The calamity of the blind (2)
By Pastor William F. Kumuyi
You heard, but you did not understand. You saw, but you could not percei-ve. We even spend the little time we have to tell you about the gospel, but you did not get it because you are blind. The devil has made you blind to salvat-ion, blind to the forgive-ness of God made availa-ble for you, blind to the goodness of God. But today, God will break that stronghold hampering you and your spiritual eye will be opened.
Isaiah 42:19 “Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD’S servant?”
It is not enough to have a religious background and or to be a churchgoer. The Pharisees and Sadducees were leaders in the synagogue like Nicodemus; yet Jesus did not approve of their sinful lifestyle because they were utterly blind from the truth. That is why he told Nicodemus that he must be born again.
As a ruler in the synagogue, he was blind and unable to see, perceive and understand the mind of God for his life. His confession captured the perplexity surrounding him. John 3:4 “Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” He was at sea and very puzzled because to him religion was sufficient.
The calamity of the blind is that they cannot see the provision of the LORD for their lives. They cannot see that religion is not sufficient. But blind Bartimaeus saw it all. He had to cry out to Jesus and he received his sight. You too can experience such a turn around of fortune in your life, if only you will accept the gospel of salvation that is coming to you today. It will open your eyes, take away your darkness and set you free.
Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
The Lord has decided to take your spiritual blindness away. But are you ready to see Jesus today? He is the only one with the requisite power meant to set you free. If you reject His offer of salvation, you will live to regret it because sin breeds suffering. Sickness brings suffering and Satan, the mastermind of sin and sick-ness, will compound your suffering here on earth and in eternity. That is why you need Jesus Christ in your life.
Do you know that problems of life, calamities, sick-nesses, etc did not exist in this world before Satan introduced sin into it when he lured Adam and Eve? Our first parents, Adam and Eve, did not experience life’s difficulties until they sinned. Sin and suffering came in because they sinned. Sin has a way of sapping out the very life of an individual; it takes place when Satan, the originator of sin, gives licence to the twin relatives of sickness and suffering to ravage the sinner. That is why anywhere you find sickness, suffering is also by the side.
Adam and Eve relished life in the garden of Eden. As a result, the Almighty God spent quality time with them in the cool of the day. But when they embraced sin, the devil’s philosophy, God severely punished them for it. That became the origin and the fall of man from glory to gore.
Genesis 3:17-19,16 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
The moment Satan captured their interest, and sold them his own version of life, suffering took root in their lives. In other words, if you allow Satan into your life, he will ruin it because where there is Satan, sin, sickness and suffering will permeate. But when Jesus comes into that ruinous life, hope will transcend into health and happiness, because Satan and sin will be dispelled; and the twin relatives of sickness and suffering will cave in before the superior power of Jesus.
Today, Jesus is calling you because He wants to save, heal and deliver you. He wants to put a stop to your suffering. He wants to do you good that is why He is calling you. Mark 10:49 “And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” A great chance of a life time came in his life and he grabbed it with both hands.
Mark 10:50 “And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.” The filthy garment, which stocked with him at this bitterness times, was the symbol of his blindness. He could not afford to spend the next phase of life with the symbol of shame and disgrace, especially knowing fully well that all who ever encountered Jesus have lived to tell a tale of a new beginning.
Mark 10:51 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.”
He was purposeful in his decision demanding for a change of life. He made an open confession, and while calling Jesus Lord, he stated what was uttermost in his heart, which is, that he is blind to the future and cannot see what it has in store for him. His statement also meant that he is blind and unable to see his Saviour. He ascribed to Jesus the title, Lord and made Him the Lord of his life.
As the call is coming to you today, I have this strong impression that, just like blind Bartimaeus, you will answer it, and make Jesus the Lord of your life as well as the fountain of your soul. Today, as you call upon the Lord, He will save your soul. The decision is in your hand, if your sins must be taken away.
Blind Bartimaeus was a determined seeker. His disability and the disparaging remarks from the crowd did not dissuade him from his purpose. Mark 10:52 “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.”
The man received his salvation. If you do not have salvation, you are not whole/complete; you will remain a fraction of the man or woman that you have been all these years. Tell me, what is your joy, when you do not have Jesus? Tell me, what is your joy, when you do not have the ticket for heaven? Tell me, what is your joy, when you do not have the joy of salvation? Until you have salvation, you will not be complete, because there is no satisfaction in life, without salvation. You will not find happiness on earth, without salvation. You will not experience eternal life in heaven with God, without salvation.
The blunt truth is that the life you are living right now is just like that of an ordinary animal. You breath just as animals do; you eat food like they do; you walk and animals also perform the same act; and you sleep just as animals do. Whatever you engage in which animals replicate takes place in the physical sphere. There is something beyond the physical which you possess that animals do not have. They do not have a soul that needs to be saved from sin. They do not have the possibility of eternal existence after death. When animals die they go down to the ground and the God who created them has no written tribute concerning their service on earth. But when a believer dies in Christ, because he possesses the free gift of God also known as salvation, the ticket to the heavenly city, heaven will stand at attention to herald a hero who has what animals and sinners do not possess.
Sinners are endangered species marked for destruction in hell, where the cry of their torment ascends upward forever. Do not let your soul get trapped in such a forbidden place. You can salvage yourself from the punishment of sin by acknowledging your sinfulness and accepting Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Master. The gate of heaven is still open for you today because Luke 1:37 says that, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
The time has come. Jesus is already waiting for you; and you cannot be denied because salvation will come to you today. Bow your head and close your eyes so that we can pray. Confess your sins and ask Him to come into your life today.
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