You may be seated.
Good morning.
My name's Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,
and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.
A special welcome if you're new or visiting with us.
We're glad that you're here, and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,
but because we're following Jesus together as one community.
And as we follow Jesus together, we become convinced there's no one so good.
They don't need God's grace.
And no one's so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week
to hear what God has to say to us in His Word, because we believe He has something to say to everyone.
We're continuing our series in the Gospel of Mark.
You'll remember that the Gospels tell the story of Jesus in His life and His death and His resurrection.
And over the last few weeks, we've been looking at this theme or topic of faith,
what it looks like to have faith versus unbelief.
And this morning, in a sense, we're continuing that theme as this passage presents to us the question
of how God changes us to make us look more and more like Jesus.
Maybe you're frustrated with growth in your life.
You feel like you should know more and do more and be more,
and you wonder why it's so slow and hard.
Maybe you're satisfied, and you don't think there's much that needs to be changed.
Maybe there's a little bit of polishing that needs to happen,
but for the most part, you consider yourself to be a finished product,
even though you might not say it out loud.
Either way, this passage speaks to our desire and confusion and frustration with change
as Jesus performs another healing.
And so I'm going to invite you to turn with me now to Mark 8, starting at verse 22.
You can turn in your worship guide.
You can turn on your phone.
You can turn in your Bible.
No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word.
And God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold,
and it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb.
And so that's why we read now Mark 8, starting at verse 22.
And they came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village.
And when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him,
Do you see anything?
Verse 24.
And he looked up and said, I see people, but they look like trees walking.
Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again, and he opened his eyes.
His sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.
And he sent him to his home, saying, Do not even enter the village.
I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word.
Our Father in Heaven, we thank you again that you are the ultimate example of a good father.
Father, you're the reason we know what a good father looks like,
and you're the reason we hurt when we see some fall short.
We thank you that like a good father, you speak to us.
You explain things to us.
You help us understand.
You coach us and direct us and guide us and correct us.
We ask that you would do that this morning by your Word,
that you would open it up to us.
You would clear our minds.
You'd soften our hearts, that you would speak to us in words that are simple enough for us to understand,
that we would see and believe everything that's written about you and your Word.
Most of all, we ask that you would help us to see Jesus,
and as we see him, you would change us.
We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
So, right about now, I'm hitting my three-year anniversary of being a homeowner.
Technically, that happened in May, but I didn't move in until the very end of June,
so I'm coming up on that point, and it's actually going to be a record for me
because I've never lived anywhere longer than three years in specific residence as an adult,
so I'm looking to break that next month, coming up very quickly.
And as you may know, if you're a homeowner, I've become very familiar with Home Depot.
And there's one aisle on Home Depot that I'm pretty convinced I've spent more time on than any other aisle,
and that's where all the light bulbs are.
Because, of course, I have the challenge over three years.
Many lights go out, and so I have to show up to Home Depot taking with me the old, burnt-out light,
trying to read the labels on whatever it is that I'm replacing,
figuring out what's the highest wattage that I can go to.
Do I want soft white or daylight?
Which I don't even know what that means, so I just guess.
But there's also the different types of light bulbs that I have to choose between.
There's various lights in my house that are three-way lights,
so I have to make sure I have the right type or things will go wrong.
There's other lights where it doesn't matter. It's either on or off.
And then I have the—I haven't had many of these. I think I've had one, the dimmer light.
And it turns out you have to spy a special bulb for that.
You can't just throw anything in.
If you do, I believe you'll hear kind of a staticky sound.
Don't ask me how I know that.
There are two kinds of lights in a sense.
There's the on-off.
Once, they're either one way or the other.
And there's the dimmer. They exist in degrees.
And that's actually true for many things in our lives.
There are things that are only on and off.
So you are either an American citizen or you're not.
You are either married or you're not.
You are either a legal adult or a minor.
Either you have a degree or you don't.
Either you graduated or you didn't.
Either you're a Christian or you're not.
Either you're baptized or you are unbaptized.
These are things that don't exist in degrees.
You cannot be half married.
You cannot be sort of an American citizen.
There are other things in this life that exist in degrees.
So once you're married, you can grow in understanding and knowing and loving your spouse.
That's something that can change over time.
