May Week4 Lesson: Jesus Opens Blinded Eyes

LESSON 22. MAY 28, 2017.

TOPIC: Jesus Opens Blinded Eyes

Memory Verse:  Luke 4:18-19. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. KJV.

Central Truth:  Jesus Opens Blinded Eyes

Focus: To study and overcome spiritual Blindness. 

LESSON TEXT:  Mark 8:1-26.

OUTLINE:

1.    An Eye-opening Miracle

A.      Compassion for the Hungry

B.      Jesus Feeds the Hungry

2.    Hard Hearts and Blinded Eyes

A.      Avoid Blindness

B.      Seek Jesus

3.    Jesus Restore Sight

A.      Personal Touch

B.      New Vision

                                   Learning Objectives

At the end of the Lesson, students will be able to:

1.      Grasp the nature of spiritual blindness and develop better spiritual discernment.

2.      .Recognise the causes of spiritual blindness as well as the need to avoid it.

3.      Minister more effectively to the spiritually needy.

                      

                                 Introducing the Lesson

Question: What is spiritual Blindness, and what is the remedy for it?

Spiritual blindness takes different forms. It may involve the inability to see one’s own spiritual condition. Or it may involve the failure to comprehend the need for Christ. Whatever form it takes, Jesus can deliver individual from spiritual blindness.

1.    An Eye-Opening Miracle.

A.   Compassion  For The Hungry. Mark 8:1-3

The miracles Jesus performed in the Gospels provided evidence of Christ’s Identity as the Messiah. Such was case in the feeding of the four thousand as found in Mark 8. This miracle occurred when a large crowd gathered to hear and see Jesus (vers1). It was not the first time a crowd had gathered to hear Jesus. Neither was it the first time He had performed a miracle such as this before the messes ( see Mark 6: 32-44).

Like the earlier feeding of the five thousand (Mark 6), Jesus’ compassion for the multitudes led to the miracle. During the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus had been especially moved by their spiritual need (6:34). This time scripture focuses on their spiritual well-being.  The multitude had been with Jesus for three days (8:2). Jesus recognizes their hunger. Compounding the problem was that in that region of Decapolis there was sometimes a great distance between the cities. A long trip back home by someone suffering from great hunger could lead to serious physical consequences (verse 3).

Question: What can this miracle teach us about Jesus’ motivation to help people who need to experience Salvation ?

Jesus feels loving concern for the unsaved. This compassion extends to their temporal needs as well. Christians today are wise to reflect His compassion in their response to the people around them, reaching out lovingly to meet their temporal needs even as they introduce the lost to Jesus.

Teaching Tip: Have volunteers read Matthew 9: 35-38; Mark 1:40-42;Luke 7:11-15 aloud, then discuss how Jesus’ compassion affected how He related to the people in each scene.

B.      Jesus Feeds the Hungry. Mark 8:4-9.

 Having had Jesus express his concern for the crowd, the disciples wondered where they could possibly find enough food to feed them (verse4). They were in an especially barren place, and so it is easy to imagine how feeding such a multitude would be possible. However, one is also left wondering how the disciples could respond in such a lack of faith in light of Jesus’ previous miracle of provision for the five thousand. Jesus didn’t rebuke the disciples’ lack of faith, however, and instead responded by turning their attention to the meager provisions they happened to have with them (verse 5).

Question: What Can Christ’s words and actions in this setting teach us about our proper response in times of great need ?

Two principles might come to mind. First, we must call to mind God’s sovereign, unlimited ability and willingness to meet needs. He has done so in the past, and we can believe him for same today and in the future. Second, God will often involve us in the meeting of that need. He may call on us to offer what we have or take action in helping to provide. There will be no doubt that the miraculous has come from him. But He often calls us serve as more than passive bystanders.

After the multitude sat down, Jesus gave thanks to the Father, as was customary (verse 6; see 1Timothy 4:3-5). Then He instructed that the food be divided and distributed. This include a small number of small fish (verse 7). The “Loaves” mentioned were likely flat bread cakes that could be easily torn apart. From those few provisions were fed four thousand men. It is thought that with women and children, the crowd that day might have exceeding eight thousand (see Matthew 15:38). The miraculous and unassailable, and it could be attested to by a large throng of people. Jesus had met their physical and spiritual needs, bearing witness to His identity as the Messiah.

2.    Hard Harts and Blinded Eyes

A.   Avoid  Blindness. Mark 8:10-12.

 After feeding the four thousand, Jesus and His disciples immediately set out for the region of Dalmanutha. Matthew’s  Gospel indicates that this region may have  been called Megdala, or perhaps Magdala was specific location in the region ( Matthew 15:39,KJV). Regardless, they once again encountered the Pharisees. These Jewish religious leaders were often hard-hearted men sat against Jesus and suffering from spiritual blindness  (Mark 8:10-11).

Teaching Tip: Discuss why the Pharisees may have become spiritual blind, then talk about ways we can avoid similar problems.

In this instance the Pharisees approached Jesus with question aimed at pushing Him to give them a sign from heaven. They wanted to test His claims, and asked Him to show them a sign from heaven (verse 11).

Question: What do you think were the real motives behind the Pharisees’ search for a sign from Christ?

The problem with the Pharisees’ question lay in the fact they did not merely seek a display of miraculous power. By this time in Jesus’ earthly ministry, they had witnesses many displays of his power. What they sought was evidence that God had authorized what Jesus was doing, and on this point they were extremely skeptical . The Pharisees had already made it plain that they had no faith in Him, accusing Him of operating under the influence of the devil ( Mark 3:22).

