Believing is Seeing (Part B)

All rights of the Colossians, and you were once alienated the enemies and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled body of his flesh that to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight when I stand before Jesus Christ. I will be blameless.

I will be made holy all by him just the vessel. This could receive.

So are you. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Believing is seeing is the title of Pastor Rick's message and he'll be teaching in Mark chapter 8 verse 22 and I sure hope I don't sound like I think the only the only right church in the world certainly don't think that there are I do not want the Lord to say. By the way, I've got 7000 not bow the need to bow you know what Elijah just was suicidal poor commercial here for Eliza when Eliza was the only righteous one. You know what his problem was that day.

He was hungry he really was.

They ran away from dead and I'm the only one, just kill me will not even thinking straight because if you wanted to die.

You could just stay there when Jezebel was, she would've accommodated yours yet. It's been everywhere looking for you. So God feeds him. That's how we know he was hung with the angel comes he feeds Eliza and then on I just to let these all I'm the only one I got soaking his money to do and then you before he sends out the doors opened by the way, you're not the only one, and who reported this to us Eliza reports no come back from him after that profound lessons that their wonderful songs on the suffering pain so verse 22 and he came to bedside up, look at that were first with done with the first pack paragraph in 26 minutes hair man on my game this morning. Don't mess it up with pride. Ricky right then he came to bedside and they brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.

This is the hometown of Peter and Andrew and Philip and maybe others. And it's it's just to the east side of the Jordan by the headwaters with the flows into the Galilee and see, and that this is beautiful up in that northern part of Israel to go to Israel. You sort of endure everything else in the South by the Dead Sea with David's cave what the in those area is desert. Jerusalem is all built up in the suburbs to a suburbs but you go to the north and it's green and it's lush and is just a whole mother feeling and this is the area that these men were were from crisis heading with them up to Caesarea Philippi, which was a big Gentile town and we can get that in this chapter in one of the future sessions. But anyway you you understand the these ministered to them. They sailed away from the Pharisees is rebuked them.

They've moved on and he's heading up to get away from everyone and that's where this blind man is going to be brought to him.

He is in bedside when he performs great miracles.

And that's not all they saw the miracles and they did not believe in bedside and not that's not the only place I will read this verse in a moment, but you again the saying. Seeing is believing, no, it's not believing is believing, and you once you believe you begin to see this beside and curls and, for example, prove it.

Matthew 11 chapter 21 woe to you curls. Woe to you, beside for the mighty works which were done and you were done entire inside and they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes free powerful. You've seen some things and you have just then they didn't badmouth the Lord they didn't mock him. They did not try to crucify him and not send him away. There were just in different it didn't register with them and so he saying this kind of behavior meets with a curse curse of judgment saw and did not believe but the apostles. They were all part of this they heard this teaching in here they come to bedside Christ is always teaching is always looking to develop them but is withdrawing his blessings from bedside. This is critical to the story because he's going to take this person out of the city, all the village before heels because they're under, please pronounce a judgment on that behavior. He's not going to offer them anymore.

No casting pearl before swine. At this point and so verse 23, so he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town and when he had spit on his eyes. He put his hands on him. He asked him if he saw anything. Now I'm going to get into the spitting part yet but I will and I will try to restrain myself because just like this crazy.

Who does this. Jesus did it, but that is a me was going to do it and then if you tried to spit my anyway. We know the verse. Jesus wept. Where moved by that first when we when we come to it in John's Gospel, raising of Lazarus, but I would put this verse right along with it. So Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of town. What what a beautiful monogamous is not catching this widow see a portrait of this is such a beautiful scene is that hand. The hand and led this blind man out of town that created shape. The universe. If this is the healing hand of Christ, the hand that made gestures when he was teaching when he would say things like build a solar winter so when he prayed when he broke the bread, he took him with his hands he existed.

I'm not reading too much into this. I am saying to you that this is on purpose by the Holy Spirit language that we can appreciate and adore two separate things to appreciate something and then to adore it. To love it. The same hand took hold of me and those of you who believe and touched your heart let you out of this world and put you in a glorious light of Jesus Christ because believing you now see by faith. You see, as Paul said when he was converted. I saw the light I heard the voice began to share that wherever he went, and those saying that same hand holds us with him forever as long as we want to be held best we can I move my salvation. Let me tell you, can you are saved, as long as you want to be saved you a me and we just leave it at that assistance not Jesus that you abide with me and if you don't buy would be the going to be trouble for you.

John's Gospel chapter 10. No Christian that loves the Lord Jesus Christ should ever worry about their salvation.

My father, who is given them to me, is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my hand. Who could've taken on that day, that blind man's hand, who could've separated those hands from the hands of Christ shall tribulation with the stress of persecution or famine or nakedness assortment. No, who shall separate us from the love of Christ no one first Peter chapter 5 chapter 1 part B verse five. Speaking of the saints who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time kept by the power of God through faith.

