The blind see…
Jesus heals a blind man.
The blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor (Matthew 11:5).
No one else on earth could have ever done what Jesus did. Oh, there were people in the Old Testament who performed miracles. But none of them did all the things at any moment that Jesus did. And that’s mighty notable.
I would have been more than impressed had I been there, some 2,000 years ago, and seen Jesus do these things. I’d have been enticed to follow Him to see if He did other miracles. Supernatural events! He did, and that’s more than a WOW factor! As I walked with the disciples, I would have wondered about that man, Jesus.
Who was He? What was His point? Why is He doing these things? How is He doing these things? And why Judea?
Jesus was Jewish, and that’s a fact. He fulfilled the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah, meaning that Jesus is the Messiah.
He came to restore Israel to its proper place before the Father. Most folks in those days didn’t understand that. He came to save lost Jews and the Gentiles. He forgave sins, something only God can do. After His resurrection, all people would have the opportunity to receive forgiveness for their sins, restoring a relationship with God.
That has to be a big question for everyone. “Can I have a genuine connection with God? The one who created everything, including me?” The answer is, of course, yes. Anyone can.
Jesus is god/man and man/god. He lived as a man, yet possessed the power of deity. He was God before the foundation of the earth. He’s God, right now as I write this. He will always be God. He is eternal, without being created, nor will He ever lose His God-essence.
It’s only through Him that we are saved. That’s why He’s called the Savior. And what about those resurrections? The dead were brought back to animated life. I would have longed to see that! Wow factor! Wouldn’t you? Ponder His resurrection. He even predicted how long His body would be dead.
It’s no wonder people back then followed Him. Anyone today who has intelligence and the heart to consider the possibility of the resurrection, and has truly investigated the claims of the gospels, will follow Him.
Einstein knew the “god particle”. C.S. Lewis became a follower. Lee Strobel, too. Josh McDowell. These are names that are in flux today.
How many people on earth genuinely believe that Jesus is God and Lord of the universe? How many follow Him right now?
Read the gospels. Pay special attention to the details of the resurrection. Follow the logic and then follow Him. Build your faith in Christ Jesus.
Garland Van Dyke for the Matthews St. church of Christ in Bay City, TX 77414
PO Box 1522, 1915 Matthews St.