Jesus’ response to the Pharisees He saw through their questions and discerned the unbelief that lay behind them (8:12). Scripture’s record that He “sighed deeply” indicates  the deep grief and disappointment that He felt over their blindness of heart. He, in return, refused to give them a sign, for no sigh could bring spiritual sight to their blinded hearts-or indeed to that entire  hard-hearted generation. The only sign they could expect would be found in His death and resurrection.

Christians today must look beyond the questions people pose about the Lord and see the unbelief often held behind these inquires.  Rather than get caught in a web of endless questions and answers, we must cut to the main issue: a lack of faith in Christ.

B.    Seek Jesus. Mark 8:13-21.

After Jesus and His disciples departed from this encounter, they moved on to the coasts of Magdala (Mark 8:13; see Matthew15:39,KJV). Here the disciples demonstrated that spiritual blindness was just the problem of Pharisees. The disciples carried that fault as well. Note Christ’s warning in verse 14-15.

The disciples had brought only one loaf of bread for their journey. As they sailed across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus warned them about “ the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod” (verse15, NIV). The disciple mistakenly took “yeast  or leaven” literally and received Christ’s words as a warning not to buy bread from the Pharisees-which  seems to have led to a discussion over who had led forgotten to buy more bread (verse 16).

Jesus knew of their conversation and immediately picked up on the disciples’ lack of discernment concerning what He had said (verse 18). They were afflicted with spiritual blindness and deafness, exposed  by the first of several rapid-fire questions Christ asked concerning this affliction.

Jesus called on the disciples to remember the recent, miraculous feedings of the five thousand and four thousand (se Mark 6:30-34;8:1-10). From this He proceeded to a final, rhetorical question: How is it that ye do not understand” (verse 21 KJV). They had seen and experienced all they could possibly have needed to recognize who Jesus really is.

Question: What is the answer for a dulled perception of Jesus is ? 

We need to examine ourselves. Are we really hearing what Jesus say in His word? Are we aware of what He shows us each day about himself? By staying attuned to the teachings of Christ, and rejecting the temptation  to focus on other things, we can conquer our own spiritual dullness.

3.    Jesus Restores Sight.

A.   Personal Touch. Mark 8: 22-23

  In Bethsaida, Jesus encountered a blind man (Mark 8:22). The people accompanying this man obviously knew that Jesus’ touch had meant healing before. There would be value in this personal contact.

Jesus led the man out of the city, perhaps offering time to develop rapport and build the man’s faith. The act of spitting on this blind man’s eyes and laying hands  on him would serve as things the man could feel, building assurance within the man that Jesus was at work in his life (verse 23). Jesus involved him even more by asking what the man saw. From his response, we can gather that the healing was gradual.

B.    New Vision.  Mark 8:24-26

Mark 8:24 indicates that the healing of the blind man took place in two stages. He went from blind to blurry vision to complete healing (verse 25). Then, with the miracle complete, Jesus instructed the man to go directly  home and not stop in Bethsaida. Here, as in other passages of  Mark, Jesus was instructing him not to share what had happened. The attention brought on by this event may have provoked further resistance to Christ’s ministry and also detracted from Christ’s central message: the coming of God’s kingdom.

The importance of this incident points to more than the physical healing of the man in need, however. It also anticipates the opening of the “spiritual eyes” of the disciples. This passage, along with Mark 7:24-37,remainds us of the messianic prophecy in Isaiah 35:5-6. Spiritual vision would confirm that Jesus came to bring salvation promised to all who become a part of God’s kingdom.

Question: What does Jesus’ ability to heal Physical blindness tell us about Jesus, as well as how we should respond to Him?

Mark 8 revels to us that Jesus can open blinded eyes. We rejoice in this promise from a physical perceptive, yet it is critical we recognize the spiritual significance as well. The disciples who walked this earth with Christ struggled with their spiritual vision. We must be careful to avoid the same trap.

Teaching Tip: Read John 3:5-12. Brainstorm special principles students can identify from this passage that help them understand what it means to have spiritual vision. Talk about what hinders this vision, as well as how they can maintain good spiritual vision.

                          DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION

Because of Christ, we are able to have spiritual vision, to perceive the eternal, appreciate its value, and reject that which might bring about spiritual blindness. We now have a mandate to tell others about Christ, to bring the hope of spiritual vision to them. Though the power of the Holy spirit, Christians can enlighten the lost with the message of truth.

In Matthew 13:10-16, Jesus taught His followers about the value of spiritual vision, reminding us of the importance of sharing that vision with others. Christians have the answers to spiritual blindness because of their personal relationship with Christ.

Just as Jesus opened blinded eyes in the scriptures covered in today’s lesson, He can restore sight to the spiritually blind. Take time today to ponder your role in taking the message  of truth to those who suffer such blindness. Do not be hesitant to share Jesus with the spiritually blind you encounter each day. You can become His instrument in opening blinded eyes.

                                      Ministry In Action

“List your work; work your list, “goes an old adage. Encourage students to make a list of people they know who lack a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. After they do this, encourage them to “work their list”. This happens when they pray that God will open the eyes of the lost to their personal need of the savior.

End the class in a time of prayer that students will be able to introduce the lost to Jesus. Encourage them to look for opportunities to share the truth daily.