“When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.” (Matthew 9:27-31 NKJV)
“Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. (Matthew 20:29-34 NKJV)
“And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” (Acts 10:38 NLT)
When Adam committed high treason in the Garden, He delivered the earth over to Satan, left His Father to join Satan’s family, and opened the door to the ravages of sin, sickness, lack, and every form of destruction and loss. Jesus lived His earthly life as the second Adam to rectify, reconcile, and recover, everything that the first Adam gave away. It all has been given back to the rightful owners of the earth, you and me (if we are in Christ).
As the second Adam, Jesus also lived as a “representative man.” He represented all of humanity in His life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Here is another mystery that is beyond my human understanding, but I believe, receive, and conceive it by faith. I died, was buried, was resurrected, ascended, and now am seated at the right hand of the Father experiencing the fullness of eternal life, in and with Christ. I was placed back into the original condition and position of the first Adam before he sinned. All I had to do to seal the deal was accept Jesus as my Savior making Him the Lord of my life. So now I can boldly proclaim with the Apostle Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 BSB).
So why would Jesus do what He did for us? Why would He leave His perfect dwelling place, lay aside His deity, live as a man, give everything He had to reach out and meet every need of humanity (spiritually, physically, and materially)? What pushed Him forward through persecution, rejection, and abuse? What moved and motivated Him to minister to the multitudes when He was exhausted and spent. What ultimately created in Him such a deep love for the very ones who crucified Him, that hanging near death on the cross He cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34 NLT)?
Jesus not only represented humanity, He represented His Father. He ministered, was moved, and motivated by the Heart of His Daddy (Abba Father). With the heart of the Father He ministered through faith. Like His Daddy, He was moved by compassion. And as the mirror image of His Daddy He was motivated by goodness.
We will look closer at these three elements tomorrow. Until then, soak in…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 116: “Only when I truly see Jesus am I able to accurately see the Father, myself, or those around me.” Part 6: Ministering through faith, moved with compassion, motivated by goodness.