Seeing Men Like Trees

Mark 8:22-25

Introduction:

1. 1. Have you ever noticed that we tend to complain and gripe about almost anything?
      1. It is either too hot, too cold, but hardly ever just right.
      2. Too dark, too bright, too hard, too soft, too bland, too salty-humans are just never content.  Why?
      3. Could it be that we complain too much because we take too much for granted?
      4. Take for example, our five senses: touch, smell, hear, taste and sight.
   2. If you are blessed with having ALL five senses, then God has allowed you five ways to enrich your life.
      1. Touch-sensory is an amazing and essential part of life, some cannot function well without it.  The feeling of cool sand between your toes.
      2. Smell-the unmistakable delicious smell of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.
      3. Hear-the endearing words from the mouths of your innocent child, “I love you.”
      4. Taste-The first sip of morning coffee (in order to put together a series of words in order to make a logical sentence), the taste of Southern sweet tea, and Uncle Sam’s bbq
      5. Sight-the majestic sight of the Grand Canyon, the amazing colors of the coral reefs in the Virgin Islands, and the divine view of Niagara Falls-these things cannot be described they must be seen.
   3. God has blessed us with life, and He has also blessed us with he ability to “take it all in” with our five senses.
   4. Of all the fives senses, if you had to give up one, which one would you give up?  Which one would you miss the most?
   5. Of all the miracles that Jesus performed, giving sight to the blind served the purpose to prove that He was the Messiah:
      1. Luke 4:16-21; Is. 61; Luke 7:22)
      2. Additionally, Jesus came to give spiritual sight to the spiritually blind (John 9:39)
      3. This makes Make 8 all the more interesting…

1. Some things take time
   1. All of Jesus’ miracles were immediate, except this one.  Why?  Why did it require a second touch?
   2. Context (Mark 8:1-21):
      1. Jesus had fed 5000 people with a  few fish and loaves of bread, then another 4000 with a few fish and a few loaves of bread, and both times there were leftovers.  
      2. The Pharisees were witnesses to the miracle and then came to Jesus and demanded just one more sign.  (Mark 8:11)  “One more sign from heaven and we will believe.”
      3. The sigh (Mark 8:12)
         1. “sighing deeply in His spirit…”
         2. This is just like you and me.  The Pharisees had just witnessed an amazing miracle and they want just one more.  Never satisfied, never content, never enough crowd of hard-headed, flint-foreheaded, rebel rousing flunkies-yes, Jesus sighed deeply.  Just like you and me.
         3. Can you imagine the God who called the world into being, sighing deeply?  (Psalm 33:9)
      4. Jesus refused to honor their request, instead He and His disciples got in the boat and took off.
      5. While in the boat Jesus was concerned with the negative influences the Pharisees and Herod might have had on the apostles.  So Jesus says, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees.”
         1. Mark 8:13-17-They were so concerned about physical things that they missed the point Jesus was making.  
         2. Mark 8:18-21-They were as blind as the Pharisees-“Having eyes, ears..do you not yet see and do you not yet hear?”
2. The blind man (Mark 8:22-23)
   1. The power of touch-every blind person knows the power of touch.  Jesus touched the man, and then spat upon his eyes.
      1. Why did Jesus spit on him?  I don’t know.  But momma’s spit seems to have healing properties as well as cleaning properties.
      2. Jesus could have chosen to have healed him in a different way, but this is how He chose to do it.
   2. “What do you see?”  I see men like trees  (Prison story?)
      1. Did Jesus mess up?
      2. Why the do over?
      3. The second touch the man was able to see clearly.
      4. But why?
      5. Mark 8:17, 18, 21
         1. The disciples saw men like trees.  They were partially blind.  
         2. They needed a second touch.
3. Spiritual vision takes time
   1. Becoming a Christian happens at the very moment one obeys the Gospel, growing takes time, takes the rest of you life.
   2. There may be days along your journey when your light may dim and you may see men like trees, where your faith may weaken and you may be thinking about the physical bread.
   3. There are days when being a Christian is tough.  Days when it’s easy to lose your focus.
   4. On those days we need a second touch of the Master’s hand-a gentle reminder of who we are and whose we are.  

Conclusion:

1. 1. How is your vision today?
   2. Are you losing your focus?
   3. What do you see?
   4. Let us help you.

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