MESSAGE OF MONTH

WELL DONE EVERYTHING

St .MK: 7:31-37

The passage opens with Jesus leaving the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon headed back to Galilee. But Jesus and His men do not go straight back to Jewish country VS: 31 tell us that they went to "Decapolis" there Jesus finds Himself and His men were questioned by Jews. This will be one of the last opportunities that He will have to be alone with His men before He goes to Calvary.

It is also interesting that Jesus goes to Decapolis, the people of that region had asked Jesus to leave their country, St.MK: 5:17. Jesus had cast a legion of demons out of the Gaderene Demoniac. Those demons had entered into a herd of swine and the pigs had all drowned. The people of Decapolis had rejected Jesus and forced Him to leave.

Now he returns and they receive him with open arms, why the change? What made the difference? The answer can be found in St. Mark 5: 19-20, that redeemed Demoniac went home and told everyone he met what Jesus had done for Him. He was such an effective witness that the people were eager for Jesus to come back to town, and when He did, they embraced Him because they all were amazed by his witness, we too should be in the business of magnifying Him.

In the passage, Jesus comes to Decapolis and the people bring a deaf man to Jesus for healing. Jesus heals these poor men and the crowds marveled. They saw His power and they were amazed, they said "He has done everything well'. He still has the power to amaze those who come to Him, hence let's learn the lesson contained here.

VS: 32: - The Man and his condition :- The Bible tells us that this man was "Deaf" he lost his hearing not only he was Deaf, he also had a speech impediment. He could talk, but his speech was impaired. These two conditions seem to go hand in hand. Because a deaf person cannot hear themselves saying words they tend to have trouble using verbal language correctly.

While this man's condition is tragic, his verse is a blessing, this man even though he was handicapped, had people around him that cared about him. They heard that Jesus was passing by and they brought their deaf friend to Jesus. They just believed that the man who had cast a legion of demons out of the Demoniac could heal this poor handicapped man.

Let's take a few observations about the business of physical handicaps before we move to next verses - first there was something in the heart of Jesus that drew Him to the handicapped. He loved people who were often cast aside by others. Jesus spent much time ministering to those with physical infirmities because He had a heart full of love and compassion for their needs.

Besides that, handicapped people seem to be drawn to Jesus? Why? It is because He accepts them and loves them just like they are. They are looking for that kind of love and acceptance from a society that rejects them because they are different there are many handicapped people who would love to hear the Gospel.

After observation that arises from these verses has to do with heaven, there will be no handicapped individual in glory, neither shriveled body, a feeble mind or a paralyzed frame in that glorious land. Those precious people who have suffered so much in this world and have trusted Jesus will be delivered forever from their crutches, wheelchairs etc. they all will be renewed.

A third observation serves to remind us that the physical healing Jesus performed is but illustrations of what He can do in the spiritual realm. If a person died without faith and leaves this world, they are mere handicapped ones.

VS: 33-35: - The Master and His Care :- The people bring this poor man to Jesus and He does a great work in the man's life, at first Jesus "Took him aside". The crowd expected Jesus to just touch him right there and heal him. But Jesus is a gentleman, He did not embraces the man more than he already is. This man is dead he probably has no idea what is going on.

The deaf will tell us that their affliction makes them a special class of people. Blindness and most other physical handicaps make special allowance for the handicapped person. But, we can’t see that a person is dead. Often people will grow impatient with a deaf person because they have a trouble of understanding often the deaf are embarrassed by their condition and they withdraw into themselves rather than to face a harsh starring public.

Jesus refuses to make a spectacle of this man, Jesus takes him aside and does a great work in his life, by taking him aside, Jesus is saying “you are more than a problem, you are an individual and you are important to me" I care about you, he healed many people but his methods vary in each case, He touched a leper, He put spit and dirt in a blind man's eye, He made. One blind man to go to a pool and wash his eyes others He healed from a distance. Every case was different and each case merited special attention from the master.

Jesus continues His special ministry in the man's life. He cannot tell the man verbally what He is about to do so. Jesus uses a rough from of sign language to communicate His intentions. First He sticks His fingers in the man's ears to let him know that He is going to do something about his deafness. He spits on his finger and touched the man's tongue to let him know that he is about to lubricate his speech, whatever the reason for his actions, Jesus reached out and touched this man, after touching him, Jesus looks towards heaven. This act served two purposes.

It told deaf man where the healing was coming from Jesus was looking to His father and He was telling this man via sign language that His healing was coming from above.

This act of looking toward heaven also demonstrated the son's dependence upon the father Jesus often looked to heaven for the help He  needed, He  did this at the tomb of Lazarus, Jn: 11:41. Jesus lived a life of close communion and the father used Him.

Then Jesus said one word. Ephphatha (Be opened) when Jesus said this the man ears were healed and his tongue was loosed. He could hear, he could speak . One command from Jesus got his life changed forever. That is the power of the word of God.

VS: 36-37: -  The Multitude and their Confession :- As soon as He has accomplished the miracle, Jesus  tells the multitudes not to tell anyone else. He does not want to do identify as a Gentile Messiah. Jesus came to the Jews

First and then the Greek, Rom: 1:16. So He tells them to keep quiet. But they did just the opposite.

What a Contrast :-- He told them to tell no one and they told everyone. He commands us to tell everyone and we tell no one. We should be spreading the news that Jesus is life changing soul that is His command, MK: 16:15 that is our obligation, St. Mt: 28:19-20, that is what He has equipped us to do, Acts: 1:8.

The Bible tells us that these people were "Beyond measure astonished", what they saw was beyond their imagination and they summed up what they felt about Jesus by saying " - He has done everything well".

That statement was a statement of faith, they voiced their approval of Him and His ministry “- that "He has done everything well".

The man in the text met Jesus that day and his life was changed forever, He can do all the same thing for any person who will come to Him now - why? Because He does everything well.

        Rev.Fr. Sam Oommen Panackamattam