Read Mark 7:31-37

The last days of Jesus' earthly life are filled with significant events and teachings. During these weeks leading up to Easter, we'll travel with Jesus toward Jerusalem and his crucifixion, marveling at his determination to finally fulfill his destiny as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Read Mark 7:31-37

Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."

Reflect

Jesus is now on the move, and everywhere he goes, needy people find him. Jesus heals this man and then tells him and his friends to keep quiet. But the people are so undone by the healing that they "kept talking about it." Why do you think Jesus doesn't want them to tell others about him? Why do you think the people refuse to listen to Jesus' request?

Respond

As Jesus headed toward Jerusalem, he was in charge of timing. He controlled where he went and who knew his whereabouts. At the same time, the people he touched could not stop speaking of him. We now live in an era where we're given complete permission to speak of Jesus and what he has done for us, and yet many of us don't speak. Ask God to help you, where appropriate, to freely share what Jesus has done for you, just like the folks in this story who were "overwhelmed with amazement."