Who Is This Man?
What Do You Want Me to Do for You?
Mark 10:46-52
Choose Wisely
“He chose poorly.” Those were the understated words of the ageless knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as the movie’s villain’s face melted away in vintage Spielberg fashion. If you recall the scene, Indiana Jones and the bad guys are all on a quest to find “the Holy Grail,” supposedly the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper. Both the good guys and the bad finally arrive at the cave where it has been kept safe by an ageless knight since the last Crusade in the thirteenth century. According to the legend, anyone who would drink from the Holy Grail would have eternal life. (Of course, this is all medieval mythology with no basis in truth.) There are several cups of varying descriptions laid out before the eager questers to choose from. “But,” the knight warns, “choose wisely!” With gun in hand, the bad guy insists on being the first one to choose. His lovely assistant, who is an eminent archeologist, points him to a gilded golden goblet. And the rest of the story is, as they say, “cinematic history.” He chose poorly.
Our text today in Mark’s Gospel narrates the final episode of Jesus’ ministry before he enters into Jerusalem to fulfill his Father’s will. In the previous two stories, Jesus asked a similar question to a rich man and the sons of Zebedee who sought him out: “What do you want me to do for you?” In both instances, they “chose poorly.” We hear the same question put to a blind beggar in today’s message. His response shows us how to choose wisely.
Text: Mark 10:46-52 (NLT)
Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
Eager to See
As Jesus was approaching his rendezvous with destiny in Jerusalem, he had to pass through the old town of Jericho. It was only about fifteen miles from the city walls of the Holy City. As Jesus was hurrying along, the beggar, Bartimaeus, called out from his station at the side of the road, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” No doubt, Bartimaeus, had established his place along the side of the road for a long time. It wasn’t unusual for beggars to position themselves there in Jesus’ day even as they still do today. Bartimaeus must have heard about Jesus from people who had passed by him on their way up to Jerusalem. The poor beggar had probably heard about the miracles that he had done and determined that if Jesus ever came his way that he would do everything he could to get the rabbi’s attention. He was desperate and Jesus was his only hope of changing the miserable circumstances of his life. Even though the people tried to shut him up, he called out even louder.
Up to this point in Mark’s Gospel, no one had ever called Jesus, the “Son of David.” It wasn’t just a cliché. For the first century Jew, the term, “Son of David” was a title reserved only for the Messiah. Earlier in the Gospel, Peter had declared that Jesus was the Messiah and the Lord warned the twelve not to tell anyone else. But when Bartimaeus yells out this messianic title, Jesus doesn’t stop him. The people tried to brush him aside but Jesus affirmed him and his declaration that he was, indeed, the Messiah. The Rabbi would no longer keep his messianic identity a secret. He stopped in his tracks and invited the desperate beggar to come to him.
Having heard the invitation from Jesus, Bartimaeus abandoned his place and came rushing forward. Mark tells us that he threw his coat aside. No small detail. Bartimaeus, no doubt, used his coat like the other beggars did and spread it on the ground in front of him to catch the coins that might be tossed his way. It was his sole means of support and income and it no longer meant anything to him as he came rushing forward to meet his Savior.
And Jesus greeted him with a question:
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Bartimaeus had never met Jesus. And yet, he answered the question with a profound reply: “Rabboni.” It’s the same the word Mary Magdalene used in John’s Gospel when she recognized Jesus raised from the dead. It means, “my Rabbi.” It’s a term of affection and of commitment to the teacher. The radical faith of Bartimaeus is already evident when he makes his request, “I want to see!” Having recognized his remarkable faith, Jesus heals the man, saying, “Go, your faith has healed you.” End of story.
What Kind of Disciple are You?
No. It’s not. The inclusion of this narrative in Matthew, Mark, and Luke illustrates a perfect model of a disciple of Jesus Christ. After Bartimaeus encountered Jesus, his life was radically changed. Not only could he see, but he left everything in his former life and followed Jesus. What about you and me?
Mark’s placement of the story of Bartimaeus at this point in his Gospel is strategic. It most likely happened in the timeframe that Mark and the other Gospel writers place it: just before Jesus makes his entrance into Jerusalem. Jesus’ acceptance of the title, “Son of David,” perfectly sets up the messianic meaning of the triumphal entry. But, in addition, we observe the same question being asked of the sons of Zebedee in the previous story and a similar dynamic in Jesus’ dialogue with the rich young man before that. James and John wanted Jesus to fulfill their selfish request to sit in the seats of power when Jesus came into his Kingdom. Jesus, of course, refused their self-centered request and challenged them to reorient their lives to service. And while Jesus didn’t initiate the conversation with the rich young man, the man did want something from Jesus. “What must I do to inherit eternal life,” he asked.
Both the sons of Zebedee and the rich young man went away with their requests unfulfilled. And yet, the request of blind Bartimaeus was fully granted on the spot. We’ve dealt with James, John, and the rich young man before. What can we learn from this poor, blind beggar?
First, he was desperate. He knew his condition was hopeless. At the root of many of our spiritual problems, I believe, is that we don’t realize how helpless and lost we are without the grace of God. We don’t recognize our real need. We’re too independent. We’re self-righteous. Whether we articulate it or not, we believe we can solve our own issues. By our actions, we don’t think we really need God. But the Scriptures tell us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God so that he will lift us up (I Peter 5:6). It’s when we humble ourselves before God and recognize our desperate need for him that he hears and responds to our cry. There was a worship song written about twenty-five years ago that expressed this desperate prayer well:
This is the air I breathe…
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread…
Your very word spoken to me
And I I'm desperate for You
I'm lost without You
Marie Barnett
© 1995 Mercy / Vineyard Publishing
That’s a prayer that Jesus will hear.
Second, Bartimaeus didn’t care what others thought about his passion for Jesus. They told him to shut up. He cried out all the louder. There will be people who will try to dissuade you from pursuing Jesus. “Aw, that’s just religious stuff. A waste of time if you ask me!” Or, “You’re a Jesus freak, man. You’re weird. Good luck with that!” Pursuing Jesus isn’t socially acceptable anymore. He’s passé in our culture. Listen to others and you’ll never get to Jesus.
Third, pursuing Jesus was the most important thing in Bartimaeus’ life. He threw aside his livelihood and station in life to encounter Jesus. The rich young man could have learned his lesson from the lowly beggar. Ultimately, Bartimaeus demonstrated his faith in Jesus through repentance. He turned his back on his old life and followed Jesus. The gospel has a lot to say about repentance. It is essential to salvation.
As a pastor, I often become aware of the brokenness in people’s lives. But you don’t have to be a pastor to see that in the world around us. Years ago, a songwriter described what I see around me nearly every day:
Ev'ryday they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes
Empty people filled with care
Headed who knows where
On they go through private pain
Living fear to fear
Laughter hides the silent cries
Only Jesus hears
Greg Nelson | Phill McHugh
© 1983 River Oaks Music Company
Jesus sees and hears their pain, but do they hear his call to them? People will gladly hear the good news of help that is offered to them but, all too frequently, they refuse to change the direction of their life to follow Jesus. Consequently, they remain desperately lost. We cry out to Jesus, “Give me this! Help me here!” But our cries for mercy frequently fall to the ground because we are unwilling to change the way we live. Truly, it breaks my heart to see this. On the other hand, when we, like Bartimaeus are willing to follow Jesus wherever he leads, our prayers will be answered. That’s what it means, friends, to “ask in Jesus’ name.” Is Jesus really the most important pursuit in your life? If he is, you can be sure that he’ll hear and meet your need.
Finally, not only was Bartimaeus desperate, but he knew what he needed. That’s were both the sons of Zebedee and the rich young man failed. They didn’t know what they needed. James and John thought they needed recognition and power. Jesus told them they needed to become servants like him. The rich young man wanted eternal life with God. But he didn’t realize that his real god was his wealth. What is it that you need from Jesus?
What Do You Want Jesus to Do for You?
His question is the same to you and me this morning as it was to Bartimaeus on the road to Jerusalem:
What do you want me to do for you?
Think carefully. Choose wisely. God is not a personal vending machine where you pop in a coin and he just shows up. If you push the right button, your personal request doesn’t just drop out of the sky. James, John, and the rich young man discovered that the hard way.
Jesus told his disciples, “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” (John 14:13-14). The key seems to be to make your request in Jesus’ name. I believe Bartimaeus demonstrated how we are to do that.
• When we ask in humble dependence upon God, he hears our cry.
• When we ask for the things that God wants – his will be done – rather than what the world tells us we deserve, then God hears our cry.
• Putting God first in your life will serve as a filter for what you ask of him. When there are no other idols in your life, God will hear your cry.
• When you are willing to “put skin in the game” – put action to the request that you are making of God, he hears your cry. Just a couple of examples. If you are praying for financial help, are you willing to steward the money that you do have in faith by careful budgeting and faithful giving? Perhaps you are praying for someone’s health or well-being. Are you willing to be used by God to minister to that person through a visit, a phone call, or some other kind of assistance?
That is what it means to “ask in Jesus name.” God is not a reluctant giver. It is his nature to give extravagantly. You have it written on the wall right in front of you: “God so loved the world that he gave…” Let us all learn from Bartimaeus this morning in how we make our requests to God. And then, be ready to have your eyes opened!
