Urgency pt11

This is the last healing that occurs in the Gospel of Mark. Throughout this book, Jesus has been healing and restoring and making all things new. He has been preaching the arrival of the Kingdom and preparing His disciples for what is coming. And what is coming is His death. For them. But as He departs for Jerusalem, there is one last moment where He will put His power and mercy on display. On the road out of Jericho.

(Read Mark 10:46-47)

Over and over again Mark mentions the crowds. They are with Jesus no matter where He goes in this Gospel. And this moment is no different. They are pressing near Him and hanging on every word. And in this case, they reveal something to someone who otherwise would never know that Jesus is near. Bartimaeus.

The Gospel according to Mark A Model Disciple (10:46–52)

Bartimaeus is, in fact, the only person healed in the Synoptic Gospels whose name is given

To be blind in the first century was devastating. You were a beggar. A drag on your family. There was no hope to see again, short of a miracle. And Bartimaeus wasn’t exactly set up to go and seek a miracle. He was blind. So he sat and begged, until this day, the miracle drew near to him.

And his response is immediate. A desperate cry for the one things he needs- mercy.

In this case, the word used for mercy is E-lee-O- it literally means, have pity on me. And of course Bartimaeus is worthy of pity. He is a blind man in the world of the sighted. He has no hope except for a miracle. And he isn’t asking for one right now. He just wants to be noticed.

Some of you are in that position this morning. You are just hoping and praying that God would notice you. To take pity on you. You are not even sure what that would look like, but you know that going unnoticed by God when He seems to be so near would be devastating.

Let me ask you this morning, do you think God sees you?

(Read v48-49)

There are generally two reactions to someone who is desperate for God. Some would tell you to be quiet.

These people fall into one of a few categories:

Some are religious people. They think they have cornered the market on God and to be worthy of His attention, you have to be like them.

Some are also looking for God’s attention and think if He pays you some attention then it is to their detriment.

Some do not believe. They are convinced you are wasting your time and your desire for God bothers them…and sometimes it is because it reveals a hole that is in their own life that they want to deny.

No matter the reason, the crowd tells Bartimaeus to hush. And he will not be denied.

The second reaction is that of Jesus and His followers- they will tell you that He hears you!

And his persistence pays off! Jesus stops. Jesus calls Him. And Jesus waits for him.

The Gospel according to Saint Mark 16 A Blind Man Sees the Way (10:46–52)

The blind man sees something at least of the truth which the crowd is unable to see. His persistence is rewarded by Jesus’ response to his need.

The Gospel according to Mark A Model Disciple (10:46–52)

“Jesus stopped.…” On those words hangs the fate of Bartimaeus. The original Greek reads, “And Jesus stood (still).” How remarkable that the Son of Man allows the cries of a poor and powerless person to stop him in his tracks. He stands for Bartimaeus as he will later stand for Stephen

You need to be assured of something, if you are crying out for Jesus He is going to call you to Him- because that desire for Him was initiated by His presence- just like Bartimaeus didn’t know how close Jesus was until He was there- you don’t know how close Jesus is until He reveals Himself (Gospel presentation here)

(Read v50-52)

But when Jesus calls you, what are you going to do? Are you going to place your faith fully in Him, or are you going to try and drag along security from your old life.

Bartimaeus makes his choice- v50- he tosses his cloak- (significance of the cloak- the expression of full dependence)

The Gospel according to Saint Mark 16 A Blind Man Sees the Way (10:46–52)

A beggar’s cloak was commonly spread out on the ground to receive alms, so that we are perhaps to think of Bartimaeus pushing it aside in his eagerness rather than taking it off. Like others who are called by Jesus, he abandons everything he has

The best part of this story is Jesus’ question. What do you want from me?

Does Jesus not know? Of course He knows! But when we are coming to Jesus, He wants us to have an understanding of our need as full as His! And He wants us to know He sees us as a person and not a problem to be solved. You are God’s creation, not an issue or sin.

The Gospel according to Mark A Model Disciple (10:46–52)

What do you want me to do for you?’ ” asks Jesus. This is the same question he asked of the sons of Zebedee (v. 36), but Bartimaeus responds differently; whereas the Sons of Thunder asked for extraordinary glory, Bartimaeus asks only for ordinary health. Surely Bartimaeus’s need should be obvious to Jesus. The most practical response would be for Jesus to heal him and be on his way. But for Jesus, Bartimaeus is not a problem to be dealt with. Jesus will not do something to him, but something with him. He responds to the blind man not as an “It” but as a “Thou,” to use the language of Buber, by asking him a question, thus allowing him to express himself as a person rather than apologizing for himself as a social problem or victim.

Some of us this morning, are beating around the bush with Jesus. We are not stepping up boldly and tossing our cloaks and admitting our dependence. We are playing games with God.

God is not interested in your games. He is interested in your life. He wants you to rely fully on Him so He can make much of your life! He wants to change your life in ways you never even dreamed!

The Gospel according to Mark A Model Disciple (10:46–52)

Jesus has transformed Bartimaeus from a beggar beside the road (v. 46) to a disciple on the road (v. 52). Faith that does not lead to discipleship is not saving faith. Whoever asks of Jesus must be willing to follow Jesus … even on the uphill road to the cross.

And He wants to do it immediately!

With what kind of urgency are you approaching Jesus this morning?