Jesus is Near: Call Out for Mercy
Summary
### Summary
In today's message, we explored Matthew 20:29-34, focusing on the theme "Jesus is Passing By Today." This passage recounts the story of two blind men who, upon hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out for mercy. Despite the crowd's attempts to silence them, they persisted, and Jesus, moved by compassion, healed them. This narrative serves as a powerful reminder that Jesus is always near, ready to respond to our cries for help and mercy.
We delved into three key points: First, Jesus is passing by today, just as He did in Jericho. We should make it a habit to be where Jesus is likely to pass by, such as in church, in prayer, and in places of suffering. Second, when we call out to Jesus, He stands still and listens. He is never too busy to hear our cries for mercy, and He calls us to come to Him, emphasizing the importance of a personal relationship with Him. Lastly, Jesus has compassion for us and is willing to heal us, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. His compassion is not just about fixing our problems but about drawing us closer to Him.
The story of the blind men teaches us that Jesus is attentive to our needs and is willing to stop and listen when we call out to Him. He desires a relationship with us and wants us to come to Him with our burdens. Whether we are suffering, in need of healing, or seeking salvation, Jesus is passing by today, ready to extend His mercy and compassion.
### Key Takeaways
1. Jesus is Always Near: Just as Jesus passed by the blind men in Jericho, He is passing by us today. We should make it a habit to be where Jesus is likely to pass by, such as in church, in prayer, and in places of suffering. Being in these places allows us to witness His work and experience His presence. [06:25]
2. Persistent Faith: The blind men did not let the crowd silence them; they persisted in their cries for mercy. This teaches us the importance of persistent faith. When we call out to Jesus, He stands still and listens, no matter how busy He may seem. Our persistence in seeking Him demonstrates our faith and trust in His power to help us. [17:38]
3. Jesus Calls Us to Him: When we call out to Jesus, He not only listens but also calls us to come to Him. This emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with Him. Jesus is not just interested in fixing our problems; He wants us to draw closer to Him and experience His love and compassion. [21:13]
4. Compassion and Healing: Jesus' compassion for the blind men led to their healing. Similarly, He has compassion for us and is willing to heal us, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. His healing is a testament to His love and mercy, and it should draw us closer to Him in gratitude and faith. [26:04]
5. Mercy and Salvation: Jesus is always ready to extend His mercy to those who call out to Him. Whether we are seeking physical healing, emotional support, or salvation, Jesus is passing by, ready to respond to our cries for mercy. His willingness to stop and listen to us is a powerful reminder of His love and desire for a relationship with us. [15:50]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:12] - Reading Matthew 20:29-34
[02:18] - Opening Prayer
[03:13] - Jesus' Healing Power
[04:11] - Personal Testimonies of Healing
[05:21] - Jesus is Passing By Today
[06:25] - Be Where Jesus is Passing By
[09:18] - Jesus Passes By His Church
[12:01] - Jesus Hears Our Prayers
[13:41] - Jesus Passes By in Suffering
[15:50] - Jesus Passes By for Salvation
[17:03] - Jesus Stands Still When You Call
[21:13] - Jesus Calls Us to Him
[26:04] - Jesus Has Compassion and Heals
[33:36] - Jesus Always Gives What You Need
[34:50] - Call Out for Mercy
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Matthew 20:29-34
#### Observation Questions
1. What did the two blind men do when they heard that Jesus was passing by? ([01:12])
2. How did the crowd react to the blind men’s cries for mercy, and what was their response? ([01:12])
3. What was Jesus' reaction when the blind men called out to Him? ([17:38])
4. What specific request did the blind men make to Jesus, and how did He respond? ([26:04])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the blind men were so persistent in calling out to Jesus despite the crowd's attempts to silence them? ([01:12])
2. What does Jesus' willingness to stop and listen to the blind men tell us about His character? ([17:38])
3. How does the story of the blind men illustrate the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus? ([21:13])
4. In what ways does Jesus' compassion and healing extend beyond physical ailments to emotional and spiritual needs? ([26:04])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt Jesus was "passing by" in your life. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? ([06:25])
2. The blind men showed persistent faith by continuing to call out to Jesus. Is there an area in your life where you need to demonstrate more persistent faith? ([17:38])
3. Jesus calls us to come to Him and build a personal relationship. What steps can you take this week to draw closer to Jesus? ([21:13])
4. Think about a situation where you need Jesus' compassion and healing. How can you bring this need to Him in prayer? ([26:04])
5. Jesus is always ready to extend His mercy. Is there a specific area in your life where you need to call out for His mercy and salvation? ([15:50])
6. How can you make it a habit to be where Jesus is likely to pass by, such as in church, in prayer, or in places of suffering? ([06:25])
7. Reflect on the importance of being in places where Jesus is likely to pass by. How can you prioritize these places in your daily life? ([09:18])
Devotional
Day 1: Jesus is Always Near
Jesus is always near, ready to respond to our cries for help and mercy. Just as He passed by the blind men in Jericho, He is passing by us today. We should make it a habit to be where Jesus is likely to pass by, such as in church, in prayer, and in places of suffering. Being in these places allows us to witness His work and experience His presence. [06:25]
"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: Where are the places in your life where you can intentionally seek Jesus' presence today? How can you make it a habit to be in those places more often?
