Be Open

Robert Sean Fletcher

Miracles • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Mark 7:31–37

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Transcript

Me

Remember when things used to be open 24 hours a day? it doesn’t seem that long ago does it? Last week, I was working on something and realized I did not have the right tool. I knew that I could get this tool at Walmart, the problem was that it was past 11pm and Walmart was closed. Do you remember when Walmart used to be open 24 hours a day? Insomniacs could always count on Walmart being open.

We

What I have noticed is that we get frustrated when things are not open. To help me illustrate this point, I have some pictures that might bring feelings of frustration to you.

Pic 1 (Kohls)

Here we have a Kohl’s store at the height of the pandemic. As you can see, the parking lot is empty. The store looks desolate and alone. This was at the height of the pandemic. Many of you may see this picture and be frustrated because Kohl’s is supposed to be open. I had Kohl’s cash that was going to expire.

Pic 2 (Chick-fil-a)

This picture frustrates me deeply because food is my love language. All of us have experienced the frustration of Chick-fil-a being closed on Sundays. We can even appreciate that…as long as they are open all of the other days. To be temporarily closed for an indefinite amount of time is just frustrating. Food is essential.

Pic 3 (School)

This is a frustrating picture that every parent and student has faced over the past year. It’s frustrating, because parents had to become teachers on things that we have never had to do ourselves. It was frustrating for the kids because most of their lives was spent staring at some kind of screen without the interaction of their peers and friends.

It is frustrating when things that are supposed to be open are closed.

It is equally frustrating when people are not open and are closed.

Think about how you feel when someone is close minded. Don’t you feel frustrated because they are not even open to hearing a different point of view?

What about the person whose eyes are closed? They are oblivious to what is going on around them and they bury their heads in the sand. Isn’t that frustrating?

Then there is the person whose ears are closed. Multiple people have told them things that they need to hear, things that they need to change, things that they need to do, but their ears are closed and it is so frustrating.

But here is something that I know...

Jesus wants His followers to be open.

We are in this series called Miracles and the purpose of the series is to show us...

When we connect our lives with God and His power…nothing is impossible!

And

When we connect our lives with God and His power then we become the open people that He desires.

Jesus demonstrates this desire in the miracle that we will be talking about today. If you have your bible, then I would like you to turn to Mark 7. If you don’t have a bible or have trouble finding the passage, then the words will be up on the screen for you. If you would like a bible and don’t have one, please see me after service and I would be glad to give you one.

Let’s stand if you are able as we read this passage.

God

Mark 7:31–37 NLT

31 Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. 32 A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. 33 Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. 34 Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” 35 Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly! 36 Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. 37 They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”