Introduction

Good morning, beloved family of God, it's a joy to gather together in the house of the Lord. We are here to open our hearts and minds to the wisdom and guidance of God's Word. We are here to listen, to learn, and to lean on each other as we grow in faith.

Today, we will be turning the pages of our Bibles to the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 46 to 52. Before we start, let's take a moment to quiet our hearts, to set aside the worries of the week, and to focus our minds on the Word of God.

Let's read the passage together:

"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' So they called to the blind man, 'Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.' Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him. The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.' 'Go,' said Jesus, 'your faith has healed you.' Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."

Believing Before Blessings

In the heart of the story of Bartimaeus, we find a man who had a deep belief in Jesus even before he received his blessing. This is a powerful reminder for us. Often, we find ourselves waiting for a sign, a miracle, or a blessing before we fully commit our faith to God. We want to see the evidence first. But Bartimaeus shows us a different way. He believed in Jesus without any physical evidence. He believed before he was blessed.

Bartimaeus was a blind beggar. He had no status, no wealth, no influence. He had nothing to offer Jesus. Yet, he had faith. He believed in Jesus' power to heal him. He believed in Jesus' compassion to help him. He believed in Jesus' love for him. His faith was not based on what he could see or touch or prove. His faith was based on what he knew in his heart to be true.

This is a challenge for us. We live in a world that values evidence, proof, and logic. We want to see before we believe. But faith calls us to believe before we see. Faith calls us to trust in God's promises, even when we can't see them being fulfilled. Faith calls us to believe in God's love, even when we can't feel it. Faith calls us to believe in God's power, even when we can't see it.

Bartimaeus' faith was not a passive faith. It was an active, bold, and persistent faith. He did not sit quietly and wait for Jesus to notice him. He shouted out to Jesus. He made his needs known. He was not deterred by those who told him to be quiet. He continued to call out to Jesus, even louder. His faith was not a quiet, timid faith. It was a loud, bold, and persistent faith.

This is a challenge for us. We often think of faith as a quiet, personal thing. We keep it to ourselves. We don't want to disturb others with it. But Bartimaeus shows us that faith is not meant to be quiet. Faith is meant to be loud. Faith is meant to be shared. Faith is meant to be persistent. We are called to shout out our faith, to make our needs known to God, and to persist in our faith, even when others tell us to be quiet.

Bartimaeus' faith was not a selfish faith. He did not ask for wealth or status or power. He asked for sight. He asked for the ability to see the world, to see other people, to see God. His faith was not focused on himself. His faith was focused on others. His faith was focused on God.

This is a challenge for us. We often think of faith as a way to get what we want. We pray for our needs, our desires, our dreams. But Bartimaeus shows us that faith is not about getting what we want. Faith is about seeing what God wants. Faith is about seeing the world through God's eyes. Faith is about seeing others as God sees them. Faith is about seeing God.

Bartimaeus' faith was not a stagnant faith. It was a transformative faith. After he received his sight, he did not go back to his old life. He followed Jesus. His faith changed him. His faith transformed him. His faith led him to a new life.

This is a challenge for us. We often think of faith as a static thing. We believe in God, and that's it. But Bartimaeus shows us that faith is not meant to be static. Faith is meant to be transformative. Faith is meant to change us. Faith is meant to lead us to a new life. We are called to follow Jesus, to let our faith transform us, and to live a new life in Christ.

In the story of Bartimaeus, we see a man who believed before he was blessed. His faith was active, bold, persistent, selfless, and transformative. His faith was not based on what he could see, but on what he knew in his heart to be true. His faith was not a quiet, timid, selfish, or stagnant faith. It was a loud, bold, selfless, and transformative faith. His faith led him to a new life in Christ.

May we learn from Bartimaeus. May we believe before we are blessed. May our faith be active, bold, persistent, selfless, and transformative. May our faith lead us to a new life in Christ.

Boldness in Blindness

In the midst of his darkness, Bartimaeus did not cower or shrink back ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO