Williamston First Baptist Church

Family Worship Guide

Sunday, February 1, 2026

When Darkness Meets the Light

Matthew 9:27-34

1) Begin with prayer: Begin your time of family worship by thanking the Lord for His Word and truth. Thank Him for His provision and faithfulness. Ask for His Word to strengthen our faith and allow us to see Jesus clearly.

2) Read today’s passage (Matthew 9:27-34) aloud:

27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28 When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that no one knows about this!” 31 But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.

32 As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33 After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

3) Walk through the following points, either reading or in your own words:

The big picture of this passage: We learn that Christ exposes every person for who they really are. Christ is unchanging. His light is unchanging. The truth is unchanging. It is man who needs supernatural change…and it is man who also remains unchanged when he rejects the truth. The only way we truly know ourselves is based on our response to Jesus Christ, the Immanuel, the “God with Us”.

• Jesus meets our imperfect faith with His perfect grace

• Jesus meets our inability with His perfect power

• Jesus’ authority is not lessened when man rejects the truth

Point One: The Light of Christ Shines Through Man’s Imperfect Faith (v. 27–31)

Two blind men follow Jesus, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” Though physically blind, they see Jesus clearly for who He is: the promised Messiah. When Jesus asks if they believe He can heal them, they respond simply, “Yes, Lord.” Jesus touches their eyes, and immediately their sight is restored.

After healing them, Jesus gives a surprising command: “See that no one knows about this.” Jesus knows the crowds are longing for miracles, but they often misunderstand His mission. He refuses to let His works be separated from who He truly is or be rushed ahead of the Father’s timing.

Key Truth: Faith is not only believing that Jesus can help us; it is trusting Him enough to obey Him, even when we don’t fully understand or when we have good intentions of our own.

Reflection:

Why would Jesus tell them not to tell anyone about the miracle?

Is it possible to be excited about Jesus and still struggle to obey Him fully?

How can we grow in trusting not just Jesus’ power, but His direction for our lives?

Point Two: The Light of Christ Shines Through Man’s Helplessness (v. 32–33)

After healing the blind men, a man who cannot speak is brought to Jesus because he is oppressed by a demon. Unlike the blind men, this man does not cry out in faith or follow Jesus on his own. He is completely unable to help himself. His condition shows us a deeper kind of darkness: one that leaves a person powerless and dependent on others.

Jesus does not ask him a question or wait for a response. With authority, Jesus casts out the demon, and immediately the man begins to speak. The darkness is driven out completely. The crowd is amazed and says, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”

Key Truth: Jesus’ light is not limited by our weakness. Even when we cannot respond, speak, or act in faith, His authority is enough to rescue and restore.

Reflection:

How is this situation different from the blind men in the previous story?

How does this encourage us when we feel stuck, weak, or unable to help ourselves?

Who might God be calling you to help bring to Jesus?

Point Three: The Light of Christ Exposes Man’s Unbelief (v. 34)

While the crowds marvel at Jesus’ authority, the Pharisees respond with accusation: “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.” Unlike the blind men, who followed in faith, or the mute man, who was helpless and restored by Jesus’ power, the Pharisees see clearly but refuse to believe. Their hearts are hardened. They are confronted with undeniable light, yet they still reject it.

This is a sobering reminder: seeing miracles does not automatically produce faith. When Jesus shines His light, it exposes one of two things in us: our need or our resistance. Obedience, trust, and humility are required to receive Him; rejection of Him leaves only darkness behind.

Key Truth: Jesus’ light exposes hearts. Some respond in faith, some in helplessness, and some with rejection. Even in rejection, His authority remains: He is still Lord over all.

Reflection:

What do you think are the specific reasons the Pharisees rejected Jesus even though they saw the miracles? How does seeing people reject the Light help us examine our own hearts? What can we do to make sure we respond to Jesus with faith rather than resistance?

Bring it all together:

In this passage, we see different kinds of darkness meet the Light of Christ, and we also see different outcomes:

• Faith that is growing – the blind men follow Jesus with genuine, but imperfect faith. They experience restoration, yet still fail to obey His command.

• Helplessness – the mute man cannot act or speak for himself, yet Jesus’ power and authority rescue him.

• Unbelief – the Pharisees see clearly but reject the truth, showing that the Light exposes hearts even when people resist.

The good news for us is this: Jesus meets every kind of darkness. Whether we are walking in growing faith, feeling powerless, or facing doubt and resistance in our hearts, His Light shines into our lives. He does not fail, and He does not leave us as we are.

As we learned last week, Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness. When the Sun rises, darkness cannot stay. And when Jesus shines His light, faith grows, helplessness is restored, and hardened hearts are exposed.

Final Reflections:

How is it encouraging to know that God is still working through us in our imperfect faith and obedience?

Are there any “helpless” moments that you need to hand over to God today?

Who in your family, neighborhood, or community might need Jesus’ Light today? How could you help them see it? And are you willing to tell them the Gospel even though they may reject it?

(End in prayer, reflecting on His Word)