Show & Tell the Deaf
& Blind
Christ
Rules! Gospel of Mark Series (Part 16)
A Sermon
By Jim Hammond from Mark 7:31-8:33
OUTLINE
Focus:
Jesus clears the ears of the spiritually deaf, and opens the eyes
of the spiritually blind. He
demonstrated he could do this first with the physically deaf and blind,
then slowly he got through to the spiritually deaf and blind.
I.
Mark’s Specially Arranged Message
A.
(7:31-37) Heals
a Deaf Man
B.
(8:1-21) Repeat
Miracle Because the Disciples are Deaf and Blind
C.
(8:22-26) Heals
a Blind Man
D.
(8:27-33) The Disciples Finally See
II. Jesus Clears The
Ears (7:31-37)
A.
How to communicate when someone doesn’t hear you?
1.
Repeat Yourself (8:1-16}
2.
Speak Loudly and Clearly (8:17-21)
3.
Get their Attention
III.
Jesus Opens The Eyes (8:22-26)
A.
In Stages
B.
He opens our eyes to. . .
MANUSCRIPT
Do you remember the first time the light
went on for you? The first
time that something you didn’t know, understand, or believe, began to
make sense? This can happen
in more than one area of life.
For example. Perhaps
there was a time, when science answered all your questions, then
suddenly you realized there are some questions science can’t
answer--questions about the supernatural.
Perhaps there was a time when you became aware of the unseen
dimension, and you began to believe there really are angels, or there
really are demons, or there really is a heaven, or something as basic as
there really is a God and prayer really works!
I remember some of the early lessons in
life that began to build in me these realizations.
For example, as a child, I had horrible nightmares.
This is not all that unusual for children, I suppose.
But in my experience, this is what happened.
I told my parents about it, and so we prayed at night together, a
prayer of protection in the Name of Jesus.
And guess what. The
nightmares went away. But
they went away in a manner that reinforced my awareness of God.
When we forgot to pray these prayers of protection, on those
nights I had nightmares again. Now,
you need to understand something. This
may not be everyone’s experience.
You see, I was a missionary kid.
I lived in a foreign and Godless land.
We were the minority, but we also represented a piercing light in
a dark world. Unlike here,
there were not churches within blocks from each other.
My Dad was the only Christian Pastor within many miles where we
lived. Behind the scenes
was a raging spiritual battle. It
was a battle we could not see, but it was real.
When you become aware of the unseen something changes.
You see what you couldn’t before.
Not with your physical eyes, but with the eyes of faith.
And it makes a big difference how you approach a matter.
Seeing what you never saw before is part
of learning. It’s just
like as children, we were told to wash our hands before we ate.
Why? Because of
germs. “But, Mommy,”
we’d say, “I don’t see any germs on my hands?”
And she’d reply, “The germs are so small our eyes can’t see
them.” Well, we believed mommy.
And we washed our hands. It
made a difference.
There is an unseen supernatural dimension that the
Bible revealed to us. Jesus,
came and revealed spiritual truths to us in such a way that though we
were blind before, now we see.
Focus:
Jesus clears the ears of the spiritually deaf, and opens the
eyes of the spiritually blind. He
demonstrated he could do this first with the physically deaf and blind,
then slowly he got through to the spiritually deaf and blind.
Key
Verse: (Mark
8:18 NIV) "Do you
have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you
remember?"
I. Mark’s
Specially Arranged Message
A.
(7:31-37) Heals
a Deaf Man
B.
(8:1-21) A
Repeated Miracle (Why?)
C.
(8:22-26) Heals a
Blind Man
D.
(8:27-33) The Disciples Finally See
READ THE TEXT:
(Mark 7:31-37 NIV)
"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 him to place his hand on the man. {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.""
(Mark 8:1-29 NIV)
"During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they
had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, {2}
"I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me
three days and have nothing to eat. {3} If I send them home hungry, they
will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long
distance." {4} His disciples answered, "But where in this
remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?" {5}
"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Seven,"
they replied. {6} He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he
had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them
to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so. {7} They had
a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the
disciples to distribute them. {8} The people ate and were satisfied.
Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that
were left over. {9} About four thousand men were present. And having
sent them away, {10} he got into the boat with his disciples and went to
the region of Dalmanutha. {11} The Pharisees came and began to question
Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. {12} He
sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a
miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to
it." {13} Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to
the other side. {14} The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except
for one loaf they had with them in the boat. {15} "Be
careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the
Pharisees and that of Herod." {16} They discussed this with one
another and said, "It is because we have no bread." {17} Aware
of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about
having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts
hardened? {18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to
hear? And don't you remember? {19} When I broke the five loaves for the
five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
"Twelve," they replied. {20} "And when I broke the seven
loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick
up?" They answered, "Seven." {21} He said to them,
"Do you still not understand?" {22} They came to Bethsaida,
and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. {23}
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When
he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked,
"Do you see anything?" {24} He looked up and said, "I see
people; they look like trees walking around." {25} Once more Jesus
put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight
was restored, and he saw everything clearly. {26} Jesus sent him home,
saying, "Don't go into the village." {27} Jesus and his
disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way
he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" {28} They replied,
"Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others,
one of the prophets." {29} "But what about you?" he
asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are
the Christ."
II.
Jesus Clears The Ears (7:31-37)
A.
How to communicate when someone doesn’t hear you?
I have a horrible habit, or a wonderful skill
depending on how you look at it. Like
a lot of men I can tune out noise when I’m concentrating on something.
This is very helpful when you are studying.
It is very hurtful when you are watching TV and someone is trying
to talk to you but you don’t hear them.
1.
Repeat Yourself (8:1-16}
I don’t remember what we were watching, whether
it was the Olympics or something else, but Luke was sitting next to me
on the couch. He was
saying, “Dad can we . . ., Dad, can we. . .” He used the first
tactic. Repeating yourself
when someone doesn’t hear you. I
remember using that tactic on my dad as well.
When that doesn’t work, you go to the second tactic.
2.
Speak Loudly and Clearly (8:17-21)
Luke’s repetition wasn’t working. His volume increase was only slight, so it still only
registered as somebody talking in the background.
You may be wondering how in the world can you ignore the sweet
little voice of your child? Well,
I don’t try to actually. My
mind tunes it out as I’m concentrating on something else.
My mind was telling me that voice was talking to someone else.
I assumed Luke was talking to Gina.
3.
Get their Attention
By this time, Gina
was talking to Luke. This is what she said, “Luke, you have to get his
attention, poke him.” Luke,
did. I jumped with a start.
There are other ways that have worked.
Gina has come up with a creative way.
When I’m in that concentration mode, and I’m not hearing her,
she began calling me “Frank” to get my attention because calling me
“Jim” didn’t work. Now
“Frank” has become a nickname.
I don’t mind Gina calling me Frank, it’s become one of her
pet names for me now. I
won’t respond to that name when anybody else uses it.
Jesus
did the same thing with these disciples.
He repeated his lessons. Here
he repeats the miracles, and calls attention to what they have missed.
He speaks loudly and clearly when he points out that they are not
getting it.
(Mark 8:17-21 NIV)
"Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are
you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand?
Are your hearts hardened? {18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and
ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? {19} When I broke the
five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you
pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. {20} "And when I
broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of
pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven." {21} He
said to them, "Do you still not understand?""
Ouch. Jesus
was painfully clear here. The
disciples were spiritually dull.
Let me ask you a question.
Has God ever poked you to get your attention?
Notice the order in which Jesus heals the man.
First the ears, then the tongue.
We need to listen first, then speak.
We are given 2 ears and 1 mouth, let us listen more than we
speak.
Spiritual Deafness in the Church
The way Mark arranges the material through this
section, shows us that Mark sees Jesus as the answer to a continuing
human plight—spiritual deafness, and being spiritually mute.
Jesus will work a miracle for the spiritually deaf and mute so
that they can hear from God and speak for God.
But remember the priority again.
Hearing before speaking. Hearing
is the priority. For some,
Jesus works a quick and dramatic miracle.
For others, it takes time to learn to hear from and speak for
God.
Just about everything we believe comes through our
hearing or our seeing. What
causes spiritual deafness today? Perhaps
one cause is the constant droning of other noise. Perhaps it is that “concentration” on worldly things that
tunes out God. Business
drowns out God’s voice. God
repeats himself, he speaks louder and more clearly sometimes, and then
sometimes he pokes us to really get our attention.
Maybe you need to get away from the crowd with Jesus, and allow
him to have a chance to do a miracle with your spiritual deafness.
Let his power, with time alone clear those ears so that we can
hear God’s voice afresh and speak it to others more clearly.
Spiritual Deafness in the World
The world is spiritually deaf as well.
Take the time to repeat the message of God’s love.
Repeat it in words, repeat it in actions.
