Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus
Notes
Transcript
Opening Illustration
Opening Illustration
On November 30, 1991 fierce winds from a freakish dust storm triggered a massive freeway pileup along Interstate 5 near Coalinga, California.
At least 14 people died and dozens more were injured as topsoil whipped by 50 mile-per-hour winds reduced visibility to zero.
The afternoon holocaust left a three-mile trail of twisted and burning vehicles, some stacked on top of one another 100 yards off the side of the freeway.
Unable to see their way, dozens of motorists drove blindly ahead into disaster.
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Many people today are blindly headed for certain destruction.
However, we have a God who can give sight to the blind and today that is exactly what we will be talking about.
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So, please turn your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke.
We will conduct our study in Chapter 18 and focus on verses 35 through 43.
Our message this morning is titled “Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus.”
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As you are turning to our passage today, please keep in mind this fact:
our passage this Lord’s Day regarding Jesus healing a blind beggar...
And the encounter our Lord has with Zacchaeus, which we will cover next Sunday...
These are the last two reported incidents before Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.
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So, this morning we will cover three main points:
1) The Blind Man
2) The Crying Out
And...
3) The Lord’s Mercy
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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Heavenly Father...
You are so good to us...
You are patient and kind...
You are longsuffering and have steadfast love for us...
We owe You our everything!
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Help us to remain commited to the truth of Your word...
Help us to utilize godly wisdom and decrement...
And help us to serve You more faithfully.
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Thank You for every book of Your precious Word...
Thank You for every detail and every insight packed in the Scriptures...
And thank You for the Bible that can never be fully exhausted by our finite minds.
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And it is in Jesus’ name we pray all these things...
Amen.
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant.
37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him,
41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.”
42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”
43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
So, let’s look at our first point...
1) The Blind Man
1) The Blind Man
Verses 35-37: As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
Beloved, lets start looking at some key historical context...
For example, let’s look at the location of this passage, Jericho.
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Now, the Jericho that is mentioned in our passage is a city that is located about 15 miles Northeast of Jerusalem and about 5 miles from the Jordan River.
This is the only recorded visit of Jesus to Jericho.
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Additionally, it should also be noted the this Jericho is not the ancient city of Old Testament fame...
The city being referred to here is actually the new Jericho and about a mile to the south of the location of the old Jericho.
This new Jericho surrounded a huge palace complex that was first built by the Hasmoneans...
Later on Herod the Great expanded it.
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Now, In Matthew and Mark’s parallel accounts, they say that the healing of the blind men took place as they went out of Jericho, but here in Luke’s account it says that Jesus “drew near to Jericho.”
This is not a contradiction...
What many scholars believe, including myself, is that Matthew and Mark are actually referring to the old Jericho, and Luke is referring to the new Jericho nearby.
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Next, let us look to one of our main characters...
A blind beggar...
We actually get a little more information on this beggar from Mark’s account...
You see, Beloved, our blind beggar went by the name Bartimaeus as recorded in Mark 10:46, which says:
46 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.
As with all those who where blind and without family...
Bartimaeus’s blindness had made him totally destitute...
In fact, his whole life was dependent on the mercy of others.
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But that is not all...
In Matthews account, learn another key detail...
So, look with me at Matthew 20:30, which says:
30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
So, Beloved, there were actually two blind men.
It seems that one of the blind men, Bartimaeus, spoke for both of them.
Therefore, although there were two blind men...
Because Bartimaeus was the spokesman of the two...
He became the sole focus of both Luke’s and Mark’s Gospel accounts.
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Now, we need to keep this in mind...
Since they were unable to work, blind people commonly made their living by begging.
These blind men in our passage where “sitting by the roadside,” which was a good place to beg, for pilgrims heading to Jerusalem would tend to be generous.
As the New International Commentary on the New Testament on Luke says:
“Luke’s spotlight finds this blind beggar.
In terms of power and privilege, such a person would belong to that five or ten percent of the population known as ‘expendables,’ for whom society as a whole had no need.
Forced by his physical malady to live off the charity of others, this man would have had no attachments to possessions or kin;
His existence would have been an embarrassment, marginal to the daily lives of others, and, if not for the premium placed on almsgiving in Jewish circles, short-lived.”
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Now, I want to point something out...
Something Luke as an author was bringing our attention to...
Bartimaeus stood in sharp contrast to another key character we recently encountered in our study on Luke...
The young rich ruler.
