"The crowd rebuked them [the two blind men] and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'" Matthew 20:31
The blind men believed something about Jesus that the rest of the crowd did not. They believed that Jesus would care about them and respond to their call. So with persistent faith they continued to call in spite of the crowds discouragement. And Jesus did care! He stopped, called them, spoke with them, had compassion on them, and He healed them! Do we so believe in the compassion of Jesus for our own lives and the lives of those near us?
Father, I do believe in the compassion of Jesus and pray that I might come to believe as fervently as these blind men. May the discouraging voice of the world or that of my own heart never dim my belief in Your great love and power.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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Jesus continues on His parables of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. It is interesting that the landowner had his foreman to start paying first the workers who were hired last. This is beginning to sound like a theme throughout the book. Of course the first-hired expected more for working longer. Oh how we grumble when we do not get what we expect. It almost negates our appreciation for what we do have. A man or woman is always rich when they are content. As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem with His disciples, He tells them again of His impending death. I doubt that we can prepare people too much. Now, let’s have a test to see what we have learned from Jesus so far about the Kingdom of Heaven. The greatest among you must be the servant. The Beatitudes started to turn us upside down about what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. In the march to Jerusalem, Jesus continues to teach the disciples the truth they will be needing: salt and light, fulfillment of the law, murder in our hearts, oaths, eye for an eye, loving your enemies, giving to the needy, prayer and fasting, storing up treasures in heaven, injunction about worrying and judging, asking, seeking, and knocking, entering the narrow gate, fruit producing, becoming a wise builder, healing and faith, counting the cost, calming of the storm, casting out demons, calling of the disciples, raising the dead, sending out the disciples, honoring John the Baptist, pronouncement of woes, resting of the weary and observing the Sabbath, the sign of Jonah, parables of the sower, weeds, hidden treasure and the pearl of great price, feeding of the 5,000 and 4,000, walking on the water, defining clean and unclean, demand for a sign, yeast of the Pharisees, confession of Peter, prediction of the death of Jesus, Transfiguration, fishing and tax payment, greatest in the Kingdom, lost sheep, forgiveness and unmerciful servant, divorce, children and Jesus, rich young ruler, and contentment with pay. What a list! So what changes have these made for you? As John and James jockey for the prominent position in the Kingdom, Jesus restates a previous truth that the greatest is to be a servant. Now, two blind men approach Jesus to be healed. Have mercy, have mercy on us they shouted. Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” The interesting thing about the question and the answer is that Jesus moves to the bottom line and does not give direction. What if Jesus asked you the same question? He has you know. Do you suppose their spirit also received vision as well as their eyes?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can heal anyone (perhaps I have weak faith in this department). But I do know I can HELP someone. If I see a beggar or a person walking along the street who needs my help, I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to help. They still walk in hope that others will hear them, see them, and help them. The blind people in the parable had Jesus in the flesh. Jesus said the Holy Spirit was even better because He reminds us of everything Jesus taught. When I see someone in need, I have to really LISTEN to the Holy Spirit and obey.
ReplyDeleteThe parable of the workers in the vineyard.
ReplyDeleteI always thought this parable was about the JEWS coming first and the Gentiles coming later.But reading it today,GOD revealed something else to me.
It tells me that workers(believers)called later in the day(life)receive the same blessings as those called early in life.Thank you FATHER for that,as I am one called later in the day.And from my experience and from what I have observed,it really explains v.16.("So the last will be first,and the first will be last.").Some believers called early in life do not have the same passion as those called later.I don't know maybe I'm making up for lost time and some of the people who have been Christians a long time have become content or even apathetic(not all but some).So maybe JESUS is warning us that it is not the quantity of work we do for the Kingdom but the quality of the work we do for however the amount if time we are there.
Father,thank you for mercy and grace in the provision of hope.In that no matter what our age, it is never to late to hire on to work in your vineyard and to receive the blessings of eternal through your son CHRIST JESUS.May you be a light that burns like a thousand flames that will arouse a passion in our hearts for YOU that can never be diminished by time or anything else.