Maybe you can be half retired.
You've given up full-time work, but you have a part-time job now.
I've learned since being in a military community that you can have percentages assigned to your disability.
Maybe you're only 30% disabled.
Maybe you're 80% disabled.
Same thing can happen with ethnicity.
I have an Italian name, which I'm sure you could guess by my dark complexion.
But I'm actually only an eighth Italian.
And unless I do what my uncle did and marry an Italian, that's only going to get diluted over time.
In other words, there are stages to growth and understanding.
That's going to help us understand the problem that we come up against the challenge in this passage,
which is, why does Jesus' healing not work the first time?
Jesus has two stages as he addresses this man.
Stage 1, verses 23 and 24.
Jesus takes this blind man aside and he asks him,
Do you see anything?
And it turns out the healing sort of worked.
Verse 24, I see people, but they look like trees, walking.
So Jesus has to come back a second time because the first treatment apparently wasn't effective enough
and touch this man's eyes again.
Why is it that Jesus does not heal this man's eyes fully once and for all in one stage with one touch?
Is it because Jesus lacks power?
Is it because Jesus is new to this kind of treatment?
You know, he's experienced with casting out demons.
He's just not experienced with the spittle thing.
You notice in the second time he does it, he doesn't spit.
So maybe it was the spittle that got in the way.
Do you think that's the problem with what Jesus is doing here?
Maybe it's lack of experience, lack of power.
No.
In Mark chapter 5, Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead.
This is so much easier and simpler than bringing someone who is dead and making them alive again.
The problem is not that Jesus is not powerful enough or experienced enough.
Jesus in this passage is using a physical healing to teach us a spiritual lesson.
Jesus is using a physical healing to teach a spiritual lesson.
Now, you might wonder if I'm just spiritualizing this passage because that makes it easy to preach.
And the answer is no.
We know based on the broader context of this section that this is what Jesus is doing.
Remember, we've seen this theme of seeing over and over again.
Jesus himself spiritualizes the idea of seeing in chapter 8, verse 18.
This was last week.
He said,
Having eyes do you not see and having ears do you not hear?
Jesus was not asking the disciples if they needed to get glasses.
He was asking them about their spiritual understanding.
And remember, they were blinded in a sense.
They had seen Jesus feed the 5,000.
They had seen him feed the 4,000.
And they were still worried about whether they would have enough to eat.
Jesus is saying,
Can't you see metaphorically the things that are right in front of you?
And now he gives us this healing to help us understand
what it looks like for God to change us,
to give us sight in this life.
It is not a coincidence that this passage comes immediately after
the story where Jesus asks about their sight.
What he is telling them,
what he is doing is giving them a lesson
that when it comes to spiritual sight,
when it comes to understanding God and his character,
when it comes to growing in our trust and love and affection for him,
it is a dimmer switch,
not an on and off switch.
It's a dimmer switch,
not an on and off switch.
We're going to have another example next week of this same problem.
Peter is going to confess Christ as the Messiah.
And then he's going to rebuke Jesus for talking about suffering.
It's a dimmer switch,
not an on and off switch.
Then Jesus comes as this model of humility, right?
And in chapter nine,
Jesus has been serving them this whole time
and they start having an argument about
who is going to be the greatest.
They see and they don't see.
Jesus tells them, chapter nine,
if anyone would be first,
he must be last of all and servant of all.
And then because they took that lesson to heart
and internalized it,
in chapter 10,
James and John request to sit at Jesus' left
and his right hand in the kingdom.
That was a joke.
They don't internalize it.
They don't understand it.
They don't get it.
Jesus has told them about humility
and in the next chapter,
they're showing off their pride.
The disciples see Jesus and they don't see Jesus.
They know Jesus and they don't know him.
They sort of get it and they also sort of do not get it.
Their vision is distorted.
We might say they see people,
but they look like trees walking.
They are growing slowly in their understanding.
The lesson is that true sight of Jesus
comes slowly and progressively.
True sight of Jesus comes slowly and progressively.
Chapter eight,
they don't understand that Jesus has come to suffer.
That appears to be a surprise for them.
Chapter 10,
Jesus has to help them understand
that he has come not to be served,
but to serve.
They don't understand that Jesus has not come
with an earthly political vision.
