Today, as we delve into the text, it’s clear that the disciples are still struggling to see. As Kevin likes to say, “bless their hearts”—but let’s remember to bless ours as well. Months ago, we explored the miracle of the blind man whose sight was restored in stages. This man was healed, but not instantly. Jesus first touched his eyes, and while his vision improved, he could only see blurry trees. After Jesus touched his eyes again, the man was able to see clearly.
Since we know that Jesus does not make mistakes in performing miracles, Mark uses this instance as a representation of our spiritual journey toward transformation. Following this, Mark presents a series of prophecies from Christ to His disciples regarding His coming death and resurrection. Each prophecy faced some form of resistance and was corrected through Jesus's patient teaching.
Mark then concludes this section with today’s miracle, which perfectly encapsulates what faith and dependence look like. It serves as a model for how we should approach and follow Christ. Given that Mark is often referred to as the Gospel of Discipleship, it’s no surprise that he uses the structure of his writing to demonstrate that Christ is worth following, even as our pride and self-focus often inhibit us from fully committing to Him.
The title of today’s sermon is “Can You See?” This question underlies all of the conversations Jesus has been having with His disciples during this section. Can you see yet? Can you grasp what I am trying to show you? Jesus has been striving to help the disciples understand that spiritual blindness and sin are intertwined, and one must possess humble faith in Christ to truly see and be liberated from sin.
The central message Mark aims to convey in our text this morning is the same one Jesus was trying to impart to His disciples: to be free from blindness and to follow Christ requires coming to the end of oneself and putting faith in Him.
Friends, Jesus Christ is worth following!