Maybe to get someone’s attention you need to go the second
mile. Do something
unexpected.
III.
Jesus Opens The Eyes (8:22-33)
A.
In Stages
(Mark 8:30-33 NIV) {30} Jesus warned them not to
tell anyone about him. {31} He then began to teach them that the Son of
Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests
and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days
rise again. {32} He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside
and began to rebuke him. {33} But when Jesus turned and looked at his
disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said.
"You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of
men."
Peter
saw who Jesus was. The
Christ the Son of the Living God. But
he saw partially. Just like
the man who saw men walking like trees.
Peter saw Christ was Christ, but had no clue what he was really
about. Jesus continued to
work on those partially seeing eyes.
In this case he has gets Peter’s attention and
forcefully! Peter is
not listening. He doesn’t
see. But now he is alert. Jesus
continues to prepare his disciple.
He
opened our eyes in stages also.
B.
He opens our eyes to. . .
reality of spiritual dimension
We believe in germs. But
we have difficulty believing demons are real.
heaven as a reality
We are so bound in our temporal focus.
Everything we see is temporal.
Yet we live for it as if that was what is permanent or eternal.
To put this in perspective, imagine a period on a page.
It is but a small dot. Now
imagine a line, that starts on that same page, but this will be the hard
part even for our imaginations, that line continues for infinity off the
page. The period on a page,
that small dot, is our earthly existence. The line that never ends is our eternal existence.
Why is it that we become so preoccupied with the dot, living for
the dot, rather than living for the eternity ahead?
That eternity is a greater reality, the ultimate reality.
We live in the dot, in the temporary.
The permanent, and eternal is real.
But we treat it as if it were not.
angels
Dominion, p.
121f. conversation between Angel (Torel) and Dani.
I
wasn't aware of you, Torel. Although
sometimes I felt someone was there.
Not only God, but someone else.
It
was me you sensed. I was
there every moment, never sleeping, always watching.
.
. . Dani saw herself asleep in the back seat of an old brown Studebaker,
her head resting on Clarence's shoulder.
Her sister was on Clarence's other side, Daddy driving, mama next
to him in the front. They'd
been visiting Uncle Elijah and Aunt Emily and got a late start home.
It was about midnight.
I
remember! Daddy missed the
turn off to Puckett that night, it was an hour before we got turned
around. He was really disgusted with himself. And mama and Clarence and Marnie didn't notice either.
Of course, I was asleep.
She
watched the scene and suddenly saw five huge forms, five guardians
hovering inside and outside the car.
“Torel, I see you there!”
“Yes,
and my comrades.”
“The
cars coming right to the junction where Daddy was supposed to turn.”
She
watched as all four angels seemed to cover the eyes of the waking
passengers while Torel touched Dani's right leg.
She cried out in pain.
“I
remember that! It was this
terrible cramp. I woke up
screaming. You did that to
me?”
“Yes. Keep watching.”
Everyone
in the car turned toward Dani, distracted by her panic, while they drove
right past the junction. By
the time she settled down and stopped screaming the junction was a
quarter-mile behind them. None
of them had seen it.
Suddenly
the view changed. She saw
two cars piloted by truck drivers racing down the road from Puckett,
coming toward the junction they had passed.
They occupied both lanes, drag racing at 80 miles an hour.
“You
mean?”
“This
is what would have happened”, Torel said.
She
watched still another scene, a replay of the original, but without Torel
touching her leg and without the other guardians closing the family's
eyes to the road. Obadiah
made the correct turn at the junction.
Three minutes later he suddenly exclaimed, what's going on?
Four
headlights abreast came at them. Dani felt she was right there in
the back seat, suddenly waking up as mama reached back to the children
and cried out. Daddy flipped on and off his bright lights, swerved
to the edge in the road, but couldn't get out of their way. Two
cars smashed into them head on. Dani saw the old Studebaker
crumple then roll and burn. She saw herself and her family tossed
and battered. Mama and Daddy were killed instantly, as was Marnie.
She watched as Clarence died a few minutes later. She alone still
lived, unconscious, lying in that mangled heap of burning metal,
bleeding to death.
She
watched the scene in stunned silence.
Then she spoke.
“Thank
you for giving me that cramp”, Dani said, her voice trembling.
“You
are welcome”, Torel said. “Your
leg was sore for a few days. You
could not run the race at the county fair that Saturday.
You are very disappointed.”
“Yes,
I was. But looking at it
now...--Torel, were there other times like this?”
