JESUS—
DISPELLER OF DARKNESS
Text: Col.1: 12; I Pet.2: 9; Luke 18: 35-37
Intro: In the days of Christ, to be blind was to experience not only physical darkness, but personal destitution as well. Such was the case of the blind man that Christ encountered near the city of Jericho.
From the Gospel of Mark we find that the blind man’s name was Bartimaeus. This Aramaic name means “The Son of Timaeus.”(1)
Bartimaeus is a good illustration of what is spiritually true of those who have never trusted Christ as their personal Savior. According to II Cor.4: 4, Satan seeks to blind the minds and hearts of those who are lost, to the truth of the gospel of Christ. His purpose of course, is to keep them from being enlightened to their need for salvation through faith in Christ and His shed blood. Satan literally hates man, the love of God’s heart, and wants to see to it that as many as possible suffer with him in Hell.
Satan’s methods of blinding people to their need for salvation are often subtle, but very effective. He might use the method of procrastination—not convincing the lost person to reject Christ outright, but simply to put it off. At other times he uses the method of preoccupation. This can take the form of a lost person getting so caught up with life and its many details and demands that they simply don’t, or won’t, take the time to think of their spiritual need. Preoccupation can also take the form of a lost person getting focused on the faults and failures of professing Christians. The reasoning goes something like this: “Ole so and so claims to be a Christian, and look what a mess his life is. If that’s a Christian, I don’t want any part of it!” There’s no excuse for a professing Christian being a bad testimony, but neither will that fact be a justifiable excuse for a person’s rejection of Christ, when they stand before God at the judgment. Their excuses will make them no less eternally lost.
Though Bartimaeus was blind, when he found out Jesus was passing by, he knew he didn’t have to remain that way. The same can be true for anyone who is spiritually blind today. You can receive your sight and begin to follow Jesus, just like that blind man of old.
This morning I want us to consider some similarities between this blind man and those who don’t know Christ as their personal Savior.
Theme: Bartimaeus is typical of the lost, as illustrated by:
I. THE MAN’S CONDITION
A. He Was A Blind Man.
Luke 18: 35 “And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:”
NOTE: [1] The Bible makes it clear that the lost are spiritually blind. This does not mean they are mentally disadvantaged. It simply means that they cannot completely appreciate or assimilate divine truth.
II Cor.4: 3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
[2] Just as physical blindness is a state of physical darkness, to be lost is to be in a state of spiritual darkness.
Eph.4: 17 “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”
[3] How is it that millions of people seem oblivious to the danger of impending judgment and the certainty of Hell? It is simply due to spiritual blindness.
On November 30, 1991 fierce winds from a freakish dust storm triggered a massive freeway pileup along Interstate 5 near Coalinga, California. At least 14 people died and dozens more were injured as topsoil whipped by 50 mile-per-hour winds reduced visibility to zero. The afternoon holocaust left a three-mile trail of twisted and burning vehicles, some stacked on top of one another 100 yards off the side of the freeway. Unable to see their way, dozens of motorists drove blindly ahead into disaster.(2)
B. He Was A Beggar Man.
Luke 18: 35 “…a certain blind man sat by the way side begging.”
NOTE: [1] This man was destitute of substance. He was absolutely hopeless and helpless. He was totally dependent upon others for his very existence.
[2] Just like Bartimaeus, the person without Christ is spiritually bankrupt. They are destitute of anything to merit God’s favor.
Isa.64: 6a “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…”
Rom.3: 10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”
[3] In the midst of this man’s terrible condition, he heard that Jesus was passing by:
[3a] Bartimaeus was in darkness, but Jesus was and is the Light of the World (John 9: 5).
[3b] This man may have been a beggar, but Jesus is “rich unto all that call upon him” (Rom.10: 12b).
II. THE MAN’S CRY
A. It Was A Desperate Cry.
Luke 18: 36 “And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passed by.
38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.”
NOTE: [1] Bartimaeus was truly a desperate man. He was devoid of sight and destitute of substance. He had no means of getting to Jesus on his own, and nothing to offer Him if he were able to get to Him. He did the only thing a helpless beggar could do—he begged for mercy.
[2] When a person finally realizes their desperate need for God’s mercy and forgiveness, their attitude will be much like this:
There’s a story about a proud young man who came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the muscular philosopher and said, “O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge.” Socrates recognized a pompous numbskull when he saw one. He led the young man through the streets, to the sea, and chest deep into water. Then he asked, “What do you want?”
“Knowledge, O wise Socrates,” said the young man with a smile.
Socrates put his strong hands on the man’s shoulders and pushed him under. Thirty seconds later Socrates let him up. “What do you want?” he asked again.
“Wisdom,” the young man sputtered, “O great and wise Socrates.”
Socrates crunched him under again. Thirty seconds passed, thirty-five. Forty. Socrates let him up. The man was gasping. “What do you want, young man?”
Between heavy, heaving breaths the fellow wheezed, “Knowledge, O wise and wonderful...”
Socrates jammed him under again. Forty seconds passed. Fifty. “What do you want?”
“Air!” he screeched. “I need air!”
“When you want knowledge as you have just wanted air, then you will have knowledge.”(3)
B. It Was A Determined Cry.
Luke 18: 39 “And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.”
NOTE: [1] Dear lost friend, if you ever truly realize your pitiful condition before a holy and righteous God, you’ll be willing and determined to cry out for God’s mercy and forgiveness, found only in Christ Jesus. Only He can meet your desperate need.
[2] It’s fortunate that Bartimaeus was so determined to make contact with Jesus at this point, because you see, Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, where He would be crucified for the sins of the world. He would never pass this way again.
II Cor.6: 2b “…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Isa.55: 6 “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
[3] This man had determined that he would have his need met by Jesus, and he wasn’t going to allow anything or anyone to deter him.
III. THE MASTER’S COMPASSION
Matt.20: 34 “So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.”
A. The Man Expressed His Plea.
Luke 18: 40 “ And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
NOTE: [1] Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Him to do for him, not because Jesus didn’t know, but in order to get Bartimaeus to articulate his need and to activate his faith. But there is another thing to be considered here with reference to the lost man or woman. The question is not whether Jesus knows of the sinner’s need of salvation, but whether the sinner knows of his need for the Savior. Until the sinner recognizes their need for Christ, they’re not likely to humble themselves before Him, and repent.
[2] Mark adds a rather significant piece of information at this point. Mark notes, “…he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus” (Mark 10: 50). The fact is, when a person truly turns to Christ, they cast aside the rags of their old life and leave them behind.
II Cor.5: 17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
B. The Mastered Exercised His Power.
Luke 18: 42 “And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
NOTE: Jesus only extends His saving grace and power to those who are willing to acknowledge their blind and beggarly condition before God as a sinner. As that person comes to realize their condition, and exercises faith in Christ for salvation, they will find Him to be a willing and wonderful Savior.
Theme: Bartimaeus is typical of the lost, as illustrated by:
I. THE MAN’S CONDITION
II. THE MAN’S CRY
III. THE MASTER’S COMPASSION
End Notes:
(1) John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament Edition, published by Victor Books, Wheaton, Illinois; pg. 154.
(2) Today In The Word, August 16, 1992.
(3) M. Littleton, in Moody Monthly, June 1989, pg. 29.
