Jesus told His disciples what would happen to Him in Jerusalem. He would be delivered over to Pontius Pilate. He would be mocked and shamefully treated. He would be spit upon and flogged. He would be killed. And on the third day He would rise from the dead. This was not the first time Jesus told His disciples these things; He had already told them on two previous occasions. Yet the disciples understood none of it. They did not grasp the identity of Jesus or His mission.
This is strange. The disciples walked with Jesus. They saw His miracles. They heard His preaching. They witnessed His authority over demons. They confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. And still, when He spoke of His suffering, death, and resurrection, they did not understand. They expected glory without the cross, a kingdom without suffering, a Savior without sacrifice.
And then we are shown a contrast—a man with no physical sight, begging. He heard that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. So, he immediately cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Though he had never seen Jesus with his eyes, he recognized Him with the eyes of faith. He called Him “Son of David,” which is a messianic title. This blind beggar understood the identity of Jesus and His mission; that Jesus is the promised Savior who comes to redeem His people.
Here we see a reversal. The disciples have sight, yet they do not see. The beggar has no sight, yet he sees clearly. The disciples struggle with doubt. The beggar clings to Jesus with faith.
This is a warning for us because we, too, may know about Jesus and yet fail to grasp his true meaning. We may know the stories of His birth, His miracles, His cross, and His resurrection. We may recite the creeds and hear the Scriptures read and preached. But knowing facts is not the same as having saving faith. Even the demons know the Scriptures. They know who Jesus is. The devil himself quoted Scripture in the wilderness when he tempted Jesus. Yet neither the demons nor the devil trust in the Word as their source of life and salvation.
So, what is Christianity to you? Is it merely a set of moral teachings, a guide on how to live a good life here on earth? Is it a cultural identity? Or is Christianity the good news of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of our sins?
The disciples were blind toward Jesus’ identity and mission. Are we blind too? St Paul says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). We cannot, by our own reason or strength, believe in Jesus Christ our Lord or come to Him. Our sinful nature resists the Gospel. Left to ourselves, we would remain in darkness.
Beggars have nothing to give. They only receive. They depend entirely on the mercy and welfare of others. And this is exactly who we are before God. We are beggars. We bring nothing to Him but our sin. We do not give God something so that He will reward us. Rather, faith is a gift. The Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. We hear the Word and the Holy Spirit creates and strengths faith in Christ. He opens our eyes to see Jesus as our one and only Savior.
The blind beggar came to faith in the same way. He heard. He heard about the prophesies of the Old Testament about the coming Savior. He had heard of Jesus’ works and words. He heard that Jesus was passing by. The ears of the blind man became his eyes. And through that hearing, the Holy Spirit worked faith in his heart so that he confessed Jesus as the Son of David. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
His prayer was simple: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” His prayer was not long or elaborate. It was the cry of a sinner to a merciful Savior.
We cry out for mercy again and again in the Divine Service. In our confession of sins, we ask for mercy. In the Kyrie, we pray: “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” In the Gloria in Excelsis, we ask for mercy from the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Before we receive the Lord’s Supper, we sing again, “O Christ, Thou Lamb of God… have mercy upon us.” The Christian life is a life of crying out for mercy and receiving it.
If you are undergoing suffering or tribulation and don’t know what to pray, then simply pray, “Lord, have mercy.” If you are sick or are in pain and don’t know what to pray, then simply pray, “Lord, have mercy.” If you mourn the death of a loved one, then simply pray, “Lord, have mercy.” You can pray for mercy anywhere and at any time, especially in time of need.
Notice also what happens next. The crowds rebuked the blind man, telling him to be silent. They thought that Jesus doesn’t have time for a poor beggar. They thought that the blind man is not worthy of Jesus’ mercy.
So also, the world often tries to silence the Gospel. It tries to destroy the Gospel. It says there is no place for the message of sin and grace, no need for a crucified Savior. It prefers a message of self-righteousness. It mocks those who cling to Christ alone for salvation. We live in a world which is hostile to the Gospel.
But the blind man would not be silenced. He cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” It is as if the blind beggar said, “No, I will not be quiet. I firmly believe that Jesus is the Son of David, the promised Savior. He is a God of mercy even toward poor beggars like me. If Jesus gave hearing to the deaf, then He can give me sight. I have nowhere else to turn.”
Faith is persistent. Faith refuses to be silent. Faith is not ashamed of the Gospel. Faith confesses Christ alone as our one and only Savior.
The blind beggar could have asked Jesus for money, but he asks him for something greater. He asked for the ability to see. And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus.
What a beautiful picture of the Gospel. The man who was blind now sees. The man who sat begging now follows Jesus. The man who cried for mercy now gives thanks to God. And all of it is the work of Jesus, received by faith.
So it is with us. We cry out for mercy, and Jesus answers. He may not restore our physical sight or remove every sickness, but He does something far greater. He forgives our sins. He reconciles us with the Father. He gives us eternal life. Even now, at this altar, He gives us His own body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Our mouth opens, and it receives the body and blood of Christ. Faith simply receives.
After receiving his sight, the man followed Jesus all the way to Jerusalem. What did the beggar see in Jerusalem? He saw that Jesus opened his hand like a beggar, but a nail was driven through it. He saw Jesus crucified on a cross. He saw Jesus begging His Father not to hold this sin against those who crucified him. He saw Jesus begging for a drink, but they only gave him vinegar. He saw the Lamb of God bearing the sin of the world.
What do you see when you look at the cross? Do you see a good man suffering unjustly? Or do you see the Son of God giving His life for you? Do you see your sin laid upon Him?
On the cross, Jesus was the object of scorn so that you might be the object of God’s love. He was cursed so that you might be blessed. He was stripped so that you might be clothed in His righteousness. He was wounded so that you might be healed. He was forsaken so that you might be forgiven. He died so that you might live.
And on the third day, He rose again, just as He said. Death could not defeat Him. Because Jesus lives, you too shall live. His resurrection is your victory.
After Pentecost, the disciples finally understood. The Holy Spirit opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. They saw clearly that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. The once-blind disciples now saw clearly. They planted churches and ordained pastors. They proclaimed this message boldly, even in the face of persecution and death.
What about you? Jesus says, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:34–35). There is a cost to following Jesus. As a believer in Christ, deny the world’s definition of success and popularity. Deny pride, your sinful desires, or craving for the approval of the world. Pick up your cross of suffering and follow Christ. Do not try to save your life according to worldly standards but believe that salvation is found in Christ alone. Do not be selfish or self-centered, rather put others before yourself.
Therefore, since you have received mercy from God, show mercy to others. Since you have been loved by God, love others sacrificially. Since you have been forgiven, forgive others. Since you have been given sight, walk as children of light.
And when we stumble, when doubts and fears arise, we return to the same simple prayer: “Lord, have mercy.” And He does. Again, and again.
We are all beggars. But we are beggars who have been given faith. We are blind who have been given sight. We are sinners who have been forgiven. We are dying, and yet we shall live.
Jesus says, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem.” Jesus, His disciples, and the blind man traveled to Jerusalem. We are on a journey; not to the city of Jerusalem but to our home above. Jesus leads and we gladly follow. This world is not our home. The world may mock us, oppose us, or try to silence our faith. But count it all joy. We are in the world, but we are not of the world. We have a Savior who hears our cries, who forgives our sins, who strengthens us with His Word and Sacrament.
Therefore, follow Christ. Trust Him. Cling to Him. For He is your refuge and your strength. He is leading you all the way to eternal life. Thanks be to God. Amen.
