Kingdon Thinking (Message 4)

Two Lessons for This Series:

The Kingdom of God is FUTURE, and yet it is HERE.
Luke 17: 21 . . . ’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Salvation is the KEY to entering the Kingdom.

In This Series We Have Learned that . . .

Children are an EXAMPLE of those who enter the Kingdom.

A religious man couldn’t ENTER the Kingdom because he TRUSTED in Christ AND in his riches.

The disciples were shown the FUTURE but couldn’t “see it.”
— And today, a BLIND man can “SEE” what others can’t.

The Scriptures

Luke 18:35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 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!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

The Context of the Story

Luke 18:35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
This story takes place outside of JERICHO (20 miles northeast of Jerusalem). Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem to SUFFER and DIE.

The Cry for Help

Luke 18:36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 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!”

The blind man heard the NOISE and knew that something BIG was happening.

When he asked, he was told that Jesus of NAZARETH was PASSING that way so he YELLED for help.

— He used a TITLE that is important: “Jesus, Son of David,” (the Messiah) the One Who will sit on the THRONE of Israel.
Luke 1:32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
Matt. 12:23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”

— He pleaded for MERCY!
Luke 18:39 and those going before were rebuking him, that he might be silent, but he was much more crying out, ‘Son of David, deal kindly with me.’ (Youngs)

Those who “led the way” are the ADVANCE team and they are all BUSINESS. They also showed NO compassion.

The blind man was SCOLDED and told to be quiet, but he shouted LOUDER.

The Curious Interaction

Luke 18:40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus stopped and gave a COMMAND.

The blind man was to COME to Jesus. (Think about this!)

Mark 10:49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
— The blind man was DISTRAUGHT before he was called.

— But then, He THREW aside his “CLOAK.”
Mark 10:50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

— He came TO JESUS.

Jesus asked one of the ODDEST questions in all of Scripture: “what do you want”? And the response was SIMPLE:
— LORD - kyrios (κύριος) — “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master”
— I want to see — It is so SUCCINCT. He was asking for vision, and possibly in TWO ways.

The Compassion of Jesus

Luke18:42 Jesus said to him,“Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”

Jesus performed TWO miracles:

— He gave the man his EYESIGHT.

— He gave the man SALVATION (through the blind man’s FAITH)

Luke 18:42 And Jesus said to him, ‘Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved (σῴζω sōzō) thee;’ (Young’s)

The Conclusion

Luke 18:43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

The healing took place IMMEDIATELY.

The blind man became a FOLLOWER (Bartimaeus) and some suggest became a part of the EARLY church.

The blind man was a WORSHIP leader and helped the crowd to “SEE.”

Ask Yourself . . .

How have I been blind to the world around me?

Walk the Talk

In what ways are many of us blind today?

What do you like about the blind man?

What did you learn about Jesus from this story?

Why did Jesus ask the blind man to move from his sitting position and then to answer a question?

What were your best thoughts from this study and how could you apply one of them to your life?