Be Kind To The Disabled Series

My family attended two Baptist churches in Danville that were unusually, yet refreshingly, filled with a love for those who are disabled. We saw the deaf, for which a sign language interpreter was provided. We also saw those with some sort of mental handicap, and those with a wide range of physical challenges. During the services we would see the hands of the deaf moving in communication; uncontrollable body movements in those with physical impairments; and outbursts of laughter or strange sounds from those with a mental issue. Before moving to Danvillle, I actually pastored a church where both the blind and deaf attended services.

Joni Eareckson Tada says, “The fact that disabled people hang in there does something for Christians . . . They [themselves] may feel like a burden to others, but God thinks the opposite. He thinks it’s necessary for others to take care of the disabled . . . They do more for one’s spiritual well-being than can be imagined.” (1) The manner in which the disabled help believers is by challenging them to be more authentic in their Christian faith and love; and in today’s message, we’ll see how a blind man was able to challenge the disciples and a crowd of people who were following Jesus.

Jesus Treated All People with Dignity (vv. 46-49a)

46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.

We read here that Jesus came to teach in Jericho; and as He was departing with His disciples and a multitude of people, He passed by blind Bartimaeus who was sitting near the roadside begging. The crowd, accustomed to his daily panhandling, had probably hoped to pass by without any commotion; but they were quickly disappointed as Bartimaeus cried aloud to Jesus to have mercy on him for his physical condition. He was known as an all too familiar nuisance, and an embarrassing sight in front of visitors; therefore, the crowd quickly snapped at him to be silent.

So, why was Bartimaeus sitting outside the city walls? The answer can be found in Lamentations. In Lamentations chapter 4, read about the prophets who sinned against the Lord that “they wandered blind in the streets . . . They cried out to them, ‘Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, do not touch us!’ When they fled and wandered, those among the nations said, ‘They shall no longer dwell here’” (Lamentations 4:14, 15). Bartimaeus, in a similar manner, was forced to live outside the city walls, and was considered unclean because of his blindness. Perhaps, some even thought his blindness would rub off on them.

Not only was he considered unclean, but he was viewed as being strange. When people saw him they thought, “Oh no, it’s blind Bartimaeus again; the annoying guy who’s always pestering people for money.” All too often when we meet someone with a condition that we don’t understand, we put them in a box and label them as “strange,” and see them as being of little value to society. This is the way people with disabilities are often treated; those with physical and mental handicaps.

The multitude demanded that Bartimaeus remain quiet, as though he was unworthy of speaking to Jesus. Technically, all people are unworthy to approach Christ, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” ((Romans 3:23). However, the Bible declares the good news that “God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, [for] by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). Even when we had the stench of death upon us – spiritual death, that is – Jesus approached us with an outstretched arm and called us unto Himself.

Jesus sees all who are searching for mercy and forgiveness in Him as actually being worthy to call upon His name, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). The Christian music group Mercy Me, in expressing how people are seen in the eyes of Christ, declared, “You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His. You’re beautiful!” (2) All people, including the physically handicapped and the mentally challenged are beautiful to Jesus; and all people, including the disabled, are seen as worthy in the eyes of Christ.