Resurrection Day - 10: When Jesus Stops
- Mar 16
- 2 min read
Matthew 20:29–34
"As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord,[a] have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet, but they shouted even more loudly, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!” 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately, they regained their sight and followed him."
Ten days before Jesus rose from the dead, two blind men sat by the road outside Jericho. They couldn’t see the crowd. They couldn’t see Jesus. But they could hear the shuffle of feet, the buzz of voices, the “something big is happening” sound that fills the air. Then they heard his name.
Jesus.
They didn’t wait for an encounter; they created one. They shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” People around them didn’t like that. The crowd tried to hush them up. “Be quiet,” they said. “Don’t bother him.” But the men shouted even louder.
Here’s what I love: Jesus didn’t speed up. He didn’t roll his eyes. He didn’t say, “Not now.” He stopped. In the middle of the noise, with important places to go and people to see, Jesus stood still. And then he asked a question that feels almost simple:
“What do you want me to do for you?”
They said, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” That’s a brave prayer. Because open eyes change things. Open eyes mean you can’t pretend anymore. You can’t hide behind “I didn’t know.” You can’t stay on the roadside forever.
Jesus was “moved with compassion.” Not annoyed. Not impatient. Compassionate. He touched their eyes. And right away, they could see. What did they do next? They followed him.
That’s the point of the miracle. Jesus doesn’t just open eyes so we can stare at a prettier world. He opens eyes so we can walk with him in the real one.
If Christ has opened your eyes, don’t hold back. Follow him with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. And, with eyes wide open.
