Jesus feeds 4000. 7 baskets left overOn a mountain in the wilderness somewhere between Tyre and Sidon and Bethsaida Matt 15:21What happened to the leftovers?

Get in a boat land at the district of Dalmanutha

Half way between Capernaum and Tiberias on the mid west coast of Galilee

Pharisees ask for a signFeeding 4000 not enough

Back in the boat

Jesus teaches the disciples warning them of the leaven of the Pharisees.

Speaking of food, the Disciples begin to fuss over who brought lunch

Jesus calls them deaf and blind

They land near BETHSAIDA and are met by a blind man and his friends

Only Mark tells us this story,

Mk 8.22 26 ‑BLIND MAN IS HEALED - BETHSAIDA

22 They came to Bethsaida;

They landed and headed toward Bethsaida on the northeastern shore of Galilee near the mouth of the Jordan River

Bethsaida = “house of fish”

1) a small fishing village on the west shore of Lake Gennesaret, home of Andrew, Peter, Philip and John

2) a village in lower Gaulanitis on the eastern shore of Lake Gennesaret, not far from where the Jordan empties into it

Jesus cursed Bethsaida for its unbelief in the face of all the miracles and evidence it had seen Mat_11:21 Luk_10:13

Philip was from Bethsaida, it was the city of Andrew and Peter. Joh_1:44 Joh_12:21

Bethsaida was Jesus launching and destination port crossing the Sea of Galilee Mar_6:45 Luk_9:10

22 and they brought a blind man to him and asked him to touch him.

Friends must have known Jesus had healed others with a word or touch of His hand

Hearing the Jesus was approaching, they wanted that for their friend.

Mat 11:5-6 Mat 15:30 Mat 21:14 Luk 4:18-

19Luk 7:21 Joh 10:21 Joh 11:37

The man’s friends led him to Jesus begging Jesus to touch him, to heal him also.

For Jesus is to take control, friends must lose it and the blind man must trust Jesus.

Blindness - a scourge; one of the great curses partly due to ophthalmia and partly by the pitiless glare of the Eastern sun

Aggravated - poor hygiene, cleanliness, habits

Common to see matter encrusted eyes on ‑which the flies persistently settled.

Between touching, rubbing the eyes and the flies the disease spread and the infection caused blindness.

23 He took the blind man's hand and took him outside the village. Lord He gives us what we need doing it His way glorifying Himself not in the way we typically expect or want. If Jesus says a word it is not recorded for us… Perhaps, miffed at the disciples after His rebuke.Mar 8:13-21 Warning them about the leaven

of the religious leaders they fuss about lunch and having one loaf of bread

Jesus takes the man by the hand.Not a healing touch, but a leading touch.

The blind physical & spiritual stay in familiar surroundings, our comfort zone.Jesus led the blind man out of the crowd, out of the village to be away from the crowdsWe are creatures of habit – do the same things in the same order every day.

Out of our comfort zone, we are alert and paying attention to what is happening..

Jesus takes him out of his comfort zone You are going to have to trust me and let me lead you.

24He looked up and said, "I see men, but I see them walking looking like trees."

the man says – I see but blurred – like many of us without our glasses.

Man had obviously not been blind from birth.He knew he was not seeing people clearly.He knew what trees looked like to use them as a comparison what he was seeing.

25Again he laid his hands on his eyes. He gazed intently, and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly.

No more spitting, Jesus touches the man’s eyes again – this time however not to wipe away spit.

It’s not our traditions or expectations that matter but the power of God and His touch on our lives.

Eph_4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Mat 9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!"

Did not understand who Jesus was…

28When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus *said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They *said to Him, "Yes, Lord.“

Heb_11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith."

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: "See that no one knows about this!"Why? Jesus had been healing all kinds of

conditions all over.

Mat_12:22 Mat 20:29-34 Mar_10:46 Luk_18:35 Jn 9:1-41

31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.

Can you imagine what the blind man was thinking?

.. out of my comfort zone, a man leading me who I don’t know who just spit in my face.

23 …. and laid his hands on him,

Jesus wipes away the spittle.

Why do mothers spit on a kleenex

Jesus – the Lord of Lord’s - Creator asks Do you see anything?

not sure he could heal the man or, was he making a point for those who were watching.

23 and asked him, "Do you see anything?"

Usually Jesus' miracles happened suddenly and completely. The blind man's sight came back in stages.

One of very few miracles which happened gradually. 10 lepers Luke 17:11 >>

Each of us must come to Jesus one on one.

We must believe who He is and what He has done for us – as Lord not just as healer

What does the Lord expect of us after meeting Him one on one?Rom 12:1-2 The Transformation / ExchangeRom 12:9-21 The finished product

23 He spat into his eyes and laid his hands on him,Once outside the village, Jesus stops, turns to the man and – spits in his face. No indication that He spoke a word to anyone.Mark 7:31-36. similar in healing a deaf man.Joh 9:1-41 similar thing healing another blind

manGod does not need permission or approval, nor to explain Himself. God does not ask anyone’s opinion. He only needs for us to trust and follow Him. When we are being spat in the face God can and will be working for our benefit.Jesus used methods that the man could understand.The ancient world believed in the healing

power of spittle. Instinctive for us too.

How should we act and live 1Pe 3:8

Col 3:1-17 2 Set your affection on things above, not on

things on the earth. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are

upon the earth; 10 And have put on the new man, which is

renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

12 Put on therefore, …. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in

all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

2Co_6:17 come out from among them, and be ye separate, … touch not the unclean thing;….

Rev_18:4, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, …

The man’s sight is not only restored - it in better than 20/20. He sees everything – near and far – clearly.

26 He sent him away to his home. "Do not," he said, "even enter into the village."

A strange thing. Jesus tells the man,

Do not run around the village shouting about his restored vision,

Do not draw any attention to himself of to Jesus healing him.

Don’t go to friends or family to announce what had happen.

Jesus sent him home to take up his new life in light and live it in front of friends and neighbors

Mat 11:20-25 Jesus cursed Bethsaida because of their unbelief.

Mat 11:27-3027 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

Jesus’ warning to tell no one about Him may seem strange.

Perhaps it was because the Jews expected the Messiah to be a political liberator.

Jesus’ first coming was meant to accomplish another kind of liberation—release from sin.

Jesus was careful not to use the name Messiah publicly until the right time, for it was misunderstood by the Jewish people, their leaders, and the Roman authorities.

Jesus needed to be accepted as the Messiah, the Lord on God’s terms, not theirs -- or ours

Jesus tells the man to go straight home and take up his new normal daily routine.

If you are going to express you happiness and joy do it between you and God.

Don’t cast your pearls before swine – they won’t believe and will turn on you… Mat. 7:6

No man sees all God's truth all at once.

There danger in the idea that when a man has taken his decision for Christ he suddenly and immediately becomes is a fullgrown ‑Christian.

There is no more to do….or learn…

One of the dangers of Church membership is that it can be presented in such a way as to imply that when a person becomes a pledged member of the Church he has come to the end of the road.

Joh_1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,

Heb_5:12-14 …ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;

Mat 25:1-12 13, …I know you not.

Don’t claim Jesus is Lord and spout your opinions and traditions Don’t claim Jesus is Lord and do your own thing Don’t claim Jesus is Lord and not do what He says Don’t claim Jesus is Lord and ignore Him and what His word says.

2 Cor 6:12-1814 Be ye not unequally yoked together with

unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

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