Finding Your Voice

What Do You Do?

I am just not handy around the house. I need lots of help.

Last year Tom helped me w/ my deck.

Allen has helped me w/ a couple of plumbing problems.

Rick VanDeurzen replaced a door for me.

Efrin helped me w/ my pine needles.

It’s almost firewood time, where’s Stan?

I’ve dealt w/ drips in the house and tree limbs but I have to call somebody b/c I don’t know what to do.

I end up making the situation worse more often then making the situation better.

What do You Say?

Excited enough to shout about it?

Out of your seat, hands raised, and shouting out loud?

Diamondbacks winning? Cardinals?

Or in my case Rangers and Cowboys!

Birth of a grand child?

Kids drama camp?

As a pastor I’m called into some pretty tough situations. What do you say when a husband suddenly passed away in his sleep?

Wednesday night at the County Planning and Zoning Commission where both Farmers’ Markets are applying for their permit.

What do I say that is supportive of both w/out taking sides and favoring one over the other. The concerns are legit. But, they can be addressed .

Recently I had the occasion to confront a friend who had had an affair. I’ve confronted people before, but no one I was so close to.

He needs to know I’m mad, disappointed, hurt.

He needs to know he needs to make it right, but it will take a long time.

Pinewood players?

What do I say?

A hole-in-one? (I’ve seen 2)

How do you find the words when someone has been hurt.

“I’m sorry” can be the hardest phrase in your vocab. Close behind, “You hurt me and owe me and apology.”

Finding your voice, saying what needs to be said w/ the right attitude and the right actions, can be nearly impossible at times.

But, it is freeing, empowering, calming when you can do it.

Jesus will help you find your voice.

Typically, it’s a performance.

He will open your eyes to see what you need to see so that you can do what you need to do and say what you need to say.

It begins w/ asking Him for help.

How do we know? Miracles #17 & #18.

Matthew 9:27-38

Context (Matthew)

Theme of Matthew: Jesus is the King of God’s kingdom

Makes him the Messiah, Savior. He is God.

Mark, Luke, and John say it, too. But, in passing.

3 Groupings of miracles:

Leper, Centurion’s servant, Peter’s MIL

Storm, Legion, Paralytic

Jairus’ daughter, hemorrhaging woman, these 2.

All these miracles, Matthew is using to point to Jesus as the King of God’s kingdom. He is the Messiah.

Written to a Jewish audience who are looking for their Messiah.

The leaders have already rejected Jesus.

But, the ppl will have every opportunity to decide for themselves.

They had been taught all their lives.

Isaiah 35:5–6 NIV

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

3 groups of 3 miracles

Cleansing the leper

Centurion’s servant

Peter’s MIL

Stills the storm

Legion of demons

Paralytic

Jairus’ daughter

Hemorrhaging woman

2 blind men

In Matthew, immediately following these miracles, he wrote about Jesus sending the disciples out 2 x 2 to tell the people and show them that Jesus is the One.

The Miracles:

The Blind Men and the Visionary

Matthew 9:27–31 NIV

As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

The blind pursue

Irony? They can’t see but they follow Jesus indoors.

They pursued Him.

“Son of David” is a reference to the King. They bel’d that Jesus is the rightful heir to God’s throne.

Which means, they bel’d in Jesus as their Messiah.

Jesus asked, “Do you bel. I am able to do this?”

Just a miracle worker?

“Yes, Lord” Again, a ref to Jesus being much more than just a Miracle-Worker. He is their Lord.

They bel’d in His Person, King, Lord.

They bel’d in His power. As difficult as their life had been, they were blessed to be alive when Jesus was here looking for an opportunity to fulfill .

So, Jesus obliged.

The blind see

He touched their eyes.

You know that their other senses were heightened so this touch communicated something deeply to them.

Jesus showed compassion on them and this touch communicated His love for them.

The healing was immediate and complete. One more time was fulfilled.

They “saw” Jesus as their Savior before, now they can see their Savior, Jesus.

And, Jesus knew what was about to happen and He healed them anyway. Grace.

The sighted have blind spots

These men were healed b/c of their faith. Though, not everyone Jesus healed had faith.

Our faith in Jesus is less important than His faith and purpose in us when it comes to His healing.

Faith

He gave them a command. Don’t tell anyone.

Eventually, tell your story. Just not right now. As the crowds grow larger, the chances for Him to connect with the ppl grows smaller.

It took them no time at all to disobey. They couldn’t not tell their story.

God’s work in our lives doesn’t require perfection, only faith. Our faith doesn’t have to be strong, just in the right place.

Not everyone who Jesus healed had faith.

But, Jesus had faith in everyone He healed to help Him get His message out.

It matters less how much you believe in Jesus. It matters more how much Jesus believes in you.

They didn’t deserve to be healed that day. And, fortunately, obedience is not a prerequisite of Jesus’ work in your life.

Grace.

It’s not a condition of Jesus’ work in your life.

Then, while the former blind men go out telling everyone when they should have been silent, a mute man is led in who would love t/b able to speak.

The Mute Man Finds His Voice

Matthew 9:32–34 NIV

While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”

The silent want to speak

Irony: the blind men find their own way in. This guy can see but he needs to be led in.

Now, the former blind men leave having been told not to speak but they can’t keep it to themselves and the mute man who wants to speak comes in but can’t.

