INTRODUCTION
• Today we will examine an account of a healing Jesus performed just eight days before His Triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just before he would be crucified.
• Jesus is leaving Jericho when a blind man named Bartimeus hears Jesus is passing by.
• Because of his blindness, Bartimeus makes a living by begging people for money.
• Begging is his only means of taking care of himself.
• Can you imagine being in his position?
• One thing about Bartimeus is that he knows he is not whole and needs healing.
• Anytime one is blind, it would affect their life; today, we have many things that help.
• Blindness is not the end of your ability to make a living in our day, but in the time of Jesus, there was nothing unless your family could take care of you.
• Bartimeus was in dire straights.
• Truth be told, we are all in need of healing.
• We all face the ramifications of sin in our life and the pain and separation it causes.
• One of the issues we face is that we may not realize we need healing because we can live life marred in sin.
• There is nothing much worse than having a problem and not knowing it.
• I believe most people understand they have a problem; they do not know what it is; so they search and search for answers, never coming to the right source for answers.
• As we examine the healing of Bartimeus, I want us to see some principles we need to understand regarding our spiritual healing.
• For Bartimeus, his life will experience profound change because of Jesus.
• All the pain, shame, and separation we experience as a result of sin can be healed; you can be made whole again!
• For Bartimeus, Jesus healing his blindness will change his life forever.
• Jesus healing us from our sin problem will change our life for eternity!
› Big Idea of the Message: Profound healings take place when Jesus is near!
• Let’s begin in Mark 10:46-48.
Mark 10:46–48 (NET 2nd ed.)
46 They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
SERMON
I. The plea.
• As Jesus was leaving Jericho, a blind man, a beggar, was sitting along the road doing what he had to do to survive; he was begging for money.
• Bartimeus’ condition was horrible, and it was obvious to him that he needed to be healed.
• Bartimeus’ condition was so desperate that there was no doubt about what he needed.
• Only a miracle could save you when you have the condition he had during the days of Jesus.
• There were no surgeries, vocational training, or brail to help you read.
• There were no social safety nets; you would beg and hope you got enough each day to survive.
• As we live life, we too can suffer from blindness, not just physical but also spiritual.
• This world can blind us to our spiritual condition.
2 Corinthians 4:3–4 (NET 2nd ed.)
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing,
4 among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.
• Bartimeus is sitting along the road and hears the crowd; he is told that Jesus is coming!
• Could it be the miracle Bartimeus had been waiting for, praying for, and maybe even lost hope would ever come; was coming?
• Bartimeus existed; his world had no hope and no future.
• Many of us are in his condition spiritually, with no hope, no future.
• We are existing, not living.
• We live under the burden of sin and shame and can feel hopeless.
• We may live under the bondage of personal insecurity, shame, guilt, and loneliness.
• The world has not been kind to us; maybe life has been unkind and unloving to us?
• Bartimeus, when he finds out it is Jesus, starts to shout out for Jesus to hear him.
• Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!
A Commentary on the Gospel according to Mark (8. Blind Bartimeus Healed (10:46–52))
Bartimeus addressed Him not as Jesus the Nazarene.
His faith takes hold of something higher and deeper.
He recognized him as a royal descendant of David and successor to his throne, the Messiah. (Chron. 12:35.)
The angel of the Lord had once applied this title to Joseph. (Matt. 1:20.)
It was a popular designation of the Messiah, and by the use of it Bartimeus acknowledged the Messiahship of Jesus.
• Bartimeus cries out to Jesus, have mercy on me!
• He expressed both a confession of misery, unworthiness, and helpfulness as well as an expression of confidence in the ability and willingness of Jesus to help!
• Notice that Bartimeus is not demanding to be healed, he is not acting like he is entitled to be healed, but instead, he is begging for mercy from Jesus.
• Until we understand the gravity of our spiritual health, we will not come to Jesus the way Bartimeus did.
• We may come to Jesus without realizing just how bad our situation is.
