Word@Work 088 - Mark 7:31-35
Published: Tue, 03/25/08
Word@Work from BeaconLight
Read Mark 7:31-35 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spat and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. (NIV)
We should not ignore geography. Jesus kept moving, because He had business to do: announcing the kingdom of heaven, and training His disciples how to do the same. After healing the child of the gentile woman on the Mediterranean coast, He now he travels many miles to (what is now) Jordan, to heal a deaf-mute man. But why did Jesus travel so far for two gentile nobodies?
Jesus specialises in people that others despise. He loves them! This man could not speak because he had never heard: just like the Jewish nation who had no right to speak for God because they refused to listen to Him. Although his caring friends begged for a physical miracle, Jesus announced that he would do much more. "Ephphatha" - be completely opened - is God's command to every human heart. So here was a real-life drama to act out the message for the disciples. Friends brought the deaf man to Jesus, who used sign language to indicate what He would do ... and invited the man to believe in Him. The word of command was not audibly heard but as Jesus spoke, the Creator addressed His creation - and hearing came immediately. Clear speech then became natural.
For the disciples, as for us, the first evangelistic lesson is that everybody is deaf to the call of Jesus. But Jesus can and does break the sound barrier! When our friends and colleagues hear the Lord speaking to them, a miracle has taken place. I wonder how may of us beg the Lord to open the ears of our spiritually deaf friends and family. As He attracts their attention (using our introductions), so He issues an inaudible summons that they can hear! This should be another reminder to keep praying with urgency, and to keep introducing the spiritually deaf to Jesus ... shouldn't it!?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this encouragement to beg you to speak to our friends. And as we do so, please help us to be effective in bringing them to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
We should not ignore geography. Jesus kept moving, because He had business to do: announcing the kingdom of heaven, and training His disciples how to do the same. After healing the child of the gentile woman on the Mediterranean coast, He now he travels many miles to (what is now) Jordan, to heal a deaf-mute man. But why did Jesus travel so far for two gentile nobodies?
Jesus specialises in people that others despise. He loves them! This man could not speak because he had never heard: just like the Jewish nation who had no right to speak for God because they refused to listen to Him. Although his caring friends begged for a physical miracle, Jesus announced that he would do much more. "Ephphatha" - be completely opened - is God's command to every human heart. So here was a real-life drama to act out the message for the disciples. Friends brought the deaf man to Jesus, who used sign language to indicate what He would do ... and invited the man to believe in Him. The word of command was not audibly heard but as Jesus spoke, the Creator addressed His creation - and hearing came immediately. Clear speech then became natural.
For the disciples, as for us, the first evangelistic lesson is that everybody is deaf to the call of Jesus. But Jesus can and does break the sound barrier! When our friends and colleagues hear the Lord speaking to them, a miracle has taken place. I wonder how may of us beg the Lord to open the ears of our spiritually deaf friends and family. As He attracts their attention (using our introductions), so He issues an inaudible summons that they can hear! This should be another reminder to keep praying with urgency, and to keep introducing the spiritually deaf to Jesus ... shouldn't it!?
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this encouragement to beg you to speak to our friends. And as we do so, please help us to be effective in bringing them to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
You can read more of this Bible passage online - in English and other languages - share the Bible with your friends!
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