Culver Community Church

Pastor Chris Sweeney

Sermon Notes

October 7, 2018

Matthew 20:29 – 34 Blindness and the Son of David

It is important that we put ourselves into the scene and mood of the crowds following Jesus. 

· Jesus, determined to go to Jerusalem is aware that the time is short!  He continues to teach the disciples and the crowds all that He can

· Some time has past but the disciples were, as they often were bent out of shape – mad at each other and focused on the rewards of ministry rather than the Kingdom and will of God.  James and John have suffered a mild rebuke and the remaining ten are glaring at them as they continue down the road.

· The swollen crowds are following Jesus, looking for signs and wonders and oh, yes . . . listening to His teaching.  The small group that followed Jesus out to Perea has been joined with the residents from east of the Jordan and the Jewish pilgrims coming to Jerusalem from all over the world for the holy days.  During this season, the population of Jerusalem would increase to as many as 2 or 3 million!

This mass of humanity was pushing and shoving and no doubt, many tempers flared, many travelers had become impatient and they were all expectantly waiting for Jesus to do something!  To condemn the Romans, to bring in the Kingdom - - - something!  They had heard about and seen all about Jesus – the way He taught (like no one had ever taught before!); the healings (so many, things they had been taught could not be healed); the miracles (unbelievable signs in nature, even bringing the dead back to life!).  In fact, Matthew’s account skips over it but between last week’s and today’s texts Lazarus was raised after three days in the grave!  This happened as Jesus approached Jerusalem – just outside of the city, but then He came back out toward Jericho - - - sort of meandering around, slowly centering in on the goal – Passion Week, just as God predicted, foreordained and perfectly timed!

It is at this point that the crowd goes by two blind beggars sitting by the side of the road.  The impatient crowd is inconvenienced by these two ‘unclean’ men.  In the common man’s mind, they only served to be recipients of their charity.  They could not earn a living and so were a burden on their families/society.  They were beggars, they could not contribute in any real meaningful way and they could not even go to the temple, to seek God’s help.  In fact, the loving religious leaders of the Jews constantly reinforced that it was sin that caused their blindness (and all other infirmities).  Quite frankly, they were in the way!  How can I get close to the Rabbi, get what I need or I want - with them distracting Him?  This is why the crowds rebuke them, trying to shut them up and move past them!

These two however, are desperate men – men who are used to begging, crying out for mercy from all who pass by that spot on the road just in order to survive.  There is no shame in seeking help from Jesus.  Certainly, there is no greater opportunity for them than when Jesus comes by!  They have nothing to lose – they were already outcasts, but what if the tales of Jesus are true?  Could they be healed and given a whole new life?  A life where people would not look down on them and where they could participate in society . . . even go to temple?!?  They are crying out (Greek krazō meaning to shriek, to croak i.e. the cry of a raven!), and this is in an ongoing tense – not just once, but constantly (no doubt adding to the crowd’s irritation).  They must have known that this was their opportunity, perhaps their only or last chance – if their voices could not get up over the noise of the crowd they might be blind for the rest of their lives!  So after the rebuke they krazō (cry out) megas (greatly, all the more)!

While blind, these men had a remarkable insight to who Jesus is.  They call out (screaming) to Him as Lord (kurios) which could be anyone of higher social standing, a prince or priest, all the way up to THE LORD, the God of Hosts!  They do not stop with that vague, interpret-however-you-want reference, they go on to call Him Son of David.  This can only mean one thing, referring to that greater son from the line of David who is the Messiah, the Promised One!  God often chooses the weak things in this world, not the rich or strong – why? Because it’s easier for someone who is desperate, who has nothing to lose to make the leap of faith and put their trust in Him!  The people will shout this name next chapter as Jesus rides that donkey into Jerusalem but right here, right now they know who Jesus is (even if they don’t know what it means).

Jesus stops the procession and calls for them to come to Him.  The other gospels only mention one of the two men, Mark tells us his name is Bartimaeus (probably because he was known in the first century church).  How would you like to see your name, right there in scripture? (Hopefully for something good!)  “Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” (Mark 10:49-50 NIV)  No doubt, these excited men were ‘following’ their guides as quickly as they would lead (maybe faster).  Then Jesus asks the same question He asked Salome and her sons “What do you want Me to do for you?”  This time, a real need, a real request asked humbly and worshipfully not with a false, self-seeking heart - "Lord," . . . "we want our sight." What was the result?  While Jesus told the two disciples your request is not in My mission, that’s not what I’m here to do and those places have been pre-reserved by God Himself – these received a compassionate answer!  “Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.” (vs. 34)

Immediately – no, go home take two aspirin or go and give to the ministry - - - no mud in their eyes and not even go and wash in the river.  Spiritually they saw clearly, they acknowledged Jesus and there was no need for a lesson, so Jesus did for them what they asked on the spot!  Do you have a need?  Look to Jesus, see Him for who He is and pray – trusting and believing He is the Messiah.  He is the good and loving God and that He can do all that we ask and so much more!  When we ask in this way, seeking Him – trusting Him (no matter the answer) then He has compassion on us – then we can expect an answer.  That is something you can’t fake – Salome came to Jesus ‘worshipping’ but I think we all know that was just ‘buttering up’ – not true worship.  These men worshipped the Son of David  and God looked on them with favor!

Here in this story we see the humanity of the men, they simply want to be healed (have their needs met).  However, the same can be said of the crowd.  Everyone here is driven by self-interest except Jesus.  Suddenly we see one of the reasons that God has placed this simple story right here.  No doubt there were many healings, many miracles but this is recorded for us.  And what a place to put it – this is the big transition from ministry to short-lived triumphant entry and ultimate rejection!  Luke’s gospel includes more teaching before this, John writes the account of Lazarus and the sisters and Mark’s account is similar to Matthew’s here.  Why include one more story of healing, right here?  As Jesus goes to Jerusalem to die, why stop the progress of such a great event as the Passover where He is to be the lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, why stop to include a story of two blind men?  I see at least three reasons:

· Firstly, we see that even as Jesus’ darkest hour approaches, He is still concerned (has compassion – vs. 34) for us.  He is not self-seeking!  Even on the night that He was betrayed, Jesus was concerned for the disciples and yes, concerned for you and me (every future disciple!)  Jesus is a King of compassion – knowing, experiencing and sharing in our problems and pain.

· Second, this illustrates the servanthood that Jesus just taught in the previous verses.  He came to serve, not to be served.

· Third, this is yet more proof that Jesus is the Messiah that He claims and they hope Him to be!  No priest, no doctor - - - no one could heal the blind, could do what Jesus did for all who came to Him!

· Finally and possibly most poignant of all we are coming to the climax.  Blindness was common in that day but Spiritual Blindness was pandemic!  Everyone suffered to one degree from the sinful, Devil induced unawareness of God – even in that day!  The day that Jesus came to offer the Kingdom, the very day that He would go into the city and finally allow them to proclaim Him as Messiah, King of the Jews.  Yet, they had no idea what that meant – they were totally blind.  This is Matthews introduction to the end – the King rejected by blind subjects.  Jesus came to His own and they did not know Him and would not receive Him.

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. - John 3:19 NIV