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Now, Bartimaeus could not be more different than the young rich ruler that we read about earlier in Luke 18:18-23.
As a reminder, that passage said this:
18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ”
21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
This rich young man seemed like he had everything at first...
But he walked away from Jesus sad, because of his wealth.
And the rich young man ended up with nothing from Jesus for he was revealed to be spiritually poor.
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On the other hand, the poor, begging blind man appeared to have nothing at first...
But this poor beggar ends up with everything due to his saving faith in Christ...
Now the blind man walks away praising God because of the joy of sight and salvation.
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In these two men and their contrasting fates, Luke has summarized much of his teaching at a practical level.
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Who has access to God’s blessing and salvific power?
The one who recognizes the need for God’s mercy.
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Who is rich before God?
The one who follows Jesus by faith for God’s treasure comes through faith.
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So, let’s take a look at the kind of faith that saves...
And that takes us to our second point.
2) The Crying Out
2) The Crying Out
Verses 38-39: And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Let’s begin this next section by noting how calling Jesus “Son of David” is an affirmation that Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as Messiah and King.
You see, Beloved, this indicates more than merely declaring Jesus was a descendant of David.
The title, “Son of David,” describes Christ as the heir to the messianic throne and the one who has the right to fulfill the Davidic covenant.
As you may recall, early in our study in the Gospel of Luke we covered the New Testament genealogies that trace both Joseph’s ancestry line, as found in Matthew 1, and Mary’s ancestry line, as found in Luke 3, back to David.
So, Jesus was a true heir to David’s throne...
That is He has both the legal right to the Davidic throne through His father, Joseph...
And by He has the right to the Davidic throne through the bloodline of descent through His mother.
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As Luke 1:32–33 says:
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Likewise, take a look ath what was recorded in the Old Testament regarding the Son of David in Jeremiah 23:5, which says:
5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
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Although crying out to Christ was a sign of faith...
The people around rebuked Bartimaeus.
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You see, Beloved, given the popularity of Jesus, a socially insignificant blind man is considered an interruption.
So, the group identified as “those who were in front” regarded this blind beggar as outside the perimeters of Jesus’ ministry...
They regarded this blind beggar as marginal to human society...
Simply put, they regarded this blind beggar as so outside the boundaries of God’s grace.
But as we will see, Jesus did not see it that way...
Bartimaeus and the other blind man mattered to Jesus.
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In fact, Jesus commends such persistent faith that stands up to peer pressure.
So, when Luke records that Bartimaeus “cried out all the more” it shows an example of his persevering faith.
Their efforts to muzzle the blind man fail, and he cries out even louder and repeats his request to the Son of David to show him mercy.
Beloved...
It was clear as day...
Peer pressure is a decided failure here!
True and genuine faith won the day!!
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We see that powerful genuine faith in others who where considered outsiders as recorded in Matthew 15:22, which says:
22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”
In fact, we are quickly approaching Jesus’s Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem...
And the crowds will be filled with great religious zeal when they declare Jesus the Son of David as recorded in Matthew 21:9:
9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”
Although, the big difference with the crowd in Jerusalem is that many of those who declare Jesus the Son of David and cry out “Hosanna in the highest!” will be the same people who a few days later cry out “Crucify Him!”
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However, today’s passage is a genuine cry for mercy by someone with genuine faith...
And that takes us to our third and final point.
3) The Lord’s Mercy
3) The Lord’s Mercy
Verses 40-43: And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Again, the parallel accounts provide us with some additional information to consider in our study...
Just look with me at Mark 10:49-50:
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.
So, with Mark’s account here, we encounter a few great takeaways...
First, notice the shift in the crowds attitude...
At first, Bartimaeus was rebuked for crying out to Jesus...
However, when Jesus says “call him,” this statement acted as a rebuke to those trying to silence the beggar.
And they immediately take note of this and start to speak to Bartimaeus and his fellow blind companion with a little more respect and kindness.
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Second, in Bartimaeus’s eager faith, he cast away his beggar’s cloak...
This was likely the only thing he possessed.
So, this was not small detail...
In fact, his act symbolizes genuine faith, which abandons all to follow Christ.
This actually reminds me of A Charlie Brown Christmas.
In one of the most classic scenes Linus takes the stage to respond to Charlie Brown’s question:
“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”
And he boldly explains what Christmas is really all about; Jesus!
Linus says:
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men…
That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
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This was a beautiful response to a significant question...