• This could be why folks who have hit a low point in life, folks who understand how bad off they are without Jesus, come to Him from a broken spirit.
• Bartimeus came to Jesus knowing how much he needed Him.
• Did you notice something about this scene?
• When Bartimeus started crying out for Jesus, what did the crowd do around Jesus?
Mark 10:48 (NET 2nd ed.)
48 Many scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
• WOW!
• The crowd did not think this blind beggar was worth the time of day; they scolded him trying to shut him up.
• You know, when you are spiritually blind, and you tell your lost friends that you are going to come to Jesus, many times you will have them tell you to be quiet!
• The crowd thought this blind beggar was not worthy of Jesus.
• Let’s see how Jesus feels about him!
Mark 10:49–51 (NET 2nd ed.)
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! Get up! He is calling you.”
50 He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied, “Rabbi, let me see again.”
II. The answer.
• Jesus tells the crowd to call Bartimeus!
• Now the crowd is changing its tune!
• When you call out to Jesus to heal your soul, He will not simply pass you by!
• Jesus answered the call!
• I am so thankful that Jesus answered me when I called out to Him!
• I have never felt worthy of the gift He has given me, nor felt worthy of the blessings, but Jesus still answered my call.
• No matter who you are and no matter what others think of you, Jesus will answer!
• Did you notice verse 50?
• What did Bartimeus do when the crowd told him that Jesus wanted him to come?
• He threw off his cloak, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
• The significance of this is that the cloak may have been the only thing Bartimeus owned.
• When Jesus answered, Bartimeus was willing to leave all he had to come to Jesus.
• When you come to Jesus, you must be willing to leave all the old baggage behind!
• You need to be willing to trust that Jesus will take care of those burdens!
• Jesus then asked Bartimeus the obvious question, what do you want me to do for you?
• When you come to Jesus, what do you want Him to do for you?
• This is a simple yet important question.
• Do you want forgiveness of sins, eternal life, the peace that surpasses all understanding, or are you seeking something less?
• Bartimeus asks Jesus to let him see again!
Mark 10:52 (NET 2nd ed.)
52 Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.
III. The result.
• How did Jesus respond?
• Go, your faith has healed you!
• Mark makes it a point to emphasize the faith Bartimeus puts in Jesus to be healed!
• When Jesus healed Bartimeus, it was immediate!
• Can you imagine how this man must have felt, being able to see, having his whole world changed!
• I remember how it felt when Jesus healed me, when He healed my relationship with God, how He healed my soul and made me complete!
• The result for Bartimeus was healing!
• The result for you will also be healing!
• Let’s look at verse 52 a final time!
Mark 10:52 (NET 2nd ed.)
52 Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the road.
IV. The response.
• How did Bartimeus respond after he was healed?
• Once Bartimeus was healed, he could no longer live as a blind man would; he was called to live life to the fullest!
• When Jesus heals your soul, we can no longer live like we did when we were lost!
• We are new creations in Christ!
• We must stop living like we did when we were dead in our sins!
• We have to live life to the fullest!
• Bartimeus followed Jesus!
• His life would never be the same!
Mark (L. Bartimaeus Receives His Sight (10:46–52))
Most of the individuals Jesus healed remain anonymous in the Gospels. Perhaps Bartimaeus followed Jesus in discipleship and thus became known by name in the early church
• I hope that after all Jesus has done for us or will do for you, you will follow Him!
• We should no longer live and act as lost people but as children of the King!
CONCLUSION
• Jesus healed Bartimaeus after he called to him and threw off his cloak (v. 50).
• It seems that Bartimaeus was willing to risk his safety and to lose one of the few possessions he had to reach Jesus.
• Suppose we are modeling our search for healing after Bartimaeus interacted with Jesus.
• In that case, we need to be ready to risk all we have, to be familiar with who Jesus is so we can recognize him, and to have a strong faith that believes Jesus can meet our needs.
• Have you called out to Jesus yet?
• Do you know you have a need?
• It is time to be made whole again!
