May 17, 2026 | "Do You Believe?" Rev. Dr. Jamaar Trumane Jones

Devotional

Day 1: Light in Blind Pursuit

Two blind men heard crowds moving toward Jesus. Though their eyes failed, their ears caught whispers of healed women and resurrected girls. They shuffled toward commotion, hands outstretched, crying “Son of David!” Their feet found the path their eyes couldn’t see. Jesus stopped. The crowd held its breath. [29:16]

Jesus honors determined faith. These men refused to let blindness define their access to God. They leveraged heightened hearing, touch, and rumor-tracking to reach Christ. Their story proves physical limits don’t limit divine encounter.

What “blindness” makes you work harder to seek Jesus? Chronic pain? Financial strain? Grief? Like these men, use what senses you have. Write down one area where you’re straining to perceive God’s movement. Where is your spirit detecting holy “shadows” despite life’s blur?

“When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ they replied.”
(Matthew 9:28, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to sharpen your spiritual senses to detect His nearness in dark places.
Challenge: Write three areas where you need clarity. Pray over each for 60 seconds aloud.

Day 2: The Question That Unlocks

Jesus stood before the blind men and asked one piercing question: “Do you believe I can do this?” Not “How long have you been blind?” or “Do you deserve healing?” Belief—not merit, history, or optics—activated their miracle. Their “Yes, Lord” cracked heaven open. [40:31]

Christ prioritizes faith over formulas. He bypassed societal judgments about the men’s worthiness. The question wasn’t theological—it was relational. Jesus wanted their raw trust, not polished resumes.

You face His same question today. Bills. Illness. Wayward children. Does your “Yes” sound certain or shaky? Speak it anyway. When has doubting God’s ability cost you peace?

“He touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you’; and their sight was restored.”
(Matthew 9:29-30, NIV)

Prayer: Confess areas where fear has muted your “Yes.” Declare belief over one impossible situation.
Challenge: Text someone: “I believe God can do ___________.” Name your specific struggle.

Day 3: Hands That Rewrite Stories

Jesus didn’t preach at the blind men—He touched them. Calloused hands met diseased eyes. Warmth replaced lifelong darkness. Their first sight: the face of God incarnate. Healing came not through abstract theology, but intimate contact. [43:31]

Divine power flows through tangible acts. Jesus modeled faith made flesh—tears, spit, mud, touch. Your breakthrough might come through a friend’s hug, anointing oil, or folded hands.

What “untouchable” area needs Christ’s physical intervention? Chronic pain? A broken marriage? Press into embodied faith. When did a simple act (communion, kneeling) recently deepen your trust?

“Immediately they received their sight and followed him.”
(Matthew 9:30, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for using physical means (bread, wine, water) to confer grace. Request His tangible touch today.
Challenge: Place your hand on a Bible page listing a promise. Pray: “Make this real to me.”

Day 4: From Beggars to Testifiers

These men once begged at temple gates—now they followed Jesus freely. Their healing wasn’t private; it broadcasted God’s power. Matthew notes they “spread the news” regionally. Former outcasts became evangelists, their eyes proof of grace. [46:34]

Your testimony disarms doubters. Like the blind men, your before-and-after story matters more than eloquence. Shared victories build others’ faith.

What chapter of your life demonstrates Christ’s power? Addiction overcome? Depression lifted? Don’t spiritualize—be specific. Who needs to hear, “I was blind too, but look at me now”?

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
(John 9:25, NIV)

Prayer: Thank God for a specific past victory. Ask for courage to share it this week.
Challenge: Tell one person: “Here’s how Jesus opened my eyes to _________.”

Day 5: Margins to Miracle

Blindness exiled these men—no work, family, or temple service. Yet Jesus didn’t debate systemic injustice; He healed them. Their miracle didn’t fix society, but it fixed their capacity to thrive within it. [38:16]

Christ meets urgent needs first. Social reform matters, but hungry people need bread now. Your practical burdens (rent, medical bills) matter to God.