Day 2: Persistent Faith
The blind men did not let the crowd silence them; they persisted in their cries for mercy. This teaches us the importance of persistent faith. When we call out to Jesus, He stands still and listens, no matter how busy He may seem. Our persistence in seeking Him demonstrates our faith and trust in His power to help us. [17:38]
"And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, 'In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Give me justice against my adversary."'” (Luke 18:1-3, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to persist in prayer? How can you demonstrate your faith and trust in Jesus by continuing to seek Him in this area?
Day 3: Jesus Calls Us to Him
When we call out to Jesus, He not only listens but also calls us to come to Him. This emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with Him. Jesus is not just interested in fixing our problems; He wants us to draw closer to Him and experience His love and compassion. [21:13]
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30, ESV)
Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your personal relationship with Jesus? How can you respond to His call to come to Him with your burdens?
Day 4: Compassion and Healing
Jesus' compassion for the blind men led to their healing. Similarly, He has compassion for us and is willing to heal us, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. His healing is a testament to His love and mercy, and it should draw us closer to Him in gratitude and faith. [26:04]
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure." (Psalm 147:3-5, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need Jesus' healing touch? How can you open your heart to His compassion and allow His healing to draw you closer to Him?
Day 5: Mercy and Salvation
Jesus is always ready to extend His mercy to those who call out to Him. Whether we are seeking physical healing, emotional support, or salvation, Jesus is passing by, ready to respond to our cries for mercy. His willingness to stop and listen to us is a powerful reminder of His love and desire for a relationship with us. [15:50]
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: How can you call out to Jesus for His mercy today? What specific area of your life needs His saving grace and how can you invite Him into that area?
Quotes
1. "Obviously, when you see it, you see, wow, he has healing power. Look what he did. He could heal anyone of anything, at any time, in any place. And I believe this is the same today. He can heal anyone of anything. Nothing's too difficult for him. And he can physically heal people if he so wishes. But I think there's something more here than just the physical healing. We get to know more about Jesus when we're in his word." [03:13] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Would we be excited? Would we be stretching our necks to see him? What would we do, especially if we had a need? What do you want Jesus to do for you today? And you thought, well, I just wanted to come and hear some good singing. I want to come and hear someone preach. I want to come and see my friends. I want to feel uplifted. But what if he was here today? What if he ministered to your need today? Whatever that need is, I just want to let you know he's passing by today." [05:21] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Oh, to be able to see Jesus move in someone's heart. To see someone who's calling out for help. And Jesus helps them. So it should be our habit to be where Jesus is passing by. Now, how can we do that? We can't go to Jericho, but we can see that he loved to go by and see people. Now, these two men, it was their habit to watch or to listen when people went by. You see, they had no way of making money. And all they could do was ask for mercy." [07:35] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You want to know what gets Jesus' attention? It's when his children want to praise his name. When his children want to come and give him honor and to learn from him and to hear what he has to say through song and through sermon and through your Bible studies and your time with each other as the Holy Spirit is moving among you. This is a likely place for Jesus to pass by. He can pass by anywhere he wants. You know that, don't you?" [09:57] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "When you pray, Jesus hears your prayers. That's a biblical promise. You know that, don't you? Jesus hears when you pray. And as we learn about the character of Jesus, it's not just to come and to live and show a perfect life and die on the cross and rise from the dead. Amen. He did that. But he wants you to know more about him. It's not just to receive him as Lord and then you don't ever hear from him. When you pray to Jesus, you have communion with him." [12:01] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Whatever you're going through, please know, brothers and sisters, Jesus is passing by. He knows what you're going through. You're not all alone. He is with you. He passes by. Call out to him to have mercy. Lastly, Jesus regularly passes by when people need to be saved. When people are at a dead end in their life. I don't know how I got in this road. I don't know how I got in this fix. But I need out. Jesus is passing by you today. He knows what you're facing." [15:11] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Jesus is the same as he was in this scripture right here. He hears today when you call for mercy. You know, mercy is the word that means that I don't get what I deserve. I want mercy because I know I'm a sinner and I don't deserve for Jesus to hear me. I want mercy because I need forgiveness for my sins because I can't clean myself. I can't make myself good. I need someone to have mercy on me and not give me what I deserve. I need Jesus to hear me today." [19:17] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Jesus is not so involved about trying to fix all your problems. Sure, he cares about you, but the greatest thing is for him is he wants, he wants you to come to him. You see, he wants fellowship with you, brother and sisters. So when you say, but I want this to be fixed, he goes, first things is our relationship with you and me. I want you to come to me. So the blind men heard and they called out and then people came and told him, listen, he's standing there. He's calling out to you." [21:48] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "Jesus can do awesome things for us too. He can fix relationships. He can help heal our bodies. He can help us deal with anxiety and loneliness. He can help us in dealing with other things that cause us to have great fear. He can fix our bodies and heal us physically. And all those things that can make us joyful, but it cannot save us. You see, we must know him as Lord and Savior. And follow him. So if we already know him as the Lord, the healing should cause us to follow him closer." [27:08] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "But that was not God's will. God's will was to take Mama to heaven. But what I learned, when you call out to mercy and call out to him, he will hear your prayer. And if it is in his will, he will do what you ask. And whether he did what I asked or not, I remember praying, heal her so she would remember. I knew he was with her. He stayed with her she went to heaven. He answered my prayer. And listen, I'm just a country boy out in Lawrence County, Alabama." [33:05] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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