daily java

Daily Java:

As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.  (Matthew 10:29-33)

Nothing interrupts a good gospel sermon more than people wanting to apply God to their lives.

Here you are preaching away, giving great exegeses, good examples, all that, and someone interrupts asking for application to real life. The problem is that most preachers have trouble applying what they say to real life. To them, as it is to much of their audience, the sermon they are preaching is academic, a presentation of the word of God.

And many have adopted this approach to listening to a sermon. It is full of information, but lacks any real power in life.

A crowd is following Jesus, listening to him, but a couple of men get very vocal desiring a personal touch from God. The rest of the group is busy listening or visiting with each other, having fellowship.

The two blind men begin shouting for Jesus to see them. They are making a scene and people are getting annoyed at them. The crowd begins to yell back at them. “Be quiet.”

This just had the effect of amplifying the men’s desire to get to Jesus. The more people tried to get them to be quiet, the louder they got. They didn’t want sermons. They wanted Jesus.

Finally Jesus hears them and asks them what they want. They want to see. All they wanted was something basic and down to earth. They didn’t want wealth or position of power or glory. They just wanted to see.

Jesus healed them and then they became his followers.

Good sermons have their place, as does teaching. But Jesus himself said that he did not come to teach, but to seek and save the lost (Luke 19). His message was not an academic one, to be looked at and studied and dissected.

It was a message that was meant to be hands on, to be applied to people’s lives. When the men were touched by Jesus, they followed him.

They had heard of him, obviously believed in his power, but they needed a personal encounter with him. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Everyone comes to Jesus differently. Some people accept and believe easily. Others need the personal encounter. Some resist all their lives and finally come to him. Others come early.

But without the hands on part of the gospel, the gospel becomes nothing but schoolwork, nothing but words.

When God touches you through Jesus, then it becomes real.