Jesus healed them all (part 12): the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida

Mark 8:22-26

²²They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?" ²⁴He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." ²⁵Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."

1. Only recorded in Mark

2. Some things never change – God, the devil, human nature.

a. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
b. He healed 2000 years ago, and He heals today.
c. He provided – He multiplied loaves and fishes; He took a gold coin from a fish’s mouth.
d. People like a ‘no-fault/no-responsibility’ religion – that they don’t have anything to do that affects the will of God. We have to receive the message, believe it and then act on it. Just like the salvation message.

3. The blind man was led out of town; the previous case – a deaf-mute man near the Sea of Galilee was taken aside from the multitude.

4. We can be affected by the faith of the people around us, as their words have power to impact our beliefs. We can also choose not to be affected by those around us, and to believe in the word of God. Our confessions, our words impact us, our bodies.

5. Bethsaida – north-east side of the Sea of Galilee

6. Jesus did not spit on everyone. He was led by the Holy Spirit. So we follow the Holy Spirit and not by our flesh. We do things which please God, not following a method.

7. What God gives is not imperfect. Our reception can be imperfect.

Luke 10:8-16

⁸"When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. ⁹Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' ¹⁰But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' ¹²I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. ¹³"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. ¹⁶"He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me."

Matthew 11:20-24

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹"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. ²²But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

8. Jesus never accepted any challenges to PROVE His message. He said that no sign would be given when the Pharisees challenged Him to prove His divinity with signs and wonders.

9. If people do not accept the message, ‘shake the dust’ off your feet and leave, telling them clearly that the kingdom of God is near you.

10. Bethsaida did not accept the message Jesus and the disciples preached.

11. You can lose what you receive if you don’t hold fast to your confession.