Super Natural is a sermon series on the miraculous works of Jesus in the Bible. The Deaf Hear — On a road trip, Jesus healed a Gentile who was deaf and speech impaired. What do we learn from this encounter? Healing happens in uncomfortably close proximity to Jesus. Healing comes from and results in the ministry of the word. Recorded on May 2, 2021, on Mark 7:31-37, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript All year, we're focusing on the Person and Work of Jesus. And today, we’re continuing a series called Super Natural. Everywhere Jesus went, he did three things: he preached about the kingdom of God, he called men/women to follow him as his disciples, and he did miracles. In Matthew 11, When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” Jesus expected the miracles to authenticate his ministry, to prove that he was who he claimed to be. But also, these works serve as living parables that teach us about the character of God and his desire for us, his people. So today, we’re considering the statement, “the deaf hear.” What does that mean? Well, if you have a Bible or Bible app, please open it to Mark 7:31. Mark 7:31-37, “31 Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. 32 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. 33 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. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly. 36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” So Mark’s gospel was written by John Mark in the mid-60’s AD. Mark was an assistant to the Apostle Paul and Peter and here, we have Jesus taking a road trip and being amazing. Let’s start back with v. 31 and try to uncover the meaning of this text. Mark 7:31-32, “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.” So Mark describes this road trip that Jesus, and we're assuming his disciples, take which would’ve taken weeks if not months. Let’s look at this on a map. To walk from Tyre up to Sidon and then looping back down around the Sea of Galilee to the Decapolis is 100-200 miles. Now the Decapolis was a region to the east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee, named after 10, Greek-speaking Gentile cities. In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul wrote that the gospel “is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” Jesus’ ministry reflects that pattern as well, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. So it’s here, in this Gentile context that some people brought a man who was deaf and could hardly talk to Jesus. And they begged Jesus to place his hand on him, meaning to heal him. How would Jesus respond? v. 33. Mark 7:33-35, “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.” So in Mark’s gospel,