Matthew 20:32,33

OPENED EYES

‘Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto Him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.’

Matthew 20:32

An ordinary day; an ordinary Eastern scene; a great multitude; a central Figure, and at the fringe of the crowd, sitting by the wayside, two blind men. Let us change the scene: an ordinary day? No! This is Sunday. Nor is this an ordinary place; it is God’s house, and Jesus is in our midst. Some here, it may be, are silting in the darkness and in the shadow of death, feeling their need—their need of light, seeking relief, yet they are hindered by the multitude. It matters not whether the multitude be your thoughts or be the things concerning you, or your neighbours right and left. Lift up your voice; you have at least one listener in the midst.

I. Causes of blindness.—There are various causes for physical blindness; there are various causes for spiritual blindness. Some are blind spiritually through pride— pride of birth it may be. And there are others who are blind because of the pride of wealth. Some are blind through pride of person. Some are spiritually blind through covetousness (e.g. Judas Iscariot). And some are blind spiritually from pleasure.

II. The compassionate Saviour.—Jesus to-day in our midst stands still and has compassion. He shall touch the blind souls of men again to-day and there shall be an eternal dawn. It was a new world which opened to the blind men of Jericho; it is a new world which opens to every human soul that realises the love and the touch and the compassion of Jesus.

III. The result of opened eyes.—The first result will be that you will see invisible things. Elisha’s servant is an illustration to us of one whose eyes were opened. When our eyes are opened we realise that we fight not only against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, the unseen forces that are against us. But while we realise the danger, we also realise that He Who is with us is more than all that be against us. We see Jesus, and He becomes the centre of our lives. And, lastly, the result of opened eyes is not only that we see invisible things, not only that we see Jesus, but also that we follow Him.

Bishop J. Taylor Smith.