I would like you to open your bibles with me to the 10th chapter of Mark as we look at a fascinating story in which I discovered something that just seemed to jump out at me and I want to share it with you.
Mark 10:46-52 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. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." 52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Perhaps an old familiar story to us, the story of a blind man named Bartimaeus. An outcast of society having to rely on the goodness of those who saw and heard him begging on the streets, perhaps giving him some money or perhaps some table scraps for a meal. A man that does not appear to have any help but is trying to live his life, such as it is, on his own with his disability.
I found it interesting to note that many scholars today look at this particular story as an ending point of the previous sections in Mark that oddly enough also begins with the story of a blind man in chapter 8 and verse 22. And it is from this section of stories that many see parallels into the spiritual blindness that seemed to affect Christ’s disciples in how they were unable to grasp the concepts and ideas that Jesus was trying to teach them.
Evidently though Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was and he seemed to know that if he could get his attention then Jesus could perhaps help him overcome his disabilities. Bartimaeus knew that if there was any hope for him to be healed it had to lie in the hands of this healer, which he evidently had heard of before. And we see in verse 47 how Bartimaeus pleads with Jesus to have mercy on him. Despite enormous obstacles Bartimaeus jumps up and rushes to Jesus side. He makes sure that nothing will stop him from being in the presence of his Lord. He has nothing really to base his haste on other than perhaps what he has overheard while sitting on the streets begging. The stories of the miracles that Bartimaeus catches bits and pieces of as people rush about on their way after witnessing one of Jesus miracles. But the one thing that this particular crowd doesn’t realize is that Bartimaeus has an appointment today, an appointment with a king, an appointment with a healer, an appointment with his Savior.
Now we can see from this text today and the reaction of the crowd that there are always the doubters, the scoffers, those meaning well but trying their best to keep the noise level down. Trying not to let the enthusiasm get out of control. Not wanting to upset the master as he walks down the street. Not wanting to distract him for fear he may miss some opportunity to happen upon some unfortunate soul that is in need of healing. However, not realizing that the whole time that opportunity was sitting amongst them at their feet. The very object of Jesus attention and affection for this moment in time was the very one that they were telling to be quiet and not disturb the master.
In verse 50 we see that once Bartimaeus gets the call to come to Jesus side, nothing is going to stop him; not his disability, not the crowd telling him to be quiet and stop making such a ruckus, not the cloak or coat that he wears as he sits by the side of the road in the dirt begging for a living. You have to wonder when you read the text why it makes mention of the fact that he through off his cloak. Perhaps in that quick instant when he realizes that Jesus has heard his call and is calling to him to be brought close that it is now time to throw off the past hindrances, the reminders of a life that is soon to pass away, because he has a divine appointment and he must not be late and he must be prepared for what is about to happen to him.
How Bartimaeus gets to Jesus, we are not told. Perhaps those who had just a few moments before been telling him to be quiet were now pushing him in the direction he needed to go, or perhaps Jesus was standing there coaxing him on as he ran toward him allowing Bartimaeus to focus on his voice, but however he made it Bartimaeus now stood before his Savior face to face. Now as Bartimaeus stands before Jesus, Jesus asks him, “what do you want?”, as if he did not know why this blind beggar had been yelling, calling out to Jesus from the other side of the crowd.
But it is here at this point that we see that there is an order to things in the universe. GOD is omnipotent, omnipresent, all knowing but there is still a part to be played by the asker, the requester. Jesus knew what Bartimaeus wanted, he did not have to ask him, but he wanted Bartimaeus to do his part and make his requests known, he wanted this blind man to take the next step, to step out in faith and ask for the one thing that he wanted more than anything else in the world, his sight. Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to make known his longings to the master. As the Psalmist puts it:
Psalm 37:4-5 4 Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.
Jesus could very well have just swept his arm across the crowds and healed people. He could have just thought to heal them from a distance and spoke it so. Nevertheless, he wanted this blind man to ask for his sight. He wanted to see if this man was willing to admit that he required help, then go out on a limb, and ask for it. He wanted Bartimaeus to take an active role in the process of his own healing.
It is at this point that my eyes were opened and I suddenly realized what was happening in this story. Bartimaeus makes his simple request, “Teacher, that I may receive my sight.” Bartimaeus goes out on that limb and wants it all. He asks Jesus for his sight to be given him. He doesn’t say, well I just lost my cloak in the crowd could I have a new one perhaps. Or how about a nice cushion to sit on while I am begging at the side of the road. Or you see I have this tooth that is bothering me a lot, or I need some money so that I can go to the doctors and continue my treatments and perhaps that will help my problem, no he goes to the source of all power in heaven and on earth and wants it all. He makes a bold statement about his condition and makes a bold request to be delivered from his condition.
But this isn’t even the best part yet. Jesus gives him what he asked for, his sight, and then tells him “ok you got what you asked for now be on your way.” I see that you have a lot of faith and I have rewarded that faith, now leave. You got what you came for, now be on your way. But Bartimaeus isn’t going to let Jesus get away from him. Look at verse 52, he receives his sight and instead of going his way, he follows Jesus.
You see Bartimaeus understood what it was all about. This was not just a one time encounter with GOD, this was a life changing, a life altering change of direction and future. Bartimaeus owed everything to his Lord and he was not going to let him out of his sight now. He was healed and given the opportunity to go and have a nice life, but instead he chose to follow his Savior.
So lets bring it a little closer to home, what about us sitting here today, have we met the Savior by the side of the road and been healed? Perhaps we also have been given an opportunity to take what has been given to us by the master and then to go our own way. Given the choice to say thanks but then to head off in our own direction, perhaps a direction that is not the best choice for our lives. I invite you to give his paths a second look. They may seem rough and rocky at times but I want to encourage you with Jesus words:
Matthew 11:30 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
On the other hand, perhaps we have met the savior but he has moved on and we are still standing in the same place hoping that he will pass this way again some time in the future. You all remember the story of Zacchaeus, that story ends with a marvelous promise for those that feel they had been left by the wayside, feeling a little lost.
Luke 19:9-10 9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Finally, perhaps Jesus has given you your hearts desire and you continue to follow him as he encounters still others on the road to Jerusalem, given the choice to go your way but instead desiring to give up all in order that you may spend more time with him. Continuing to build on the relationship that was established during a divine appointment that you had with your savior.
Today we stand on the edge of a new beginning and Jesus is calling to us today and asking us, what is it that we want. He has heard our pleas above the noise of the crowds and has called us into his presence and is waiting to hear our hearts desires. Today we make a claim, we come boldly before him and ask for no small thing, we lay before him this city and surrounding territory and ask him to deliver into his hands. We ask that we may have a part to play in the capture of these strongholds, that many souls may be won to the kingdom because we have chosen this day to follow him on the road to Jerusalem. It will not be an easy road, if you think it will then you are only fooling yourself, however Jeremiah the prophet records the words of the Lord in this wonderful promise.
Jeremiah 15:20 20 "Then I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you," declares the LORD.
May our hearts desire this day be to make known our deepest desires to the Lord and then choose to follow him each and every day as he grants our petitions.
