Blind Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52

Tonight, we are looking at some unlikely friendships:

Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart have been friends for years. The swanky rapper from the hood and the hoity-toity celebrity chef even host a cooking show together. They first met when Snoop was a guest on Martha's daytime show, Martha, and met again a few years later at a Comedy Central roast of singer Justin Bieber.

[33] For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ [34] The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ [35] Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” (ESV)

-Our great Savior has a great mercy in our great suffering

I. Jesus Encounters a Blind Man v. 46

In our passage this evening, Jesus continues on His way to Jerusalem and takes a small side trip through Jericho.

As He leaves the town and goes back to the road, His path intersects with a man named Bartimaeus

The contrast is powerful: Jesus is present with His closest disciples and a great crowd of followers

Bartimaeus is outside of town, sitting along the roadside

Think about Bartimaeus’s situation:

He is outcast

He is handicapped

He is impoverished

He is a man in serious need of mercy; He needs someone to help.

What will Bartimaeus find when Jesus passes by?

Is Jesus going to be interested in His disciples?

Is Jesus going to be interested in the following crowd?

Or, is Jesus going to give His attention to a man who offers nothing at all?

The story is told of General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, and the day Queen Victoria of England asked to meet with him. Because she had heard so many favorable things about his work in the slums, she asked him for the secret of his success. “Your Majesty,” he replied, “Some men have a passion for money. Some people have a passion for things. I have a passion for people.”

II. Jesus Hears His Prayer vv. 47-49

Bartimaeus is a great example to us. He cries out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Three things are noteworthy:

Bartimaeus understands who Jesus of Nazareth is. He is the “Son of David” the promised Messiah, God’s anointed servant

Bartimaeus understands his own need. He needs Jesus to show him mercy

Bartimaeus is not silent; he persists in his prayer even when others are embarrassed or frustrated by him

Likewise, I think we should be amazed by Jesus’s response:

He hears Bartimaeus and invites him into his presence

What do you do when Jesus responds?

Take heart- be encouraged

Get up- be ready

Go to Him- be moving

Dr. J.B. Gambrel tells an amusing story from General Stonewall Jackson's famous valley campaign. Jackson's army found itself on one side of a river when it needed to be on the other side. After telling his engineers to plan and build a bridge so the army could cross, he called his wagon master in to tell him that it was urgent the wagon train cross the river as soon as possible. The wagon master started gathering all the logs, rocks and fence rails he could find and built a bridge. Long before day light General Jackson was told by his wagon master all the wagons and artillery had crossed the river. General Jackson asked where are the engineers and what are they doing? The wagon master's only reply was that they were in their tent drawing up plans for a bridge.

III. Jesus Shows Him Mercy vv. 50-52

How will the blind man respond to Jesus calling?

He responds with force, springing up and immediately going to Jesus

He responds with honesty, recognizing his own need

He responds with faith, believing that Jesus is able to heal him

In light of all of this, Jesus shows him mercy through healing

Jesus does not need the man’s faith to bring healing

However, it appears that He honors the faith with healing

Jesus receives the man’s faith and rewards it with a blessing

Among those in the court of Alexander the Great was a philosopher of outstanding ability but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, he was refused--the treasurer needing to verify that such a large sum was authorized. When he asked Alexander, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a singular honor. By the largeness of his request he shows that he has understood both my wealth and generosity."