Mark 8:22-26

Spiritual Maturity

Intro: This is the only time that is recorded in the gospel where Jesus heals someone gradually. There was the time where He put mud of a blinds mans eye and told to go to the pool of Siloam. But he was healed immediately when he obeyed Jesus. But here we have something different, something we only see this one time. The man at first has his sight partially restored. Then when Jesus puts His hands on him the second time, his sight is fully resorted.

Why? Everything Jesus did was for a reason. He didn’t something just to do it. As I studied this there were some different opinions of why.

Some believe it was because Jesus had been to Bethsaida before and rebuked them for their unbelief, and refusal to repent.

H.W

Matthew 11:21–24 NKJV

21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Matthew 11:

Some believe it was this man lack of faith. He didn’t come his own, he didn’t call out to Jesus.

We need to see what has been going on. Jesus had healed the deaf man. He had fed 4000+ people when 7 loaves and a few fishes. He was temped by the Pharisees and Sadducee, demanding a sign from heaven. He told them there would be no sign. He called them a wicked and adulterous generation.

Then we find out that the disciples are concerned because they forgot tot bring bread, and Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and spoke of leaven (ELAB) all they can think about is not having any bread.

Jesus rebukes them because they are not thinking about spiritual matters, only material matters. He says “How is it that you don’t understand”

All that they had witnessed. Elab. All the teaching they had heard. Their private time with Jesus. They still had a lack of spiritual understanding . How could that be?

They were still spiritually immature. They were still growing in there faith. Spiritual maturity doesn’t come automatically. It takes longer for some then others. For some it seems never grow spiritually.

Charles Jr Matthews born 1916 tell about Jr.

Because of the damage to his brain he was always like a child. He was always immature.

There to many Christians that are like that. They are Christians, but are still child like in their faith.

Hebrews 5:11–14 NASB95

11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

The disciples still had a ways in their faith. Still spiritually immature.

So, when I see Jesus gradually healing this man, I see an illustration of spiritual growth. It doesn’t come imminently, and it is up to you to do what you need to do to grow in your faith.

Without a relationship with Jesus, we are totally blind to spiritual things. But when you become a Christian, you can see things spiritually, but it can be unclear. The more we trust God, the more we obey His word,(which means you have to read it, pray it) the clearer our spiritual vision become. We become more mature spiritually.

No matter how long you have been a Christian, you still have room for spiritual growth. Let look at some ways we can do this.

I. Trust God. Follow his lead. VS 22-23a

Mark 8:22–23 KJV 1900

22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

Mark

Mark 8:22–23 NKJV

22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. 23 So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

I believe that this man lost his sight sometime during his life, not born blind. VS 24 He saw men a tress walking, So he knew what trees looked like.

a. “They brought him” Someone cared enough about him to bring him to Jesus. Someone who had seen Jesus and knew of His compassion, or they had heard about Jesus.

b. When you are spiritually mature, you will tell people about Jesus.

2. Jesus took this man by the hand and led him out of town. The deaf man in Ch 7 Jesus took him aside from the crowd of people. Here Jesus takes this man out of town.

This was a town where there had been unbelief, so there were negative unbelieving people there. One of worse things for Christian who wants to grow in their faith to do is hang around a Christian who doesn't care about growing in their faith.

a. If you want to grow in your walk with Jesus, if you want to be spiritually mature, you have to be willing to follow Jesus even when you don’t understand.

b. One thing the disciples seemed to have was a lack of understanding spiritual matters. They just didn’t get it. But their lack of understanding didn’t keep them from following Him.

c. Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John. He said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” Follow me there, means keep following me”

d. Then He Matthew the tax collector. “Follow me”

e. They didn’t understand what all that meant, but they obeyed Him, and kept following them. There were a lot of people that wanted to follow Jesus, but turned back when things got hard, and when Jesus shared what it meant. (Rich young ruler)

Trust

3. Are you willing to follow Jesus? What does this mean? Whatever it is that He is calling you to do. Inviting someone to church. Getting involved in ministry of some kind. Singing in the choir. Come to Wed night prayer meeting.

a. Your willingness to follow Jesus’ lead will show your growth in your spiritual life.

II. Trust God: Respond to God VS 23b-25a

Mark 8:23–25 KJV 1900

23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

=25

Jesus’ way of healing this man was unusual. He spat on the mans eyes. Ch 7:33

John 9:6–7 NASB95

6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing.

a. He spat on his eyes and touched him. Whoever brought to Jesus asked Jesus to touch him.

2. The methods that God’s chooses may seem odd to us.

a. Jericho: March around the city once. Do this for 6 days. On the 7th day march around the city brown rams horns an shout.

b. Gideon: 10,000 men drink water, 300 men

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3. Who God uses may srtange:

He used a little boys lunch to feed 5000 people. He used a run away prophet to go to Nineveh.

c. He used Moses, who didn’t speak well, to stand before Pharaoh. He used a load mouth fishermen to preach on the day of Pentecost and 3000 people were saved.

d. God may use methods to help you grow in your faith that seem odd. This where you faith has to kick in. Just imagine going to Jesus to be healed, he leads you by the hand (by the way, that is very touching) but then He spits on your eyes.

e. He may use some, what may seem like an odd way for us. That is when we first have to make sure it is coming from Him. And we have to respond.

f. If your Christian life is not where it should be, things may not seem so clear.

g. After Jesus touches this man and spits on his eyes, He asks him what he sees.

“I see men like trees walking”

h. The Lord speaks to us, and He shows. But if you relationship with is not where it should be we not see or hear so clearly. This will happen when you are not going in your faith. Its up to you to grow spiritually.

i. You grow by first coming to church.

i. I

Reading and studying Gods word.

Prayer. Praying the bible.

Stepping out of your comfort zone.

j. When you don’t get it, when you mess up. When you don’t quit understand, and miss understand. Don’t give up.

VS 25a “And he put his hands again upon his eyes”

k. Jesus had the power to heal him the first time. But, it seem here he wanting to see this man reaction.

l. When it comes to spiritual maturity, you growing in your faith. The Lord will speak to you, He will show you, He will out you to the test. maybe even allow difficulty to come your way.

m. Trust, follow, obey: Gorw

III .Trust God, Grow in Grace.

Mark 8:25–26 KJV 1900

25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

“and he was restored, and saw every man clearly”

Restored: To restore to its original condition.

It is important that we take our the Christian life serious. What we do as Christians will either make an impact in our own live’s, the lives of others (family, friends, co-workers) and for Pine Grove Baptist.

a. You going to mess up. We all do. Peter did. Put he repented and grower spiritually.

b. If you are working to grow in your faith, the devil will be there to discourage you. (He uses people to do that, don’t let him use you)

c. Don’t let your weaknesses hold you back.

d. Don’t let anything hold you back. For my self, be dyslexic.

e. Sometimes we may working to grow in our faith, and something happens and we look a failure.

John Mark

He went Paul and Barnabas of their first Missionary trip. Elab on what they were doing.

John Mark went back home. Why? He was spiritually immature.

When Paul and Barnabas are setting out go out a second time, Barnabas wants to take John Mark.

Acts 15:36–39 NASB95

36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.

So Paul take a man named Silas. Barnabas takes John Mark.

Mark could have just given up serving the Lord.

2 Timothy 4:11 KJV 1900

11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

II Timothy 4:11

He wrote the gospel that we are studying.

Matthew 4:19 NKJV

19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”