And the part I love most is Linus’ moving act of dropping his security blanket the moment he quotes the angels saying “Fear not.”
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Whatever we are holding on to...
We need to drop it and run to Christ!
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Then, Jesus asks the obvious question...
“What do you want me to do for you?”
The reason for this question is to give the blind man the opportunity to express his trust in Jesus...
And he does!
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Bartimaeus replies back, “Lord, let me recover my sight.”
Given his earlier address to Jesus as “Son of David,” we should understand “Lord” here to imply more than simply “Sir.”
As the Pillar New Testament Commentary on Luke says:
“Jesus has invited him to declare his heart, and he does so in trust that the one to whom he speaks has the power to grant his request.
He asks not for wealth, power, success, or greatness, not for the extraordinary but for the ordinary, for the restoration of the created order, which is the objective of all redemption.
In restoring sight, Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 61:1, which he cited in his inaugural sermon in Nazareth, ‘to give sight to the blind.’”
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Now, the phrase “receive your sight” in the original language is literally “see.”
So, it took but a single word for the Lord to work this miracle.
And both blind men where healed...
As Matthew 20:33-34 records:
33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
So, we must keep this fact in mind...
In the face of rejection by His own people...
And in the face of impending betrayal as He enters Jerusalem...
Jesus continues to show compassion for those in great need.
And the healing Jesus provides these men where not just physical...
He healed them spiritually, too!
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Beloved, we have such a compassionate God!
He hears our cries...
He knows our pains and struggles...
As 2 Chronicles 6:18–19 says:
18 “But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!
19 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you,
Likewise, let us also keep in mind Psalm 103:13, which says:
13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
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You see, Beloved, the phrase “made you well” literally means “saved you.”
So, again, the blind men where healed both physically and spiritually.
Additionally, we know that more than physical healing takes place, as indicated by the the beggars deciding to follow Jesus in discipleship...
And they give God all the glory!
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So, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence...
Or as Hebrews 4:16 puts it:
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
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Whosoever, like these blind beggars, Bartimaeus and his companion...
Whosoever, in consciousness of his own misery...
And whosoever believes in Jesus with genuine faith...
And whosoever cries to Him whole-heartedly...
They will just as assuredly be healed of spiritual blindness through His word of power!
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So, today’s passage calls for self-examination, Beloved.
Those who express interest in Christ are either among the curious crowd, whose praise is shallow, superficial, and ultimately false...
Or they are like the two blind men, whose desperation led them to abandon everything to come to Christ for salvation.
These two blind men who give evidence of that salvation by following Christ obediently and glorifying Him.
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So, today is the day to follow the Lord...
If you cry out to Him for spiritual healing...
He will make you well...
He will make you brand-new...
He will give you spiritual eyes and remove the scales over your eyes that are putting you in spiritual blindness.
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
So, as this message comes to a close...
I would like you to consider this:
D.L. Moody, the famed evangelist, told this story at one of his meetings:
One evening just before Christmas, a man was walking through the streets of an Eastern city.
The store windows were all beautifully decorated, and he observed three little girls intensely interested in one of them.
He discovered that the girl in the center was blind, and the others were trying to describe the beautiful things in the window.
“Why,” they said, “can’t you see that Teddy bear and that doll?
Just look at that pretty pink bow!”
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But the poor little girl stood with a blank expression on her face and could not appreciate the beautiful things before her.
“Now,” said Moody, “this is an illustration of the effort we Christians are making to arouse the unconverted to an interest and delight in spiritual things.
The reason we can’t do so is because the sinner is spiritually blind.”
Moody had scarcely concluded when a reporter was on the platform asking him where he had heard that story.
“Oh,” said Moody, “I read it in one of those daily papers.
I have forgotten which one.”
Then the reporter said, “I’m the one who wrote the story because I was there and saw the whole thing.
I see now that I’m just like that little girl, spiritually blind.”
That man was converted then and there.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray...
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Heavenly Father...
If anyone hearing this message right now does not know You in a saving way:
Then I beg you to open their spiritual eyes like You opened the eyes of those blind men...
And give them eyes to see Your precious truth.
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I appeal to Your Name’s sake!
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For those hearing this message who already know You:
Remind us that at one time we where like Bartimaeus and his companion but then the Lord had mercy on us...
And it had nothing to due with our merit and all to do with His mercy and grace.
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Again, I appeal to Your Name’s sake!
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It is in Jesus’ name we pray all these things...
To God be all the glory.
Amen.