Now you come to Christianity him speak for myself. Maybe you share this you have these great expectations when you get exposed to God's word promises the power of God.

How many times I know I've said this from the pulpit.

Before you know coming to me all you labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and I've come to him at times and I could not find rest. All I find is silence and sort of a keep going and keep going. So you have a choice in times like that you become disillusioned or you keep faith in you grow stronger because you are kept by the power of God. You are his slave, and happy to be so.

However, he works it out is going to be all right with you. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer.

Satan himself did not believe that is why persecutes try to shake us away from Christ. Colossians chapter 1. This is a beautiful verse in the context of what were saying. Remember, he's got the blind man by the hand is leading them out of that city that has a curse on he's going to heal this man. We been let out of crap out of the city into by the hand of Christ also all rights to the Colossians, and you who were once alienated the enemies and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he has reconciled the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight when I stand before Jesus Christ. I will be blameless. I will be made holy all by him just a vessel discussion receive for you. So he takes the blind man by the hand he separates them from the city and it says and when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands on him. There for me know. My initial reaction.

I think you would share this is I'm not comfortable with this. I don't like it.

My initial reactions who still put on the exam you're picturing this happening one comfortable with it because spitting is associated with an insult in someone's face the ultimate insult to gesture of contempt. As a rule, certainly not the case here.

Job chapter 17 when he has made me a byword of the people and I have become one in whose face men spit.

This is big news is you have a man in Job is saying I was once on top of everything. People came to me. I minister to those who are hurting a little. It's gotten me look at my what my principle of faith has gotten for me. I hurt my whole body. My wife turned against me. My children are gone.

Men spit in my face but at the end of it all.

When Satan's waiting for Job to then say I renounce God never happens is God's man. He can't go anywhere. Again Job 30 verse 10.

They abhor me they keep far from me. They do not hesitate to spit in my face. Job is during this in his faith is not become bitter to the place better but is not bitter to the point of apostasy.

Isaiah prophesied that going to spit in the face of Messiah, the son of God, the creator of the universe to go to spit in his face that was going to happen and that is what they did. Matthew's gospel chapter 27. Then they spat on him and took the reed and struck him on dad. He could've killed all the good since they know what is not going to happen, but he does not endorse it and I have a hard time enduring. No snacks in the kitchen at midnight is you saliva before this is a little bit more intense well is test cover the two of them will will take two of John chapter 9, when he said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay with saliva and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay Mark chapter 7 and he took him aside and we covered this a few weeks ago from the multitude, and put his fingers in his ears and he spat and touched his tongue, but this is a little different this if you standing there looking at this you just saw Christ spit on the man's eyes I think and I believe very strongly here it is. I will trust him.

A blind man had to trust him everything except his meant no one protest no one objected. None of the Siebel step whatsoever for you. All we can be doing this, the blind man says what know he doesn't do that. He remained silent.

The disciples remain silent every body in the picture is submitted to whatever it is, a Jesus Christ doing whatever method he is employing no matter his methods. The Lord do to me if that's what you want to do. John chapter 6 verse 68. This is what Jesus preached a sermon that they didn't care for. That's never happened since. But Simon of course I'm in case you missed that. Maybe you just like the disciples don't understand what I'm kidding. It happens all the time but Simon Peter answered when everybody else is leaving the Lord of the slope and slowed us down.

Essentially they're all leaving the church. After this, not all of them, but many of Christ is not asked him to come back as a pattern that I think all pastors should follow, so much as I'm leaving the church. Okay God bless you works out well, but I'm not.

But as you stale combat. You are a big boy or big girl and you are led by the spirit so be it. And this is where that pattern comes from not only here but this is the main one, but Simon when Jesus said you guys believed to Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of life. You could do things Christ not understand that I don't get that I don't like I have nowhere else to go, and I'm not interested in going ends anywhere else.

You have the words you are the Lord you rain and best before they found out about his dying for them.

The way it happened, everything just went nuclear after this went after the cross and resurrection. These men were standing with Christ before they understood the cross we understand the cross understand the resurrection again.

Love the famous Job though he slay me, I will trust him.

The men could spit my face all trust God and I can't always do this yet. He doesn't defrock me tells me you just keep going.

Matthew through chapter 3 verse 12 his winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire while he sifted this man out of that society takes them out of the city. He's putting him through this and there's no objection and as a result, the man will see Luke 2322 verse 31 Lord said, Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you like wheat housing under that by doing slight allowing stuff in my life that I don't get that seem to be so bizarre, so crazy is spitting in my eye. How can you do this and you say you love me and you died for me was spit my will not believe him.

I would ask that what a believer says Lord I got to I really want to.

Satan is asked for. You notice the emphasis from the Greek into the English indeed.

Satan has absent that the emphatic is I'm telling you something and don't you ever miss this.

