A story is told about a pitiable creature with dark glasses who stood on a street corner with a tin cup in his hand waiting for someone to drop in a few dimes. A kind man passed by and threw in a quarter but for some reason he turned around and to his surprise he saw the blind man’s glasses pushed up on his forehead while his eager eyes closely examined the recent gift. “I thought you were a blind man” said the disgruntled donor. Oh no, was the answer, “I am only subbing for the regular blind man today. I am not really blind at all”. “So where is the regular blind man” asked the donor. “Well” said the sub, “he needed a break and so he went to the movies!
Being blind and having to beg seems to go hand in hand. In Jesus’ day and for centuries later, it was a curse to be blind and they had no choice but to beg. Even today in many parts of the third world, those who are blind are considered unproductive and not “employable” and therefore they end up having to beg to make a living.
People who are blind rely a lot on their other senses to wade thro’ life and so most of them have very sharp ears. Bartimaeus begins to hear unusual noises of a big crowd and when he inquired what was going on, he was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. By now I presume that Bartimaeus has already heard the gossip of the town and how Jesus had healed others. He listened carefully and when he sensed that Jesus was close enough, he yelled out for help saying “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me”.
Friends have you ever sensed that Jesus is close to you? Have the noises of the crowds and this world deafened you so much that you are oblivious to his presence? In the midst of the many things that go on around you, be careful to listen because the son of God may be passing by your life!
Bartimaeus may not have known but it was his first and last opportunity to see Jesus because Jesus was on his final journey to Jerusalem to be crucified. If Jesus chose to come this night, it would be your last chance too - think about that.
Huge crowds means more passers-by which in turn translates into a wonderful opportunity for a beggar to fill his can. For you and me too, a lot of customers means more business, a lot of friends means me fun and laughter and you will have lots and lots of people around you if you conform to the world.
But look at Bartimaeus. He sacrificed the financial advantage in exchange for the Savior’s touch. He allowed the crowds to pass without showing his can. You and I have similar choices. Careers and status in society, money, wealth, good clothes, good food and a good car are some of the many things that stand between Jesus and us.
Let me give you an example. The other day I had been to a car dealership and I got talking to a salesman who was a Muslim from Jordan. He commented on my bumper sticker (it reads, "real men love Jesus"). “Wish more men could do that” he said. This puzzled me a bit and so I had to ask about his faith. I learned that he was a Christian and sometime in the past he was a missionary who traveled all over the world proclaiming Jesus. He also said that he used to preach at Church. “So what happened, why is all of this only a thing of the past” I asked to which he said, “I have a family now and I need to earn good money to take care of them”. You could probably guess from the choice he made as to what priority he has given to the masters call!
If Bartemaeus thought the same way he would have held his can out to the crowds and made some money. But in doing that the Savior would have passed by and Bartimaeus would never have gotten his sight back nor would his spiritual eyes be open.
Bartimaeus was blind as so could not see
Jesus but he believed in the one to whom he cried out “Have mercy upon me”. In a similar sense, we too might not physically see Jesus but he is never too far away that he cannot hear us call. Even though you might not see him, his eyes are always upon you! You probably remember the words of the hymn writer “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he is watching you!”.
The crowds tried to stop Bartemaus from crying out to Jesus and asked that he keep quiet. Instead he made an even louder noise. Sometimes even members of your own family might discourage you from following Jesus. There may also be others at your work or school who might try to silence your faith but we know from Bartimaeus that we are to make an even louder noise. In the book of Mathew (ch.10:32) Jesus said “whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before my father and whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who is in heaven”. Friends, when opportunity permits, always remember to exalt the Savior!
Bartimaeus’ cries did not go unheard. He appealed to Jesus and not to the crowd and you and I know that Jesus never turns away anyone who comes to Him. Hearing Bartimaeus, vs. 49 tells us that Jesus stood still. I know that sometimes you’ve wondered if Jesus even listens to your prayers. Just as in the case of this story, I believe that Jesus does more than listen. He stops whatever he is doing and then fixes his eye upon you! The creator stood still when he heard the desperate voice of Bartimaeus cry out to him for help. And that was not all; Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to be brought close to him. In your weakest and most desperate moments you can count on the Savior to be close to you if you will call out to him.
No sooner did Bartemaeus hear that Jesus wanted him, he threw off his outer garment and leaped towards Jesus. The very coat that protected him from the wind, rain and cold and gave him a sense of security was not needed any more. In Jesus, he had more than all of these. Psalm 91 tells us, “He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and you will not fear the terror of night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness nor the plague that destroys at mid day”.
Jesus is an all sufficient God and in Him all your needs will be met. When Jesus calls us to himself, we must be careful to cast off every weight and false sense of security that we might have and trust the Savior to take care of our needs. Bartimaeus’ actions spoke louder than his words. His garment was probably all that he had but he let go of it in order to cling on to the Savior.
Looking at Bartimaeus Jesus asked “What is it that you need?” He replied, “I want to see”. Notice if you will though that earlier Bartimaeus had only cried out for mercy. His first need was “mercy” and his other need was that he “might see”. So too my friends, no matter what your need might be, it is a good and humble thing to first ask for God’s mercy. God’s mercy is limitless and is freely bestowed upon those who ask.
For Bartimaeus, God not only opened his physical eyes but his spiritual eyes as well because from that point on Bartimaeus followed Jesus. Bartimaeus’ dark world was now illuminated by the light of Christ!
I’ve said this several times in the past but I truly believe that humanity draws closer to God in times of suffering. In times when the road has gotten rough for you and me - may be in the loss of a job, a severe sickness, death of a loved one or other problems, we seem to want the comfort and care of God. We are able to call upon God only when we have a need, otherwise we are blinder than the blind.
Think about it - a great multitude with 20/20 vision followed Jesus but none of them were able to tap into the healing power of a gracious God, whereas blind Bartimaeus who could not see a thing was able to get a blessing. From his darkened eyes, he was able to see the light of the world!
But what about you? All of us have been blessed with 20/20 vision but how many of us have been able to see and allow the light of Christ to illuminate our life?
When I think of blind people I can’t help but remember the hymn writer Fanny Crosby who gave us more than 8000 gospel songs. Although blinded at the age of 6 weeks, she never held any bitterness in her heart because of it. Once a preacher sympathetically remarked “I think, it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when He showered so many other gifts upon you” he said to which Fanny quickly replied, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind”? “Why, asked the surprised clergyman “Because when I get to Heaven, the first image that shall ever gladden my sight will be the face of my Savior”.
I wonder if that is your wish too my friends, that the face of the Savior should gladden your heart. In this world, crowds will pass by, but in the midst of them is also the Savior. If you are too blind to see, listen carefully and when you sense the Savior is close to you, cry out for mercy. When you do that, he will stop and fix his eyes upon you and your life will never be the same. Amen.
