The Marvel of Jesus - Part 537

Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for God is working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you. Therefore,"behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden." It is no wonder that the man in Mark 5:20 went on his way, proclaiming in Decapolis how Jesus had done great things for him. Indeed, he began to publish the great things Jesus had done for him.

Prior to the man's encounter with Jesus, he had been possessed with a devil. Life wasn't going so well. Tormented, the man's only hope was Jesus. And Jesus? He knew of the man's situation, And He had compassion on the man. "Go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee." It is no wonder that the man published his encounter to everyone he met. Jesus - the King of kings and Lord of lords had set him free -- once and for all. And the people marvelled.

But this is only the beginning. John 5:20 states: "For the Father loveth the Son and showeth Him all things that Himself doeth; and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel." Greater works than these. Jesus said in John 7:21, "I have done one work and ye all marvel because of it." It is no wonder that Peter said unto the people, "You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk? (Acts 3:12)

This point is reiterated in the example in John chapter 9. It was the Sabbath Day. As Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from birth. And His disciples asked saying, "Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents but that the works of God should be made manifest in him." Jesus then went on to say, "I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

When Jesus had spoken, He spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and He annointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And then Jesus said, "Go wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation Sent). The man went his way, washing and seeing his sight restored. The neighbours asked, "Is this not he that sat and begged?"

The neighbours asked the man, "How were thine eyes opened?" And the man said, "A man that is called Jesus made clay and annointed mine eyes and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash; and I went and washed, and I received sight."

Then the neighbours brought the blind man to the Pharisees who also asked how the man had received his sight. "He put clay upon eyes and I washed and do see." Some of the Pharisees said that this man was not of God because He keepeth not the Sabbath Day. Others said, "How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them." (John 9:16)

They said unto the blind man again, "What sayest thou of Him that He hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him that he had been blind and received \his sight until they called the parent s of him that received his sight. And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see."

The parents answered them. "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind; But by what means he now seeth we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not; he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself."

The parents worded their response this way because they feared the Jews. This is because the Jews had already agreed that if any man did confess that he was teh Christ he should be put out of the synagogue. So the parents said, "He is of age, ask him" referring to their son.

So the Pharisees again asked the man that was blind, "Give God the praise, we know that this man is a sinner." But the maan answered and said, "Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know that whereas I ws blind now I see."

The Pharisees asked again, "What did Jesus do?" But the man answered them, "I have told you already and ye did not hear wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be His disciples?" In other words, will you follow the Jesus who healed a blind man who begged. Will you understand why the man said, "Why herein is a marvellous thing that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know tht God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doeth His will him He heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, He could do nothing."

The Pharisees cast the man out. But Jesus, upon hearing the Pharisee's response found the man and asked him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" And the man answered and said, "Who is the Lord that I might beleive on Him?" And Jesus said, "Thou hast both seen Him and it is He that talketh with thee."

I am He that has come. And the man worshipped Jesus. The man who was once blind could now see and He knew in whom to put his faith in. He had said to the leaders of the day, "Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence He is and yet He has opened mine eyes." (John 9:30)

Like Paul states in Acts 13:4: "Behold you despisers [scoffers], and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days; a work which ye shall in no wise believe. Ye shall in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you."

The blind man was telling the Pharisees that Jesus had performed a miracle but the scoffers were not listening. They were not marvelling at the miracle that Jesus performed. Even though here was Jesus - God Almighty - the Word in the flesh - giving His mercies and grace to the people in abundance, the Pharisees were not rejoicing. But the Gentiles listened and as a consequence, the multitudes kept on coming to see Jesus. Why? Because the people recognized that Jesus was the only way, the truth and the life. It is Jesus' mercies that makes us whole. It is Jesus who gives us peace. It is Jesus that sets us free.

The Alpha and Omega. The beginning and the end. The Saviour who even when He is passing by - as was the case with the examples above - knows our inner struggles. Focus on Jesus today. Ask Jesus what He has planned for your life. Because it is Jesus who knew you before the beginning of the world and yet loved us. Jesus alone is enough. Stand in the offering plate.