Pastor Lola’s sermon this week is on video.
Sermon and Scripture in written form below.
LUKE 18:35-43 (New International Version)
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.
Luke
18:35-43 NOTICING NEED
Springford: March 22,2020.
I have heard of several examples this week of people noticing need and responding. So have you.
I heard of 3000 retired nurses who have come back to work to support the massive health care needs during this pandemic.
I heard of teachers who have been ensuring that students who need food and support are receiving it, although not in school.
I heard of neighbours in a community who put items available to share on a table for people to help themselves for free.
I saw at the nursing home where I am Chaplain, efforts made to reassure residents who cannot have their families with them at this time. One of our residents had her son visiting from outside Canada and had eagerly been anticipating time with him and his wife. One of our staff brought her in her wheelchair to the large front windows so she could see them and wave and talk with them and other concerned family members on the phone. They felt a connection although separated by the glass.
I have heard of groceries being delivered to those in isolation.
I know of people who have been phoning and checking in with people to extend love and care.
So many people have been praying, not just for themselves, but for people around them.
What have you heard about in this complicated and unsettling time that gives you hope that there are still people who do notice need and respond?
What are the things small or large that you have done to notice and then to respond to need in this past week?
This is what serving is all about. We as followers of Jesus, must first notice and accurately recognize need and then ask God to show us how we can respond to the need.
What can we learn from today’s Scripture about how Jesus both noticed and responded to need?
vs. 35 Jesus was approaching Jericho. He had a destination. He had a crowd of people with Him. He may have been looking forward to an opportunity for rest and refreshment. Perhaps there would be some quiet time after His travels and all the demands from many people. We read here that there was a blind man sitting by the roadside begging.
vs. 36 The blind man hears the crowd going by and asks what is happening.
vs. 37 He is told, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
vs. 38 The blind man calls out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” “Son of David” is a title that points to Jesus being the Messiah, the One promised by God. This blind man has an understanding that Jesus is no ordinary man.
He has likely heard that Jesus can perform miracles and the blind man is well aware of his own need.
The blind man is desperate for mercy. His physical condition has made him dependent on others and their willingness to notice and to help him. He can only hope that people will show some mercy and respond to his needs.
What is the response of those in the crowd? They rebuke him and tell him to be quiet. They seem to think that Jesus is too busy and can’t be bothered to stop and take time with this man who is blind.
His need is apparent to them, but they want to walk by and get on their way. They choose not to show mercy.
This does not stop the blind man from calling out. In fact, we are told that he shouted all the more, even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Does Jesus ignore the man?
No. Does Jesus tell the man to be quiet? No.
Jesus notices the
need and he stops what he is doing. When Jesus orders that the man be
brought to him, it emphasizes that this man needs the help of others
because he cannot find his way to Jesus by himself. His blindness
limits his ability. He needs to see.
Why do you think Jesus asks the question that he asks this man, “What do you want me to do for you?” (vs. 41a) Isn’t the need of this man obvious?
In that moment Jesus is affirming, “Never mind what the crowd is saying. I want to take time for you and to hear you say what you want me to do for you today.”
I wonder if this blind man had played out in his mind what he would say to Jesus if he ever got the chance.
Right away, he responds, “Lord I want to see.” (vs.41b)
Right away Jesus responds and says, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” (vs. 42)
No delays! Immediately he receives his sight and there is a chain reaction!!
This man follows Jesus praising God and the people who witnessed this miracle also praised God. (vs. 43)
With the things we have noticed here, what might we find speaks into our own lives and God at work in and through our lives?
What can we learn from the experience of this man that can guide us in these days?
We will begin by asking, “Do we know what we need”?
Might there be areas of blindness in our lives as there were in the lives of those in the crowd including Jesus’ close followers.? Might we think we are seeing just fine thank you very much, when in fact we are blinded to truth, to seeing Jesus clearly and accurately?
A willingness to recognize our blind spots and to have Jesus give us clearer vision and understanding is available to us any time!
Do we recognize Jesus as the answer to whatever we need and are we so determined to meet with Jesus that when others try to discourage us, we persist all the more?
When we know how crucial it is for us to meet with Jesus, we must not let what others think speak louder than what God thinks and what He wants to say to us!
Do we see Jesus as a Source of mercy?
Knowing the mercy of our Lord Jesus is such a beautiful part of experiencing God. When Jesus visits us with His mercy it is like we are all wrapped up in a blanket of His love.
Thank you God, that your mercy is not something we earn by being good enough or by being consistent in our faith. Your, mercy is a free gift that you choose to give us!
God showed mercy to the blind man and God will show mercy to us. Likewise, God can show mercy through us as we take time to notice the needs of others
I love the thought that what this blind man would have first seen, what he first saw when his blind eyes were opened, would have been Jesus.
Now Jesus, full of remarkable love, was not just someone that this man had heard about, but someone that he had met face to face.
What if we say today along with the blind man, “Lord, I want to see.”
What may God allow us to see that we have not seen before?
How will we see Jesus and encounter Jesus in fresh ways?
The response of the man who was now able to see was to follow Jesus and to praise God-to direct his attention to God! It was the most natural thing for him to do…
And this has an affect on all the people who saw it.
They also praised God.
When we are open about the
ways that we have met with Jesus and what he has done for us, others
will also respond and their attention will be drawn to God in
praise!
We can trust God to make our needs and the needs of others
plain to us. We can follow the example of Jesus and stop along the
way of what we are doing to notice need and to respond.
It is crucial in what we are now facing that we notice need and do what we can for someone else.
What further opportunities will arise in this week ahead for us to notice need and with the love and mercy that God places in our hearts to respond to meet those needs? This is serving.
This is something we will need to pray about!