No one has to speak. The demon doesn’t. The man can’t.

Jesus knows what to do and He does it.

Faith?

The man didn’t speak to express any faith.

The demon certainly did not.

Why didn’t Matthew give us more detail? B/C it wasn’t the point.

Jesus had faith that the message would get out that He has authority and power over the demons as their King, too.

This King will one day destroy these subjects.

The man found his voice. No longer unable or confused. It was clear what had happened and he was ready to tell the world.

And the crowd went wild. They were amazed!

But, amazement does not equal faith.

They recognized Jesus is unique. There has never been anyone like Him before, nor since.

They are primed to accept Him. But they didn’t at that time.

Yes Jesus is unique. But He is also King, Lord, Messiah, Savior.

Then, the Pharisees spoke and probably shouldn’t have.

Those who could speak, shouldn’t have

They were not amazed nor amused. Reiterating their ultimate rejection by accusing Jesus of working on behalf of the enemy.

This wasn’t going the way they thought it should so it must not be of God. They couldn’t be wrong, could the?

They could speak but shouldn’t have.

They could see but they were blind.

The saw the actual fulfillment of right in front of them but they missed it.

They missed the obvious and are paying a dear price.

The people need leadership who will show them and tell them how to be changed by the power of God.

From dead to alive, from afflicted to affective, from blind to sighted, from silent to speaking.

Jesus will help people find their voice so that they can take others by the hand and show them the way to Him.

Seeing What to Do and Knowing What to Say

Matthew 9:35–38 NIV

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Teaching and healing

Jesus had his voice. He knew why He was here and how to lead the people to where He was going.

His is the King of this kingdom.

He healed many more than are described in the Bible. We don’t get the details b/c the healings aren’t the point.

They certainly were significant to the people who were healed that day. But they weren’t to the message of Matthew.

So many people then, and since have had life-changing encounters w/ Jesus.

He tells everyone how to get to heaven, if you believe in Him as your Messiah He will get you there. Then, He proves He can do what He says He can do.

Matthew and the others write about the miracles that help them get their points across.

In His teaching and healing, Jesus demonstrated great compassion on the people.

He’s shown compassion to those who are harassed and feeling helpless.

Compassion

Jesus had compassion on the people and this is an indictment on the leadership.

He’s compassionate b/c the people are being harassed and feel helpless.

This is an indictment of the leadership.

The people need a Shepherd.

Jesus came, not only to show the way Himself, but teach others how to show the way after He was gone.

And the way we do that is by showing people the way and telling them how to get there.

Find your voice

Our job is to finish what Jesus started.

Now, He’s still doing it, but He’s doing it thru us.

We need to know what to do. What does compassion look like?

Honestly, not everyone gets healed. They didn’t then, they don’t now.

How do we know what the right thing to do is? How do we know what to say? What to pray?

Jesus will open your eyes and free you voice.

Those of us whom Jesus has led thru difficult times are the best ones able to help others navigate their circumstances.

And even in the most difficult of circumstances see what to do and know what to say to help them find their way to Jesus.

These workers have found their voice as they found their own way to Jesus in their own circumstances.

That’s you and me. We follow Jesus and sometimes He leads us into storms. And we learn not to panic but to trust.

Once we’ve made it thru we can help others find their way thru their storms to Jesus, too.

James 1:5–8 NIV

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

This is why we are still here.

Or, if you don’t know the words to say.

There are people all around us who need Who we have.

We have a Shepherd, we have a purpose to our lives. We know where we’re going.

We struggle from time to time. Every sheep does.

But our Shepherd compassionately, sometimes forcefully, puts us back on course.

Jesus is the Lord of the harvest and we are His workers.

He has opened our eyes and given us a voice that we can use to passionately tell our stories.

And, in telling out stories, people will relate and want to follow Jesus, too.

We may do this for ourselves or we may help someone else.

Whether we’re dealing w/ our own tough situations or helping someone else w/ theirs, Jesus will give the wisdom that shows us what to do and tells what to say.

When people realize that Jesus has helped you and will he

Applications

Humbly Pursue

Humbly pursue Jesus. Be persistent, respectful, bold and humble.

Too often we fail to say even a brief prayer before we try to decide on our own what to do or offer wise counsel.

Stop, pray, ask Jesus for the words and direction. He will give generously.

He sees everything

Remember, we don’t have to be able to see to be able to see.

Jesus sees everything. So, trust His direction.

It may not make sense at the time. But, He’s not limited to what we know.

Silence may be the right thing

The two formerly blind men had a hard time keeping their mouths shut. But, that was the directive from Jesus.

Maybe we can relate.

Often times the right thing to say is to say nothing.

On more than one occasion God directive to me was to keep my head down and my mouth shut. He was going to deal w/ a situation and did not need my help.

Make sure He’s telling you to speak and it’s not you telling you to speak.

That’s why we start w/ a humble approach, asking for help.

We don’t need to tell Him what to do or tell Him what we plan to do then expect him to bless our plan.

In every situation we face Jesus will open our eyes and give us the ability to see what we need to see so that we can do what we need to do and say what we need to say.

It begins w/ asking Him for help and may include asking others for help.

He expects us to follow thru.

Our experiences aren’t just about us.

Yes, we learn and grow. But then we have the opportunity to shepherd those around us and help them thru the same things.

He is showing us and training us to manage our lives as He builds the Church around us.