TOPIC:“Yearning To Say “Yes”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Matthew 9:28; 13:51; John 21:15
“Jesus said unto them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said
unto him, yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:28)).
“Jesus said unto them, Have you understood all these things? They said
unto him, yes, Lord” (Matthew 13:51).
“Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than
these? He said unto him, yes, Lord” (John 21:15).
Modern man usually gets what he wants. And if he doesn't, he has a scheming plan by which he will be able to. Some of the things man desires are helpful, but other things he desires are harmful. It takes a good man to know the difference. We must deny ourselves the privilege of making wrong choices.
The problem we face as believers is this: When should we say yes and when should we say no to a certain thing. Now there are times in the life of the Christian when “yes” is a right response. It is right here that God meets us in the three Bible verses before us. God through Christ is asking us to have that inner yearning to say “yes” in those areas which will help us to become more Christ-like in every area of life.
I.
Consider, to begin with, the yes of AFFIRMATION. We find it in these words of Matthew: “Jesus said unto them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said unto him, yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:28).
We have before us an incident recorded by Matthew that is immensely interesting and full of love. The Master finds Himself being tracked down by two blind men who were urgently in need of His help and assistance. We find more than sixty references to blindness in the Bible. Blindness was a common calamity in and around Palestine at that time. The reasons for this are many - the intense heat, the glare of the sun, flying dust and sand, and especially, because of the unsanitary habits of the people of that area.
The text doesn't give us any indication as to how these men became blind, but it does . . .