Satan wants to take you out Peter he's going to get a shot at you but we know the story Jesus is, but I've prayed for you. You know somebody who Satan is sifting and you be praying for them. Jesus wants to spit my eyes or whatever else may I be very grand about it. :-) Boast about it in a righteous sort of way.

It says here in verse 24, three at the bottom. He asked him if he saw anything when he asked that this is the one that heals people from a distance ago your daughters have a demon anymore going to serve as field fever is gone so he did. This is the only time it is progressive healing that we read about the doesn't mean it was the only times the only one we read about and was the point of this well this precedents but I before I get to the precedents. I think I believe not.

I think I'm not sure what I am. My conviction that the Lord is saying to us that he keeps his secrets in the healing of souls. He does it his way and I don't have to understand I got to go outside and Sandy did not sin here is no sin that took place but again the blind man did not object. The onlookers did not interfere. That is a lesson for us all. Isaiah warned about this. Isaiah 55 for as the heavens are higher than the earth, are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

And he goes on to say pastor finding out if you can understand everything about God. He's not big enough to be God. One of the things that make some goddesses beyond our total understanding, but we can understand and know and that's what counts.

Seeing is believing enough. That's all I have to do while it's not all that will happen. That is what I have to do.

Verse 24 and he looked up and said I see men like trees, walking. Verse 25. Then he put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up and he was restored and saw everyone clearly will the fact that he saw men like trees indicates, as it does in verse five senses of sight was restored that he had previously was he could see it one point and for whatever reason he had lost his eyesight. He had become a blind man and so now he's in the process of restoring his site and we have this dialogue and only here in Mark's gospel. Do we have Jesus healing someone in two stages. Well, when you come to this. You have a choice you have to accept that this is how it is. Sometimes he uses tools as when he used the clay to spit and sometimes he does not.

Sometimes he heals instantly and sometimes he heals progressively. Sometimes he doesn't heal to you get to heaven, you know, the prophet Elisha died of sickness, a great prophet did twice as many miracles on record as the great prophet Elijah went up in the chariot of fire is a big things were in the presence of again. This is not the first time God healed with tools and phrases you say will name another one Naaman told you dipped seven times in the Jordan you need you need to did you needed to use the Jordan are you doing seven times. We stopped at six deals off Naaman scoffed at that but Damon was a man that was so respected and so loved.

He was so love that even a captive Jewish girl as we would say, turned him on to Elisha as a prophet in my land. If we could get Naaman to meet read feel and that's what happened in his talk of those those of you who are in positions of leadership.

Or maybe you have a business of your people to work on you. Naaman was a man that the people under him. They loved him and so they went to name his name and he just asking to dip in the Jordan asking me why not and he being jealous is I will you tell me it is okay to give a shot and it just telling us about a relationship between this man Naaman and the people that were under him and in those days, a general wielding power. I mean big power you wanted you dead, you'd be dead and nobody would press the charge about Hezekiah that godly king. He had a sick and sickness until death, and the likelihood is in progress.

As God says you gonna die believes the prophet leaves a guess of the courtyard goddesses go back and tell the guys of the bowling sensor prophet back and kisses them in the court is okay, go back till he's going to get 15 years and I give you a sign. So what are they okay so you live and then he tells the attendants, but a lot of things on on the on the on the oil and Hezekiah live progressive and using the tool and escape case a lump of things a little thought figs. I would've pictorials anyway. Still, regardless of what method he picked. He never failed. And maybe that's part of it to look like a mess and appeal. Looks like I'm failing. Looks like is now working does in the blind man is blind no more. Verse 26 then he sent him away to his house say neither go into the town motel. Anyone in the town again. The Lord wanted this privacy because he's heading northeast getting out of the area is giving the disciples the break that they needed that was interrupted when couple of occasions at the least, but here it is.

This man is separated which is our word sanctified to be separate there to type tier 2 stages of separation for the bleeder believer sanctification. This instant, which comes with justification. The minute you claim the Lord is your saving you announce all others and he is the one you admit you're a sinner.

He died and rose again for you is on the throne is separated from those who lost but then there's the sanctification process of building up the inner man coming spiritually strong and not just being a doorstop. You sound like to hear that cuddling with us to. You know I look when I was in the military knows Joseph is which I couldn't stand it times they had this thing they would do where you you you know they bilge up with honor. This is the corn all that stuff and then you'd be marching along and is a stop stop and is not insulting you talk about about your mother, who they never met and anything you say you get into whatever to get his language to know I did not.

Almost so they were safe always stumble trip and fall one and insult you, trying your best, and these guys are chopping you down every chance they get, but it worked. The strangest thing your daughter fine so these guys and the next thing you know that saying it to you anymore Christ comes along. So do it my way.

I just need you to submit whatever I choose to submit to it. So the sanctification process is ripping us down to building us up. Those who saw believe this man believe us all believing is seeing that that is part of the preaching part of the message move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick.

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