Jesus Heals a Deaf Man

Can you imagine what it would be like to be deaf? Just imagine all of the things you would miss. You wouldn't be able to hear the voices of your mother, your father, your brothers and sisters, your friends, the barking of a dog or the meowing of a kitten. You might be able to feel the vibrations, but you wouldn't be able to hear the sound of music. (If time permits, you might let the children name some other things they would miss.)

Many people who are deaf or hearing impaired are able to communicate with others through the use of sign language, but it is not perfect because everyone you meet does not know sign language. The deaf can enjoy going to the movies if they have subtitles or watch television if it has captions, but those are not perfect. If a person is not totally deaf, hearing aids can help, but they aren't perfect either. I guess the best solution for a deaf person would be a total cure for deafness. That is what Jesus did for a deaf man in our Bible lesson today.

One day, Jesus was in an area of the Sea of Galilee called the Decapolis. (That means Ten Towns.) A man who was deaf and could hardly talk was brought to Jesus by some of his friends. They begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man and heal him.

Jesus led the man away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit on his own fingers and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and said, "Ephphatha," which means, "Be Opened!" What do you think happened? Immediately, the man could hear perfectly, and he could speak plainly!

The people who had brought the man to Jesus were totally amazed. They said, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak."

Then Jesus did something unusual, he told the people not to tell anyone what they had seen him do. Do you think they followed Jesus' instructions? No! They told everyone about this man who did everything well.

These friends cared for the man so much that they wanted him to see Jesus. We, too, can help our friends to know Jesus.

Father, we are thankful for all that you have done for us. Help us to tell our friends about Jesus, the one who does everything well. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.