"BELIEVE YE THAT I AM ABLE?" (Pastor Tom Henry) ~ 3/18/25

“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us…and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:27-30)

We notice at once that the two blind men in the text were in dead earnest. The word which describes their appeal is “crying,” and by this is not meant mere speaking, for they are represented as “crying and saying.” This expression implies earnest, energetic, pathetic imploring, and pleading. Imagine yourself in such a case. How earnest would you be, having long dwelt in total darkness, realizing that one was nearby who was known for His ability to open blinded eyes. You would cry out like the blind beggar of Jericho when he learned that Jesus was passing by; and like these two blind men that followed Him as He departed from the home of Jairus, whose daughter He had raised: “Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” They could not see Him; therefore, they cried after Him. There is something about them worthy of imitation by all who would be saved.

                                                            “Jesus, who now art passing by,

                                                            Hear a poor unbeliever’s cry;

                                                            Thy pardoning mercy I implore,

                                                            Till Thou my spirit’s sight restore.”

Now, let us note the very weighty question that Jesus puts to these men: “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” He asked nothing about their past character, because when men come to Christ, their past is forgotten. He did not ask whether they had tried other means in hopes of getting their sight, because whether they had or not, they were still blind. He did not ask if they were hopeful for future discoveries of treatments through which blindness might be cured. He was not interested in curious speculation. His inquiry was into one point, and that one point, faith. Did they believe that He, the Son of David, could heal their blindness?

Why does our Lord everywhere, not only in His ministry but in the teaching of the Apostles, always lay such stress upon faith? Faith is essential because of its receptive power. Faith of itself cannot save the soul, but it is the necessary means of laying hold of the One Who is mighty to save. If a man is thirsty, a rope and a bucket are not in themselves of much use to him. However, if there is a well near at hand, the very thing that is wanted is a rope and a bucket, by means of which a man may draw water out of the wells of salvation and drink to his heart’s content.

More specifically, the question concerned their faith in Jesus Christ. “Believe ye that I am able to do this?” These men were well aware of the fact that they must look outside of themselves and all other mere human means. An awakened sinner knows that his quickening is not of natural blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. If he is asked, “Believe ye that you can save yourself?” His answer is “No, that I do not believe.” If asked, “Do you believe the ordinances and means of grace, and sacraments can save you?” His answer, if he is truly an awakened penitent, will again be, “No, I know better.” All such things that souls have tried have left but a dismal void. Truly it is so, there remains in us and around us nothing upon which hope can build, even for an hour. But the inquiry passes beyond self and casts us upon Jesus only, by bidding us hear the Lord Himself say, “Believe ye that I am able to do this?”

Everything depends upon your answer to that question. Do you believe that Jesus is able to make you whole again. He said of Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” (Luke 5:18) The question is never, “Is He able?” (Heb. 7:25) The question is ever, “Believe ye that He is able?” May our answer to this inquiry be as theirs, “Yea Lord!” Then His response will be to us as it was to them, “According to your faith be it unto you.”