Luke 18:15-43

Open Our Eyes

There is a hymn written in 1895 by Clara H. Scott called Open My Eyes That I May See. The lyrics go like this: Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me. Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for thee, ready, my God, thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine! I believe the next few verses in Luke 18 are a call for us to do just that – open our eyes. A call to see beyond what is right in front of us, looking intently and deeply to glimpse the truth God has for us.

Vs 15-17 People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Open our eyes to see like a little child.

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” In this passage, we find people bringing their babies to Jesus so He could bless them. This was not necessarily unusual as it was a practice at the time for people to bring their babies at the age of one to be blessed by a rabbi. The disciples saw it and rebuked the parents. The Greek word for rebuke is epitimaó, which means to dispense or place due measure to something. In other words, the disciples did not deem this activity worth Jesus’ valuable time. After all, Jesus had a bigger ministry than just a normal rabbi didn’t He? He had other more important things to do. Jesus used this occasion to educate them on what is really important.“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” What does Jesus mean by this? Let’s look, for a moment, at the characteristics of a baby. They are tiny, totally dependent, helpless, and need constant care and instruction. They are not afraid to admit when they are hungry or need something. Anyone who has had a baby can tell you, everyone within hearing distance knows when a baby needs something! They cry out for help. They willingly allow themselves to be carried. In fact, without someone there for them, a baby would not survive. And this is how we are to come to God. Knowing we are helpless to save ourselves. Knowing we are absolutely unable to acquire wisdom without God. Coming to him in humility with the understanding that He is the One who cares for us and gives us perfect instruction. What blinds us to this fact? It is human nature that stands in our way, thinking we can do it ourselves. We need to open our eyes to see our need to come to Jesus as little children.

Vs 18-30 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Open our eyes to see the treasure in heaven.

The first thing we notice in this passage is the address this ruler gives to Jesus. It is “good teacher.” The Greek word for good is agathos, which means being intrinsically good or good in the very nature of things. This man recognizes Jesus’ very nature as being good as God is good. We know this by how Jesus answers him: “No one is good—except God alone.” The second thing to notice is the ruler’s desire. He wanted to know what he could do to inherit eternal life. The Greek word for do is poieó, which means to make or construct or manufacture. His meaning is clear. He wants to know how he can earn eternal life. In his mind, there had to be a way to physically do something to get in. Jesus perceives this and begins the dialogue by laying out the commandments this man, and all within hearing distance, would have been very familiar with; the latter half of the 10 commandments. The man’s relief must have been palatable as he says, “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” He is beginning to think he’s made it. But, let’s think about this for a moment. Does the man think he has kept the commandments perfectly making himself agathos – intrinsically good? Just as he is ready to celebrate, Jesus gives him one more thing to think about – one more thing he must do. Because Jesus sees this man’s heart, He knows there is one obstacle in this man’s life that keeps him from the kingdom. And here it is: “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Jesus gives the man an invitation to rid himself of all that constrains him to really follow God. As the man hears these words his joy turns to sadness. The Greek word for sad is perilupos, which means to be greatly grieved. You can almost see Jesus shaking His head sadly when he says, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” This man’s wealth has blinded him to the true treasure that is the kingdom of God.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We find here, it is only those who empty themselves completely who find the kingdom of heaven. We can’t take anything along with us on the journey. The writer of Hebrews said it this way: Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. Hebrews 12:1-3. Let go of the weight that ensnares and holds us back. Get rid of anything that keeps our eyes off the One who is the source.

Jesus also gives us a promise: “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” If we can open our eyes to see the treasure of heaven instead of holding on to the treasures of the earth, God promises we will be filled both now and when we come into eternal life. So let’s ask ourselves. “what is it that ensnares me, holds me back, puts an obstacle up to having the kingdom of heaven?” The man in this passage’s obstacle was his riches. Not all wealthy people have this obstacle, but the love of money blinds us from seeing true treasure. Whatever the obstacle might be, we must empty ourselves of it. When we so that, then we will be filled up with the very presence of Christ. The Holy Spirit and empowered to do the will of God and every need will be met. Treasure beyond our wildest dreams will be ours. We need to open our eyes to see our need to empty ourselves so God can fill us with the treasure of His kingdom.

