Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.14UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.11UNLIKELY
Fear
0.13UNLIKELY
Joy
0.55LIKELY
Sadness
0.57LIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.68LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.53LIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.84LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.54LIKELY
Extraversion
0.09UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.8LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.62LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
One does not want to have a blind person driving a taxi with you as their passenger.
Likewise, one doesn’t want someone who is 4’ 11” playing center for the Boston Celtics.
In each scenario, there is a severe handicap, sightless and shortness, that can lead to death or a major defeat.
When we get into a taxi, we want and expect the driver to be able to see and to be alert to their surroundings.
That way, we will get to our destination safely.
When in the playoffs in the NBA, we feel much more confident if there is a center that is at least 6’ 9” or more playing for the Celtics.
That way, we would have a good chance of being victorious.
Today, we’ll meet two sinners—one who is sightless and the other who has shortness.
Both are handicapped .
Yet, both represent many people in our world today.
We can see how many are so blinded by the teachings of this world’s system or even by their own sense of self-righteousness that they are unable to see what Jesus has to offer them.
We have many people who may have been kept down by everything else that rises above them that they are willing to do whatever they can to try and get a glimpse of Jesus.
And all can rejoice when Jesus says, come.
As we go through our text today, we’ll see that both of these individuals had an understanding of Who Jesus was and that He was the One Who could provide what they were needing so desperately.
Plus, they both, upon hearing that Jesus was nearby, sought Him out.
In addition, both of these men were looked down upon by the culture surrounding them.
So, take your Bibles now and open them to where we’ll begin shortly.
In most police departments, the motto is to Serve and Protect.
Even as we continue to pray for the family of the slain police officer, we understand that all peace officers, or at least the vast majority, have that motto on their mind at all times.
May I suggest that a great motto for the Christian ought to be:
To seek the Lost and Point them to the Savior.
Before we dig into the text, we want to briefly look at the first part of verse 35 and the first part of 19:1.
Jesus is still on His way to Jerusalem where in a few days, He will suffer and die for the sins of humanity.
On the way, Jesus is passing through Jericho.
As we look at the parallel accounts in the other Gospels, there appears to be a disparity.
The other Gospels speak of Jesus leaving Jericho, whereas Luke speaks of Jesus approaching Jericho.
One explanation is that Jesus was leaving old Jericho and was entering into the New Jericho.
The old Jericho had been left in ruins centuries earlier.
This is what is known from the Old Testament when Joshua led the brass battle.
The New Jericho is what is often referred to as the New Testament Jericho.
I do not know that this is why there is a difference; but it does seem to make sense.
However, it doesn’t change the essence of what we’re going to be studying today.
We’ll be looking at two different situations, with some subpoints in each one.
The first situation, I refer to as “From Blind to Believing.”
The second scenario, I refer to as “From Shortness of Stature to a Sanctified Soul.”
From Blind to Believing - 18:35-43
As we look into the first scenario, based upon parallel passages, there were two blind men.
So, from them, we can assume this man is Bartimaeus.
And as we study this more carefully, we will hopefully be reminded that regardless of a person’s physical condition or their socio-economic position, Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost.
In our world, it is easy to overlook or even ignore those who may seem less than desirable physically or those who seemingly have nothing to offer culturally or financially.
However, if our example is to be found in Jesus, we must seek after them and point them to Jesus Who desires to provide salvation.
The Request - 18:35-39
This blind man would have been out there by the road begging on a daily basis.
Blindness was quite common in that area in that time.
The community would look down on them and avoid them, causing them to be forced to beg in order to survive.
One reason might be that it was commonly considered that blindness was because they were being judged by God for some sin.
Yet, today seemed a lot different than usual.
This blind man was hearing a crowd, which would have been unusual.
Except for the fact that a crowd would be heading toward Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover.
Yet, something different was happening.
So, he asked the passersby what was happening.
Even though he was blind, his ears heard the most wonderful answer that ever could have been pronounced: Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
Jesus was different than all the other religious leaders.
Jesus had been doing things that only God could do.
People had been healed from all around.
This blind man, Bartimaeus, knew that this was his golden opportunity for something amazing to happen.
So, in verse 38, he cried out for mercy.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
In fact, Matthew uses a form of a Greek word which literally means to scream.
Bartimaeus also calls Jesus, Son of David.
I believe this is quite significant in that this title refers to Jesus as being an heir to David’s throne, as the Messiah.
I believe that this could be understood as a statement of faith that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
Those in the front of the crowd probably felt that he was making an inappropriate scene and disturbance.
They were doing all they could to silence him, trying to hush him.
It was as if they were in charge of keeping everything orderly.
Of course, this caused him to beg and plead all the more: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
Again, we must understand that salvation or anything from God is dependent upon His grace and mercy.
If it was merely for visual healing, he may have been silenced.
But his eternal soul was at stake, here.
John MacArthur so eloquently states, His heart had seen the light before his eyes did.
What would Jesus do about this blind man?
The Response - 18:40-42
My dear friends, please note that Jesus did what he had always done and will always do.
He deals with the person who cries out to Him seeking mercy.
If you want Jesus to have mercy on you, I can promise you that if you cry out to Him, seeking His mercy, Jesus will forgive your sins, and give you eternal life.
Here, Jesus stopped and gave instructions that this blind man be brought to Him.
Jesus was not ignorant as to the need of this blind man.
Yet, He asked him specifically What do you want Me to do for you?
Imagine that!
The King of the Universe, the Son of God, is offering to do something for this blind man.
This must have been humbling for the blind man.
Nobody had probably ever offered any help to him previously; especially not the religious leaders.
However, he spoke precisely what his desire was: Lord, I want to regain my sight!
The Greek word for Lord comes from kurios, which shows that Bartimaeus knew full well that this is God, the One Who can perform miracles, the sovereign Lord, the One who can bestow grace and mercy.
Then Jesus restores this fellow’s vision.
This confirms once again that Jesus is God.
And he states that your faith has made you well.
This was not as a result of the amount of faith the man had.
In fact, the word for well has nothing to do with the eyesight.
If it did, the Greek word would have been iaomai.
Instead, the Greek word used is sozo.
The is the New Testament word used throughout to refer to someone being saved as in experiencing salvation.
The request was that Jesus would have mercy on this blind man.
The response was that Jesus stopped, listened, and provided healing.
But it didn’t end there.
The Result - 18:43
The vision was immediately and instantaneously and completely restored.
Bartimaeus didn’t just go home, but instead began following Him, glorifying God.
This is further proof that Bartimaeus had experienced salvation.
We also must let the whole world know of the mercy of God.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9