Can you remember a great teacher?
I had a biology teacher who was really good to us and taught us real science. We did experiments and had discussions,and I still remember what she taught me. 40 years ago..!!
Jesus is going to teach us about Himself and miracles, today, and how He is willing and powerful to heal anyone with any difficulty.
Jesus walks 50 miles to where he knew there was a man waiting to see Him.
The man was profoundly deaf and his speech was very unclear. The man had some kind of accident and had lost his hearing, and because of that, his speech was also affected.
Jesus is going to make this miracle different. He is going to slow the miracle down so that we can see what he does for the man. He will show us the anatomy of a miracle, so that we can see Jesus- his power and glory and everlasting love..
The deafness:
The man doesn’t hear. He doesn’t hear God and is undisturbed by what is going on around him. Thinks everything will be Ok, and people will look after him, and it will all work out fine.
He has never heard the good news about Jesus. He doesn’t know who Jesus is. He is insensible to the blessing she could have.
This is a bad state to be in, because he doesn’t understand his need, and he doesn’t understand what he could have.
The unclear speech:
If he doesn’t understand about Jesus and the state he is in really, he will not be able to speak up and have a testimony.
Testimonies are so powerful and they draw us to think about Jesus, and what he can do. Jesus is real and he really does change people. He has changed people here.
This man could not speak about God’s blessing to him, because he didn’t know what they were.
Jesus touches the man to help him to believe in who he is. How does Jesus touch us?
He gives us helps to our faith…
The Bible Prayer The circumstances of our lives
The miracle:
Four parts to this miracle.
1. Jesus puts his fingers in the man’s ears. This is the root of the problem and Jesus deals with it first. Our root problem is not deafness, but spiritual deafness, which stops us hearing Gods word, and understanding it. All kinds of distractions come along and we shift our attention to them. Perhaps I am at home in the evening, and the work is over for the day. I think of reading my Bible, but just then something comes on the TV and I just watch that instead.
2. Jesus spat on his fingers and touched the mans tongue. If someone did that to us, we would not allow them to put their saliva on us… We view it as unclean, and unhygienic. Jesus is here, looking for submission from the man, and is watching to see if the man understands who Jesus is and to bow his knees before him. The man did understand, and complied with what Jesus did. When Jesus seeks to work in our lives, do we comply? Do we wriggle and squirm and make excuses for ourselves, that we are OK as we are? Or do we submit to Him as our Lord and master…
3. Jesus now looks up to heaven. Jesus has all authority and power. Jesus was not praying for help. Jesus is showing us, here, that all good things come for above. JESUS sighs. He is not tired, but is identifying himself with the predicament of this man. The heart of the Lord Jesus Christ… so loving, kind and able to identify with our weaknesses.
4. Jesus speaks a word “Ephphatha” be opened. The man is healed. His healing comes from God.
The miracle for us:
We do not hear God. We do not want to. We need a miracle.
We need to really understand what Jesus has done for us, and he can take away the wrong that keeps us from God. Our thought processes and desires need changing, so that we want what God wants, and not the foolishness of this world.
This man was overjoyed at what Jesus did for him, and how his life was made whole again- made fully operational.
Jesus is the humble and loving Lord, who rescues all who call on him.
He did it freely.
Jesus is the perfect Saviour.
He will never let you down
The question is are you going to come and kneel at his feet?
Are you going to submit to what he says and does in your life?
He is the same tonight as he ever was or is.
Maybe its time for you to give up your ways- submit- and follow his ways.
Lettsom Inn 