31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.[h] 32 There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.
33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.
36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Question 1
Have you ever heard someone say how they became a Christian?
Question 2
Why do you think everyone’s story is different?
It’s always wonderful to hear someone explain how they came to believe in Jesus Christ. It is strange to think that every story is the same because it is God’s work in the person’s heart, and yet the very experiences and events in that person’s life mean that every story is different.
You can’t have a more different and strange example than the one we’re going to look at today. The man was in an extremely sad position. He couldn’t hear other people talking, and he could hardly tell them anything. In the midst of that hopeless situation the man’s friends lead him to the only one who could help him, Jesus of Nazareth. Some people had been healed by just touching his clothing. But that’s not what’s happening this time. Jesus takes the man to one side and does something that looks very strange to us – he puts his fingers in the man’s ears and then puts a little spit on his tongue. Then he tells the man’s ears and tongue to open, which is what happens immediately.
Jesus didn’t need to do these things. But because the man could only really see, here he enhanced it in a very visual way. Looking to heaven while he was doing these things, Jesus was showing quite clearly to the man and to everyone that he was helping this man in God’s strength. It is striking to note the fact that Jesus is sad as he sees the way the sin of this world means that people suffer.
There’s nothing better than getting to share your spiritual experience with other people. And this is exactly what is happening here. The first thing the man wants to do with his tongue is to talk about what Jesus has done. And his friends likewise insist on talking about the good things Jesus accomplished.
Question 3
If you are a Christian, how did you become one? If you’re not a Christian, what reasons have you got for not believing in Jesus?
Question 4
Are you keen to share your testimony?
Pray
that God will help you see how much he has done for you and will give you an enthusiasm to share your testimony with others.
