RESTORED

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In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.

Matthew 20:29-34

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

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.

“What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.”

Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Mark 10:46-52

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”

Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Luke 18:35-43

This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever yearned to be restored?

I know I have on more than one occasion.

Last summer, I returned from a mission trip in Belize and fell terribly ill. The diagnosis was Influenza A and the doctors told me there wasn’t much they could do except help me manage the symptoms. The illness had to run its course. And so I returned home and toughed it out, every day hoping I would be better than the one before, praying that a day was coming when I would be well again, a day when I would be restored.

More than 25 years ago, I experienced the heartbreak of infidelity in my first marriage and struggled mightily afterwards through the anguish and difficulty of being deceived and violated. I wasn’t sure if I could ever trust again, let alone love someone like I had loved before. I went through a valley of more than three years wondering if the hurt would ever end, wondering if the Lord would restore me and lead me to another relationship that might endure forever.

During that time of emotional suffering and waiting, I made a terrible mistake during my naval service, a mistake that was terribly embarrassing, particularly since I had a stellar record up to that point. Because of the mistake I made, I knew I would have to face discipline and I remember vividly how I anguished over what might happen and prayed that somehow mercy might come and I would be restored so I could redeem myself for my error and move on with my career.

I’m sure you have more than a few of your own life testimonies that would fit this matter of yearning for restoration and as we see in today’s scripture passage, the final verses in Matthew before Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem to live His last week on earth. Look again at these verses here:

As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.

“Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”

Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him.  Matthew 20:29-34

Jericho sat to the northeast of Jerusalem and here we find Jesus leaving there to head to the Israelite capital with a large crowd in tow.

The scriptures tell us that there two blind men sitting along the roadside begging as the crowd passed by. Unable to work because of their disability, panhandling would be the only way the men would be able to have any income.

Wondering why such a large crowd was passing by, we learn in Luke’s account that the blind men inquired as to what was happening, a question that was answered through this explanation:

“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

Immediately, the men began to cry out:

“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Their plea was met with a rebuke from the crowd who tried to silence the petitions of the blind men but they cried out all the louder:

“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

These men had suffered through day after day after day of not having sight.

Can you imagine what that must have been like, to walk in darkness every single day?

I think anyone would have been crying out to Jesus for mercy, pleading for Jesus to restore their vision.

It’s obvious to me that these two men, one of which was named Bartimaeus, were well aware of what Jesus could do for them. Perhaps they had heard stories about His healing power, how He had healed people from any number of infirmities and driven out demons. No matter how they knew, these two men showed an incredible faith through the shouted pleas toward Jesus, a faith that He acknowledged as He requested the men to be brought to Him and asked:

“What do you want Me to do for you?”

The men replied:

“Lord, we want our sight.”

Jesus was touched by their appeal, so much so that the scriptures tell us He had compassion for the two men, unlike the crowd who had tried to keep them quiet. And so He touched their eyes and immediately they were able to see again.

What a moment that was for the men. Imagine how you would have felt if you were in their place. You would have taken to a place of everlasting praise and thanksgiving for not only your sight been restored but now you would be able to see the face of Jesus, your Great Restorer.

One day, all Christ believers will have the same experience as the two blind men. For when this worldly life is over, a day is ahead when the salvation promise will be fulfilled and a great restoration will happen for all Christians, their eyes now able to see their Savior as they join Him in a life that will last for all eternity, a life that will never require a person to be restored again.

Today, let us give our fullest gratitude to Jesus and follow the lead of the blind men who through their faith found their sight restored so they could follow their Savior wherever He would lead.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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