They don't understand that he hasn't come
for power and influence right now.
Seeing Jesus,
spiritual understanding,
knowing God comes gradually,
incompletely.
We're often confused.
We are like this man who experiences this healing.
We see in part,
but not in full.
We see outlines,
but not details.
Our vision and our sight
is not what we want.
The same thing is true for us.
We see Jesus,
but we don't see him.
Maybe you see Jesus as king,
but it's all about politics in the here and now.
Maybe it's not about primarily worshiping
and obeying and loving God,
but instead it's been shrunk
to these very specific public policy agendas
and political candidates.
That for you is the sum total
of what it means for Jesus to be king.
Maybe Jesus as provider,
and he is,
but you've forgotten that he blesses
for us to be a blessing,
that what he told Abraham is still true,
that we're meant to spread God's love
and goodness throughout the world.
Maybe you know that Jesus calls you,
but deep down you think that Jesus has called you
to more and greater power and influence.
But Jesus tells us
that he's called us to deny ourselves,
take up our cross,
and follow him.
We see him,
but we don't see him.
Without God's intervention,
we do not naturally understand
the upside down,
counterintuitive nature of Jesus
and his purposes
and his mission
and his kingdom.
We know the right words,
but we sing the wrong tune.
We know the right words,
but we sing the right tune,
sing the wrong tune.
Many people think
that Christianity
is sort of like
going under LASIK surgery.
You go,
you find an eye doctor,
they perform this operation on you,
maybe there's a little bit of waiting time,
but then you need no glasses.
Everything is as if
your vision was perfect.
And so you become a Christian
and some people teach this.
You expect to have this
just radical transformation
in every area of your life.
You no longer struggle with sin.
Things that were addictions for you
and habits that pulled you down
suddenly lose all power in your life.
Now don't hear what I'm not saying.
There are times when God does bring
true, radical, deep transformation
into people's lives.
And that is not
the normative expectation
of the Christian life.
Sanctification,
growing in holiness,
is a slow,
long-term,
lifelong process.
It is not LASIK surgery.
Becoming a Christian,
following Jesus,
is a long and slow
recovery and rehabilitation.
It is growing in our vision
and our sight
year by year,
day by day,
month by month.
It is understanding
more and more
over a long period of time.
Now there's a couple ways
to take this passage.
Some people take this
as a rebuke
from Jesus to the disciples.
He asked them in verse 18,
can't you see yet?
And now he gives them this picture
of someone who sees
but doesn't see.
Now we could take it in that way.
That's legitimate.
I don't know if I'd put it
as a rebuke
as much as a description
and an explanation.
You don't know
as much as you think you do.
You see people,
but they look like trees.
You have still
so far
to go.
There's also another way
to take this
which is as a word
of encouragement.
The disciples
are stumbling along.
They don't see
as much as they should.
They don't understand
as much as they need to.
Like us,
they're still figuring it out.
Like us,
they're still going
through a process.
Like us,
there are things
that they wish
that they knew
and understand
and believed
and practiced
more and more.
Jesus does not
give up on them.
Jesus has not
given up on us.
Our sight
is imperfect.
Our hope
is not in that
but the one
who heals it.
Our sight
is imperfect.
Our hope
is not in that
but in the one
who heals it.
there's a realistic
expectation here
for discipleship.
There's an encouragement
that even if
your understanding
is foggy,
Jesus
still pursues
and knows
and loves
and transforms you.
Jesus
is still
at work.
I've told you
many times
throughout Mark
the words
of one of my professors
which is this,
the disciples
got almost
everything wrong
and they got
one thing
right.
They kept
following
Jesus.
The disciples'
sight is foggy
and unclear
and mistaken
and they're
with
Jesus.
that reminds
us
that the news
of a slow
and long
recovery
is discouraging
unless there's
hope for healing.
The news
of a slow
and long
recovery
is discouraging
unless there's
a hope
for healing.
Thankfully
this passage
points out
not only
the fact
that our
vision is
incomplete
that we don't
understand
what we need
to but it
also shows
us
Jesus
here
as the
great
healer.
Look with
me
verse 23.
This man
has been
brought
by his
friends
and what
does
Jesus
do?
Similar
to the
previous
healing
he
takes
this
man
by the
hand.
