We are closing out our 2009 Stewardship Series. I thank everyone who has made a point of making their commitment of time and talents for this next year. I remind those of you who haven’t… there’s still time to be one of the cool kids!
As we close out our stewardship series this year, there is one more point that I think we need to touch on… the future! No… I’m not going to talk visioning… I’m not going to talk about growing our church… I’m not even going to talk about future projects… so you can breathe again. Instead… I want to focus on what stewardship means to you personally! The more you are given by God… the more you should want to learn about him and follow him! The more you learn about him and follow him, the closer you should come to him in your daily walk. So I ask the question… what does your tomorrow look like… in the light of all that God has done for you? So… let’s get into it now with this morning’s scripture verses:
Mark 10:46-52
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you." 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." 52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
“Tomorrow”
Tomorrow. What is tomorrow to a worthless blind man. Another cold day alone. Another day trapped in the darkness. Unable to work. Unable to care for myself. My only hope… my only hope for survival is along this main stretch of road, where I will sit… in darkness… and beg. Tomorrow? (Scoffing) That famous teacher, Jesus, who I’ve heard about was right… today has enough worries of it’s own. Will I eat? Will I be trampled by Roman soldiers who would rather spit on me than help me? You know it’s not easy! I’m not the only one out here. The poor, the widowed, the lame, the sick, the helpless… they line these roads with me… seeking handouts… seeking hope! Tomorrow? I’d rather not think about tomorrow. Today! Today has enough worries of it’s own.
Then… something. News. That teacher is in town… you know they say he healed another blind man in Bethsaida! They say he took the man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit in the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, then he said… “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Odd… didn’t get it right the first time. But the teacher put his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. He could see!
Maybe! Maybe! No… I dare not get my hopes up. This road is well traveled but what are the chances he’ll come by here? It has been a long, hard road… but I’ve managed. I’ve toughened my skin… I’ve accepted my lot. But I dare not get my hopes up… I couldn’t survive the let down. No, I will not hope.
(WITH EYES ALMOST CLOSED… LISTENING) A crowd. A large crowd… leaving the city. Chatter… so much chatter. Can I make it out? Yes… they are talking… about… miracles. "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
“Be quiet you! Do not interrupt! Stupid beggar! Don’t waste the teacher’s time! There are so many more important people… so many more important things for him to do. Stay down there and let us through!”
NO! "Son of David, have mercy on me! I don’t even care if you have to spit on my eyes!”
“So help me old fool…”
“Call him!”
“What? Very well… cheer up old man… on your feet! He’s calling you!”
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks.
What do I want? Really? You have to ask what I want. I have lived in darkness… I have been abandoned… unloved… helpless… alone. What do I want? Life. Hope. Redemption! Can’t you see… I want a tomorrow I’m not afraid of.
"Rabbi, I want to see."
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you."
I can see. I can see! Sweet mercy I can see! Tomorrow…. Oh tomorrow… tomorrow is a new day. I can do… anything! I can do… ANYTHING! I shall follow him. Hrmmmm… tomorrow
Tomorrow. What does tomorrow hold in this story. For the blind man? Tomorrow holds new life! New purpose! New hope! For Jesus… tomorrow holds his entry into Jerusalem… the completion of his purpose… his sacrifice… his encounter with yet even MORE blind men! However… spiritually blind men… in the persons of the Pharisees. How very different… the response he will receive from them! How about the Pharisees? What does tomorrow hold for them? It won’t be a tomorrow like Bartimaeus’s I can tell you that! How very different... the view of tomorrow… depending on where your standing in this story?
How about from where you are standing? In essence we stand in this story… we stand at the feet of Jesus… and we hear him say: "What do you want me to do for you?" What an odd question to ponder… what DO you want Jesus to do for you?
Maybe you don’t want to bother Jesus with a question like that… “You know I’m fine… I just wanna be here with you. I’m good really! I’m just grateful… and thankful… “Praise Je-suhs!”
But c’mon… there’s always something we want: something from this world… something out of this world… something in this world. You know what would be nice Jesus, not to have to struggle paycheck to paycheck. If it’s not any trouble… an A on this test would help a ton. Please let this officer JUST give me a warning. I’m sure there’s been a few prayers like that. But I really don’t want to make too light of this because it can get deeper… much deeper can’t it? There is so much hardship… so much pain in this world… many, many prayers are lifted up EVERY DAY asking for relief from the pain of this world.
There are a million things we could ask from Jesus… a million things we could want… a million things he could grant us. However… there is really only one thing that we NEED… only one thing that THIS world can NEVER give us… only one real answer to Jesus’ question: "What do you want me to do for you?"
What do I want? Really? You have to ask what I want. I have lived in darkness… I have been abandoned… unloved… helpless… alone. What do I want? Life. Hope. Redemption! Can’t you see… I want a tomorrow I’m not afraid of.
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” I want hope for tomorrow. I want help from the only one who can lift life out of its defeats. I want you, Jesus, to save me! “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
But even as we cry out… the callous and heartless voice of this world tells US to be quiet! Tells US to sit back down and get out of the way. It is always there to remind us that there are more important things we should be doing with our time. More important things we should be spending our money on. So eager to rebuke us… get us off the path!
Then there is Jesus… calling COME! Then there is Jesus… saying: "What do you want me to do for you?" Every single one of us is being called by the one who made us… each one of us is being asked that question. How will you respond? How will your answer… change tomorrow for you!?
After HIS encounter with Jesus, scripture says that Bartimaeus: “immediately received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” He followed Christ… this is the real goal! That is what we hope happens every time someone encounters the living Christ! You might say… well c’mon Jesus healed him. Who wouldn’t follow him after that… but I would argue this really isn’t a scripture passage about healing… look at the scripture more closely if you have your bibles open.
The thing that I find amazing in this scripture passage is how there is NO emphasis at all put on the healing… the actual healing and its results are reduced to a single verse. Jesus’ words are almost nothing… more of a dismissal than of anything substantial. “GO!” The emphasis, the weight of this passage… is on the man’s faith. Then the finishing drive of this passage all hinges on the man’s response. Immediately he followed Jesus along the way.
As we examine our lives… as we stand in the middle of this passage and ponder that question of Jesus’… we must ask ourselves… what will happen if Jesus gives me what I really need? What changes will take place in my life if Jesus grants the one thing that I truly need? What will… tomorrow hold?
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
