September 7, 2025
Sight Restored #
Mark 8:22-26
Introduction
We have before us a unique passage. The blind man of Bethsaida is only given to us in the Gospel of Mark. It is therefore unique. It is further unique because it is the only miracle done in the Scripture, which is described as being done partially, or requiring two different times. I have often wondered about the meaning behind this miracle.
Bethsaida was a cursed place…. And yet we still see a miracle being done in Bethsaida. Says a lot about the compassion of Jesus, and the mercy of God!
Matt. 11:21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
I. The Problem of Blindness (22) #
A. Stumblings #
• Lack of sight would be challenging in many ways
• Many falls, many stumbles, many injuries
◦ The Bible equates blindness to the state of the lost!
B. Spiritual Blindness #
• Physical blindness is recognizable… spiritual blindness often goes un-diagnosed.
i. Unaware of their blindness! #
Revelation 3:17 - “17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” • Blinded by many things 2 Corinthians 4:4 - “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
C. A Spiritual Guide! #
i. Bringing “they bring” #
• Lost people NEED someone to bring them to Christ!
Acts 8:30–31 - “30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? 31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.” • God uses people to bring people to Jesus! Acts 26:15-18
ii. Beseeching “and besought him” #
• Witness, give the Gospel, don’t forget to pray for the lost!
• Pray that God’s would open their eyes
II. The Partial Sight (23-24) #
A. The Touch #
i. Private meeting #
• Jesus again, led this man out, for a personal meeting with him.
• Jesus meets with us in a crowd “two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt 18:20)
• Jesus wants a personal relationship with you!
ii. Jesus reached up and touched this man! #
• He was blind, and never saw it coming.
B. The Temporality of Fogginess, unclarity – Jesus asked (23b-24) #
• This was not a mistake on Jesus part!
Mark 7:37 - “37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.” • Illustrative, or representative of us: 1Cor. 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
i. Not complete ignorance (Mark 8:27-30) - #
• There was a lot the disciples didn’t understand… some of which they put no effort into.
◦ Jesus had exhorted them, because they had not considered the miracle of the 5000.
• They did know who Jesus was!
ii. Brevity of life #
James 4:14 - “14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” • C.T. Studd – a wealthy athlete, who had attained fame, and already had fortune, decided to give it up and live for the Lord • “Only one life, twill soon be passed, only what’s done for Christ will last.” • His dad was saved under the preaching of D.L Moody, and his own life was influenced for missions by Hudson Taylor. iii. The Company Hebrews 13:5 - “5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
III. The Perfect Sight (25) #
• We are not there yet! - Not one of us has arrived yet!
A. Second touch #
• The first touch was intentional, helped him a lot… he went from seeing nothing, to seeing something.
• The Second touch was 100% clarifying!
1 Corinthians 15:51–54 - “51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
B. Perfect Clarity happens at the second touch! #
• There are things we don’t understand, and cannot fully see
2 Corinthians 5:6–8 - “6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”