“Yes. Many more.”
“Will
you show them to me?”
“If
you wish. But now there is
much we need to discuss.”
-----------
“It's
wonderful beyond belief. To
the body and soul free of the compulsion to sin.
I can't understand how disobedience ever appealed to me when it
always hurt God, hurt me, hurt everyone.
Sin never did good. Why’d
I do it? I'd no sooner commit a sin against God now than I would have
drunk a gallon of motor oil on earth.
It has no attraction -- it's just so repulsive.
. . . I didn't
comprehend the depth of the darkness either of that world or the
darkness within me.
“I
used to say that handicapped people would be especially glad for
heaven,” Dani said. “No
doubt that's true, but I never realized until now how handicapped I was.
Disabled by self-centeredness, self preoccupation, self-pity,
self everything. Handicapped
by the racial prejudice of others toward me, and mine toward others.
Handicapped by reading in racial prejudice were there was none.
Handicapped by indifference to many things that mattered to God. Here I feel delivered from myself. Free to be the self God intended me to be.
Instead of the universe revolving around me, I am revolving
around God. He is my center
of gravity.”
“Had
I any inkling, I would have thought about heaven every hour.
I see now that those whose minds are set on heaven served God
most faithfully on earth -- because they draw their beliefs and values
and hopes from this world, not that one.
Too often I thought of earth as the real place and heaven as
something unreal. Now I see
Heaven is the real place, the substance.
It is earth that seems intangible, shadowy, less real.
“Many
of you people”, Torel said, “seemed surprised to find how earthly
heaven is”.
“Yes,
it is earthly, but in all the good ways and none of the bad ones.
Maybe that's why I love squishing my toes in the mud.
I thought we would just be spirits here.”
God created you dust and breath, body and spirit, the
angel said. That is what it
means to be human. You do
not become inhuman here, but fully human, all he intended you to be.
You ate there, you feast here.
You walk there, you run here.
You snickered there, you laugh here.
This is a physical world because it was made for you and you are
physical as well as spiritual. If
it is a place prepared for humans, as the carpenter promised you, then
it could only be a human place, both spiritual and physical.
Your old body was destroyed by the ravages of sin and death.
You will be clothed in the resurrection body, but you now have a
temporary body that allows you to experience this world, although while
awaiting the re-clothing, the merger into your eternal body.
You'll not be complete until the resurrection.
But you always have been and always will be human.[i]
self as sinner—Need for a savior
"Taking
Aim"
A young lady named Sally, relates an experience she had in a
seminary class, given by her teacher, who we'll call Brother Smith. She
says Brother Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons. One
particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for
another fun day.
On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many
darts. Brother Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone they
disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to
throw darts at the person's picture.
Sally's girlfriend (on her right), drew a picture of a girl who
had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend (on her left), drew a picture
of his little brother. Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting
a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the
face. Sally was pleased at the overall effect she had achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts, with much laughter
and hilarity. Some of the students threw their darts with such force
that their targets were ripping apart.
Sally looked forward to her turn and was filled with
disappointment when Brother Smith, because of time limits, asked the
students to return to their seats. As Sally sat thinking about how angry
she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her
target, Brother Smith began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus . . .
A complete hush fell over the room as each student viewed the
mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and
His eyes were pierced out.
Brother Smith said only these words, "In as much as ye have
done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto
Me."
No other words were necessary; the tear-filled the eyes of each
student focused only on the picture of Christ.
"And the King will
answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did
it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it
to Me.' Matthew 25:40[ii]
“Pro Choice”
DOMINION by Randy Alcorn
“Clarence, I assume you
have an opinion on this?” Jess said, looking concerned, as if
Clarence’s failure to start an argument suggested he might be
seriously ill.
“I confess there’s
something else on my mind today,” Clarence said.
“Something we can help
you with?” Jess said.
“Well, I’ve been
giving a lot of thought to this. I
guess it’s time to tell you this committee has helped change my mind
on something. This is going to be a surprise, I suppose, but…well,
you’ve moved me over to a pro-choice position.”
“What?” Looks of shock
and disbelief spread around the table. Clarence didn’t sound as if he
was joking.
“I’ve decided it’s a
civil rights issue. I believe a person has the right to do whatever she
wants with her own body. It’s none of our business what choice she
makes. We have no right to impose our morals on others. Whether I
personally like someone’s choices or not is irrelevant. She should
have the freedom to make her own choices.”
“Clarence, I’m
shocked, but really pleased,” Pamela said.
