1stBBC
Blind Bartimaeus
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
Blind and poor; possessing nothing and unable to change anything.
Living only on what could be provided to him people.
One day he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth passing by, he began to cry out, Son of David, have mercy on me.
On that special day he heard these words:
1. be of good comfort
He definitely heard the good news about what was going on in the land.
One man born blind was healed.
Joh 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
Other two blind men were healed too.
Mat 9:31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
Mat 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.
Although they tried to stop him, he continued with the same cry: Son of David, have mercy on me.
He was not ready to waste the chance.
He cried out of his desperate need.
He cried for his only hope.
Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
2. rise
He was commanded to rise and that’s why he was able to do it. We need His moves so that we can move.
Jesus cry calling for him was more important than his own cry.
Mar 10:50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
The garment should be cast. The old life should be dropped for a new one.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Isa 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
When you are called by Jesus, one thing for sure you have to do, is to cast your garment.
3. he calleth thee
It is a privilege and not a burden.
Psa 146:5-8 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners: The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
He calls you to see the light.
He asked him, what do you want me to do for you?
He didn’t ask for pity, he didn’t start to complain, he just wanted to see … to see Jesus. Not the trees, the sky and the sun, not just his friends because simply after he was healed he followed Him.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 11:9-10 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
The blind are all those who still follow the world and those truly healed will follow Jesus only.
What’s happening in the world now?
Luk 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Faith is not the Bartimaeus cry only, Faith is a complete story.
Faith was demonstrated by the divine visit, desperate cry, effectual call and perseverance.
Mathew in chapter 20 of his gospel mentions another blind man accompanying Bartimaeus, another story of faith that we don’t know the details of.
God tells us all that we need to know and not all what their is to know.
Only Mark tells us his name was Bartimaeus that means “the son of honor”. This explains why this story was mentioned directly after the request from John and James mother to be granted a special kind of honor. The same question was raised for both, however Batimaeus received that great honor becoming a follower of Jesus.
Pastor Tony Skaff
2006
