Jesus visits Bethsaida.
In Mark 8:22 (NIV) we stumble upon a miracle unlike any other in the gospels. Jesus was with his disciples when, "They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him."
That Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida is far from an incidental detail. Earlier, over in Matthew 11:21-22 (NIV) Jesus denounced Bethsaida for their spiritual blindness. "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you."
Bethsaida was filled with people who were spiritually blind-- people who couldn't see what was right under their noses! Do you ever miss the obvious? Are you someone who is the last to see what everyone else is seeing?
On the screen, I am going to show you a video clip. Now most people mess this up. So you're going to need to pick a screen and really concentrate in order to get this one right! You need to count how many times the players in black pass the basketball! (Note to reader: A video was shown to the congregation. The link is listed next.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bioyh7Gnskg&feature=related
Evidently, most people never see the storm trooper! Well, the Son of the living God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, walked through the heart of Bethsaida. Jesus Christ performed countless miracles in Bethsaida, but the people of Bethsaida didn't see Jesus for who he was, and they didn't repent. They were either blind, which is curable, or they were stiff-necked and rebellious people who were in an unforgiveable state of judgment.
It is odd that these friends from Bethsaida, of all places, bring their blind friend to Jesus and beg Jesus to restore his sight.
Jesus was not received well in Bethsaida, but he healed a blind man.
Mark 8:23 (NIV) continues, "He (Jesus) took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village." Why would Jesus not heal the man within the vicinity of Bethsaida? Why lead him outside of town? It's just as Jesus said in Matthew 11:21-22. The people of Bethsaida had been given ample evidence to persuade them that Jesus was the Christ.
The problem is that, like the Pharisees, "they (the people of Bethsaida) may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!" See Mark 4:12.
Once outside the village, Mark 8:23 (NIV) tells us that, "When he (Jesus) had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, 'Do you see anything?' "
How odd is that? Jesus is asking this man whether he can see anything! What kind of question is that? This is the only time in all of scripture where Jesus asks someone whether he has just been healed! Etch that question in your mind, and we'll come back to it in a moment. "Do you see anything?"
Jesus performed a progressive restoration of the man's sight.
Mark 8:24-26 (NIV) says, "He (the blind man) looked up and said, 'I see people; they look like trees walking around.' Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, 'Don't go into the village.' "
Notice the progression. The man is led to Jesus, blind. Jesus spits and touches his eyes. The man begins to see dimly. Jesus puts his hands on the man's eyes again. The man's eyes are opened. Finally, he begins seeing things clearly.
This is a gradual healing, a progressive healing, and not an instantaneous healing. By itself, the miracle doesn't make much sense at all. But let's put this healing in context!
Just like the blind man, we often don't see Jesus' will clearly at first.
In Mark 6 Jesus miraculously feeds the five thousand. As a momento, each of the twelve disciples walk away with a lunch-sized wicker basket of bread of their very own! In Mark 8 Jesus miraculously feeds the four thousand. Remember what happened? As a momento, the twelve disciples walk away with seven man-sized baskets of bread-- baskets large enough to carry a grown man like the apostle Paul.
When Jesus performed the miraculous feeding the second time, he left the disciples buried in bread up to their necks! But no matter what Jesus did, his disciples failed to recognize his messianic identity. Like the blind man, they could see dimly, just not clearly! They saw trees, but missed the forest.
After feeding of the four thousand, in Mark 8:17-21 (NIV) Jesus asks the twelve disciples, " 'Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?' 'Twelve,' they replied. (Twelve baskets for twelve disciples!) 'And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up? ' They answered, 'Seven.' He said to them, 'Do you still not understand?' "
Essentially, Jesus asked the twelve disciples the same question that he asked the blind man from the spiritually blind village of Bethsaida. What do you see?
What do you see?
Friends, I submit to you that this is Christ's question for us this morning. What do you see? Mark 8:27-28 (NIV) continues the story. "Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, 'Who do people say I am?' They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.' "
But then Jesus turns the table on his disciples. In Mark 8:30 (NIV) Jesus asks, " 'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?' " Friends, this is the question that matters for your eternity. It doesn't matter what other people say, what your parents say, what your pastor says, what your church says, or a creed, or the Bible, or even what Jesus says about himself. What matters is who do you say Jesus is? What do you see? Peter answered in Mark 8:30 (NIV), "You are the Christ!"
Matthew 16:16-20 (NIV) says, "Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' " And notice Jesus' reply. "Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.' Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ."
It's time for you to decide who Jesus is in your life.
Throughout this day, many people will come to be baptized. Baptism is a response of faith that freely proclaims, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" In baptism, we do what the people of Bethsaida and Korazin refused to do. We believe on the evidence of the miracles and on Christ's resurrection. We repent in sackcloth and ashes. We receive God's forgiveness, and we settle the matter of salvation once and for all!
If you're ready to declare your personal faith in Christ this morning, we invite you to come and be baptized. If you didn't come prepared, so what? Your clothes will dry! It's 100 degrees outside. It's a furnace! Besides, we have towels. We have never-worn undergarments. We have a garbage bag for you to put on your car seat. If that's too much for you, you can go home and come back at 2 pm this afternoon to be baptized along with several others.
Throughout the day, many will also come forward to join our church family. Peter's confession is the foundation, the rock upon which Christ is building this church. If you have already been immersed, and freely confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we invite you to come forward and make Lakeside your church home. If you want to join Lakeside, but have questions about baptism, we welcome the opportunity to study the scriptures with you.
I will pray, and then as we sing this song, you may come to be immersed into Christ. Or if you've already been immersed, come and make Lakeside your church home.
Prayer: Father God, this morning is a gut check, a spiritual check, a heart check. This morning is a divine appointment. You are asking each of us, "What do you see?" This is a time for us ask ourselves if we believe in Christ. Do we believe on the evidence of the miracles and Christ's resurrection? Do we know Jesus to be the Son of the living God, the Christ, the promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Savior? Are we ready to receive your baptism and show ourselves to be under the authority of your kingdom?"