Where do you feel trapped by “big picture” issues? Start where Jesus did: immediate obedience. What one act of provision or healing can you request today?

“No one who has a defect may come near: no one who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed.”
(Leviticus 21:18, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to intervene in a concrete need (name it) that’s limiting your worship.
Challenge: Donate to a local food pantry or write an advocacy letter for someone facing discrimination.

Sermon Summary

We lift our voices in raw gratitude, remembering breath, sight, strength, and stories of rescue. We stop for a minute to pray for the person beside us and then raise praise for what God has already done. We read of two blind men who tracked Jesus not by sight but by rumor, shadow, movement, and sharpened senses; the narrative shows how limited vision does not bar encounter with healing. We name the physical and social costs of blindness in that world: loss of work, family, worship roles, and legacy, and we draw a clear parallel to how systems today push people to the margins through ableism and racialized neglect. We acknowledge that many of us knew what it meant to be spiritually blind and testify that crossing paths with Jesus began a redirection of life.

We attend to Jesus asking a piercing question: do we believe he is able? We confess that belief fluctuates under real suffering—death, illness, broken relationships, financial strain—but we assert that the next reversal often tracks with the depth of active trust. We hold the tension that Jesus can act regardless, yet personal faith shapes how his touch manifests: according to your faith, be it unto you. We call for concrete responses: wholehearted yes, an honest return to Christ, baptism, or rededication. We invite those who need restoration to step forward now, making immediate commitment rather than waiting for moral improvement.

We give in gratitude because provision arrives through giving and stewardship; we celebrate tangible signs of a shared vision, including media projects and community support. We share logistics for prayer, events, and practical care for families, veterans, choirs, and upcoming worship gatherings. We close with prayer for households, protection, and an ongoing posture of service so that the welcome experienced today extends to those who come after us.

Key Takeaways

1. Belief unlocks the work of God We must distinguish belief from mere optimism; belief commits our will to receive and participate in God’s intervention. When we answer yes to the question, God begins to align providence and opportunity with that trust. Faith does not force outcomes, but it opens channels for God to work in measurable ways. [43:31]
2. Blindness can sharpen other senses Physical or spiritual limitation often reroutes perception so that hearing, touch, and longing intensify. Those rerouted faculties can bring news, hope, and the courage to follow into places sight alone would miss. We must value redirected senses as legitimate means God uses to call and heal. [30:46]
3. Marginalization distorts worth and opportunity Social systems can turn physical impairment into lifelong exile by denying work, family formation, and spiritual roles. That exile mirrors racial and economic neglect today, where policy and prejudice compound suffering. We must name structural causes and act to restore dignity and access. [38:02]
4. God invites renewed and immediate commitment Grace asks for a present response, not a perfected past. When we confess Jesus as Lord and step forward, we enact a tangible break with the old self and accept new direction. This decision reshapes identity, community, and future choices. [51:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[22:05] - Call to Praise and Gratitude
[24:07] - Sixty Second Prayer for Neighbors
[25:52] - Scripture Reading: Blind Men
[28:06] - Understanding Blindness and Perception
[30:46] - Sensory Compensation and Following Jesus
[34:19] - The Blind Men Ask for Mercy
[40:31] - The Question: Do You Believe?
[43:31] - According to Your Faith: Healing
[49:18] - Testimonies of Turning Back
[51:08] - Invitation to Salvation and New Life
[56:23] - Offering and Thanksgiving
[60:03] - Giving Options and Prayer
[78:47] - Announcements and Events
[82:40] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 9:27-31 (ESV)
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 9:27-31, the blind men followed Jesus despite their physical limitations. What methods or senses might they have used to track Jesus’ movements, and how does this connect to the idea of “sensory compensation” discussed in the sermon? [30:46]
Jesus asks the blind men, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (v. 28). What does this question reveal about the relationship between faith and healing in this story?
The sermon highlights how blindness in ancient Israel led to social and economic marginalization. What specific consequences of blindness are mentioned in the passage or the sermon (e.g., work, family, worship roles)? [35:44]
How does Jesus’ response, “According to your faith be it done to you” (v. 29), challenge or affirm the way we approach God with our needs today?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus asked the blind men about their belief before healing them, rather than focusing on their physical condition or societal status?
The sermon draws parallels between ancient marginalization of the blind and modern systemic issues like ableism and racial neglect. How might these systems distort a person’s sense of worth or opportunity, both then and now? [38:02]
The phrase “according to your faith” suggests that faith is active, not passive. How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on belief as a commitment to “receive and participate in God’s intervention”? [43:31]
The blind men’s healing led them to spread Jesus’ fame despite His warning (v. 30-31). What does this imply about the natural outcome of encountering Christ’s power in our lives?

