Journal Guide - Seeing Halfway - Mark 8:22-25
Seeing Halfway
Mark 8:22-25
Week 3/Day 3
The Disciples didn’t fully understand what it means to truly be following Jesus. We often don’t “get it” spiritually, either. We can see Jesus halfway and not all of who he is. However, there is hope for us. This devotion is from message 28, “Seeing in Stages,” in the “Mark” series. Come meditate on these verses, and consider how they apply in your life.
Jesus decides to arrange the single, coolest illustrative miracle in all the New Testament, in all the Gospels. Mark 8, starting in verse 22, Jesus is going to heal a blind man – but he’s going to use the healing to illustrate to the Disciples that they only see half of the truth. After three years with Jesus, they can’t see clearly. They don’t understand who he is, and they don’t understand what it means to truly be following him. He’s going to take this poor blind guy, and he’s going to use him to illustrate this truth to the Disciples. Watch this.
Mark 8:22-23(a) (NLT)
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida (which is the northeast corner – we teach this exact text at the gates of Bethsaida when we’re there), some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village (That’s why we teach this right outside the gates).
He led him out of the village. Why? Because this miracle, though it was compassion from Jesus on the man, it wasn’t for the village. It wasn’t for the people. He was doing this one for the Twelve. He wanted to teach them something with this healing.
Mark 8:23(b) (NLT)
23…Then, spitting on the man’s eyes (get over it), he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
Who did he just say those words to? He just said them to his Disciples, right? He just said, “You have eyes, can’t you see? You have ears, can’t you hear? Do you not remember anything at all?” And now he brings this blind guy out, spits probably on his hand, puts spittle on his eyes, lays his hands on him, says, “Can you see anything now?”
Mark8:24 (NLT)
24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
Guys, the only time Jesus ever halfway healed someone is right here. And he did it in this series of events for the Holy Spirit to put Mark Chapter 8 together. He did it as an illustration of the “not getting it” of his Disciples. He did it as an illustration to say, “Look. This is you guys spiritually. This man with half his sight healed. This is who you are.” They didn’t completely see. They saw half, but they didn’t see all that it means to truly follow Jesus. They didn’t see all of who Jesus truly is.
Mark 8:25 (NLT)
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
Praise the Lord that Jesus did heal that man because it says to us there’s hope for us.
If we’re in that place where we only see Jesus part-way, and we don’t fully understand what it means to truly follow him, that we don’t really see him for who he is and interact with him based on who he is, there’s hope for us that he can lay his hand on us again, and give us that spiritual sight like he did to this man. That is so cool!
Now that we've gone through these verses, take some time and in the Meditate section of your journal, write down what God's Word is saying. What are the spiritual principles here?
Now for the application. In the Apply section of your journal, take a look at this passage and write down how these verses apply to your life today, personally and specifically?
And in the Respond section of your journal, write down what specific actions you can take today in response to the truths the Holy Spirit has revealed to you today through these verses. Make it specific. Have the courage to respond to what has been laid on your heart.
Finally, end your alone time with God today in prayer. In the Pray section of your journal, write out your prayer to God to align your heart with his will in this area. Be specific and be honest.
May the Lord bless you richly as you spend quality alone time with him today.
Jesus decides to arrange the single, coolest illustrative miracle in all the New Testament, in all the Gospels. Mark 8, starting in verse 22, Jesus is going to heal a blind man – but he’s going to use the healing to illustrate to the Disciples that they only see half of the truth. After three years with Jesus, they can’t see clearly. They don’t understand who he is, and they don’t understand what it means to truly be following him. He’s going to take this poor blind guy, and he’s going to use him to illustrate this truth to the Disciples. Watch this.
Mark 8:22-23(a) (NLT)
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida (which is the northeast corner – we teach this exact text at the gates of Bethsaida when we’re there), some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him.
23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village (That’s why we teach this right outside the gates).
He led him out of the village. Why? Because this miracle, though it was compassion from Jesus on the man, it wasn’t for the village. It wasn’t for the people. He was doing this one for the Twelve. He wanted to teach them something with this healing.
Mark 8:23(b) (NLT)
23…Then, spitting on the man’s eyes (get over it), he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
Who did he just say those words to? He just said them to his Disciples, right? He just said, “You have eyes, can’t you see? You have ears, can’t you hear? Do you not remember anything at all?” And now he brings this blind guy out, spits probably on his hand, puts spittle on his eyes, lays his hands on him, says, “Can you see anything now?”
Mark8:24 (NLT)
24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
Guys, the only time Jesus ever halfway healed someone is right here. And he did it in this series of events for the Holy Spirit to put Mark Chapter 8 together. He did it as an illustration of the “not getting it” of his Disciples. He did it as an illustration to say, “Look. This is you guys spiritually. This man with half his sight healed. This is who you are.” They didn’t completely see. They saw half, but they didn’t see all that it means to truly follow Jesus. They didn’t see all of who Jesus truly is.
Mark 8:25 (NLT)
25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.
Praise the Lord that Jesus did heal that man because it says to us there’s hope for us.
If we’re in that place where we only see Jesus part-way, and we don’t fully understand what it means to truly follow him, that we don’t really see him for who he is and interact with him based on who he is, there’s hope for us that he can lay his hand on us again, and give us that spiritual sight like he did to this man. That is so cool!
Now that we've gone through these verses, take some time and in the Meditate section of your journal, write down what God's Word is saying. What are the spiritual principles here?
Now for the application. In the Apply section of your journal, take a look at this passage and write down how these verses apply to your life today, personally and specifically?
And in the Respond section of your journal, write down what specific actions you can take today in response to the truths the Holy Spirit has revealed to you today through these verses. Make it specific. Have the courage to respond to what has been laid on your heart.
Finally, end your alone time with God today in prayer. In the Pray section of your journal, write out your prayer to God to align your heart with his will in this area. Be specific and be honest.
May the Lord bless you richly as you spend quality alone time with him today.