Mark 7:31-37 - Healing a Deaf-Mute Man
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Joel and Mary Nadel
Joel and Mary Nadel
From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”
From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”
House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text
House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text
Pray
Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis. They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it. They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Jesus’ Ministry Travels
Jesus’ Ministry Travels
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Introduction
Introduction
Mark is one of the Gospels - it tells us how we can be reconciled to God and gain eternal life
Preceded by John, Jesus came from Galilee
John got the people’s attention
Jesus began his ministry
Signs and wonders demonstrated His lessons
Cripples, diseases, resurrections, casting out demons
Created food from nothing - controlled the weather
Knew He was going to the cross - trained His disciples
Last week, Jesus demonstrates what true faith is, and breaks down the evil of Jewish pride and prejudice
This week: Jesus finished with His mission in Sidon, heads back to Galilee, to the Decapolis, and ministers to a man who is both deaf and mute
They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him.
Another Mighty Miracle
Another Mighty Miracle
We need to take note that another mighty miracle is recorded here
Immediately He granted their request and the man is cured - instantly provided by word and by touch
Mark 7:35 “And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.”
This is only half the lesson for us though - its not only an example of Jesus power- the power of God. Let’s look deeper
Jesus can heal the spiritually deaf!
Can give the chief of sinners a hearing ear
Can make even the worst sinners love hearing the Gospel that they once made fun of
He can also heal the spiritually mute!
Can teach the worst sinners to call upon God
Can put a new message in the mouth of them who talked only of the sinful world around them
When Jesus sends His spirit, nothing is impossible
Must not worry about others
Mustn’t believe our own hearts are so bad that they can’t be changed
He that healed this deaf-mute still lives
Cases that philosophers and moral intellectuals pronounce hopeless, can be cured by Christ
Mark 7:33-34
Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
A strange way to heal
A strange way to heal
Second thing we notice is the strange way that our Lord used to work this miracle
Took him aside, put fingers in his ears, spit, touched his tongue, looked up to heaven and said Ephphatha - be opened
No doubt, these actions may seem strange to us. Not sure why He did it this way
He could have easily spoken the word and commanded the man to become healthy, as what He did here
Why He did it this way is not recorded - my opinion of why He might have done this
Jesus used a kind of sign language
We do know, the man was cured
One lesson: Christ used various ways to do His works among men and women
Sometimes one way, somtimes another
What no one could say, especially His enemies, is that His cures didn’t work
We see this as Christ continues to build His church today
Christ uses many different ways to bring grace to us
How did you come to Christ?
Sometimes He works through public preaching, sometimes by the Word shared privately
Sometimes He uses sickness, sometimes the counsel of friends
Sometimes His grace turns people away from their sins, sometimes He uses a providence - with no grace
No means of grace will be exalted over others and made an idol
None of his methods/means will be derided as useless or worthless - all are good and valuable
All are used for the same end - the conversion of sinners
All are God’s sovereign choice - He knows which will work best for each case
They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Bringing it home - Remember:
Bringing it home - Remember:
A wonderful testimony before witnesses who saw this miracle - “He had done all things well!”
They probably didn’t realize the deeper truth of what they said
Caiaphas: John 11:51 “He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,”
Look back at our past from the time we were saved
Our Lord has done all things well
Brought us out of the darkness of our sin into the marvelous light
Humbling and teaching us on our weakness, guilt, silliness - taking away our idols, placing us where we are, giving us what we have - all has been done well!
How merciful He is
Look forward to the days to come
Don’t know if they will be light or dark, many or few
Do know we are in the hands of Him who does all things well
He will not make mistakes in any of His dealings with us
give and take away
afflict and bereave
all with perfect wisdom, in the right way
He makes no mistakes
Leads each lamb in His flock by the right way to heaven
We will never see the full beauty of all this, until the resurrection morning - the day we rise from the grave and ascend to Heaven
We will be able to look back on our lives and understand what has happened, from beginning to end
We will remember all we have experienced, and be able to say that all was “well done”
The reasons, the causes of our difficulties, all will be clear and plain as the noon day un
We will wonder at our own blindness - marvel that we ever doubted our Lord’s love.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Prayers
Prayers
Questions
Questions