The Sight Giving Savior: Mark 8:22-26

Introduce

We come now to a transitional passage in Mark’s Gospel. From the beginning of the chapter 4 to this point we have encountered Christ during His ministry around the Sea of Galilee. He has ministered to and taught crowds, He has dwelt with and trained disciples, He has shown grace to and healed people of various infirmities. Jesus is the bringer of God’s Kingdom this is declared in His preaching and demonstrated in His miracles. He is God the Son incarnate, who is worthy of faith. The disciples, however, have shown themselves to be somewhat blind throughout this portion of Mark. They fear storms and starvation. They question Jesus. They don’t understand parables. They are a mess.

Just last week we saw them preoccupied with their lack of bread, while our Lord taught them eternal truths. He asked them in verse 18, “Having eyes, do you not see?” They didn’t see. The text answers many questions, but one sticks out: Who gives sight? You likely already know the answer from previous sermons and the reading of the text. But I will flesh out the answer after I retell and explain the story.

Retell

To begin with, see the Savior sought (22).

Last Sunday we read the disciples and Jesus were in the boat on the Sea. Our text this morning starts with them reaching their destination. They sailed to the east side of the Sea of Galilee. The place they came to was called Bethsaida, which was at the northeastern side of the Sea. Peter, Andrew, and Philip were from there. Its inhabitants were likely a good mix of Jew and gentile. Upon their arrival a group of people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Him to touch the man. Jesus is the medicine for all and every kind of ailment both physical and spiritual. They undoubtedly witnessed or heard of His willingness and ability to heal. What would Jesus do?

In addition to seeing the Savior sought, see the Savior seek (23-24).

Jesus grasped the man by the hand. He led him outside of the village. After spitting in the man’s eyes, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” In comparing and contrasting this healing of a blind man with others in the Gospels, you will notice that no two are the same. Jesus’s healings are very personal and specific to the individual. Why does Jesus spit on the man’s eyes? I’m not sure. However, he does something similar with the deaf and mute man. There he was showing that something would be done for the man’s ailment, and that He would do it. The same thing is likely present here. This man’s eyes would be given sight, and Jesus would do it. He, however, didn’t do it all at once, but progressively.

The man’s answer is in verse 24. Look there: “And he looked up and said, ‘I see people but they look like trees walking.” It might be better translated, “I see men, because I see them walking as trees.” Perhaps this man hadn’t always been blind for He knew what trees and men look like. At this point, Jesus has given the man partial sight. Would He give him full sight?

Now that you have seen the Savior sought and seek, see the Savior save (25).

As I said, at this point, the man’s sight was only partially restored. Jesus, though, isn’t done. He places his hands on the man’s eyes. Then the story goes into slow motion, giving the events in high definition. Look at the rest of verse 25: “he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” I can only imagine the joy this man experienced. It was probably akin to the colorblind people looking through the glasses that help them see color for the first time, or like a deaf person who through technology is able to hear a loved one’s voice. Jesus didn’t need technology, He gave this man vision. He gave sight to the blind.

You have seen the Savior sought, seek, and save.

Finally, see the Savior send (26).

After saving this man from his blindness, Jesus sent him home. He told him, “Do not even enter the village.” This might be odd to you. Yet it is very consistent with what Jesus has done and said during this portion of His earthly ministry. At this point in His ministry the time for his ultimate unveiling had not yet come. The people wanted a King to free them from Rome. Jesus was King who would free them from a tyrant more sinister than Caesar. He would do it through His holy life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension but I’m getting ahead of Mark. Like a well crafted movie, the story of Christ is shrouded with mystery that progressively becomes more clear. The end of the Gospel sheds light on what has come before it. For now, the Savior sends the man home and demands secrecy.

Transition

What have you seen in this story? You saw the Savior sought, seek, save, and send. Now I will answer the question I posed at the beginning: Who gives sight? The answer is Jesus. Yes, the big idea is Jesus gives sight. The blind man seems to be illustrative of what is going on with Jesus’s disciples from chapter 4 to this point. Jesus has interrogated his disciples about their inability to see (4:12; 8:18; cf. Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Isa. 42:18, 19; 43:8; Matt. 13:13). They are with Jesus, but they don’t quite see Him for who He is. Like with the blindman, Jesus progressively gives them sight; the sight to see Him. Similarly, Jesus gives sight to all His people: sight to see Him and experience His salvation. With that said, let me give you three responses you should have to Jesus sight giving ability.

Apply

1. Jesus gives sight, so trust in Him

Yes, I know this point has been in practically every sermon, but it is truely that important. Apart from faith in Christ all other responses are pointless. Faith alone is the tool by which we apprehend Christ and His saving graces. It is, also, in the text. Those that brought the blind man to Jesus trusted and believed He could deliver the man. We like them should trust that He is who He said He was and can do what He says and has demonstrated He can do.

Believer, this still true for you. You must trust in Jesus as you trusted Him in the beginning. In fact, your faith in Christ should increase and strengthen as you see Him more clearly. What do we see when we look at Christ.

We see God the Son Incarnate, True man and True God.

We see the promised Messiah.

We see the grace and justice of God in His person and work, particularly on the cross. Where He came under God’s judgement for sin and purchased the pardon and eternal life of sinners.

We see the mediator between us and God. It is in Him we have access to God.

We see our King, who reigns at God’s right hand and dispenses graces to His people in the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

We see our gentle, lowly, and great shepherd who despises none of His disciples and leads us to His streams of living water.

We see the one who leads us to eternal rest and victory over sin, satan, and death.

We see the one who gives sight to the blind and understanding to the clueless.

These examples and more are ample reason for you to continue to trust Him.

Unbeliever, there is salvation in no other but Jesus. You were born in sin and continue in rebellion against the God you know to exist. You sin against His law that is written in your heart. Such sin as you know is deserving of judgement. You have abandoned God and worshiped created things instead of Him. You have loved the gift and hated the giver. You dishonor authority, murder, commit adultery, kill, lie, steal, and covet. You have other gods, make idols, take God’s name in vain, and dishonor the Sabbath. You are unrighteous, dead in sin, a follower of satan, the world, and your own corrupt sin nature, and you by nature are a child of wrath.

To where will you turn to flee God’s justice? Where can you hide from the God who sees all things, including your thoughts? Who can save you from one who is omnipotent? Who will give you sight to see? Who will give you ears to hear? Who will give you understanding? The answer is Jesus. He is God the Son Incarnate, who can pay for sins against the infinite God and serve as a representative of humans. He lived in perfect righteousness and has given Himself as a substitute for sinners. All who trust in Him are granted pardon for sins, receive His perfect righteous record, and given eternal life. All who trust in Him are given salvation, even the worst of sinners. Will you trust in Him? Will you choose life, or will you remain in death? Trust in Jesus.

2. Jesus gives sight, so wait on Him

As you saw in the story and have seen in Jesus’s relationship with the disciples, Jesus doesn’t always give complete sight instantaneously. Sometimes, in fact oftentimes, He takes time and grants it progressively. However, He never leaves a work unfinished. This could be applied in multiple ways, but I will give two examples: One to the mature believer and another to the immature or new believer.

Mature Believer, you should wait on Jesus as it relates to your own growth and the growth of your less mature brothers and sisters in Christ. You may see more clearly, know more, care more, and are more holy. But if your honest, you didn’t reach your level of maturity immediately or by your own power. Christ has given you more sight over time. He has strengthened your faith through experience and His Word by His Spirit. So be patient with your less mature brothers and sisters. Don’t despair at their confusion, lack of passion, or unholiness. Instead, pray for them, encourage them, correct them, and be a good example for them. Show them the value of Christ by your word and conduct. Show them your love for them in the same way. Jesus patiently revealed Himself to His disciples. You should also patiently reveal Him with less mature disciples.

Immature Believer, you may not even know the level of your immaturity, but take heed to my words. You have not arrived to perfection and you have a long way to go. Your vision of heavenly things is still blurred. Your living is still marred with sin. You may be aware that you have a long way to go. You may be discouraged by your continual battle against sin, maybe even a lingering sin you can’t rid yourself of. What shall you do? There is much to do, but let’s start you with a simple though difficult task, namely wait on Jesus. He will transform you. Give yourself to the means He has promised to bless and wait. Sit under the ministry of the Word, participate in public prayer, remember your Baptism or be baptized, and partake of the Lord’s Supper. Don’t forsake the assembly with fellow believers. Instead, do these things with faith in Christ and wait for Him to make you more holy and to give you more sight. He will. Know that He never leaves anything He starts unfinished. Wait on Him and I promise you He won’t disappoint you.

3. Jesus gives sight, so pray to Him

The Blindman didn’t bring himself to Christ. He was brought by his friends.

Believer, you too can bring people to Christ. In fact, you can bring the spiritually blind to Him. How do you do this? You do it through intercessory prayer. Pray for those who are spiritually blind. Pray that Jesus would give them sight to see Him and the salvation He accomplished. Pray for your blind family members, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and enemies. Every unbeliever is spiritually blind and need Jesus to give them sight, so pray for them. That is how you bring them to Jesus as the friends of the blind man brought him.

Conclude

Jesus gives sight, so trust in Him, wait on Him, and pray to Him. You saw this truth, when you saw the Savior sought, seek, save, and send. Jesus alone gives sight to the blind. Let us go to Him. Let us bring others to Him.