly

This is what Jesus is showcasing in this healing. That as we grow in our understanding of Jesus we sometimes first see PEOPLE walking around like TREES.

As we grow in our understanding of how Jesus works in our lives and how he guides and leads us. How we learn to trust in his plan even when it doesn’t make sense. We see things a bit blurry first.

However - sometimes we bail on Jesus when things are blurry. This man could have easily been mad

-YOU DIDN’T DO IT RIGHT. Oh no… I’m gonna be stuck like this.

-I’m going somewhere else. I’m going to trust someone else.

But instead he allows Jesus to place his hands on him again. “Jesus you are the healer, the only one in whom I trust.”

What about Jesus and his plan is a bit blurry right now? How can you lean into him more?

Understanding Jesus’ way is going to be a bit blurry at first for us. Like looking through a blurry mirror.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Jesus the Messiah

Mark 8:27–30 NIV

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Who do people say I am?

-They have a faint idea… but it’s a bit blurry to them. Many say you are John the Baptist (Herod even said this), or Elijah come back. Or maybe another prophet.

This is the blurry picture.

But who do you say that I am?

-The Messiah

This is the clarity.

We need this same CLARITY —- WHO IS JESUS?

Is he John the Baptist —- a good teacher that is drawing people to a different way but dies like the rest. Is he Elijah - a prophet bringing reform? Is he a genie? Is he a good helper?

Or is he the Messiah?

The other gospels add — and “ON THIS ROCK, I’ll BUILD MY CHURCH”

-Catholics take it to mean Peter

-Some say it’s the terminology of Messiah — building it around that

-Others say it’s the declaration of faith.

So even today we have a bit of a blur about it.

And my desire for you is to keep being like the blind man- coming back to Jesus — saying help me grow. Help it become more clear. Help it be part of my life.

For even as Christians to this day. We can ebb and flow with what it means that Jesus is the Messiah and Lord.

-The one we build our lives around. The one we anchor ourselves to. The one we let guide us and lead us.

We can often go in and out of Jesus “take the wheel”

We often can ask for a turn to drive and put Jesus in the backseat.

Why? Because at times we look around this world and we look at the plan of Jesus or maybe the silence of Jesus and we see blurry trees.

2 Corinthians 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

This is a huge statement by Peter - YOU ARE THE MESSIAH.

But Mark reminds us in literally the next section that Peter is still learning what that means and how Jesus’ plan works.

-There’s confusion even still on what Jesus will do and how he will bring about his kingdom as the Messiah.

Jesus will die

Mark 8:31–33 NIV

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Tough day for Peter - going from “On this rock” to “Get behind me Satan.”

The plan of Jesus rocked Peter so much that he was like - “NO WAY! I won’t let it happen.” And man, if that ain’t a testimony about how I sometimes approach the plan of Jesus in my life.

-Jesus’ plan is so contrary to plans that we have.

-DEATH on a CROSS? You crazy?

“You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

And here is where Jesus gets all of us right along with Peter.

The concerns of God often do not invade our hearts like our human concerns.

-Whether it be lack of understanding of Godly concerns

-Or that human concerns feel more pressing

-Or more daunting

-Or that Godly concerns don’t seem to make as much sense

-Or even church theology — progressive Christianity says - let’s blur the lines because the clarity is too narrow. While fundamentalism says - since the goal is clarity, we will leave nothing blurry even the things we need to trust God in.

The concerns of God need to invade our hearts.

We get sucked into a similar place that Peter did. Peter’s heart is in the right place right? Like he wants Jesus to live, not die. He wants Jesus to conquer not be defeated.

We often have the right heart too but we can’t see that the greatest victory that Jesus can accomplish is the defeat of death.

-The taking of our sins to the cross.

-The atonement that brings us peace.

That wouldn’t happen without his death.

And instead of trying to find some sort of shortcut, like we are prone to do. Jesus says, no the pathway to life is through death. The pathway to peace is through pain. The pathway to joy is through struggle. I will show you the way.

Which will lead us into our passage next week really well about how we like Jesus also need to pick up our cross.

But for now we need to understand

Hebrews 12:1–3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Church - like the blind man, may we lean into Jesus when life feels blurry.

Like Peter may we see that Jesus is our messiah

and Like Jesus may we recognize that the concerns of God are greater than our human concerns.

Now we head to the altar - to publicly bring our needs before the Lord.

Let’s pray.

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What does the journey of the blind man tell us about our own faith journey?

In what areas of your life do you currently find your understanding of Jesus to be 'blurry'?

How can we actively seek clarity in our relationship with Jesus, similar to the blind man's persistence?

What specific examples in your life demonstrate a time when God’s plan felt contrary to your own expectations?

How can we remind ourselves to walk by faith and not by sight in difficult situations?

How do we respond when God's answer to our prayers is not what we expected?

In what ways do we sometimes place our own human concerns above God's concerns?

What practical steps can you take to make Jesus the center of your life as your Messiah?

How can our community help support one another when our faith feels blurry?

What does it mean to you to take up your cross as Jesus instructed, and how can you apply that to daily life?