Jericho Passing Through

35 As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 36 Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. 38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Luke 18:35 As Jesus was approaching Jericho

Why would Luke point out Jesus was approaching Jericho?

I believe the reason is just like that children of Israel had come out of Egypt the whole reason for the passover. Jesus was going to become the passover lamb. The approach is always the place that we can make mistakes.

The approach from the wilderness was to send in spies to check out the land. The spies came back with two different reports. Two of them said it is a land flowing with milk and honey. Eight of them said that the people of the land are giants and we were grasshoppers in their eyes. Now how would they know how the people saw them if they were spies?

They did not see themselves the way God saw them. God had already told them he gave them the Land. They went in and talked themselves out of the promised land. only two people after seeing the same thing believed God that what He said was true.

What are you looking at today that you are talking yourself out of?

Do you have to see God move before you will believe?

Luke 18:35–37 A blind man was sitting by the road begging. Now hearing a crowd going by, he began to inquire what this was. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

Blind, Sitting, hearing, began, inquire

Was Told: Jesus of Nazareth was passing by!

All these words are passive and the idea if we are blind we are doing nothing. if we don’t understand that even as a long time believer we can still be blind and sitting. We can sit in church for years and think that we know all there is to know about God. Why?

I believe that the enemy of our souls wants to keep us from hearing God making our thoughts so loud the word of the Lord is the tool to quiet the mind. Many believers in Jesus can talk the language of liturgy. Denominations are not the way Jesus is the way. Jesus came and upended the liturgy and the practitioners of strict adherence to traditions. He was showing us there is a higher level to humans and how we connect with God.

How does the crowd of life make your mind noisy? He heard the crowd and began to inquire. The hardest part of any new idea or something that will move you to an awareness that is the form of change. When we become aware we become free.

The one thing good about the crowd is that it made the blind man aware that something was moving and going on. He was still able to hear. As it says in

Romans 10:13–17 NASB95

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? 15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

That how will anyone hear or have faith but by the word of God! How will they hear if a preacher is not ever sent? This is why we have pastors, teacher and preachers. Jesus needed to be spoke of though out the earth.

Have you cried out for Mercy?

Luke 18:38–43 NASB95

38 And he called out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet

which person are you? the one crying out or the one sternly telling other believers KEEP QUIET!

None of us are any better than another whether in the church or out of the church. It is only levels of knowledge, understanding and insight. When you seek the kingdom of God you grow down not up. Maturity in the kingdom is realizing you need to serve others and not yourself.

What these people were doing was not loving at all. Many of them could have known this man and their whole life had walked by him and were tired of hearing him ask for help. Then finally the one who could really heal him they were to self righteous and their familiarity made them have contempt for this man.

Do you have anyone that is familiar to you that you look down on or are tired of?

Luke 18:40–43 NASB95

40 And Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him; and when he came near, He questioned him, 41 “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Jesus stopped!

This is an amazing word. The creator of the universe STOPPED! when a blind man kept crying out.

Has Jesus stopped for you?

commanded that he be brought to Him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”

Look at what Jesus says, What do you WANT?

I have sat in church for 24 years and have been told its not what you want but only what you need. Well I have changed my mind because of this question Jesus asks. I have many wants and all my wants are so that I can have the means to bless others. The only way I do that is by asking God for it and the first step is that i have to receive sight. if I can see how Jesus sees then all that I would ask for would be only for my negative self-centered self. On a positive side of selfishness is if I have all I want and I have good mental health I can then love others with the abundance that God has given me.

I want wisdom, I want sight, I want Gods Love in my being. I want an abundance of finances, good mental health, so that I can help those who are in need to see my savior Jesus Christ.

Luke 18:42–43 NASB95

42 And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

“Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.”

What made him well? It was his FAITH!

His faith made him well and IMMEDIATELY he regained his SIGHT!

he began following Him, glorifying God; and when all the people saw it, they gave praise to God.

Faith, immediate, sight, began following, Glorifying God, People saw, They gave glory to God!

We can see that when we have faith that when God speaks that our healing can be immediate. That we then need to glorify God so that people will see and do the same. Jesus wants us to be examples to others how to follow Him. The greatest question you will ever ask as a believer into Jesus Christ is this.

Are my attitudes and actions worthy of Christ as he is portrayed in the bible?

Do I understand that unless the Holy spirit has control of my mind and heart I cannot live like and act like Jesus?

Have I realized my healing can be immediate if I will have faith I have what I ask for and what I want?

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