idea from a Bible correspondence course by Gary Fisher
A. Some texts make you scratch your head. And yet if you talk about them, think about them, they come to have meaning, even deep meaning with good applications. Want us to study such a text today
1. At first you’ll scratch your heada nd ask, "Why?" Then you’ll see why
B. Text is Mark 8:22-26 - story of Jesus healing a man in two steps
1. Only find this story in Mark, not in Matthew, Mark or John
I. Analyzing the text
A. Vs. 22-24
1. Bethsaida, home of Phillip, Andrew and Peter, Northern part of sea of Galilee. Peter also had home in Capernaum..
2. Some disciples wanted Jesus to heal their friend.
a. When we have sick friends, we want the best doctors for them – Beverly, My Mom
b. How much do you want your friends to come to the great Physician? How much do you recommend?
3. Jesus took him out of the city - Why?
a. Perhaps so that He wouldn’t be overwhelmed with other people – a problem in this part of Galilee
b. Wanted to do miracles, leave evidence of His divinity. But with few, selected witnesses who could
later tell of what they had seen. Had to have some discretion because He would have been overwhelmed.
4. He healed the man partially – saw men walking like trees.
a. Wonder what it must have looked like? - Special forces, Character
b. An idea: healed his vision, but then healed brain
B. Vs. 25,26
1. With the second touch – completely healed
2. Told him not to tell anyone
a. Would have been inundated with people
b. There were witnesses who would tell about the miracle in the appropriate time.
C. Why is the text so difficult?
1. Why did Jesus heal him in two steps? Only miracle done this way
2. Messed up the first time he tried to heal him?
a. When I try to get car fixed, sometimes it's a matter of trial and error. That way here?
3. We make point with those who claim to do miracles, that if it isn’t complete, not a miracle
a. Friend in Kentucky -caugh, said he’d already been healed Satan was "just tempting him."
b. Jesus never did a miracle like that, leave people limping, said, "Satan’s just tempting you."
c. But here, close to that – first time didn’t seem to get the job done.
4. Jesus never made a mistake. There was some spiritual purpose, lesson in mind
a. If we study we can find it.
II. The explanation – often looking in the context we can find the meaning to a difficult text
A. The disciples in this chapter showed that they had distorted spiritual vision.
B. Saw some things, They had some faith - they had left all to follow Jesus
C. But they didn’t see clearly – almost as if they saw, but they saw spiritually "men walking like trees."
Examples in this same chapter
D.. Worries about food
1. Verse 1314 – worried because they didnt’ have food. Ever happened to you?
a. Mother and Dad travelling between Jos and Enugu – water spilled. They had none for the desert crossing
b. Alejandro – left to work in a remote forrest, truck dropped them off come back for them in four days. Did you bring any food? They had none!
2. Verse 15 - Jesus, "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" - Thinking of spiritual dangers of bad spiritual food.
3. Verse 16 – They automatically thought of the physical food.
a. That’s the way we often are. Automatically interpret Jesus’s words physically
i. Kingdom - political kingdom
ii. "Give and it will be given to you." Think money. " If you give $100 get $700 back."
4. Jesus answers in verse 17-18 - notice reference to vision
-a. vs. 19-21 He had just fed 5000, then 4000. Was he going to let them starve?
5. Did they see? A little, but not well. Spiritually, They saw men walking like trees.
-E. Peter illustrates that the disciples saw a little, but not clearly
1. He believed enough to say "you are the Christ" (vs. 29)
2. But then Jesus said in vs. 31 that he would have to suffer and die (vs. 31)
3. Peter verse 32 - What about being the Christ, the Son of the living God? You rebuke Him Peter?
4. Jesus responded in vs. 33
5 Did Peter see? Partially, but it was imperfect vision – saw men walking like trees.
F. Later on in chapter 9, Disciples who couldn’t heal demon possessed boy, the father was disappointed
1. Disciples were unable to heal the boy – lack of faith vs. 19
-G. When we see these examples of imperfect spiritual vision that surround the text, the meaning becomes obvious.
1. Spiritual healing is often accomplished in more than one step.
a. An individual may come to believe partially, but needs two touches to be completely spiritually healed
-2. Sometimes men are satisfied with just one touch, with impartial healing.
a. After seeing nothing for years, seeing men walking like trees would have been fantastic for blind man.
i. "I see something!" He might have been satisfied with that.
b. But Jesus wanted something better for him, complete healing, perfect 20-20 vision
3. That’s the way it was with the apostles. They saw some things, wonderful things, but needed to let Jesus touch them again to see clearly.
