From Darkness To Light

From Darkness to Light

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” Luke 18:35-43

Intro: Some of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met have been blind.

Marlana Vanhoose was not expected to live past one year.

But God knew better.

God had special plans for Marlana.

I know a man by the name of John Rathborn who is blind.

Who attended church where I grew up.

He has a daughter Angela and a son Mark who is about my age.

When Mark turned 16 he and his dad were pulled over on a country road

by a policeman just about a half mile from his house.

The policeman said to Mark, “I stopped you because you were weaving all over the road.”

He asked Mark for his driver’s license,

All Mark had was his learners permit.

The policeman asked Mark to step out of the car.

Mark was so scared to death, he was just shaking uncontrollably.

When the policeman returned he said he was going to give Mark a warning to be more careful.

but said, thought it would be a good idea if his dad drove the rest of the way home.

Without saying a word John slid over into the drivers seat and he and Mark took off

John weaving side to side worse than Mark.

But they made it home.

The policeman pulled in right behind John

Walked up to the car and asked sir are you alright, you were all over the road?

Without missing a beat John asked, “What do you expect I am blind.”

The policeman let him go, but said, Don’t ever do this again.

In Luke 18 there is a story of a blind man who inspired other people

because of a transformation that Jesus Christ performed in his life.

So let’s read the story and allow Christ to touch the eyes of our hearts.

We’re going to look at three things: His condition, His petition and His transformation.

+Slide+

I. Bartimaeus’s Condition

Verse 35: “As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.”

Mark’s Gospel identifies this man’s name as Bartimaeus.

Matthew says that he also had a companion who was healed.

Matthew 20:30 says, “two blind men sitting by the way side.”

Now some point to this story as one of the places where the Bible contradicts itself,

Also, Luke says that Jesus was coming into Jericho when he met Bartimaeus

and Mark says he was leaving Jericho.

But archeologists have discovered that there were two Jericho’s,

an old Jericho and a new Jericho.

So, Jesus could easily be leaving the old Jericho and about to enter the new Jericho.

But regardless of where he was or if he had another friend with him, Bartimaeus’ condition was real.

I once asked John Rathborn “What do you miss the most about not being able to see?”

He said, I would like to see my wife’s face.

I have never seen her face except by touch.

Then I would like to see each of my two children.

He said, “If God gave me three minutes of eyesight,

I would spend one minute with my wife, and one minute with each child.”

Wouldn’t it be tragic not to be able to see your wife’s face or not to be able to see your children’s face.

But it was much more tragic in the First Century when there were

no telephones,

no trained dogs,

no books on tape,

no brail,

no computers that talk back

and no sidewalk to serve as guided paths to a destination.

People were probably much less sympathetic.

There was no government assistance,

so a person who was blind was destined to do what this man did:

He sat daily by the roadside and just begged for a handout so he could survive.

But do you know what?

As bad as physical blindness is, there is something worse and that is spiritual blindness.

+Slide+

2 Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers,