WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE, JUST HAVE FAITH
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY:
MATT 9:27-31
(PREACHED AT THE VA. BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION MEN’S RETREAT - BY REV. W. D. SCOTT SR)
THE VERY REAL PRESENCE OF EVIL IN THE WORLD AND THE SINFULNESS OF HUMAN BEINGS, COMPOUNDED BY RAPID SHIFTS IN EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY AND THE ECONOMY, CONTINUE TO EMBROIL OUR PLANET IN MASSIVE SOCIETAL CHANGES. INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OFTEN FEEL POWERLESS AND VICTIMIZED BY SYSTEMS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OVER WHICH THEY PERCEIVE THEY HAVE NO CONTROL. WE ARE AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY WHO HAVE TAKEN ON THE TASK OF EXTENDING THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD OF SUFFERING. IT IS A MINISTRY OF COMFORT, OF EMPOWERMENT, OF LIBERATION AND OF RECONCILIATION. WE ARE REPRESENTATIVES OF A HEALING AND STABILIZING FORCE IN TIMES OF CHANGE. WHEN ALL IS TURBULENT ABOUT US, THE EMPOWERED COMMUNITY PROVIDES ASSURANCE THAT THERE IS ONE WHO SITS ABOVE THE TURMOIL OF THIS WORLD, WHO IS CHANGELESS AND WHOSE PURPOSES WILL ULTIMATELY PREVAIL. THE CHURCH SERVES AS A WATCHMAN IN SOCIETY AND AS AN EMPOWERING COMMUNITY, URGING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO EVALUATE CONDITIONS AROUND THEM UPHOLDING THAT WHICH IS GOD, AND TRANSCENDING AND ALTERING THAT WHICH IS DETRIMENTAL. WE ARE STILL ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS ITSELF AN AGENT OF CHANGE. IN THE GOSPEL THERE IS COMPASSION FOR HUMAN FRAILTY, AND AT THE SAME TIME THERE IS ENCOURAGEMENT TO FORM PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD AND WITH ONE ANOTHER. WE BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE BECOME NEW CREATURES, AND ARE COME OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO THE MARVELOUS LIGHT. WE ARE EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH A CONTINUAL PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL THAT PERMEATES SOCIETY LIKE SALT PROVIDES SEASONING AND LIKE LIGHT PROVIDES ILLUMINATION. WE ARE EMPOWERED TO DO GREATER WORKS THAN WHAT THE TEMPORARY EFFECTS OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INITIATIVES ALONE CANNOT ACCOMPLISH. GOD HAS EMPOWERED US AS AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THE FACE OF MORAL AND SPIRITUAL DECAY. I PRAY THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE UP IN YOUR MINDS, THAT I AM GOING TO LEAVE THIS RETREAT BETTER THAN WHEN I CAME. BECAUSE I AM IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL NOT JUST MAKE ME FEEL GOOD, BUT ENCOURAGE ME TO DO GOOD.
I. FOLKS ARE LOOKING TO "SEE" SOMETHING FROM THE CHURCH.
AS AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE FROM US.
THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE OUR COMMITMENT: IT NEEDS TO CONSISTENTLY SEE US LIVING OUR LIVES COMMITTED TO GOD. IT PROVIDES A POWERFUL TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD IN 2 WAYS,...FOR NOT ONLY ARE WE COMMITTED TO GOD, BUT GOD IS ALSO COMMITTED TO US.
THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE OUR GOOD WORKS: OUR WORKS ARE OUR FAITH IN ACTION. OUR WORKS SHOW THAT OUR FAITH IS REAL, NOT JUST PHILOSOPHICAL. WHEN THE WORLD SEE OUR GOOD WORKS, THEY WILL SEE THAT OUR FAITH HAS TRANSFORMED OUR LIVES RESULTING IN OUTWARD ACTION. AND THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE OUR FAITH: ..IT NEEDS TO SEE THAT WHAT WE PREACH AND TEACH IS BEING LIVED OUR IN OUR LIVES EACH DAY. IT NEEDS TO SEE THAT WE DON’T JUST TALK ABOUT TRUSTING GOD, BUT THAT WE ARE EXAMPLES OF TRUSTING GOD, BECAUSE OUR FAITH IS REAL. AND WE HAVE A FAITH THAT WORKS IN ALL SITUATIONS BECAUSE WE SERVE A GOD WHO HONORS OUR FAITH.
NOTICE SOME THINGS FROM THE BIBLICAL TRADITION CONCERNING FAITH.
THE STORY:
THE SIGNIFICANCE OR MEANING OF THE HEALINGS OR MIRACLES IN THE BIBLE ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE SPECIFIC CONDITION OF THE PERSON HEALED OR MINISTERED TO, BUT THEY ALWAYS DIRECT US TO A LARGER TRUTH. THEY BRING US FACE TO FACE WITH THAT WHICH IS MORE EXPANSIVE, MORE COMPREHENSIVE THAN THE PARTICULAR PERIPHERY OF WHICH WE READ. THE STORY OF THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD FOR 12 YEARS, SPEAKS NOT ONLY TO THOSE WITH A CONDITION BUT SPEAKS TO THE ISSUE OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR A LONG TIME. AND THE STORY OF MAN WHO SAT BY THE POOL OF BETHESADA FOR 38 YEARS IS NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE CRIPPLED PHYSICALLY, BUT IT SPEAKS TO ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN VICTIMIZED BY A CONDITION IN THEIR LIVES AND BEEN RENDERED HELPLESS AND IT DIRECTS US TO THE PRINCIPLE OF LEARNING HOW TO MOVE BEYOND OUR LIMITATIONS. THE STORY OF LAZARUS’ BEING RAISED FROM THE DEAD IS NOT CONFINED TO JESUS ABILITY TO RAISE US FROM THE DEAD, BUT IT DIRECTS US TO THE POWER OF CHRIST TO RESURRECT US FROM DEAD SITUATIONS IN OUR LIVES. SO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PASSAGE IS NOT JUST IN THE ABILITY OF JESUS TO GIVE SIGHT TO THOSE WHO ARE PHYSICALLY BLIND, IF THAT WERE THE ONLY MEANING, IT WOULDN’T BE MUCH OF A SERMON, FOR IN THIS CROWD, IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL OF US HAVE A REASONABLE PORTION OF OUR EYESIGHT, AND YET ALL OF US AT SOME POINT, ARE UNABLE TO SEE. WE CAN BECOME BLINDED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LIVES. ALL OF US EXPERIENCE MOMENTS, DAYS, SEASONS WHEN WE CANNOT CLEARLY SEE. SOMETIMES ITS HARD TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES IN OUR LIVES, BECAUSE WE BECOME BLINDED BY OUR LIMITATIONS. WE CAN’T SEE A BRIGHTER DAY, BECAUSE OF THE CATARACTS OF OUR YESTERDAY. WE CAN’T SEE A NEW HORIZON BECAUSE OF THE GLAUCOMA THAT DIMS OUR VIEW. WE CAN’ T SEE HOPE BECAUSE OF THE THRIVING PAIN IN OUR HEART. CAN’T SEE THE MORNING, BECAUSE THE NIGHT IS SO DARK. CAN’T SEE THE ANSWER BECAUSE WE ARE BLINDED BY THE QUESTION. OUR MINDS GET DULLED, OUR SPIRITS GET CLOUDED, OUR THOUGHTS GET CONFUSED, OUR WAY GETS BLEAK, AND OUR PATH IS CLUTTERED BECAUSE WE CAN’T SEE!!! WE ARE BLIND UNABLE TO SEE OUR CHANGE, A DIFFERENCE CIRCUMSTANCES, CAN’T SEE HOW WE ARE GOING TO GET THRU, GET OUT, GET OVER...WE CAN’T SEE THE HOW, THE WAY,....IF YOU LET THE DEVIL BLIND YOU YOU CAN’T EVEN SEE GOD. WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LIVES RENDER US BLIND, WE NEED TO PUT OUR TRUST OUR HOPE OUR FAITH IN JESUS.
II. THAT’S WHAT 2 BLIND MEN DID THEY PUT THEIR FAITH IN JESUS.
LOOK AT THE TEXT...WE DON’T KNOW THE CAUSE OF THEIR BLINDNESS.
WE DON’T KNOW IF THEY WERE BORN BLIND, OR BLINDED FROM SOME INFECTIOUS DISEASE, OR BLINDED BY THE GLARE OF THE SUN, OR THE THICK DUST THAT BLOWED INTO THEIR EYES. WE DON’T KNOW. ACTUALLY, THE CAUSE OF THEIR BLINDNESS IS NOT THE ISSUE,..THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE BROTHERS COULD NOT SEE. AND WHEN THEY CAME TO JESUS, HE DIDN’T SPEND A BUNCH OF TIME ASKING WHAT CAUSED THEIR BLINDNESS. HE DIDN’T ASK THEM HOW DID YOU GET THIS WAY. IN THIS DAY OF PSYCHOANALYSIS WE HAVE ALLOWED THERAPIST AND MULTI-MEDIA PSEUDO THERAPIST TO BECOME A PANACEA TO OUR CONDITIONS. WE TEND TO SPEND TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW, AND TOO LITTLE TIME ON REMEDY. WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THE REMEDY. I AM NOT AGAINST COUNSELING, OR TRYING TO PIN POINT CAUSES BUT ALL TOO OFTEN UNNECESSARY TIME IS SPENT ANALYZING AND PROCESSING, AND THE TRUTH IS THAT AT SOME POINT....IT REALLY DOESN’T MATTER HOW THEY BECAME DEPRESSED, HOW THEY LOST HOPE, HOW THEIR HEART WAS BROKEN. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND I NEED HELP. I NEED TO SEE A DIFFERENCE IN MY SITUATION. CAN YOU TALL ME HOW TO HAVE SOME FAITH.
THESE 2 BLIND MEN LIVED ON THE FRINGES OF LIFE. THEY WERE RESTRICTED. THEY WERE IN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE DID NOT WANT TO BE BOTHERED WITH THEM. NO BLIND PRIEST WERE PERMITTED TO SERVE IN THE TABERNACLE. THOSE WHO WERE PHYSICALLY BLIND IN ANCIENT ISRAEL WERE SEVERELY DISADVANTAGED AND WERE NUMBERED AMONGST THOSE WHO WERE SOCIALLY DEPRIVED. OFTEN THOSE WHO WERE BLIND WOULD BE REDUCED TO BEGGING IN ORDER TO MAKE A LIVING. THEY WERE OFTEN IGNORED BY PEOPLE WHO PASSED THEM BY ON THE WAYSIDE. THE WAYS OF THE BLIND WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO MANY OF THE PEOPLE. BLIND BARTEMAES WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT WHEN HE CALLED OUT TO JESUS. THE PEOPLE REBUKED HIM, AND TOLD HIM TO BE QUIET, THAT IT DIDN’T TAKE ALL OF THAT TO GET JESUS’ ATTENTION. WE GOT SOME FOLKS IN THE CHURCH TODAY, WHO ARE EMBARRASSED ABOUT HOW YOU GET JESUS’ ATTENTION. ALL OF THAT SHABAKKING, ALL OF THAT SHOUTING, ALL OF THAT DANCING, ALL OF THAT HAND LIFTING. WE GOT SOME PSEUDO SOPHISTICATED , INTELLECTUAL, EDUCATED TRADITIONAL PEOPLE IN OUR CHURCHES AND THEY GET EMBARRASSED THAT YOU WOULD DARE TO BE ’SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT’, OR CALL OUT TO JESUS TOO LOUDLY. DON’T FOOL YOURSELF, JUST LOOK AROUND ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAY AND YOU CAN SEE THE LOOKS. SOME LOOKED ON BLINDNESS AS BEING THE RESULT OF SOME SIN....THE LACK OF ABILITY TO SEE CAN PLACE YOU ON THE FRINGES OF LIFE. IT RESTRICTS US. SO THAT WE STAND ON THE ROAD SIDE AND HEAR THE SOUNDS OF OTHERS PASSING BY. WHEN WE CAN’T SEE FOR OURSELVES, WE ARE REDUCED TO BEGGING OTHERS TO DO FOR US, AND WE GET CRUSHED WHEN THEY PASS US BY. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE. ...WE ARE NOT TOLD HOW LONG THEY HAD BEEN BLIND. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR SITUATION DOES NOT SERVE TO DRAW PEOPLE TO YOU. FOR MOST, IT HAS A TENDENCY TO PUSH THEM AWAY. BELEIVE ME, SOME FOLKS WERE TIRED OF THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD! THEY WERE TIRED OF BARTEMAEUS SCREAMING FOR JESUS! AND YOU WILL FIND THAT WHEN YOU ARE IN A BAD SITUATION FOR A LONG TIME, SOME FOLKS WILL GET TIRED OF YOU TOO! WHEN YOU FIRST GET SICK, ALL THE SAINTS CALL, BUT STAY SICK FOR TOO LONG,..CARDS STOP COMING, PEOPLE STOP CALLING, THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR SITUATION DOESN’T DRAW PEOPLE TO YOU. LET SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY DIE, ..THE WEEK OF THE FUNERAL, YOU’VE GOT MORE FOLKS, MORE OFFERINGS OF CONDOLENCE, AND MORE CHICKEN IN YOUR HOUSE THAN THE COLONEL HAS AT HIS. BUT AS SOON AS THE RELATIVES FLY HOME, BENEDICTIONS ARE GIVEN AND COMMITAL HAS BEEN MADE, FOLKS’ CONCERN AND ATTENTION STARTS FADING AWAY. AND IF YOU GRIEVE FOR TOO LONG, THEY WILL START TO QUESTION YOUR FAITH. THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR SITUATION DOESN’T DRAW PEOPLE TO YOU. YOU NEED TO EXERCISE YOUR FAITH AND GET UP! BUT THESE 2 BLIND MEN REFUSED TO BE CONFINED TO THE SHRINE OF DARKNESS, REFUSED TO EMBRACE THIS REALITY AS THEIR FINAL DESTINATION. BUT THEY HAD A PROBLEM...
IV. THEY COULDN’T GO ON WHAT THEY HAD SEEN, THEY HAD TO GO ON WHAT THEY HAD HEARD AND WHAT THEY COULD BELIEVE! IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR FAITH HAD TO KICK IN!
THEY COULDN’T SEE JESUS, HIS WOOLLY LOCKS, HIS DUST TRODDEN FEET, THE COMPASSION IN HIS EYES, THE COUNTENANCE ON HIS FACE, BUT THEY FELT HIS PRESENCE, FELT HIS POWER. WE CAN’T SEE HIM, BUT WE HAVE FELT HIS LOVE, MERCY, GRACE,..CARE, CONCERN,...WE CAN’T SEE HIM, BUT WE CAN FEEL HIS TOUCH IN OUR LIVES! CAN YOU WITNESS TO THAT? BUT THE WORD SAYS THEY WERE BLIND,.....NOT DEAF! THEY COULDN’T SEE, BUT THEY COULD HEAR. AND THE WORD SAYS THAT FAITH COMETH BY HEARING.....THEY HEARD ABOUT THIS JESUS, WHO HAD JUST HEALED A PARALYTIC, A WOMAN WITH ISSUE, HE HAD RAISED JAIRUS’S DAUGHTER. THEY COULD NOT SEE, BUT THEY HAD HEARD! THEY HAD TO WALK BY FAITH, AND NOT BY SIGHT. THEIR FAITH MADE THEM WALK THRU THE CROWD, THEIR FAITH MADE THEM BELIEVE THAT THE LORD COULD RESTORE THEIR SIGHT. JESUS NOTICED THEM AND HE GOT THEM ALONE AND MINISTERED TO THEIR CONDITION. HE HEARD THEM CRYING OUT TO HIM IN THE CROWD, BUT JESUS DIDN’T MINISTER TO THEM IN THE CROWD,..
YOU MIGHT CRY OUT TO JESUS IN THIS RETREAT, BUT DON’T BE DISMAYED IF YOU DON’T GET YOU HEALING RIGHT NOW, SOMETIME JESUS HAS TO GET US BY OURSELVES,..AND TAKE US TO THAT SECRET PLACE TO GET AWAY FROM ALL OF THE NOISE, DISTRACTION AND THEN HE WILL MINISTER TO OUR NEED. WHEN YOU ASK JESUS TO DO SOMETHING, BE PREPARED TO ANSWER HIS QUESTIONS. BECAUSE AS THEY WERE QUESTIONED, THEY BESPOKE WHAT WAS IN THEIR HEARTS! THEIR ANSWERS PREDETERMINED THEIR OUTCOME! "DO YOU BELIEVE THAT I AM ABLE TO DO THIS?" NOW THEY HAD MADE THEIR WAY TO JESUS, IT SEEMED LIKED THE ANSWER SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS.....THERE IS A MESSAGE HERE. JESUS BECAUSE YOU ARE PRESENT IN THE CHURCH, DOESN’T MEAN YOU TRULY BELIEVE. SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO BE LEFT OUT, WANT TO BE INCLUDED, THEY WANT TO MEET SOMEBODY, OR ESTABLISH A NETWORK. BUT YOU GOT TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR SITUATION. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT HE IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY MORE THAN YOU CAN EXPECT. ..DO YOU BELIEVE THAT NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT HE IS A WAYMAKER, HE CAN OPEN DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN SHUT, AND SHUT DOORS THAT NO MAN CAN OPEN? DO YOU BELIEVE THAT HE CAN REALLY HEAL THE SICK? DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT HE CAN CHANGE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES? JESUS GAVE THEM THE KEY TO THEIR HEALING....JESUS SAID "ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH"!
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN BLIND, BUT IF YOU CAN SEE ME THROUGH THE EYES OF FAITH...YOU CAN ALWAYS GET YOUR HEALING! BECAUSE YOU ARE:
A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD,
MORE THAN CONQUERORS
EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY GHOST
YOU ARE HEIRS,....
IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY, ALWAYS SEE YOUR WORK THRU THE EYES OF FAITH..BECAUSE JESUS SAID..."ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH BE IT UNTO YOU"
