ntroduction:
The miracles of Jesus pointed to something greater than the miracles.
We must continue to remember that the miracles Jesus performed during His earthly ministry were PURPOSEFUL.
They were purposeful with respect to the individuals who received the mercies. Don’t ever think that each of those miracles were not designated for the individuals who received them, from the foundation of the earth.
God cares about the people. They are not pawns who simply display something about Jesus. Each of those miracles were the love of God in action.
But, at the same time, they were purposeful with respect to Jesus Himself.
They were SIGNS.
They pointed to Jesus’ work as Savior.
They pointed to Jesus identity as the promised Messiah.
They spoke of Jesus as the Son of David, the Son of God.
They fulfilled Scripture.
Each one of these miracles pointed to something greater than the miracle.
So that, when John the Baptist was in prison, and the darkness (that hardship often brings) began to creep in upon his mind. When the one who testified to the light began to fear that perhaps he was confused. Jesus sent word for his encouragement. And the word sent described the signs performed.
ESV Luke 7:18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'" 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."
Why would Jesus send word of signs and preaching?
Because this is exactly what the Word of God had promised.

Jesus made that very point in a synagogue service in Nazareth. He read from Isaiah 61.
ESV Luke 4:17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
And there are many other examples of this throughout the Old Testament. Let me give one other.
ESV Isaiah 35:1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
What is interesting is that these truths not only point US to the identity of Jesus of Nazareth. They pointed his contemporaries to the same unavoidable conclusion.
TO PUT IT SIMPLY — EVERYONE WHO KNEW WHAT THE OLD TESTAMENT TAUGHT ABOUT THE MESSIAH WAS WITHOUT EXCUSE NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY SAW WHEN JESUS PERFORMED MIRACLES, AND WHAT THEY HEARD WHEN JESUS PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS OF HIMSELF, BUT BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE SEEING AND HEARING MATCHED WHAT SCRIPTURE PREDICTED.
They should have recognized Him.
They should have known Him.
And, in a way that is profoundly emblematic, the proof of their accountability is that even blind men could see.
Men who never witnessed a miracle of Jesus until they RECEIVED A MIRACLE FROM JESUS, could see with their spiritual eyes, WHO JESUS WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY KNEW AND BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY WERE HEARING.
Tonight, we see an encounter with the Light of the World, that results in the enlightenment of two blind men, and in light dispersed throughout a district.