Originally posted: 04/19/2019
The large crowd’s excitement signals the two that He is near.
They can’t see Him, but they know… it’s Him! Their hopeless state fuels their cries and refuses to be quieted. Their only Hope was passing by and their desperate cries for mercy escalate in spite of the crowd’s stern reprimand.
And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him, (20:30-34).
Jesus opened the eyes of two blind men there on the side of the road, but these were not the first eyes He opened; nor would they be the last.
Consider Him Who Opens Eyes
- He Opens Eyes to realize His generous grace.
- “‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with what is my own? Or is your eye envious because I am generous?’ 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last,” (20:15-16).
- He Opens Eyes to comprehend His perfect payment for sin.
- “and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up,” (20:18-19).
- He Opens Eyes to grasp the true meaning of greatness.
- “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many,” (20:26-28).
- He Opens Eyes to see and follow Him.
- Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him, (20:32-34).
How do we respond to Him Who Opens Eyes?
It’s fascinating that Jesus asked the blind men, “What do you want Me to do for you?” Jesus didn’t need them to tell Him of their blindness; His question required the blind men to publicly place themselves in a position of humility and dependence on what only He could do.
As we consider Him Who Opens Eyes, let us come unashamedly, in humility and dependence. Let our desperate cries for His mercy refuse to be quieted as we wait in anticipation for His compassionate touch, as we wait for what only He can do.
Lord, have mercy on us; we want our eyes opened that we may realize Your generous grace.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us… (Ephesians 1:7-8).
Lord, have mercy on us; we want our eyes opened that we may comprehend Your perfect payment for our sin.
Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God… 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified, (Hebrews 10:11-12, 14).
Lord, have mercy on us; we want our eyes opened that we may grasp the true meaning of greatness.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus… (Philippians 2:3-5).
Lord, have mercy on us; we want our eyes opened that we may see and willingly leave all behind to follow You.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26).