Seeing Jesus Although Blind

1. Who Really Saw Jesus?

And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, 'Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!' The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, 'Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!' And stopping, Jesus called them and said, 'What do you want me to do for you?' They said to him, 'Lord, let our eyes be opened.' And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

— Matthew 20:29-34

The blind men could not see with their eyes, but they knew exactly who Jesus was. They called Him 'Son of David'—a title that means He is the promised King and Messiah. The great crowd could see perfectly fine, yet they tried to shush the blind men and keep them away from Jesus.

What does it mean to 'see' who Jesus really is? How can you show that you believe Jesus is King, even when others around you do not?

2. When Others Say 'Be Quiet'

The crowd rebuked the two blind men and told them to stop crying out. Instead of giving up, they shouted even louder, 'Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!'

Have you ever felt like others wanted you to stay quiet about Jesus? What can you learn from how these two men kept asking for mercy?

3. Jesus Stops for Mercy

Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem to give His life as a ransom for many, yet He stopped to help two blind beggars. He had pity on them, touched their eyes, and gave them sight.

Why do you think Jesus stopped for these two men when He had such important work to do? How does this help you trust Him when you need help?

4. Does Sickness Mean God Is Angry?

The sermon said people sometimes thought blindness was a punishment for sin. Jesus' own disciples once asked about a man born blind:

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.'

— John 9:1-3

If a friend is sick or struggles with something hard, how should you treat them? What does Jesus' answer teach you about how God works?

5. Asking for Spiritual Sight

The sermon taught that Jesus offers the mercy of spiritual sight to everyone who trusts in Him. The blind men asked for their eyes to be opened, and Jesus answered. But the greatest miracle is when Jesus opens our hearts to understand who He is.

What does it mean to be spiritually blind? How can you ask Jesus to give you eyes to see Him more clearly this week?