I. Mark 10:46–52 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 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 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
A. This was probably Friday a week before Jesus’ crucifixion.
B. Jesus was headed for Jerusalem to die on the cross, the journey that was to culminate in the triumphal entry. As He passed through the city of Jericho, not only His disciples but “a great multitude followed Him.” Many of them probably followed Him the rest of the way — 12 miles or so — to Jerusalem, and were among those who waved palm branches and shouted hosanna.
C. And as He passed through Jericho there was a blind man named Bartimaeus sitting on the side of the road who heard all the commotion.
D. This story is found in three gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. But Mark is the only one who mentions the man’s name: Bartimaeus. And he also mentions his father’s name: Timaeus.
1. Who is Timaeus and why is he mentioned?
2. Who was Mark (aka John Mark)? A young Christian man from Jerusalem (and a cousin of Barnabas).
3. The story tells us that after being healed Bartimaeus followed Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were on their way out of Jericho to Jerusalem.
4. So it is very possible that Mark and Bartimaeus (and perhaps Timaeus as well) were among the followers of Jesus who were there in Jerusalem during these momentous days of the Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper and the Crucifixion and the Resurrection and the appearances of Jesus for 40 days and the Ascension and Pentecost. And that this is why Mark mentions the name(s), since he (and some of his readers) knew the men personally.
E. Sitting on the roadside: Why? This is the only safe place for a blind person to be in public. They couldn’t stand in the crowd because they couldn’t see where they were stepping and might trip. And they couldn’t sit in the crowd or they’d get tripped over.
F. Lots of noise
1. Bartimaeus heard it.
2. He had to shout to have any hope of being heard by Jesus.
3. Crying out: a blind man is dependent on his voice.
4. He shouted, “Have mercy, Son of David!” when he heard that Jesus was passing by.
5. He knew the prophecy of the messiah in Isaiah 61:1-2, which Jesus quoted in the synagogue (Luke 4:16-19), which say that God sent Him to bring recovery of sight to the blind.
G. Crowds rebuked and tried to silence him. These were people who knew who he was. It wasn’t a large town.
1. Bartimaeus was not just blind, he was unliked, uncared for.
2. Contrast this story with the story of the lame man whose friends brought him to Jesus.
H. He cried out all the more. He couldn’t afford to care about what others thought or said about him.
1. Sometimes the only way to get healed involves becoming an object of ridicule to others.
I. Verse 49 is my favorite part of the story: “Jesus stopped.”
1. In the midst of the noise of a great multitude, over all the shouting and moving and laughing, Jesus heard a desperate voice.
2. It would have been very easy to pass on by and no one would have thought less of Jesus. He can’t help EVERYBODY after all!
3. And Jesus had important things to do. In fact, He was on His way to do the most important thing any man had ever done.
4. And yet when He heard Bartimaeus He stopped the whole parade.
5. What really grips Jesus’ attention? A needy man crying out to Him for help.
6. For Jesus a blind man sitting on the side of the road was a real head-turner. To everyone else he was a nobody. But not to Jesus. A person who knows his/her need, and who knows that Jesus is the only One who can help him: that’s the person who turns Jesus’ head.
J. “Call him.” Jesus asks him what He wants Him to do. He says he wants to be able to see.
K. 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
1. Matt.20:34 “And moved with compassion, Jesus touched [his] eyes and immediately [he] recovered [his] sight”
L. He follows after Jesus, presumably to Jerusalem.
II. Four things this story makes us think about:
A. Remembering the forgotten people
1. The people Jesus notices are often the people others ignore.
2. We saw this a few months ago with the children (Mark 10:13-16).
3. Over and over again people thought that someone was unworthy of Jesus’ attention, and Jesus surprised them by showing special love to these people.
4. Your whole life you will see forgotten people. If you’re like Jesus, you won’t ignore them like everyone else does. You will notice them. You will love them. You will help them. You won’t be one of those who makes fun of them, but one of those who loves them and befriends them.
5. Think about our dear Katie Wellington and the noises she makes when she’s happy.
a. We’re not going to be embarrassed about Katie. Our Savior is the One who showed special regard for people like her. Because I believe Jesus loves Katie as much as He loves the rest of us.
6. In fact, at times I ask myself this question: What if Katie is the most important person in this congregation? Maybe God has blessed us more through Katie than through anyone else.
B. Who Jesus listens to (This might explain why your prayers haven’t been answered.)
1. There were all kinds of people in that big crowd:
a. People who wanted to touch Him.
b. People who wanted to be able to say they saw Him (like Zacchaeus).
c. People who wanted to hear what He had to say.
d. People who wanted to witness a miracle.
2. Jesus couldn’t listen to them all. Out of the many voices, who did He listen to?
a. Every parents sometimes struggles to get his kids’ attention. Sometimes they say: “I didn’t hear you because my friend or my sister was also talking.” or something similar.
(1) And every good parent responds by saying that you have to listen selectively, you have to listen for my voice above all the others.
b. Jesus practices selective listening as well.
3. This story helps us to see who Jesus listens to.
a. He listens to the humble, the needy, the ones who know who they are and who He is.
b. One the important skills of a parent is the skill of NOT giving good things to their children, when those children are being selfish, demanding and ungrateful. Because that’s the way God is. “He despises the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
4. The Bible talks about people who Jesus doesn’t listen to. E.g.:
a. People who ask to be put in a higher place than others (Mark 10:35-45)
b. People who want to experience the thrill of a miracle (Mark 8:11-12)
c. People who ask for their own passions to be fulfilled (James 4:3)
d. People who cherish sin in their hearts (Psalm 66:18 “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”)
e. Husbands who don’t have compassion on their wives (1Pet.3:7)
5. All good parents try to teach their children to be polite.
a. But what they really want is for their children to be humble. Politeness is about not treating others like they’re nothing or like they’re your slaves.
b. E.g. making an appeal as opposed to a demand
6. And so it is with Jesus. He listens to humble cries, not to selfish or arrogant requests.
C. There is an advantage to being blind.
1. Though Bartimaeus was blind, he was more able to see who Jesus was and what He could do than the others who didn’t see their need as clearly.
2. It is the person who is most aware of his need who is most able to see. Often others never cry out for Jesus’ help because their need has not been pressed upon them by some condition or circumstance.
3. Bartimaeus was blessed by being blind; it brought him to Jesus. We should also rejoice in our weaknesses — they help us come to grip with our need. They are blessings through which we might be brought to Jesus.
D. Sometimes there’s something more important than being polite.
1. The story gives us the impression that if Bartimaeus had just sat there quietly hoping Jesus would heal Him, he would never have been healed.
2. If he had waited his turn, so to speak, his turn would never have come.
3. This is not being rude. This is being desperate. This is faith, faith that God cares even for me, faith that God rewards those who seek Him, faith that He is a good God and a God of compassion, faith that He is not only able but willing to heal.
4. You can’t always worry about others think.
5. I mean: Which do you care about more: getting healed or being well-thought-of? Knowing the love of people or knowing the love of God in Christ? If being popular is a stronger desire in your heart, then you don’t yet realize how broken and in need of fixing you are.
6. Cry out to the Lord today, even if it makes you unpopular in the eyes of your friends. You may not get another chance.