Believing Is Seeing

Mark 10:46–52 (NRSV)

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

The blind beggar Bartimaeus could have used some of this wearable tech before he encountered Jesus, but Mark reveals two things: (1)that this blind man could actually see more clearly than Jesus’ own disciples where it counted: in the real vision of discipleship and (2) what Jesus offers maybe without cost but priceless.

Jesus and his disciples were passing through Jericho getting ready to make the 15-mile trek from there up to Jerusalem, where the cross awaited. Jesus had warned his disciples three times that he was going to Jerusalem to die, but each time they failed to understand what he was talking about.

As they were leaving Jericho with a large crowd, blind Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside. We don’t know how long he had been there or how he had lost his sight.

Blind Bart heard that it was Jesus. He wanted to see the man for himself.

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Sometimes well-meaning people can stifle earnest efforts.

Some well-meaning folks who are blind themselves will unknowingly keep others in darkness when the Truth is within reach.

Blind beggars are among the least in the ancient world and today. Often overlooked or granted a peripheral glance. Sometimes ignored when they call out.

There are times when we must dash the rules and rulers to get the attention we need.

What if more people were as relentless in seeking Christ?

but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

This account of blind Bartimaeus is not only about physical blindness. He has a yearning to see what Jesus can do!

He has undoubtedly heard that Jesus heals but there is much more in his language.

The people may have thought he was a nuisance or deserving of his physical blindness.

They may also have been challenged by his calling Jesus ‘Son of David’. Blind Bartimaeus may not have sight but has some insight to which others are blind.

Confidently calling Jesus, Son of David, Bartimaeus identifies Jesus of Nazareth as Israel’s Messiah from his heart, when others were still blind in their unbelief.

Bartimaeus’s faith is not about reciting the correct confession or affirmation of faith. It is not about annual festivals or knowing doctrine. It is his unrelenting conviction that Jesus can and will meet his particular need. We see this active faith in what Bartimaeus does:

Amid the movement of many people, he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth and called out, “Jesus, Sone of David, have mercy on me.”

Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.”

Now those who might have unknowingly hindered Jesus’ liberating ministry are commanded to assist in bringing the one they ostracized and marginalized to the center.

Who among the sighted are blind to their treatment of the differently abled?

Who among the followers of Christ has hushed the cries of the needy, told them to wait, passed judgment of someone deserving their plight or being undeserving of the attention of Christ?

Believing creates a necessary context/situation wherein seeing is possible.

Believing clears space for seeing.

The song from this morning:

Cast each false idol from the throne,

for Christ is Lord, and Christ alone.

Bartimaeus cast off his cloak, sprang up and came to Christ.

As Bartimaeus casts his cloak aside, he casts off the weight and works of the world. It’s as if he casts off his conditions confident in Jesus’ ability.

This man who was dead set to beg by the roadside, springs up with resurrected hope.

Cast away what he had been holding on to...

What do we need to cast away as we rise to walk with Chrsit

How does a physically blind person w/o eyes relate to this text?

Bartimaeus demonstrates that it takes more than eyes to see.

the reality of this world

the veiled truth of policy that looks good on paper, sounds good as rhetoric, but fails in practice.

the voices of those sitting by the roadside; pressed to the margins because they don’t make a good commercial impression

those sitting resolute that the world will keep passing them by

resolute that their dreams are finished; they are dead to the world on the move—silenced and invisible

They may be ostracized and marginalized but still listening

Some have heard of this Jesus who helps and heals, who brings life, in whom rests their mustard seed of hope.

In this text, it is the sighted who are blind.

It is the disciples who are not following. They are physically present but spiritually blind.

It is the disciples who do not understand. They see what happens in the presence of Christ but

Jesus stands still