Go Ahead. See Again.

“He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is going by.”

He yelled, “Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, “What do you want from me?”

He said, “Master, I want to see again.”

Jesus said, “Go ahead – see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!” the healing was instant: he looked up, seeing – and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God.”

Luke 18:35-43 (MSG)

The blind man was doing what he did every day, sitting at the side of the road, begging for his income.

One day something was different. The blind man heard the ruckus and asked what was happening. Jesus was passing through his little piece of the world. 

The reputation of Jesus preceded him, so the blind man called to Jesus. The blind man did not consider what anyone thought of the noise he was making because this was his chance, and he was taking it. He may be blind, but he had no problems with his vocal cords. So, scream, he did.

“Shut up!” the people around him commanded. 

But did he shut up? He did not. In fact, he yelled even louder.

“Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Nothing would deter him. No one could shut him up.

Jesus heard the blind man with the strong voice. Jesus listened. Jesus stopped. 

“Bring him to me,” Jesus said.

“What do you want from me?” Jesus asked. 

Seems like a funny question for Jesus to ask. Here we have a blind man. And here is Jesus, the Healer. Obviously, Jesus knew the answer, but Jesus wanted the man to speak words of faith.

The blind man wasted no time.

“Master, I want to see again.” 

Apparently, the man had not been born blind, but had previously seen. He wanted to see again.

Jesus also wasted no time.

“Go ahead – see again! Your faith has saved and healed you.”

Jesus did not say, “MY faith has saved and healed you.” He told the man, “YOUR faith has saved and healed you.” It was the power of Jesus that healed the man, but it was the blind man’s faith that made the salvation and healing come alive in him.

There are a couple of things we can learn from the blind man, also known as the healed man.

1. This man had tenacity. 

He did not wait for Jesus to pass him on the road, nor did he just wish, and hope Jesus would come his way. Instead, he called out to get Jesus’ attention. 

The blind man was looking at Jesus before the cross, and we are looking at Jesus after the cross, so things are different. Whatever we need, Jesus purchased it and placed it inside of us when we received Him as our Savior. We already have it. But we still need the tenacity to take our healing and live in it.

2. The man’s faith saved and healed him.

It is the same today; our faith determines whether we receive or go without.

Jesus says the same to us today.

“Go ahead!”

“See again!”

“Be healed!”

“Be free!”

We are blessed in every way we need to be blessed. Jesus bought it and gave it to us.

“Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power. For all this was lavished upon us through the rich experience of knowing him who has called us by name and invited us to come to him through a glorious manifestation of his goodness.”

2 Peter 1:3 (TPT)

So, let’s be tenacious and full of faith, enjoying the great goodness of God.