Christian Living

That the Blind Might See

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
10/08/20
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“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

On the road to Emmaus, two disciples of Jesus talked with one another of the events that had just taken place in Jerusalem. They were taken back by the crucifixion of their Lord and Savior. Perhaps they felt that they had wasted years of time and effort in following Him only to witness His crucifixion on the cross. Perhaps they felt discouraged because the Kingdom they had hoped for, and the freedom from Roman oppression now seemed a lost hope. They were discussing these events when a stranger joined them on the road and walked with them.

As they were traveling together, Jesus explained to them, beginning with Moses through the Prophets, how they all pointed to the Messiah and the things that must happen. As Jesus teaches them, they approached the village of Emmaus, and the disciples invited Him to break bread with them. As Jesus prayed over the meal, they realized that it was He the Messiah, and they quickly returned to Jerusalem. While there, they began to give testimony to other disciples of their experience along the road. Jesus then appeared and showed them His scars and then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

Our eyes opened should always be our prayer when we read the Bible. That God would open our minds and hearts to the truth of the Scripture, the truth of His Word. He will do that, He wants us to know Him, and He will give us the understanding that we can hold. It is possible because God is our Creator, and He has power over our hearts and spirit. It is the Spirit that gives life to our dead flesh. When God created man, He formed man for the dust of the earth. Unlike which was created by His Word, there was no life in the flesh until He breathed His Spirit and caused the man to become a living being. “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7)

Sin entered into the world, and many fleshly beings are walking around that are tents for spirits that are dead to the Word of God. When a carnal man reads the Word of God, he cannot fully comprehend the truth of what he is reading. He cannot understand it and, therefore, soon abandons it. I think that carnal men read it as a storybook, as history, or some as poetry, but cannot grasp the prophecy. They read it to satisfy their minds, not knowing that the Scriptures are food for their spirits. Understanding the Scriptures, the Word of God is of the greatest value to anyone who desires to know the truths of God’s thoughts and the workings of His creation.

The Scriptures of the Bible are written for men’s spirits, but the spirit of a carnal man is deadened by sin. To understand the Bible, one needs the Holy Spirit, the counselor, to guide them to all truth. Jesus explained in the Gospel of John. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13)

It is the power of the Holy Spirit that renews the mind of a man through the Word of God. By the power of the Holy Spirt, Jesus has absolute power over the human spirit when we abide in Him. By this power of the Holy Spirit, we can have divine vision through our spirit to discern the Words of Jesus and know His proper deity. With our spiritual eyes opened, we can interpret the Scriptures as the Apostles could do and see that they all point to Jesus as the Messiah, the King of kings, and Lord of lords. After the resurrection of Jesus with His disciples gathered, Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit upon them that they would be spiritually born again. “And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

Many a man does not realize the intimate connection between his spirit and the Spirit of God. The danger here is men fall short on their gratitude for all that God has done for them that we have been created in His image. As creatures of God’s image, we are called to be reflectors of His image that the world can see the beauty of Jesus through us. “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27) God’s whole purpose that man can be restored to a personal relationship with God, our Creator. When by the grace of God, that relationship is restored, we should be in constant prayer, our fellowship can be nurtured, and we receive His guidance for our future.

Each of us is given time, talent, and treasure from the Lord. The world does not provide them. When I am called to assist when loved ones have gone on to the next realm, I place the parting thoughts in two statements. Their life was cut short; they died so young, and how they moved on so soon. Then some say they lived a full life how blessed they were. Perhaps our prayers are wrong. Maybe we should not pray that one has a long life but a full life. Maybe we should not pray for more time as King Hezekiah, who was given another fifteen years. Perhaps we should pray for a full life to accomplish the work that God has set before us to do. Then we could say with the Apostle Paul. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Each of us is given a talent or multiple talents. “To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.” (Matthew 25:15) We are not only given different talents, but they are given in different measures too. This diversity is beneficial to the society we live in. Who needs a nation of bricklayers without any carpenters? God’s Kingdom and His Church is filled with a diversity of talented people, talented servants of the Lord. Our calling is to make disciples for Jesus to the ends of the earth, but that requires many different talents. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

We are all given time, talent, and treasure, but we must not misunderstand the reason that God has given them to us. A man was created to give glory to his Creator; this is the chief end of man. “And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:11) If we misuse that which God has given us, then God can take it away. We have all heard the verse, “He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” (Job 1:21) At the end of the Parable of the Talents, Jesus made this closing statement, “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.” (Matthew 25:29) I believe this truth would apply to time, talent, and treasure as well.

Learning is a process of hearing, reading, reflecting, and searching for the reason. Seeling is how we grow by gaining the wisdom to use that which God has given us. We enlarge our intelligence and use it for God’s glory. It is the kindness of God that we can reason in the knowledge we have gained and learn the wisdom to apply it. Experience enables us to become great servants to God’s people, this empowers us to allow Jesus to live through us and enlighten those around us. For we are His servants and servants of the people. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)

So many wonder what their call is from our Lord. First, we are to love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, and strength. Second, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. In that, we seek the Lord’s will for our life. We pray His will be done but do we pray to be in His will? It is written that we were created in Jesus Christ to do the good work that has been prepared for us to accomplish. Seek, and you will find. (Matthew 7:7) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

The two disciples of Jesus walking along the road to Emmaus did not know they were in the very presence of their Savior until He prayed over the bread they would share. To the disciples in Jerusalem who did not understand the Scripture until Jesus opened their hearts up in the power of the Holy Spirit. I have learned this truth. Prayer is a conversation with the Almighty God. Conversation requires that one speaks, and one listens. Prayer is not just approaching God with a shopping list of needs and wants. It may be to a small degree, but prayer is mostly listening to the Word of God. What greater words can one hear than the Word of the Almighty God? It is not our word that can discern the Word of God, for our spirit is broken by sin. The Bible says. “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:20-21) It is the Holy Spirit that prays for us. (Romans: 26-27) Let us pray with bridled tongue and spiritual ears that are open to hearing the Word of God. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:18)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, October 10, 2017