Luke 9:51  When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to… Jerusalem.

Luke 13:22   Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Luke 18:31-34   Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.  For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon.  After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again."  But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

His face was set on Calvary.  Each step carried him closer to his ultimate appointment.  Each step carried him to the most significant series of events of all history.  Each step carried him to a cruel cross.

His face was set on Calvary.  He stopped the disciples and told them of his impending death.  He had tried to get them to understand what was going to happen, but they had just scratched their heads in bewilderment.  He needed their support but they had failed to comprehend his words.

None the less, His face was set on Calvary; the end now just days away.  For three years he had worked towards Jerusalem.  For 33 years he had been on this earth for this purpose.  In fact, from the beginning of time, he had prepared for what was to occur, now just a few days away.  He was coming to the end.

His face was set on Calvary, but coming into his sight was the city of Jericho.  Jericho lay between him and the finish line.  If the cross was the finish line, then Jericho was the back stretch.  Jericho was just another town to go through on the way to Jerusalem. 

His face was set on Calvary, but out of the corner of his eye he saw the commotion.  Every city now brought out the crowds.  His reputation preceded him and hundreds and often thousands would line the streets to see him; the miracle worker of Nazareth.  But behind the press of people he heard the desperate voice crying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" He also heard the callus rebukes of those standing near the man, "Shut up and leave the master alone."  But all the more his pleads intensified, "Son of David, have mercy on me."

His face was set on Calvary, but he turned it momentarily to gaze into the sightless orbs of a blind beggar. Can you feel the blind man’s desperation?  Like all of Judea, he had heard of this miracle worker from Nazareth.  He had been blind for so long.  He wanted desperately to see his family again.  He hated this begging.  He wanted to be real again.  He was so tired of being looked down upon by everyone who came along the road.  He hated himself for his own pathetic mooching.  “Alms for the blind.” “Alms for the blind.” “Alms for the blind.” He had said it thousands of times a day for more days than he could count.  He was sick to death of his own disability.  He had to sit where he was put and not move until someone came to get him. Although he could not see them, he could feel the condescending arrogance of all who passed by and wondered what sin he had committed to be struck blind.  If only he could see… that would be enough.  He would never ask again for anything. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 

Can you feel his hope? “Wow, it is too good to be true.  This Jesus, the healer, is walking right by.”  He had wanted to go find Jesus but he couldn’t, he was blind.  But now the Nazarene was here.  “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  “No way, I will be quiet!  No, I will not get out of the way. No I will not shut up!  This is my one chance, and I will not be denied! Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Luke 18:40-41 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

“Was it true? Was Jesus really asking what I want?  This had better not be some kind of prank.  It will break my heart if this is a joke.  How do I know if it is real?  What if he can’t?  No, I know he can.  He has to be able to.  It is my only hope.”  With the amazing faith of dependence or reliance, the blind beggar raises his sightless, milky-white eyes upwards to Jesus and uttered a prayer which has been our prayer for this year.

Luke 18:41  "Lord, I want to see!"

Don’t you think in that moment between these words and Jesus’ reply, there was an eternity of anticipation?  “Lord, I want to see… what is going to happen?  Jesus can, but will he?  Is there something wrong with me?  Am I worthy of being healed?”  Don’t you know there were 1,000s of thoughts running through the blind man’s head in that moment before Jesus spoke?
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Isn’t that where we live? Obviously, my sermon this morning is not about being physically blind.  None of us are literally blind.  Some of us have bifocals, or trifocals or have had our eyes lazered, but that is not what this sermon is about.  We have a different sort of blindness. Fascinatingly enough, Luke is using this story of a real blind man who wants to see, also as a metaphor for spiritual blindness.  He is not just telling an emotional story about a desperate blind man, he is telling a story about you! He is telling a story about me.  If you are up on Luke 18 you know there is a progression of stories before and after this story.   Luke is doing the same thing I want to do this morning. 

-We have a story about a Pharisee and a Tax collector.  The Pharisee is blind to who he really is.  “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled.” The ROE principle – reversal of exaltation - shows the Pharisees did not see who he really was. 
-Then we have a story about children coming to Jesus.  The disciples could not see the importance of children.  They were blind to what the kingdom was really all about. But we must come to the kingdom bringing nothing but our repentance.  Like Henry we just bring our emptiness to Jesus. 
-Then there is this rich guy who couldn’t see what was really important. He was following the law, but his heart was all tied up in his money.  He was blind to what was really important. 
-And then Jesus tells his disciples about the way of the cross, and what does it say in verse 34, in the verses right before the story of the blind beggar, “They did not know what he was talking about.”
-Then at the end of chapter 18 we have our story of the blind man. 

It is all about being blind and Jesus healing us.  Jesus stops for a moment just as he is entering the backstretch of Jericho and makes a dramatic point as he heals the blind man; he is the one who can heal our blindness, as well.  Jesus came to open our eyes.  Jesus is here so that we can see what is truly important.  What is it Jesus wants us to see?   Let’s keep going with Jesus on to Jerusalem and keep our eyes open. 

Jesus turned His face back to Calvary and continued on towards the conclusion; the conclusion which would shake the foundations of hell and set the captives free; the conclusion that would darken the afternoon sun and split graves wide open, the conclusion which would put God on a tree and change all history.

But not many steps further, as he actually entered the city limits of Jericho, he was once again distracted.  This time by a munchkin-sized IRS agent hanging from the branches of a sycamore tree.  The whole tumultuous scene jerked and stopped as everyone saw what Jesus was now focused on.  Whispers went through the crowd.  "What is he going to do?"  "What is he going to say?"  "That's the jerk Zacchaeus.  Maybe Jesus is going to let him have it!"  “I can’t wait till he rips up that Chief Tax Collector!”

The 12 looked at each other and shrugged, they had been there when he did all kinds of weird things, 
- They remembered the crazy naked man who now preached Jesus,
- They remembered the floozy in Samaria who now believed,
- They remembered the guy who came down through the roof and walked out the door, 
- The remembered the flock of kids who climbed all over him,
- They remembered how he had hugged a leper. 
As they saw Jesus smiling, the 12 knew whatever he was about to do, you could count on it not being what everyone expected. 

Zacchaeus was perhaps feeling somewhat foolish.  He was, after all, the Chief Tax Collector of Jericho and the surrounding areas and he was hanging from a limb.  But he forgot all about his ridiculous position when his eyes locked with the sparkling eyes of Jesus.  Then to his surprise, as well as the bewilderment of everyone present, Jesus said "Zacchaeus come down immediately. I must stay at your house today!"

Ignoring the muttering, "He is going to a sinner's house.  He is the guest of a sinner. He’s eating with a tax collector," Zacchaeus, strutting like a prize rooster, with Jesus in tow, leads the Lord to his house.

In a matter of days, Jesus’ blood would congeal in the dust below the cross.  In a matter of days, his collapsing lungs would be in a doomed competition to draw every breath.  In a matter of days he would strive in single handed combat with the lord of the abyss, the enemy he had prepared to face since the days of Eden. 

But now, he sat at the place of honor eating a banquet hosted by another insignificant little man.  But that is the point.  That is what Jesus came to open our eyes to see.  This is our blindness.  In the midst of accomplishing the most significant series of events that ever happened, the event that hinges all history, the event that eclipses all other events, he took time to stop and visit an insignificant little rejected man, in an insignificant little dusty town, in an insignificant forgotten time, and redefined the meaning of insignificance!  Jericho had been the site of walls falling once before…  This time it was no less impressive!

It must have been late before Jesus put Jericho and Zacchaeus behind him and set His face once again on Calvary.  But what he did for Zacchaeus was no different than what he had done through out his ministry and was no different than what he was about to do... when he got to Jerusalem and his destiny. 

Two men on opposite ends of the spectrum; a blind beggar receives his sight and a wealthy tax collector experiences salvation.  Both are touched by the compassion of our Lord.  “Jesus, why would your take the time for these two rejects when you are so busy, when what you are doing is so important? Why spend time with these two guys when the cross was coming?”  Jesus answers that question and explains why we are blind to ask the question.

Luke 19:9-10   Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

It is all about seeing.  It is all about being blind.  It is all about who Jesus is.  Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost. And the, what was lost, is people. We are blind to who Jesus came to save.  It is all about seeing people as precious to God. It is all about caring for the rejected, reaching out to the disenfranchised, welcoming the lowly, giving attention to the neglected.  The kingdom is all about saving the lost! And that is what Jesus wants us to see.

I have a confession to make. I have been blind for a long time. I knew this at some level, but I don’t think I really, really believed it.  And I am not sure I believe it yet.  Can you preach a sermon you don’t believe?  I am.  The point of Jesus stopping to heal the blind man and calling Zacchaeus out of the tree is the importance of relationships. Seeking and saving the lost is about relationships.
-I assumed it was all about preaching.  If I can have a great sermon, if I can speak for God, if I can do my job well, then we our congregation can grow.  Surely what people want is a word from God.  But, what people want is solid Christian relationships.
-I assumed it was all about our singing.  If we can sing inspirational songs, if we can raise our voices to God, if we can connect our hearts to God in worship then surely that is what people want. They want to worship.  But people want caring Christian relationships.
-I assumed it was all about our doctrine.  If we can understand what God wants us to understand, if we can capture the priesthood of all believers, if we can know the Bible, surely that is what people want, to go to a church that is solid in Scripture.  But what people want are loving relationships.
-I assumed it was all about programs and activities. If we can have dynamic programs for our kids and great activities for the teens and wonderful opportunities to serve, surely that is what people are looking for a place where they can accomplish great things for Jesus, but I think what people are really looking for is a place to belong, together with other Christian people. 

Don’t get me wrong.  These things are important.  We must learn God’s word and praise him and be involved in serving, but it is through our relationships that people come to know Christ and learn to stay in Him.  If we want our congregation to grow, if we are interested in following Jesus by seeking and saving the lost, then there is nothing more important than developing and maintaining close relationships.  The challenge I leave with you this morning is to intentionally ask, “Who needs me?”  Not what can I get out of it, or really what do I need, what’s in it for me, or what do I want to do, put those questions out of your mind they are blinding you. Instead ask, to whom can I connect?  Who needs my attention?  Who can I help bring closer to God? 

Who needs me?  Spend a moment and ask God to show you a person who needs you now.  Open your eyes to the people God has placed in your path.   Make a commitment to spend some time with that person this week.  

Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem and along the way connected to people.