CRY OUT ALL THE MORE FOR GOD'S MERCY

Luke 18:31-43

The timing of this particular text today is quite appropriate, since this is the final Sunday before the beginning of Lent, which starts this Ash Wednesday. For the next six weeks following, our attention will be turned, as the Lord's attention was turned, to what He would endure. As Jesus said in the opening words of our text, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem , and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise."

What is interesting about this text for today is the manner in which it appears as though two separate thoughts were being combined into one text. In the first section of the reading, as was just mentioned, we have Jesus speaking about His impending crucifixion. Then, in the second part of the reading, we have the story of the healing of the blind man in Jericho , which also happens to be the last recorded miracle that we have in the Gospels that Jesus performed before entering Jerusalem .

What does the one have to do with the other?

That question, perhaps, is best answered in some earlier words of Jesus which we find in St. Luke's Gospel. Today's text comes from Luke, chapter 18; but, if you were to go back to Luke, chapter 4, where Jesus enters the synagogue for His very first teaching in the public ministry, and He quotes from the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,” (Luke 4:18-19).

If you were listening carefully, that part about the recovery of sight to the blind probably caught your attention, since that's what today's reading is about. But, significantly, in the same context of mentioning that miracle, Jesus also talks about releasing the captives, setting at liberty those oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord's favor—literally, the year of the Lord's grace.

The point here is that, according to Jesus' words, He was anointed as the Christ to proclaim good news to the poor. That term, “good news” is the literal meaning of the word, “Gospel.” The Gospel is what releases us from bondage to sin, death, and the devil. It's the good news that, through Jesus' death and resurrection, He has set us free from those things. In fact, because we have salvation in Him, it means that, one day, we also will know the bliss and glory of living in heaven without the personal handicaps and tribulations that bring us such agony and frustrations here on earth.

To put it simply, God's grace toward us in forgiving us our sins also translates into His love for us in tending to the rest of our needs as well. And that is why we see these two, seemingly separate matters, rightly joined together in today's text; because God's forgiveness and God's love go hand in hand.

And, people, this is the best possible news that we could ever hear. And let me explain why.

Chances are we have a tendency to identify ourselves with the blind man by the side of the road. It seems as though sometimes in our lives we are left alone and abandoned. We have certain difficulties in our lives which are not common to everyone else. And because of the uniqueness of our own, personal struggles, we don't expect others to be able to properly relate with what we're going through. Like the description given in the opening words of today's Old Testament reading, perhaps your hands are trembling, your knees are weak, and your heart is anxious over the various troubles you have.

What's more, it seems as though we are hindered from getting the kind of help we really need. When the blind man who cried out for help, there were those who rebuked him and told him to be quiet. Likewise, in our own situations, we often get the message that we should keep our chins up, dig in your heels, roll up your sleeves, and figure out a way to get over our problems. And so we do our best not to let on that anything is the matter. We don't want to give the impression that we're weak people.

But, can you imagine trying to take that same approach in regard to our sin? Sadly, that's exactly how the rest of the world does respond to matter of guilt over their wrongdoing. They either pretend that there's nothing immoral about their actions or else they actually think that they can do something themselves to erase their guilt. That's what's called ‘works-righteousness.' It's the belief that you can show yourself to be worthy of God's acceptance based upon your efforts to try and be the kind of person God wants you to be.

But, people, that's a far cry from the that which was uttered by the blind man . "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" He begged for mercy. He didn't put on a false front. He couldn't cure himself. Rather, He begged for the mercy of God; for, He trusted that God was a gracious God.

Which, again, has everything to do with the reason why Jesus went to the cross.

We can't cure our sinful condition. Nor do we dare to suggest that we can simply make do by ourselves; because, ultimately, that's what sends people to hell. It's the false belief that they can trust in their own efforts.

Rather, true faith, the kind that was exhibited by the blind man and which was commended by Jesus, is the faith which admits its own helplessness, unworthiness, and guilt, and relies upon God's power, upon His holiness, and upon His compassion for sinners such as we.

People, you might look at other church members around you and think of yourself as a poor excuse for a Christian. You may consider others to be way out of your league when it comes to goodness and godliness. You may think of yourself as one who has no right to expect anything special from God. You might even doubt whether or not God could forgive you for what you have done wrong.

And, if so, you'll be glad to know that today's text was written specifically for you. It's addressed to the beggars in the crowd. It's a message for those who cry out to the Lord, even from the silence of their despairing hearts, “Lord, please have mercy on me.”

And the Lord wants you to know that He will not pass you by. He is here, right now, with the greatest question of hope that you'll ever hear, "What do you want me to do for you?” Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Tell Him what you want. Be persistent in your requests; don't give up. Be relentless in your faith. Believe in His grace and His power to supply whatever it is you need. Remember the assurance of His Word which promises, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

For God's words are not a noisy gong or a clanging symbol—words without love. No, His love is patient and kind. His love is what enables us to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things because His own love for you endures forever.

And God's love is not conditional. It's not something reserved for those who are worthier than the rest. As Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance,” (Luke 5:31 -32). And those who set aside their pride, who stop making excuses for their behavior, who recognize in Jesus the only chance of hope they have, and who cry out for mercy, will be heard. They are forgiven. Their eyes will be opened to faith, hope, and love. And they will follow Christ, glorifying His name both now and forevermore.

Isaiah 35:3-7

Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Luke 18:31-43

And taking the twelve, [Jesus] said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem , and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. As he drew near to Jericho , a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me recover my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

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