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Pastor Rene's Bible studies
 

Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to enter it as King, and to die for mankind—It was a royal procession

Isai 29:18 (NIV) In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

V. 11, 12 talks of a revelation coming through the understanding of a scroll. People are saying: "I can't read it, it is seal or I don't know how to read. People are blind without the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

In V. 13, these people worshipped the Lord with their lips but their hearts are far from Him. In V. 24, it talks of them as having a wayward spirit. When Christians are not concentrating on God and let their spirit wander, they are blind to what the Lord want to reavel to them.

Isai 35:5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

This a messianic prophecy.

Isai 42:7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

Here it is the ministry of the covenant people to open the eyes of the blind. (You and me after our own eyes are open by the Gospel of salvation)

Isai 42:16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

In verse 20, it talks of a people who paid no attention. That will lead to blindness.

Isai 59:10 Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. At midday we stumble as if it were twilight; among the strong, we are like the dead.

The context of this blindness is sinfulness, lack of righteousness, justice and truth.

Isai 56:10 Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.

Matt 15:14 (NIV) Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."Matt 23:16 "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? Matt 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

John 9:39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

2Pet 1:9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

When Christians do not continue to grow in godliness and in Christian virtues, and become stagnant, Jesus said they become nearsighted and blind.

Reve 3:17 You say, `I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

This is a sad but realistic picture of the Church of the end times.

On the road side begging

Helpless, he knew his condition… Most people don’t.

• Without God to restore our sight--heal us spiritually, we are blind in many ways and we do not recognize

1. our father's work and purpose-- Jesus at the age of 12 knew his Father's purposes.
2. our true selves-- Paul often mention time of ignorance..
3. our God given opportunities
4. our worst dangers
5. our real interest

• Our blindness keeps us from seeing the real value of our present life and worst than that it makes us drift toward a much darker and sadder destination-- not being aware of our eternal destiny.

What he heard of Jesus led him to regard Jesus as the Messiah … Comp. John the Baptist—OT prophecies.

His knowledge was enough to throw himself upon the mercy of Jesus—as soon as he had the opportunity.

• Titles he gave to Jesus: Son of David; (V.41) Lord I want… (Kurie); Mk 10:51 (Rabbouni) Great master.

• Jesus is near: within the reach of our voice. He is the only one who can open our eyes… and make us see clearly all that we need to know.
• He offers to:

1. Enlighthen our mind-- by restoring our spiritual sight;

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

2. Restore us into a right relationship with the father-- lost by our sin.

John 3:19 (NIV) This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

3. Restore us back on the right and only way,
4. Guide us through all our life to our heavenly home.

• We cannot afford to delay when Jesus of Nazareth is passing by near us
• When eternal life is within our reach, we must push every other interest to take the 2^nd place… because we may not have any other opportunity
• Our present opportunity is a priceless chance-- How long will it remain within our reach?
• A word from the undertaker (One who arrange funerals): In 25 years, he has overseen 5000 burials…"It tends to make me want to resolve conflicts a little quicker, because I've seen people go off to work who don't come home." People intend to do something about it eventually but not now…
• (Gates of heaven are still open) Luke 13:23-28

Matt 25:6-13; 10 virgins

But he cried all the more…

• The more discouragement, the louder he cried out—May it be an example to us when we are discouraged…

Remember Jesus is approaching the cross.

• Jesus heard a cry from the heart and he heard a cry faith.
• The one who disturbed the procession that we tried to stop, is now called by Jesus-- Jesus change the situation.

"Lord, I want to see," he replied.

He knows what he wants and what he needs— Not $; I want to receive my sight…

• Jesus will restore his two sights.

1. Those who want nothing in particular

They attend church with friends, sing, listen, but they have no sense of need in their heart-- Their soul is unaware (ignorant) of the sense of sin, they are not thirsty for the living God

They have their daily bread and they are not hungry for the bread of life.

2. Those who want nothing now

Maybe in some future hour of sorrow or difficulty or loneliness or when facing death or tragedy…

They wish to keep a line of communication open but now they do not feel they want anything.

3. Those who want God and his blessings now

What we need from him:

1. That our eyes will be open to see that the real value of our life is beyond our earthly surrounding.
2. That our eyes may be open to see the real state of our spiritual life and of our intimate relationship with Christ.
3. That our eyes may see the abiding state of blessing of our service to Christ

1. He refused to put down his request when he was under peer pressure…
2. This is a beautiful picture of prayer, of faith in approaching God…
3. It provides the Lord an opportunity to manifest his power and mercy

The king was walking to the cross. He stopped on the way to care for a poor helpless blind beggar.

• He was going to do much more than that-- He was to be crucified on the cross for the sins of mankind.

• He is addressing personnally to each individual-- and he is willing to ask each one: "What do you want me to do for you?"

Healed you or saved you; Comp: Matt 9:22; The woman with an issue of blood;Mk 5:34; Lk 8:48; "thy faith has made thee whole" (Sozo)

Lk 7:50; The sinful woman

17:19; The one Samaritan leper who with 9 others were healed and came back to thank Jesus

The blind man acknowledged God’s act in his healing…

• (Pay attention at the words the beggar used: "Son of David, Lord, Master", Faith, Followed, Praising…); These terms expressed His faith toward Jesus and the result of his faith.
• We can see that he joined the company of Christ’s disciples.

He was also spiritually healed. He could then see who Jesus truly was: His Savior and he was proud to follow him.

People seing us following Jesus will also glorify God.

 Take time to consider these provoking taughts from Leonard Ravenhill:

"The fact that all men are judgment-bound is the most sobering thought I know."

"Today we can buy a sun tan lotion, apply it from the bottle, and get the color without the user's ever seen the sun…There is a christianity today that has the color but not the character… without discipline, without taking the cross."

"For everyone reminder that we are soldiers, we are told thousand times that we are sons. But can we have soldiers without having discipline?"

"We should step up our spiritual living that what we are (and from what we are flow all actions, attitudes, etc.) will abide in the day of Christ's coming, so that we shall not be ashamed at his glorious appearing."

"Unused and unproductive hours are stacked up against us to be accounted for in that great day when books shall be opened…"