Vs 31-34 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

Open our eyes to see the Savior.

Do we really see the Savior? The disciples couldn’t. They didn’t understand Jesus’ words. It’s meaning was hidden from them because their vision of the Messiah was not the Savior He came to be. Scripture had laid it out for them, but they missed it. Instead, they saw a conquering warrior savior. They saw someone who would save them from those who had enslaved them. They saw someone who would lead them to victory against the Roman empire. They envisioned once again being the people of God who would reign on the throne as David did. Their eyes could only see a physical victory.

But Jesus did not come to save us physically. He came to save us spiritually. He came to fulfill the Law; to become the sin offering and the blood offering. To become the Passover Lamb bringing redemption to all. He came to fulfill the festivals of God, the perfect Law of God and the Torah. In this passage, Jesus lays out His plan. They would go to Jerusalem so Scripture would be fulfilled. Then, He would be delivered over, mocked, insulted, spat on, flogged and killed. But!!! – and this is a most important “but” – On the third day He was going to rise again. The grave will not hold Him and death and sin would be quenched. He would fulfill Isaiah 25:7-9; “On this mountain He will destroy the burial shroud, the shroud over all the peoples, the sheet covering all the nations; He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” But their eyes could not see this. They couldn’t imagine death and destruction. They couldn’t connect the Law to Jesus. They couldn’t see Him in the Passover feast. They didn’t equate the temple sacrifices to the Messiah’s purpose. God had laid out a fantastic picture of His plan throughout the Law and Prophets for the redemption of the world from sin, but they were blind to it all. We need to open our eyes to see the Savior.

Vs 35-43 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Open our eyes to having faith.

Here we have someone who is literally blind. He had been brought to a place near the entrance of Jericho so he could beg for food and money. It was his only way of survival, so he sits here each and every day, hoping for a little mercy. On this day, something different happens. There is a crowd going by and there is excitement in the air. He asks what’s going on, and when he finds out it is Jesus, he begins to call out. The Greek word for call out is boaó, and is a word meaning to cry out, or to make a distress call. The people in the crowd epitimaó him just as the disciples had rebuked the parents for bringing their children. Here is a man in great need, yet the people around him are uncomfortable and rebuke him. Isn’t it the same today? How many people do we pass by each day? Mother Teresa once said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” I believe this bears out in this blind man, for when he was rebuked he began to krazó or scream out. His distress call became piercing. He was a desperate man. At this Jesus stops and orders the man brought to Him. Jesus has His eyes on Jerusalem, yet He would stop here to answer a desperate plea. He is not too busy to stop and care. He notices the unwanted and unloved.

When the man, who is obviously blind, stands before Him, Jesus asks the most fascinating question, “What do you want me to do for you?” Fascinating because the need is so obvious. I mean, the man is blind. What else would he want but to see. Yet Jesus asks him the question. My instant thought was – reader take note. I wonder how often God asks us the same question. “What do you want me to do for you?” How often do we miss out on God’s goodness and blessings because we just don’t answer, or we don’t even cry out to begin with. Again, in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:7-11. The man’s answer is to the point, “Lord, I want to see.” And Jesus heals him saying, ”…your faith has healed you.” The man knew who Jesus was – “Son of David, have mercy on me!” The man knew Jesus could heal him – evidenced by his screaming out to be heard and recognized. The man boldly asked for what he wanted – “Lord, I want to see.” He had faith that his eyes could be opened. And this is the example we need to follow. Lord, open our eyes so we can have more faith!

In the introduction of this study, I began with a song and will end with another one. Helen H. Lemmel wrote a familiar song called Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace. Open our eyes Lord to see like a child. Help us realize we are as little children who cannot do anything to obtain salvation on our own. We are in need of a Savior. Open our eyes Lord to desire treasures in heaven instead of the stuff of this earth. Help us to get rid of any obstacle that take our eyes off of You. Open our eyes Lord to see the Savior. He came so we might have abundant life now and eternal life in the future. He is our Redeemer and has conquered sin and death. Finally, open our eyes Lord to have more faith. You are the One we can cry out to. You are the One who we can ask. You are the One who can do all things. Most of all, as we look on You, may all the things of this earth grow dim in the light of Your glory and grace. Amen.