Jesus Again Heals a Man Who Was Hopeless
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Jesus again comes to the area of Decapolis and there finds a man who needs His healing touch. We know that this kind of ailment is not easily cured but Jesus does so and He does so quickly. It results in Jesus being proclaimed throughout the region and of course, His fame gets back to Jerusalem. Mark is building characters, developing the plot, and recording the events that will lead us to the pinnacle of his Gospel; the cross. It is there we, as the characters in his Gospel, will confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and His Gospel is the Good News. Our story today has to do with Jesus’ power over a helpless and hopeless man. He could not hear or speak plainly. Therefore, he was a burden to someone. The people in the region bring him to Jesus to be healed and Jesus does not disappoint. There are lessons in this true story that will cause us to say with this crowd, Jesus does all things well. Four observations in this text will help us see that Jesus does all things well. I pray you will see that before we are finished. The first observation is:
We see a perplexing place (31)
It is hard to follow where Jesus went
He left the northern part of the sea
He went toward the Med. Sea
He visited Tyre and Sidon
Then He took the long way to get to Decapolis
That is where our story begins
It must have taken 6-8 months
We are told nothing about that time
The area of Decapolis is mostly Gentile populated
Some Jews but mostly Gentiles
It seems the man of this story was a Jew
We see a pitiable case (32)
Who is the “they?”
It is the people in this area
They obviously care for their own
They brought this man to Jesus
They were neighbors in word and deed
They bring one of their own to Jesus
He is deaf
He cannot hear
We do not know if this was a recent problem
Or a problem from birth
Sign language was not developed then
He has a speech impediment
Those who cannot hear have a difficult time speaking
But this man’s speech was impeded
It could have been very raspy
Or it could have been difficult to follow his words
Either way, he could not contribute to society in a positive way
This is again a picture of mankind without God
We cannot hear the voice of God
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17)
This does not mean that the deaf cannot be saved
This man probably could not read either
Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one (Deut. 6:4)
We cannot speak the words of God
We speak only what is in the heart
Until born again we will not speak God’s Word
We see a private healing (33-35)
Jesus takes him aside
This is because the healing does not need an audience
Isn’t it amazing that today these so-called faith healers need an audience?
They will not go to the hospitals and nursing homes
No, you have to come to their carefully orchestrated service
Jesus does not need an audience to do what only He can do
Jesus puts His fingers in the man’s ears
The man could not hear so that was expected
Not only that, but the man now knew that Jesus was effecting a cure
The request to lay hands on the man is now taken up but in a different form
Most likely the man’s condition was from a stroke
Hearing always affects speaking
The man could not hear and therefore could not speak plainly
Jesus touches the man’s tongue
Saliva was thought to have medicinal properties
Jesus spits and touches the man’s tongue with it
First the ears and now the tongue
Jesus looks up to Heaven
Heaven is the source of His power for that is where His Father is
The New King James Version Chapter 5
19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.
Jesus and the Father are one in essence
God approves of this healing
Jesus sighs
We see His compassion
This man is not a case
He is a human being and one of God’s children
Jesus speaks one word in Aramaic
Mark translates it for us
Ephphatha
“Be opened”
It is in the imperative mood
The mood of command
Immediately the man’s ears were opened
He began to speak plainly
Now if he had this condition from birth
He is now speaking a language he had never heard
But if this condition come upon him later on in life
He is now speaking a language he had not heard in some time
The idea of “plainly” suggests that what was previously unclear
Was now plain and understandable
It means “rightly or correctly”
What did he say?
Most likely he thanked Jesus for healing him
The first word he ever heard caused him to praise God
We see a public confession
Jesus commands the crowd to tell no one
They do not listen
The more He commands
The more they proclaim this event
Their confession is the greatest praise Jesus has been given up to this point
He has done all things well
This reflects the creative act of God in Genesis
God proclaimed what He had created as very good
These Gentiles realize that Jesus is God
Their confession echoes what was written in Isaiah
The New King James Version Chapter 35
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
When they saw the amazing power of Jesus
They could not but praise God
They were astonished beyond measure
Conclusion: What will Jesus do with you? Will He open your ears and cause you to praise God for being rescued from the clutches of sin? Are we bringing others who are dead in trespasses and sins to Jesus, knowing He can heal them of their sins? If you are walking with the Lord, do you remember the day He opened your ears and caused you to speak His Word? Are you telling others about this great day? The apostle Paul gave his testimony two times in the book of Acts. Have you given yours to someone lately? It is your greatest witnessing tool. Will you commit to being more faithful to Jesus with your walk and your witness? Let us pray