Saturday, May 24, 2014

Weekend Sermon--Mark 8:22-26

     Thank you for joining me for another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am sorry that I was not able to post the sermon yesterday, but I had to attend a very long meeting at work.  The library closes early on Friday, so I didn't have time to get the sermon posted.
     As I did last week, I would ask that you please pray for me about my financial situation.  I am working hard, but the last couple of years has left me in a bad situation.  If a miracle doesn't happen within the next few days, I am afraid that I am going to lose my house.  I am trying to work with the people that I owe, but I am not really getting anywhere.  Please pray that the Lord will provide and show me the way forward in this matter.
     Today, we continue with our series of messages on the miracles of Jesus.  Our message this week comes from the Gospel of Mark.  I find this to be one of the most unusual of the miracle stories told about Jesus.
     As Jesus came to the city of Bethsaida, some of the people who lived in the town brought a blind man for Jesus to heal.  Jesus took the man by the hand and led him out of the town.  Jesus then spit on the man's eyes and put His hands on the man. 
     Jesus asked the blind man if he could see anything.  The blind man responded that he saw men who looked like trees walking about.  At this point, Jesus put His hands on the blind man's eyes again.  This time, the blind man's sight was restored to complete perfection.  Jesus sent the man away and told him not to go into the town.
     This story is unusual because it seems at first glance that Jesus didn't get the healing right the first time.  As the Lord of all of the universe, I know that Jesus has the power to do whatever it is that He wants to do.  It is my opinion that this story teaches us a great spiritual lesson.
     First of all, Jesus led the man out of town.  This demonstrates to me that when we come to follow the Lord, we have to leave our past of sinfulness behind us.  We have to come out of that which kept us in spiritual darkness for so long.  Jesus is the one who takes us from the place of darkness and leads us into the light.
     Just as this man didn't see everything clearly right away, those of us who come to know the Lord will not understand all that there is to know about following Jesus right away.  The Christian life is a growth process.  We mature in the faith.  The goal is to become more and more like Jesus our Lord each and every day. 
     As we study the words of Jesus and spend time communicating with Him in prayer, we understand more about what He expects of us.  We grow closer to Him, and we become more like Him. 
     Eventually, we will be with Jesus.  At that time, we will be made complete.  We will know as we are known.  The past with the sins that so easily beset us will be done.  We will live in the glorious light of the risen Lord and sin will be no more.
     As we walk the narrow path that leads to life looking to Jesus who is the author and the perfecter of our faith, we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.  We cannot look back on the things of the world.  We must not go back to the spiritual darkness from which Jesus has so graciously delivered us.
     If you have not had your sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus, I invite you to ask Jesus to forgive you.  Trust in Him for salvation, and make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life today.
     Next Wednesday, I will have an animal book review.  On Friday, I will post another sermon in our miracles of Jesus series.  May God bless you.

No comments: