The Gospel of Luke (#82); Jesus heals a Blind Man November 24, 2024

First Baptist Church Leominster

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false teachers who said yes, we're saved through faith in Christ, but in addition to faith in Christ you had to become circumcised and keep the law of Moses as a way of salvation and Paul's epistle, of course

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Repudiated this idea and taught them the true and pure gospel of of grace through faith in Jesus Christ were justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and so he's setting forth his argument here an argument against legalism

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Galatians chapter 2 Galatians 2 then after 14 years.

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I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus along with me. I Went up because of a revelation and set before them though privately before those who seemed influential

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The gospel that I proclaimed among the Gentiles in order to make sure I was not running or had run in vain

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But even Titus who was with me was not forced to be circumcised though. He was a Greek Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus So that they might bring us into slavery to them

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We did not yield in submission even for a moment so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you and From those who seem to be in for influential what they were makes no difference to me.

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God shows no partiality Those I say who seemed influential added nothing to me on the contrary

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When they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised Just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised

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For he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the

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Gentiles and When James and Cephas and John who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given to me

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They gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised

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Only they asked us to remember the poor the very thing I was eager to do But when

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Cephas came to Antioch I opposed him to his face because he stood condemned For before certain men came from James he was eating with the

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Gentiles but when they came he drew back and separated himself fearing the circumcision party and The rest of the

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Jews acted hypocritically along with him so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy

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But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel I said to Cephas before them all if you though a

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Jew live like a Gentile and not like a Jew How can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?

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We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners Yet we know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ So we also

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Have believed in Christ Jesus in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law

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Because by works of the law, no one will be justified But if in our endeavor to be justified in Christ we too were found to be sinners is

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Christ then a servant of sin Certainly not For if I rebuild what I tore down I proved myself to be a transgressor

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For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God I have been crucified with Christ.

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It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me And the life

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I now live in the flesh I live by faith and the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me

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I do not nullify the grace of God for if righteousness were through the law then

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Christ died for no purpose Let's pray Our father we thank you for the truth of the scriptures we thank you that Jesus Christ was crucified for his people and that we are found in him and He is in us and We are one with you

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We thank you Lord that we are in Christ Jesus and we do pray as Paul prayed that we would live accordingly

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That we would walk in a manner to which is consistent with our calling Lord, we pray that you would help us now as we return to the book of Luke We pray that we would see things clearly

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That the Spirit would teach us how to apply these truths to our lives and that you would be pleased that you would be honored

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Be with pastor Lars and give him clarity of thought and clarity of voice We just pray Lord that your word would go forth and that it would bring back much fruit

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Thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen Well, let's turn in our

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Bibles, please to Luke 18 Today, we'll consider verses 35 to 43

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Jesus heals a blind man Now you need not roll your eyes because there's 11 pages of notes in front of you for the last two pages

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We're not going to cover Those are actually the concluding words of a sermon by Jonathan Edwards That I really wanted to put in your hands, and I hope you'll take some time

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Maybe later today to read those words particularly application to to sinners and what he means non -christians

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Well Jesus Christ, of course not only Came into the world to bring the light of the knowledge of God in his ways to a dark world

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But he also came to enable spiritually blind people to apprehend and comprehend those truths

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Revealed by him and so there is objective revelation of God's will revealed by and through Jesus Christ Objective truth that God Christ revealed to us

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But there's also a subjective Revelation of God and that Christ Jesus enables people in darkness

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Who are incapable of seeing spiritual light and unwilling to come to that light? To see and receive the light of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ Matthew Henry expressed his twofold work of revelation of God by Jesus Christ introducing his comments

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On his commentary on this passage before us. He wrote Christ came not only to bring light to a dark world and So to set before us the objects we are to have in view but also to give sight to blind souls and By healing the organ to enable them to view those objects

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In other words just having the knowledge of God revealed is not sufficient We have to be enabled to understand perceive that knowledge and see its relevance and importance and So Henry wrote as a token of this

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Jesus had cured many of their bodily blood of their bodily blindness And we have now an account of one to whom he gave sight near Jericho And hence the account before us and so in Luke 1835 and following we read of another miraculous healing performed by Jesus Jesus restored sight to this blind man after hearing his repeated cries

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The blind man knew Jesus was the Messiah he called to Jesus to have mercy upon him and Jesus responded to this man in the presence of his faith

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Which resulted not only in the man's healing But in God being greatly glorified by the man and by the crowds that witnessed this miracle

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It then appears that the now seeing man became one of the Lord's disciples himself because we read that he followed

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Jesus and so let's read these verses and Then it happened as he was coming near Jericho that a certain blind man sat by the road begging

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And hearing a multitude passing by he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by And he cried out saying

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Jesus son of David have mercy on me Then those who went before Warned him that he should be quiet, but he cried out all the more son of David have mercy on me

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So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to him and When he had come near he asked him saying what do you want me to do for you?

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he said Lord that I may receive my sight and then

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Jesus said to him receive your sight your faith has made you well and Immediately he received his sight and followed him

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That's the description of a disciple Followed him glorifying

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God and all the people when they saw it gave praise to God Now notice the setting of this story is

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Jesus coming near Jericho This emphasizes

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Jesus continuing his journey to Jerusalem in which he would be Delivered to the

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Gentiles mocked insulted spit upon scourge and killed but on the third day rise from the dead

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Perhaps a blind man was begging at the gate to Jericho as Jesus and his party approached the city

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And soon we'll consider our Lord's encounter with Zacchaeus The next chapter

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Luke 19 while Jesus passed through Jericho This tax collector will also be converted and become

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Jesus's disciple Now Jericho was located in the trough of the

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Jordan River Valley about 20 miles east of Jerusalem quite a bit lower in elevation and From Jericho the party would travel up the side of the steep valley in its approach to the city on the hill

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Jerusalem in Jericho Luke records that the Lord showed mercy on two individuals this blind man

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Mark's gospel identifies as by name Bartimaeus and a tax collector named

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Zacchaeus And so these two events serve as a climax to our Lord's public ministry just before arriving

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At Jerusalem, we're reaching the end of this journey from Galilee to Jerusalem that began back in Luke 9 51

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There are several points that are emphasized in this story First the importance of faith in Jesus as the

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Messiah Second the compassion of Jesus toward helpless persons blind man third

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Jesus calling outcasts on to himself and fourth the glorification of God through the work of Jesus Now the other two synoptic

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Gospels that being Matthew and Mark also record Jesus restoring sight to the blind But the details differ somewhat from one another

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Mark identified the man by name as blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus Who sat by the road begging mark 10 46

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But whereas Luke and Mark described one blind man that Jesus healed Matthew recounts that there were two blind men healed on this occasion

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And so we could read Matthew 20 29 and following now as they went out of Jericho a great multitude

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Followed him and behold two blind men sitting by the road and when they heard that Jesus was passing by Cried out saying have mercy on us.

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Oh Lord son of David Now there have been those who have compared these accounts and charge that the

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Bible is not historically accurate in its details They argue that not only

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Luke and Mark speak of one man healed but that Matthew declared there were two men But Luke records the blind man to have been by the road begging as Jesus approached

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Jericho Whereas Matthew recorded that Jesus met two men as they went out of Jericho Clearly a conflict

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Critics would say Back one stated the problem this way The effect is that the

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Bartimaeus incident is now located outside Jericho as Jesus enters Whereas in Mark it takes place outside Jericho as Jesus leaves the town but the charges fall flat when we consider the fact that one of the traits of Mark and Luke is to speak of one character where Matthew sets forth two

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Just on this occasion So again, we here we have an example of two men healed in Matthew 20, but Luke writes of only one in Matthew's gospel read that Jesus delivered two demoniacs in the country of the gatherings

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Luke records just one one who had demon possession

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Footnote then the Reformation study Bible suggests a reason for Matthew recording two men

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Matthew may mention both to suggest that two witnesses attest this victory of Jesus over demons

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Well, what about What appears to be two different locations

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Approaching Jericho or coming out of Jericho How can this be reconciled?

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well, the commentator Norval Gelden eyes proposed this explanation a Simpler suggestion.

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However, is that Bartimaeus was cured of his blindness at some point after Jesus had passed through old

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Jericho in other words, there were two Jericho's an old Jericho and a new

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Jericho The old Jericho is the site of the Canaanite City That Jesus then passed through New Jericho the recently built

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Herodian City built by King Herod where he had his interview with Zacchaeus And so both accounts whether it be

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Matthew or Luke were true true geographically and true historically

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Now let's consider this one who received healing from Jesus on this occasion as Luke records

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He was a poor blind man He was afflicted with two evils.

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He was blind, but he was also powerless or helpless For he was poor

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He had been poor it had he been poor but could see he would have had hoped to lift himself from his poverty

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Had he been blind but rich he could have provided a measure of comfort for himself even in his blindness

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But this man was a sad case. He was both blind and poor he was begging

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So we see he was begging at the entrance of Jericho But this man though a poor beggar had what others of Jericho did not have

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He understood who Jesus was and this blind man had faith in what

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Jesus could do for him And so he outstripped many in that town spiritually speaking

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This physically blind man sets before us the nature and condition of spiritual blindness that characterizes all people born into this world

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Each of us were born into this world spiritually blind and we continue in spiritual darkness unless and until the

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Lord heals us of our spiritual blindness and Enables us to have spiritual sight given to us that we might understand and receive the things of God This poor man was physically blind

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You and I are born into this world spiritually blind He could not see physical light.

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We cannot see spiritual light unless the Lord performs a miracle of equal power and grace even greater power and grace upon each of us

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Compared to that which he did for this poor blind man on this occasion Becoming a

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Christian depicted in the Holy Scriptures is that of a blind man incapable of seeing or understanding spiritual truths

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This is a common teaching of Scripture Paul declared that Satan has blinded us to our true spiritual condition and To the way of remedy that only can be remedied by the

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Lord issuing the command to restore spiritual sight to us Paul wrote

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After he talked about faithfully preaching the gospel, but even if our gospel is hid

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In other words though we're faithful Proclaiming it and yet if people don't see it if our gospel is veiled

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It's veiled to those who are perishing why whose minds the God of this age

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That's the devil has blinded Who do not believe lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God should shine on them

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For we do not preach ourselves But Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus sake

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For it's God who commanded light to shine out of darkness creation

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Genesis 1 Who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?

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The same power that God put forth in Genesis 1 let there be light that same

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Miracle of grace and power has to come to bear upon every individual that comes to salvation the same power that God created

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Enables you to see spiritually and understand spiritual truth and respond to it

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John Newton the converted former slave trader wrote the hymn amazing grace of which we're all familiar and One of the lines of his hymn, in fact the first stanza expressed this truth in his own life

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Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now

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I'm found and here it is was Blind, but now I see He's speaking about spiritual blindness and then being able to spiritually see

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Newton became a faithful pastor and his collected works are available today And I'm privileged to have them in my library at home in volume one of his works

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There's recorded a letter that he wrote which has the subject title. I was once blind, but now

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I see He wrote these words of the spiritual blindness of the human race

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The reason why men in a natural state are utterly ignorant of spiritual truth is that they are wholly destitute of a faculty suited to their perception in other words, they're spiritually blind a

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Remarkable instance we have in the absurd construction of Nicodemus put upon what our Lord had spoken to him concerning the new birth and in that supernatural

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Communication of the spiritual faculty by the agency of the Holy Spirit. I Apprehend the immutable and abiding criterion, which is the subject of our inquiry does primarily consist

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Those passages of Scripture wherein the gospel truth is compared to light lead to a familiar illustration of my meaning

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Men by nature are stark blind with respect to this light By grace the eyes of the understanding are opened

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Among a number of blind men some may be more ingenious and better of better capacity than others

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They may be better qualified for such studies and employments Which do not require eyesight than many who can see and may attend considerable skill in them

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But with respect to the true nature of light and colors, they are all exactly upon a level blind people can't see colors or light a blind man if he is ingenious and inquisitive may learn to talk about light the

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Sun or the rainbow in Terms borrowed from those who have seen them, but it's impossible that he can have and he's talking about a man born blind

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A just idea of either and hearsay knowledge He may have acquired he can hardly talk much upon these subjects without betraying his real ignorance

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The case of one mentioned by mr. Locke. He was a blind man has been often quoted he believed that after much inquiry and reflection he had at last found out what scarlet was and Being asked to explain himself.

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I think he says scarlet is something like the sound of a trumpet This man had about the same knowledge of natural light as Nicodemus had of spiritual light

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And Nor can all the learning or study of the world enable any person to form suitable judgment of divine truth

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Till the eyes of his mind are open and then he will perceive it at once God has to turn on the lights.

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He has to enable you to see and perceive. It's a work of God's grace sovereign grace in saving people

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Newton then gave a proper Application to ministers of the gospel and I take this to heart

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From hence from this likewise, we may observe the proper use and value of preaching the gospel

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Which is the great instrument by which the Holy Spirit opens blind eyes? The Word of God is what the

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Spirit uses Like the rod of Moses it owes all its efficacy to the appointment and promise of God Ministers cannot be too earnest in the discharge of their office

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It behooves them to use all diligence to find out acceptable words and proclaim the whole counsel of God Yeah, when they've done all

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They've done nothing unless their word is accompanied to the heat by the power to the heart by the power and demonstration of the

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Spirit Without this blessing an apostle might labor in vain But it shall be in a measure afforded to all who preach the truth in love and simplicity and humble dependence upon him

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Who alone can give success? those who have a lively a

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Pathetic talent may engage the ear and raise natural passions of their hearers, but they cannot reach the heart

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And everything we say up here is absolutely useless and worthless Unless the

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Lord Jesus turns on the lights We may cite one more good resource for the biblical teaching of the spiritual blindness of every human being apart from the sovereign mercy and grace of God Jonathan Edwards gave a sermon in his church in Northampton Entitled man's natural blindness in the things of religion

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And of course back then they used the word religion as a reference to biblical Christianity And So based on his exposition of Psalm 94

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Edwards wrote these words from these particulars We may fairly deduce the following doctrinal observation

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And that's what he do he expound a passage and then he'd set forth a teaching a doctrine

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That there is an extreme and brutish blindness in the things of religion, which naturally possessed the hearts of mankind

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Everybody is born in spiritual blindness This doctrine is not to be understood as any reflection on the capacity of the human nature

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In other words people fallen people are capable of understanding For God hath made man with a noble and excellent capacity

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The blindness I speak of is not merely negative ignorance such as in trees and stones that know nothing

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They have no faculties of understanding and perception whereby they should be capable of any knowledge and Inferior animals though they have sensitive perception are not capable of any

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Intellectual faculties they don't the dog doesn't sit there and ponder the nature and existence of God God has given men faculties truly noble and excellent well capable of true wisdom and divine knowledge and Nor is the blindness

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I speak like the ignorance of a newborn infant Which arises from want or the need of necessary opportunity to to accept exert these intellectual faculties

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The blindness it is in the heart of man Which is spoken of in the text and doctrine is neither for want in other words absence of faculties nor opportunity to know but from a positive cause

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There is a principle in his heart of such blinding and besotting in other words stupefying nature that it hinders the

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Exercises of his faculties his thinking his reasoning about the things of religion of Christianity Exercise for which

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God has made him well capable for which he gives abundant opportunity Even you say as a

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Non -christian person have the mental ability to understand Intellectually the things that we are saying you're capable of doing that But you can't see the importance of it the relevance of it the value of it the importance of it the desire for it

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The Lord has to turn on the lights for that to take place What may we conclude from this

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This account of a physically blind man being given physical sight by our Lord Jesus may be seen as an illustration of every one of us who are born spiritually blind

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Unless and until the Lord in his mercy and grace Opens the eyes of our understanding so that we see our wretched sinful condition that we have no claims upon God And that only he through his son

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Jesus Christ can bestow mercy upon us to save us from our sin So what happened to this man physically blind happens to every one of us who were born spiritually blind when we became true

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Christians Returning to our text of Luke 18

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We may say that this blind man's faith is suggestive as to the nature of faith in which God works wonderful things

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Notice first that though he was physically blind he had amazing spiritual insight

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Although this man was a blind beggar actually he was blessed beyond most of that town

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Jericho for though he was blind regarding physical sight he had spiritual insight that others lacked

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He knew Jesus to be the Messiah the Son of David and that Jesus could heal him of his blindness

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It is far better to see spiritually though blind physically than to be able to see physically and be blind

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Spiritually he was better off than everybody else in that town who did not see

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Jesus for who he was It's better to see Jesus with the eye of faith and to see him with physical eyes

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Most all the people of that town could see Jesus physically but few could see him spiritually

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But Bartimaeus was one of those blessed persons though he was physically blind he saw Jesus for who he was quite clearly

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Take note that a natural man may have physical sight, but he is spiritually blind

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This man had been an object of God's grace and that he had this ability to see spiritually

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For natural man apart from the saving grace of God does not have this ability

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Now it's true that fallen man does not want to see spiritually he can't but he also doesn't want to see spiritually

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He prefers not to see because the condition of his heart But it's equally true that he cannot see spiritually because a graceless man is a spiritually blind man

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The eyes of his understanding are dim even blind his heart is wrapped in darkness

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He does not see his sin. He does not see his need for a Savior and Perhaps this is the worst aspect of his condition.

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He's blind to the fact that he's spiritually blind He thinks he thinks he's things quite clearly

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Thank you Poor Bartimaeus knew he was physically blind but spiritually blind people do not know that they are spiritually blind

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Unless God even reveals this to them But we should also affirm that though a saved man has his spiritual sight partially restored

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He continues the true Christian continues in a measure of spiritual ignorance, which can only be corrected through time

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Every one of us and we're speaking of true Christians have our spiritual sight only partially restored to us at this time

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We're in a condition like the man whom Jesus healed in two stages After Jesus first put clay mixed with his spittle in a man's eyes he could see but only with distortion for he saw men as trees walking about mark 824 and Then subsequently

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Jesus healed him completely He could see clearly and we are like that Jesus has restored our sight presently to a measure, but we still do not see things fully or clearly

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We will one day see things clearly and fully when we stand before him and only then we will see clearly for now

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We but see through a glass dark clay But until then we're given enough spiritual sight to get us through this life

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We still need to be led by the hand Although we see enough who it is who we're trusting to lead us and where we must go

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And so we should always be praying that better sight be given to us

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The Apostle wrote to the church at Ephesus these words Therefore I also after I heard of your faith in the

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Lord Jesus and your love for all the Saints Now there's when he first heard their conversion both are evidences of salvation faith in Christ and love for other

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Christians Both have to be present Do not cease to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the

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God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him

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Commonly we pray for unconverted people until they become Christians and sadly we leave off praying

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Paul said just the opposite when I heard that you became saved I ceased not to pray for you

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That the Lord would open the eyes of your understanding Verse 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened

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That you may know what is the hope of his calling? Yeah, you called on Christ to be

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Savior, but in reality he called on you You didn't find Jesus. He found you and There's a there's a hope in knowing that you're the object of God's saving power

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And what are the riches of the glory of his inherited in the Saints? You're just not forgiven You are given an entitlement and inheritance that you can't even fathom

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What it's going to be like or to the degree it'll be bestowed upon you when you stand before him

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And what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his power?

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You have Christians running all over the world looking for the power of God to be manifest in some Benny Hinn crusade

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Paul says I want the Lord to open your eyes at his power to create To raise the dead has already been effective in your soul when he brought you from sin into salvation

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He raised you from the dead And he wanted them to see this and so he prayed that the

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Lord would illuminate their minds to these truths We all should be continually calling out to Jesus as Laura blind

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Bartimaeus Asking him to give a spiritual sight that we might understand ourselves more fully that we might know him more fully and may nor know more fully how we may live before him a a

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Spiritually blind person does not see his need to see a person who has had his spiritual sight partially restored

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Sees his need to see more clearly Don't you of course you do as a

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Christian But take note that this man did what he could to live with his disability.

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He positioned himself in begging by the road Which was the entrance to the city?

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He made use of the limited means available to him But this was also within the providence of God that he would encounter

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Jesus on this occasion There are some through their own failure or refusal to use means

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That they continue in their misery I Read JC Riles commentary on this passage and he sought to draw forth these spiritual

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Application he the desire of salvation to remember the example of the blind man

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He must attend diligently on every means of grace In other words the different ways in which

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God says he will give grace to you If you do these certain things not because you merit them

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But he promises to give grace to certain ones who do certain things He must be found regularly in those places where the

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Lord Jesus is especially present He must sit by the wayside wherever the word is read and the gospel is preached and God's people assembled together

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That's a person who truly desires spiritual sight To expect grace to be put into our hearts if we sit idly at home on Sundays and go to no place of worship

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It's presumption not faith It's true that God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy

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But it's no less true that he ordinarily has mercy on those who use means It is true that Christ sometimes

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Is found of those who seek him not but it's also true that he is always found of those who really seek him

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Seek me you shall find me after you've sought with me with all your heart wrote the prophet

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The Sabbath breaker the Bible neglector and the prayerless man are forsaking their own mercies and digging graves for their own souls

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They're not sitting by the wayside as this blind beggar Well, let's consider briefly the nature of this man's faith

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First his expression of faith was preceded by a concerned inquiry Verse 36 records and hearing a multitude passing by he asked what it meant

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Coming to faith in Christ often begins with an inquisitive spirit asking questions of that which we do not know or understand

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This man could not have known that Jesus was passing by unless someone who saw him told him

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So the Lord in his grace gives us ears to hear both physical hearing but also spiritual hearing and apprehension of his word

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For the hearing ear and the seeing eye the Lord has made them both Yes, he gives us eyes to see but he also gives us ears to hear some can hear but not see like this man

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And sadly, there are many others who can see but they choose not to hear They're spiritually deaf

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If we would have faith we must be open to hearing from God for hate faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the

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Lord Again Matthew Henry wrote of the inquisitive nature of this man and asking others what they what they saw.

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What's all this noise? It teaches us that it is good to be inquisitive and That those who are so sometime or other find the benefit of it those who want their sight should make so much the better use of their hearing and When they cannot see with their own eyes should by asking questions make use of others people's eyes

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So this blind blind man did and by that means came to understand that Jesus of Nazareth passed by It is good being in Christ's way and we when we have opportunity of applying ourselves to him not to let it slip seek others counsel those who seek

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To be with wise men will themselves become wise the wise man once wrote in Proverbs But the second quality of this man's faith was this blind man knew that Jesus was the

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Messiah again verses 37 and 38 So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by and he cried out saying

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Jesus son of David Have mercy on me He had asked what all the commotion was who it was who was approaching the city and the answer given him

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Jesus of Nazareth That's how the people regarded him But immediately

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Bartimaeus began crying out not Jesus of Nazareth have mercy on me But rather son of David have mercy on me.

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That's a messianic title The Messiah the Christ was to be the son of David because Bartimaeus saw that Jesus was the

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Messiah he called him by his title and Third not only did this blind man have faith to recognize

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Jesus as the promised Messiah but he knew that Jesus had the power to heal his blindness as The Messiah God had commissioned

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Jesus to give sight to the blind Luke 4 18 in his hometown of Nazareth preaching in his hometown crowd at the

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Local synagogue Jesus stood up read the scriptures on the Jewish Sabbath and he read from the prophet

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Isaiah his first public exposition Isaiah 61 the

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Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor He sent me to heal the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty the captives and recovery of sight to the blind

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Jesus then declared to his hometown gathering today. This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing This blind man either knew the scriptures himself or he had heard from others that Jesus was in the sight restoring business and he wanted to be a recipient of this blessing and Then forth this blind man knew that Jesus might be responsive to his plea though.

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He had nothing to give in exchange He was a blind beggar he could not work for his food it did not deserve any compensation from anyone

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He had to depend on the mercy and free handouts of those who passed by But now Jesus was passing by and he knew that Jesus both had what he needed but he knew that Jesus was also of a

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Disposition to distribute his bounty freely upon others He was aware that he could receive freely from the hand of Jesus that which he could not purchase with money or deeds.

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I Also had the two -volume sermon set of Edward Griffin put out by Banner Truth He was the first pastor of Park Street Church in Boston back in 1809 or 1810

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I think till 1815 and he wrote of an application of sinners seeking salvation

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Just so sinners if they would succeed must be far from thinking themselves justly entitled to salvation

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So that they would be injured if refused they must feel infinitely unworthy of this grace

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That's why he called out for mercy. He knew he wasn't worthy in any way to receive anything from Jesus hand

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They must abhor themselves and repent in dust and ashes. They must get down into the deepest dust

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They must look up like Jonah from the bottom of the mountains They must send up their cries from the depths of hell and never name anything but mercy free rich amazing

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Mercy boundless divine mercy on this they must cast themselves cast all their weight rest all their hopes ground all their confidence

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Mercy mercy mercy. This must be our only plea. This must be their exclusive trust and No one can be become a

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Christian unless he comes to Christ based on him bestowing mercy freely undeserved freely bestowed

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Upon a helpless but an emptied person of all self -righteousness and pride

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Fifth the blind man knew that Jesus was a merciful Messiah It's one thing to cry out for mercy.

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It's another thing to cry out in faith knowing that he will show mercy His plea was based on mercy

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This man did not see God as owing him anything He knew that physical sight was not something that was owed to him simply because others possessed it

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He saw it as a gift of God that Jesus could bestow or withhold but he believed that Jesus the son of David would be responsive to his plea for mercy of mercy on me and Then six the blind man was specific and direct in his request of Jesus Jesus said to the man when he was brought to him.

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What do you want me to do for you? And his response was Lord that I may receive my sight

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We should be specific and direct in our prayer requests to our Lord praying in generalities is not the way

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To know clearly that the Lord has granted you requests be specific be definite and be believing and making precise petitions to the

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Lord and Then seventh the blind man's faith with persistent Importunant in other words continuous until receiving the answer he desired until he received his blessing from Jesus The crowds attempted to deter him when he first called out verse 39

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And those who went before warned him that he should be quiet, but he cried out all the more

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Son of David have mercy on me He not only had faith, but he exhibited fervency

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He knew this was the opportune moment that would soon be passed if Jesus were to pass by without hearing his plea

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Jesus passing by Spurgeon wrote a sermon on this

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And let us consider the working of this man's faith in Jesus his faith persisted in his petition until it arrested

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Jesus Verse 40 and those who went before warned him that he should be quiet But he cried out the more son of David have mercy on me.

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He wouldn't be deterred He wouldn't be discouraged for he knew that his physical sight could be restored immediately

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If Jesus chose to favor him, but his faith stopped Jesus Luke 9 51 he said his face to Jerusalem.

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He was on track. He was making this journey he was going to Jerusalem to fulfill his his

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Father's will and suffering and died and rising the third day But this man's faith stopped him in his tracks momentarily as one wrote the cry of mercy moved the

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Lord to stop and listen Again now the Lord has set his face for Jerusalem He who came into the world to open the eyes to the blind was now on his last journey to Jerusalem We're in a few days.

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He was to suffer death He was at Jericho, but 20 miles from the scene of his suffering

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His stay in that city was ended. He had just set out for the spot, which was where he was to be crucified

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His work on earth was nearly finished He never was to come that way again And so Christ's impending suffering and death were before him

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He would face it with resolution and devotedness But the cry for mercy from this needy believing man moved him to pause in his journey

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So that he might bestow his grace and kindness upon this blind man And we read that faith obtained his petition

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Jesus said to him receive your sight your faith has made you well and Immediately he received his sight

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When Jesus said to this man your faith made you well he was intimating more than this man just received by his faith a

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Restoration of his physical sight the Lord pronounced that this man had was now in a state of salvation Your faith has made you well

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John Calvin in his commentary sought to point this out By the word faith is meant not only a confident hope of recovering sight, but a loftier conviction

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Which was that this blind man had acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah whom God had promised

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Nor must we imagine that it was only some confused knowledge For we have already seen that his confession was taken from the law of the prophets

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For the blind man did not it ran to bestow on Christ the name son of David But embraced him as that person was coming that he had been taught by the divine predictions to expect

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And now Christ attributes it to faith that the blind man receives sight for though the power and grace of God Sometimes extend even to unbelievers yet No man enjoys his benefits in a right and profitable manner unless he received them by faith

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Nay, the use of the gifts of God is so far from being advantageous to unbelievers that it's even hurtful

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Bless blessings of God upon unbelievers who remain in their unbelief is

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Damaging to them damning to them will increase their condemnation

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When they're considered on the day of judgment and therefore when Christ says I faith has saved thee

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The word saved is not limited to an outward cure but includes also the health and safety of his soul as If Christ had said that by faith the blind man obtained that God was gracious to him and granted his wish

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And if it was in regard to faith that God bestowed his favor on the blind man, it follows that he was justified by faith

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Amen Calvin One can well envision the joy and wonder of this man when he was suddenly and perfectly enabled to see

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His life was changed radically and he'd never be the same now he could see

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Jesus and now he too could follow Jesus as one of his disciples and This we see him doing for we read that he followed him glorifying

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God The crowd joined in with gladness and praise God for this man's blessing for all the people when they saw it gave praise to God God intended that accounts in the

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Gospels like this one are to bring encouragement and comfort to those who feel condemned in their sin and desire and seek the mercy and forgiveness of God through faith in Jesus Christ and again to cite

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Ryle sought to encourage such ones Such persons may be sensible of much infirmity and all their approaches to the

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Son of God Their faith may be very feeble Their sins may be many and great their prayers very poor and stammering their motives far short of perfection

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But after all they really come to Christ with their sins Are they really willing to forsake all their confidence and commit their souls to Christ's hands if this be so they may hope and not

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Be afraid that same Jesus still lives who heard the blind man's cry and granted his request

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He'll never go back from his words. He that cometh on to me. I will then know wise cast out

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And so that that promise is today and that healing that miracle of healing on that day reinforces that promises today

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And Charles Spurgeon sought to awaken people in his own congregation for their need of salvation and so having expounded the

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Passage before us he gave forth these words and we'll conclude with them. Are there any here present anxious to be saved?

