The Eyes Of Faith
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It has been said that when a person loses one of their senses, the other senses adapt to that loss and are strengthened. The brain actually adapts to the loss by giving itself a makeover. If one sense is lost, the areas of the brain normally devoted to handling that sensory information do not go unused — they get rewired and put to work processing other senses. Blind people may hear better; the deaf can have a type of enhanced vision. Today I want us to look at a man who was physically blind but had 20/20 vision in faith. Let’s look at “The Eyes Of Faith” through Blind Bartimaeus.
Text; Mark 10:46-52
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Jesus is 15 miles from Jerusalem, and a large crowd has gathered with Him as they head to the Passover Feast. This road through Jericho is a main road traveled by thousands, so those who were in need [lame, blind, begging alms] knew this road would give them a better chance to receive alms to make a living, especially from religious people who were more sensitive to the needs of the helpless. Bartimaeus was one of them.
1. Bartimaeus the Beggar; 46
1. Bartimaeus the Beggar; 46
Because of his physical condition Bartimaeus didn’t have a job in order to earn a living. In that day, there were no welfare programs or charitable institutions who would help him. There was no social security or other government programs to which he could turn. Bartimaeus was totally dependent upon the generosity of others in order to survive. His was in a pitiful and wretched condition!
Blindness was a common condition in Bible times, because of various diseases with little or no medical help and poor sanitary conditions.
Spiritual Blindness is a common condition among men today. Men are blind to their lost condition, their sin and their impending doom in a devil’s hell!
3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;
Physical blindness of Bartimaeus is something that they often didn’t have any recourse against. But the spiritual blindness of man has no excuse!
2. Bartimaeus the Blind Man; 47-48
2. Bartimaeus the Blind Man; 47-48
Though Bartimaeus couldn’t see, his hearing was impeccable. He heard that Jesus of Nazareth was on his way going to Jerusalem.
His hearing was more than just listening to the crowd that was talking as they passed by him, his hearing was from the stories he had heard about Jesus. He must have heard about the lepers, the lame, the demon possessed, even the dead that Jesus had touched and made whole again.
He cried out believing that Jesus could make a change in his life and circumstances.
Jesus, Son of David- this term confirmed that the Messiah is David’s descendant as told in [2 Sam. 7:8-16]. Bartimaeus’ using that title indicated that despite his physical blindness he believed Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s Messiah, whereas most Jews were blind to this.
Mercy- extend grace, favor, compassion for my needs.
Here’s an interesting fact. There are no blind people who are healed in the OT that we see in scripture. According to Jewish theology, blindness was God’s curse due to a persons sin.
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Bartimaeus’ cry was the cry of his heart. He knew he did not deserve anything. In asking for mercy, he acknowledged that he was a sinner that needed God’s grace. His mind saw the light before his eyes ever did.
A man must see his need for salvation before he can receive it. A man must come to the realization he is lost before he can ever be saved! If one never believes he’s spiritually blind, he has no reason to be saved!
44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Bartimaeus, though blind, was not ashamed to cry out to Jesus, even when those who heard him holler tried to quiet him, he got louder! Bartimaeus knew his need and the only One who could meet that need. He was not going to let his opportunity pass him by regardless of what people thought of him or how they treated him.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
There is no such thing as a secret service christian! When your spiritual eyes are opened, you won’t be ashamed of the One who opened them!
3. Bartimaeus the Believer; 49-51
3. Bartimaeus the Believer; 49-51
Jesus is never too busy not to stop and meet the needs of the helpless, especially those who are willing to believe. Jesus here shows the disciples what it means to be a servant to all.
“What do you want Me to do for you?”. This is the same question Jesus has just asked James and John. They asked for the best seats in the kingdom. Bartimaeus, has a much more humble request: “I want to see!”
James Edwards says it well: “The Sons of Thunder asked for extraordinary glory, Bartimaeus asked only for ordinary health”.
Jesus reached out to the blind beggar, the outcast of society and heard his cry, because he believed. Jesus hears our cry as well as long as we believe!
6 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth.
2 Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Rabboni- My Master and Lord. Bartimaeus surrendered himself into the hands of Jesus.
That’s what faith is. Faith is surrendering yourself to the hands of Jesus knowing that He wants to meet our needs.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
4. Eyes of Faith; 52
4. Eyes of Faith; 52
Jesus said that, “your faith has made you well.”
Grace is the divine hand that extends healing. Faith is the human hand that reaches out and receives it. Faith is not a leap in the dark but a focus on the Light. Bartimaeus did not have empty faith. Bartimaeus directed his faith to the only One who could heal, the only One who could save, Jesus.
Well- Greek word sozo [make well] is used instead of iaomai [to heal]. Sozo is often in the NT referring to salvation. So Jesus was saying, “Go your way, your faith has saved you.”
21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Immediately he received sight. Bartimaeus recieved physical as well as spiritual sight immediately. The moment one believes by faith he receives spiritual sight, salvation in the LORD.
Jesus told him to “go your way”, his way became the way of the Lord. The restoring of sight led to discipleship. And just like Bartimaeus, we should become disciples and follow HIm.
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Close;
Bartimaeus was a poor blind beggar when on that one day in his life Jesus stopped to meet his need. Nothing has changed in the past two thousand years. Jesus still stops for anyone who calls on His name. And like poor, blind Bartimaeus, no one is ever disappointed in what Jesus does.
Do you have Eyes of Faith this morning?
Do you have 20/20 Spiritual Vision?
I once was blind but now I see!