- HATS THE WAY IT IS SO OFTEN WITH US! We see partially but we need to see completely
III. Application for people who trust in emotionalism
A. We often hear testimonies that go something like this...
1. "I was involved with drugs, alchohol, family problems. Then accepted Christ as personal Savior and freed from all those problems."
2. And yet, we know that they are members of churches where Bible no followed carefully
a. Conditions of salvation not taught - Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, etc.
b. Simple worship God has asked for overlooked, entertainment oriented worship
c. titles for preachers, systems of men
3. They think life is marvelous, and indeed it is compared to what it was.
a. Their lives hundreds of times better in denominations than in the world
4. They see men walking like trees, need to allow themselves to be touched again
B. Often I’ve not known how to respond to this type of testimony.
1. They’re so happy, enthusiastic - don’t want to throw a bucket of cold water on their enthusiasm
2. But something is lacking – complete submission to Christ
3. From now on, I’m going to consider bringing them to this text.
a. Acknowledge that they’ve had some marvelous changes, thanks for that – but need second touch!
IV. Applications for those we know to be New Testament Christians
A. Almost all of us have seen the truth to a certain point
1. We've confessed Christ, Seen need to be born again of water and Spirit (Jn. 3:5); worship Christ as He has requested, not entertainment oriented, but back to basic, simple approach.
B. But there are too many Christians who are contented with that – "I’m in the one true church."
1. That contentment is dangerous –
2. Emphasis on attendance, acts of public worship. Contented when they get that right
a. so much more to it. – Complete surrender to Christ, often forgotten
C. But there are signs that we need the Second touch:
1. Worry – What am I going to eat? How pay rent? Fix transmission?
a. Sometimes solution is to be more responsible with spending, money
b. Don’t have to be overwhelemed with anxiety and worry – second touch available.
c. Second touch may involve learning Matthew 6 (God feeds birds, dresses lillies of field)
d. vs. 30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown in
theoven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"
- 2. Brethren who can’t get along
a. Visited in Alabama and Florida – heard of all kinds of fights among brethren
i. If you don’t agree with me, "false teacher." No I’m not, yes I am
b. Sometimes brethren who know a lot of Bible, Greek, need the second touch
c. don’t need to have constant bickering – Second touch avialbable
c. Need 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, James 3:17; "avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife." 2 Tim. 2:23
3. Husbands and Wives that can’t get along
a. Selfishness rules in so many homes: Each one wants his own way.
b. Can see defects in others, can’t see own. Worry about the other changing, not self.
c. Don’t have to live that way- there is a second touch available, must seek it.
4. Worldly clothing, entertainment
a. We are surrounded by shallow people: work, school, turn on TV
b. So easy to be affected by their language, dress, entertainment
c. The more we allow ourselves to be affected, the more shallow our own lives become.
d. We don’t have to be wrapped up in the market, shallow show business culture, wear revealing clothes that proclaim a shallow lifestyle. Second touch is available.
5. Comfortable Christians and Churches
a. Nice routine – Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night
b. Don’t want that routine messed up
i. Worry about world evangelism?
ii. Concern ourselves with evangelizing friends?
iii. making sacrifices – "Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease?"
iiii. sin in the church – might ruffle feathers to confront it, bad attitudes
D. How often we see, but we don’t see. See men walking like trees, not clearly, don’t really see what life is really about. Don’t live as if we knew what it were all about.
V. How to get that second, clarifying touch?
-A. Must accept that we have a problem
1. The man said, "I see men walking like trees." He was admitting that everything wasn’t perfect.
2. We have to confess. I see, but I don’t see as I should. Too wrapped up in self, in world.
3. Without confession there is no healing! (1 John 1:9)
4. Many fail on this point. Pride won’t let them confess. Especially true when disagreements in church,
home.
B. After acknowledging distorted vision through confession, we must go to Jesus in three ways
1. Prayer – not as important to 21st century Christians as to 1st century Christians. Causes problems
2. Feed ourselves through word.
3. Imitation - Obedience and service.
Conclusion: Can we help you? With the second touch?
A. If you’ve never been washed in blood of the lamb- Acts 22:16
B. If you’ve been washed, but allowed yourself to be entangled in world, confession, prayer.