Application Questions

The sermon asks, “Do you believe [Jesus] is able?” What area of your life right now feels like a “permanent problem” where you need to answer this question honestly? How can you actively trust God in this situation? [40:31]
The blind men relied on senses other than sight to find Jesus. In what areas of your life has God used “redirected senses” (e.g., intuition, community, prayer) to guide you when clarity was lacking? How can you lean into these more?
Marginalization in the story excluded people from work, family, and worship. Are there ways your community unintentionally excludes people today (e.g., through policies, assumptions, or neglect)? What practical step could you take to restore dignity or access for someone? [38:16]
Jesus invited the blind men to respond immediately, not after self-improvement. Is there a decision you’ve been delaying (e.g., baptism, reconciliation, serving) because you feel unready? What would it look like to say “yes” to God today? [52:49]
The sermon emphasizes gratitude and giving as acts of faith. How can you tangibly steward your resources (time, money, gifts) this week to reflect trust in God’s provision? [58:00]
The blind men’s testimony spread Jesus’ fame. Who in your life needs to hear your story of encountering Christ’s healing or direction? How will you share it this month?

Sermon Clips

44s

#BelieveHesAble

“``Do you believe that I'm able to do this? Sometimes when you're facing trouble in your life, your faith goes up and down. Some days, I have a lot of faith. Other days, I don't have a lot of faith. Some days, yes, I believe. Other days, I need help with my unbelief. My faith is strong until mama dies. My faith is strong until the spouse walks out on me. My faith is strong until the doctor says I'm sick. My faith is strong until my child ends up on the spectrum. My faith is strong until my lights get cut off. My faith is strong until my friends turn their back on me. My faith is strong until God doesn't answer the prayer the way I expected him to.”

48s

#HealingAndFaith

“But whether your faith is strong today or weak today, that's not the question, church. The question is, do you believe that he's able to do it? Your faith may not be at its highest peak right now, but do you believe? You may have to go back to the doctor for the follow-up appointments, but do you believe? You may have pain in your body, but do you believe? You may have to retake the class and make up the assignment, but do you believe? You may have to sit on the front row and look at your loved one laying in a casket, but do you believe? You may be depressed and ready to give up, but do you believe?”

37s

#JesusHealsAll

“These blind men needed healing, not just because they couldn't see, but because they were also hurting. They could not work. They could not earn money. They were poor and broke. They could not start a family. They could not serve in the temple. They were pushed away and cast out to the margins of society, but they followed Jesus. And when they followed Jesus, he asked them a question. He didn't ask them, can you see me? He asked them, do you believe that I'm able to do this? And I believe that Jesus is asking that same question today.”

56s

#SensingTheLight

“Blindness is the failure of the visual system to deliver and decode light. It is a question of where individual system did the failure occur. Now there are those who are blind, get this, that can still see. Some only see darkness. Some see light and shadows, but they can't see any faces. Some can see right what's right in front of them, but nothing on the side. Some can see what's on the side, but not in the middle. Relatedly, biblical blindness, brothers and sisters, did not always mean that the person could only see total darkness.”

Ask a question about this sermon

First Baptist Church East End, Newport News This sermon · AI assistant

How could blind men recognize and follow Jesus?

What does biblical blindness often signify spiritually?

How does faith determine the outcome of healing?