It's a
Bible
trivia for
you.
When
is the
one
time
when
Jesus
starts
holding
hands
with
another
man?
This
is it.
Jesus
takes
him
by the
hand
by the
way
this is
common
practice
in the
Middle
East
and leads
him away
tenderly,
gently,
personally.
Just like
in the
previous
healing,
Jesus
takes
him to
a
private
place.
He's
not
putting
on a
show
for
other
people
to see
how
great
and how
powerful
he is.
He has
this
spitting
and touching
ritual
which is
similar to
what we
saw with
the man
who is
mute
and deaf.
He is
speaking
to this
man in
a way
that he
can
understand.
He's
communicating
in this
cultural
form
that will
help this
man know
what it
is that
Jesus
is doing.
He meets
this man
as an
individual
in real
time,
in real
space,
touching
him,
caring
about
him,
and meeting
him there
to bring
him healing
in his
sight.
Brothers
and sisters,
we need
miraculous
healing
and
intervention
to be
able to
understand
anything
of
spiritual
value
in this
life.
And
Jesus
comes
personally
and
specifically
and
individually
just like
he did
before.
Jesus
comes to
you
specifically,
individually,
clearly,
personally.
You
may have
noticed
on page
six,
excuse
me,
page
seven
of your
worship
guide.
I have
this quote
for you
on the
left.
Because
situations
and persons
come unscripted,
fluid,
and unpredictable,
Jesus engages
each person
and situation
in a
personalized
way.
It is
no truism
to say
that Jesus
really does
meet you
where you
are,
always.
Scripture
does the
same.
No
boilerplate,
the Holy
Spirit
makes
words
personal.
Jesus
comes
and meets
you
one-on-one
and gives
you sight
in the
same way
that he
did for
this man.
Jesus
has not
given up
on you
in the
midst
of your
confusion
and mistakes
and stumbling
around.
Jesus
has not
abandoned
you because
you can't
see everything
as
correctly
as you
should.
Instead,
Jesus
comes as
he did
as a
man on
this
earth
and he
meets
you
in the
midst
of your
sin
and confusion
and despair
and he
touches
you like
he touched
this man.
Romans
chapter 5
verse 8
tells us
that while
we were
still
sinners,
Christ
died for
us.
He
didn't
wait
until we
had
figured
everything
out
and fixed
ourselves
before he
showed up
on this
earth.
He
didn't
wait
until you
had
figured
everything
out
and fixed
yourself
before he
showed up
in your
life.
How is
it that we
change?
God
changes us
slowly,
gradually,
progressively
and he
changes us
by Jesus'
personal touch
in our
lives.
Change
is a
result of
a personal
relationship
with Jesus.
Change
is a
result of
God's
intimate
and personal
work in
your life.
As you
live your
life,
Jesus is
touching
your eyes
with
circumstances,
with
disappointments,
with
joys,
with
sufferings.
That's
one question
you can
ask as
you encounter
everything that
God presents
in your way
this week.
how is
this helping
my sight?
How is
God using
this to
help me
see clearly
little by
little,
step by
step?
Jesus
asks,
and we'll
close with
this,
this important
question in
verse 23,
the very
end,
do you
see anything?
do you
see anything?
That's the
question for
us from
this passage
this morning.
Do you
see anything?
The answer
is yes
and no.
We see,
but we don't
see.
We know,
but we don't
know.
Like the
disciples,
incomplete,
flawed,
confused.
Jesus,
healing,
restoring,
growing us
throughout our
lives.
we have
hope because
Jesus heals.
That's how we
respond to
him.
Who is
Jesus?
He is the
one who
comes and
changes little
by little
over time.
And so we
keep following
him.
Let's pray.
Our
Father in
heaven,
we thank
you for
the encouragement
of this
passage.
That no
matter our
mistakes,
our
failures,
our
misunderstandings,
you come
and you
meet us
where we
are in
our lives.
You
arrange
events and
circumstances
and people
to give us
the sight and
understanding
that we
need.
We ask
that you
would do
that this
week,
that you
would grow
our knowledge
of you,
that we
would see
Jesus
clearly more
and more.
We would
live in
light of
you and
your love
for us.
We ask
these things
in Jesus'
name.
Amen.