“Well, it hasn’t been
easy to change, but I’ve given it a lot of thought.
I guess I’m just tired of being anti-choice. I want to be more tolerant.”
“Wow. Are you
considering a column on this?” Peter Sallont asked.
“Well, I’ve thought
about it. But I was asked
not to do any more columns on abortion, remember?
So I better not.”
“Well, I imagine this
would be an exception,” Peter said.
“Do you think so?”
Clarence asked.
“Definitely,” Myra
said.
“Clarence…,” Jess
measured his words, “are you shooting straight with us?”
“Of course. I do feel a
little embarrassed. I’ve
been so blind. I mean,
people have the right to do what they want with their own bodies—it
seems so obvious now.” They
sat there staring. “Yeah,”
Clarence went on, “and that’s why I’ve also finally realized now
that every man has the right to rape a woman if that’s his choice.”
Several gasps didn’t
keep Clarence from continuing. “After
all, it’s his body, and we don’t have the right to tell him what to
do with it. He’s free to
choose, and it’s none of our business what choice he makes.
We have no right to impose our morals on him. Whether I
personally like the choice of rape or not, he should have the freedom to
make his own choices. Now, I’m not saying I’m pro-rape, mind you,
just pro-choice about rape. So,
do you really think I should do a column on this? Maybe I will.”
The committee members
stared at him, displaying everything from outrage to extreme
disappointment.
“You look so shocked,”
Clarence said, appearing genuinely confused.
“Did I say something wrong?
I mean, you’ve held this position a lot longer than I have.
Have I misstated it? Is
there a problem?”
“Of course there’s a
problem,” Myra said. “You’re
talking about the man’s body but you’ve forgotten here’s another
body—the woman’s! One
person’s right to choose ends when another person’s rights begin.”
“Oh, I see.
So you’re not really pro-choice, is that what you’re
saying?”
“Well, yes, but not
about rape.”
“Because there’s a
second person’s body involved?”
“Right.”
“And that second person
has to agree to the first person’s choice or it’s morally wrong, is
that it?”
“Yes,” Mary said,
“of course.”
“Okay. I see.
So if I could show you medical and scientific proof that abortion
involves a second person’s body and that abortion hurts that innocent
person, and the second person isn’t agreeing to the abortion, then you
wouldn’t be pro-choice about abortion either.
Is that what you’re telling me?”
“Well…”
“I can see I’m going
to have to reconsider this, “Clarence said.
“Maybe we all are.b Yep, I think I’ll do that
column—abortion and rape: why we should be pro-choice about both or
neither.”
“We’re not amused,
Clarence,” Jeremy said.
“Neither are the women
who get raped or the children who die in abortions, I image. I keep hearing some people say these are real babies that are
dying and other people say they’re just blobs of tissue.
So I was thinking, maybe alongside this column you want me to
write, we could put in a few pictures of abortions.
You know, like that picture of the heart we had in the heart
transplant article?” Then
people could look at the actual evidence and decide for themselves
whether this is a baby or blob of tissue.
What do you think?”
“You’re disgusting,”
Myra said.
“What do you mean?”
“Wanting to show those
pictures. They’re
sickening.”
“Oh, I see.
It’s sickening to show pictures of killed children, but it’s
commendable to support killing the children in the pictures?
Is that it?”
“Clarence, this
discussion is over,” Jess said. “And
you did not get permission to do another column on abortion.
Is that clear?”[iii]
Opening our Morally Blind Eyes to the Sins of Omission
Do
you remember the first time you realized that your sinfulness included
what you did not do, and not just what you committed.
There are sins of omission as well as sins of commission.
Perhaps the list of sins of omission is a longer list of daily
sins for you than the sins of commission, what you failed to do rather
than what you did.
Jesus as the answer
Peter’s eyes were opened to Jesus. He saw Jesus as the answer to the Jewish problems.
He saw Jesus as the hope. But
He still didn’t see the Answer God provided, the way he provided it.
We must seek God’s will not ours.
(Mark
4:9 NIV) "Then Jesus
said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.""
(Matthew
13:15 NIV) "For this
people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their
ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see
with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their
hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'"
(Ephesians
1:18 NIV) "I pray also
that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order
that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his
glorious inheritance in the saints,"
[i] Dominion, A novel by
Randy Alcorn, p. 121f.
[ii] Forwarded Email, source
unknown.
[iii] Dominion, by Randy
Alcorn p. 247 ff.
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