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"And recovery of sight to the blind."
(Luke 4:18)
Today is Good Friday, the day we commemorate and remember the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for the sins of the world. This week, we have discussed why Jesus came from heaven to earth. The greatest act of love was when Jesus died on the cross for your sins and mine. Today, we will look at one more aspect of Jesus' ministry in Luke 4:18: Jesus came to open blinded eyes.
Jesus said He came to recover the sight of the blind, and that is precisely what He did. The clearest example of this is in John 9, where Jesus heals the man who was born blind. He healed him physically but more importantly Jesus healed him spiritually. Jesus opened his physical eyes and gave him spiritual vision and life as well. I love John 9:25, when the healed man said, "One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see." A person with a biblical story is not at the mercy of a mere human argument! In John 9:33, the healed man proclaims that Jesus is "from God", and in verse 38, he calls Him "Lord".
When I served as the pastor of FBC Lavaca, AR, my family and I traveled with 60 other people from our church to go on a mission trip to Montana. We had a great week of serving at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. I got to spend some time with a man named Bruce Plummer, and he has quite a story. He shared with me how years ago he hated people like me—white people. Bruce is Native American. He told me of his days as a homeless young man, addicted to alcohol at age 16. When he was 21, he woke up from passing out the night before in Portland, Oregon, and to his astonishment he was lying under a tree just across from a Lutheran church. The pastor bought Bruce lunch, invited him to his home, and shared Christ with him. And he also let him take a shower. Bruce said the thing that homeless people appreciate more than almost anything is a warm shower. Bruce said as he took a long shower, he felt this voice ask him, "How would you like to be clean on the inside?" Bruce said, "God I believe in You, but please help me believe in Jesus." Bruce said this peace came over him, and he felt so clean. Miraculously, he said that suddenly, he no longer had "the shakes" from his alcoholism. Today, Bruce Plummer is the leader of Montana Indian Ministries, and God has given him great favor in Montana.
Jesus opened Bruce's blinded spiritual eyes so that he could see who Jesus was. Do you know Jesus Christ? Have you believed in Him and turned from sin to Him for forgiveness? If not, do so right now. Romans 10:13 says, "For 'whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'"
Why did Jesus come from heaven to earth? He came to share the good news of His salvation. He came to heal all those who have a broken heart. Jesus came to set captives free, to set at liberty those bound by the chains of sin. And He came to open blinded eyes. Praise God for sending His Son to be our Lord and Savior!
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