"Supply List: 1 Container of Clorox Wipes"



This morning I would like to ask you to open your Bibles to Matthew 9: 27-34 (pg. 964 in your pew Bibles). But what I would like you to do this morning is I would like you to follow along as I read the text--with this one request--do so with your eyes closed.

READ THE TEXT.

How did that work for you? Perhaps you felt you were cheated--perhaps you thought it was unfair--it made zero sense--after all, you can see--so why should you not use what is within your ability?

Great point--I wish I would have thought about that!

Let's pray.



So I wonder: Is "1 Container of Clorox Wipes" something you would have envisioned on a school supply list? As I considered this particular item--I couldn't help but ask: Is this item more for the teacher than the student? Perhaps the teacher recognized all the dirt, filth, and who knows what else those "precious" little students bring with them to school. Perhaps the teacher knew how important it was to have the proper resources in place to maintain cleanliness. Listen, I have a sixth-grade boy in my house--I guarantee you he could stand a good wipe down with some Clorox wipes!!

But you know, I have a hunch that the teacher knew something else as well. I believe the teacher knew that some of the things that needed cleaning were not always going to be visible. Specifically, germs! You can't see those germs--but you know they are there. They set up residence on desk tops, door handles, chairs, computer keyboards and countless other places. But despite the lack of visual confirmation--we know they are there--in fact, left un-cleaned, germs have the potential to build and spread and make themselves visible in the form of infections and perhaps illness.

There is something about seeing that leads to believing--but also, there is something to be said for believing before you can see!

Matthew 9: 27 says: "As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David!'"

Let me pause there for just a moment to make sure that you see this! "two blind men" are following Jesus. Does anyone else find this strange? How did they see Him? How did they know which way He went? Did they believe before they could see?

If that weren't enough--following Him out in the open, rocky, dusty roads of Capernaum--the two blind men followed Jesus indoors--all the while calling out to Him: "Have mercy on us--have mercy on us."

And then Jesus asked them a profound question--one which we too could stand to ponder. He asked: "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"

To do what? According to our text--the two blind men never said specifically what they wanted. They didn't say, "Give us sight, Son of God." They didn't ask for some kind of divine lasik surgery. They simply asked for His mercy to be upon them. They simply acknowledged that they believed He could do something they couldn't do for themselves.

I recently heard a story about a teenage couple who came to their youth pastor, admitting they had had sex in their car out in a park. The youth pastor said to them, "Funny you should be here to tell me--I actually already knew. Someone saw you in your car and saw everything you did." The teenagers were mortified--they began to stutter and stammer and they said, "Who saw us? Who was there?" The youth pastor answered, "Well, God was there. God saw you. He always knows about us." The teenagers seemingly breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Oh God--for a minute there we that someone really saw us."

Do you ever feel that way? Do you ever think that as long as someone else--you know like a "real" person--doesn't see you sinning that you really don't have anything to worry about? I mean, when it comes to the sin our lives, can it be like a germ. We may not think anything of it--especially if no one else can see it. We think if we can just keep it hidden--if we don't ever allow it to grow into some infectious disease that takes over our bodies--then we will be fine.

James 5: 16 says, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."

How does that sound? Should we take a moment for you to turn to your neighbor an "confess your sins" to them?

Funny, don't you think--when we get germs or some kind of a virus--and it leads to the flu, or bronchitis, or a staff infection or any other kind of "common illness" we are fine to confess to each other what we have and where we think we got it. In fact, we tell each other to wash their hands, to grab some Clorox wipes and disinfect their homes, cars, and anything else that may have come into contact with the germ carrying friend. But then we seem to always offer this one last bit of hopeful advice--"But if you catch what I have--just get to the doctor and let him give you something for it.".

Friends, there is not a more deadly germ than anything that separates us from God. And much like a germ, sin can begin in such a benign manner, but then quickly can become malignant and literally take over. So often this happens so quickly we don't even see it coming. But then the next thing we know we are lost; we are depressed, we are starving for purpose and meaning; we are weak from burden and quilt. The truth is, many of us here this morning are carrying this deadly virus around with us. Every sin you and I commit is the result of our decision to be our own god; in charge of our own lives; doing what we want, when we want.

One pastor explained our choice this way: "In every heart there exists a crown and a cross. If you're wearing the crown, Jesus is wearing the cross. If you're wearing the cross, Jesus is wearing the crown" (Jim Denison's God Issues).

The two blind men affirmed their belief that Jesus was the ONLY one who could give them the mercy they so desperately needed and longed for. Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you." It was as if Jesus had taken one large Clorox wipe and cleaned away everything that had been hindering those two men from seeing. Their sight was restored--and they began telling everyone the news--"just get to the Doctor and let Him give you what you need to be healed."

Friends, I believe that something other than sight led those two blind men. I believe they knew something about this man Jesus. They knew He knew--and they knew He could give them what they needed--they needed their darkness to be replaced with Light.

Where is the darkness in your life that needs to be replaced by the Light of Jesus Christ?

Hear this: there is no container of Clorox wipes that is large enough to clean you and me. Only the blood of Jesus--Jesus is the only One who is big enough--and there is no container that was big enough to contain Him either--not a cross--not even a tomb.

You see, the Gospel is not for those who think they have it together. It is not for those who think they really aren't that sick. It's not for those who think they see just fine. It is for those who acknowledge with their mouths and believe in their hearts that Jesus Christ is ABLE. That He is able to heal, cleanse, give sight to the blind and voice to the mute and replace darkness with Light. .

Do you believe He is able?

Let me close with this: Tenth Avenue North--a popular band in Christian music today--has a song out now entitled "Healing Begins." The lead singer said this song "is a call to let your wall fall down, to let you masks fall down, to let you pretense fall down, because guess what? Your walls are glass anyway--we can see through them. You are fighting a losing battle and this is where the healing begins--when you let the light expose the darkness." The chorus of the song goes like this: "This is where the healing begins. This is where the healing starts. When you come to where you're broken within. The light meets the dark."

At AISD, perhaps the healing begins--at least in some way--with a large container of Clorox wipes.

For the two blind men it began with a profession of faith in One who was able to replace their darkness with His light.

Where will your healing begin?

AMEN.