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Let me have their solemn earnest and devout attention I pray God that what I speak simply may just strike their consciences and touch their hearts if They want their judgments in form

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May the word come with light to their spirits and in that light may they behold Christ and find salvation

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Our text is taken from a little narrative of a blind man who sat by the side of the highway begging

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Not an inappropriate picture of you my friends who were solicited as mercy and anxiously desiring

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Desires of salvation. Are you not as blind and poorly spiritually as he was literally?

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I am sure that you will at once confess that you are blind The eyes of your understanding are dim your heart is wrapped in darkness

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You cannot see what you want to see you do not even see your sin. So as to repent of it with contrition

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You've not yet seen the power of the precious blood of Jesus who has to believe in it as worshipers

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Once purged and abundantly conscious that it has procured or obtained remission

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While you are so blind I'm quite sure that you will not be grieved or vexed with me

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If I say to that you are as poor Bartimaeus is his was poverty of pence but yours is poverty of soul

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You have no merit. You have no strength. You have no possibility of ever getting the means of spiritual livelihood for yourselves

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You are as poor as the poor beggar that ever has a charity for God's sake from the wayfarers

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But you're sitting tonight in somewhat the same position as the blind man was Free sad in the place of Jesus is passing by and you have come to the place where God's mercy has often been revealed

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Where saints and sinners have passed by in crowds and where blessed be his name

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Jesus himself sometimes has passed by What if tonight you should be apprised and aware of his presence here and should cry out to him?

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And you should stop and open those blind eyes of yours and give you the light of life and the joy of eternal salvation

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What if you should have to go home and say to your friends and kinsfolk? I've had an experience tonight the like of which

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I'd never felt before I found a Savior I received the forgiveness of my sins.

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I am a new creature in Christ Jesus Why you would make angels sing fresh hallelujahs in heaven while on earth

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God would be glorified and yourselves your friends would be blessed by so lively an exercise of faith and so wonderful a participation of Divine grace and then

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Spurgeon pressed upon his people these last words Lastly remember that this hour of Jesus passed by as an hour that will soon be gone

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Jesus is passing by Did you notice that word of Jesus of Nazareth passes by he's not stopping

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He's passing by for he's going towards the walls of Jericho to pass through its gates Blind man is now or never for he is passing by He's come up to where you are.

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Cry to him now. He's passed you but cry to him now Man, he is long past but he can hear you cry to him now.

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Oh But he's passed and is gone and the man is not cried and now there's no other who can open his eyes

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Neither will this son of David for he has passed by and been unasked unsought to bless

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You had Christ passing by when you were young I would to God you had said to him then have mercy on me

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But you waited till he came to you in the middle of life and yet you did not seek him Alas, alas for that and now the gray hairs are stealing over you a half a century of unbelief has hardened your heart

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You're getting close to 60 years of ungodliness, but he's not out of hearing shot yet He will hear you now

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Oh cry to him I pray you cry and may God's Holy Spirit who is the author of all true supplication or prayer breathe in you now a

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Cry that never shall be stopped until you get the answer. Your faith has saved you go in peace.

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I Wish I could think like that speak like that. I Can't so there you have his words

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Let's pray Thank you our God for The glory that you are a great savior of great sinners and that you save according to grace

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According to your mercy for those who see their need Who see that they are spiritually blind and helpless and they've got no merit

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Nothing Lord by which to claim some gift from you we pray that you would be very merciful and gracious and The eyes of understanding of those who are presently or have been blind to this moment

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Lord and give them both understanding in the person of Jesus Christ is the only

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Savior of sinners and how he is willing desires and gracious and merciful to save the greatest of sinners bringing them on to himself when they turn to him and Only to him for we pray these things in Jesus name