An Insistent Beggar. Mark 10:46-52.
And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 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!”And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”And Jesus said to him, go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
Dear Holy Nation,
Jesus is moving quite steadily towards Jerusalem. He basically passes through Jericho and does not stop there. But as he is leaving, he encounters Bartimaeus.
Plea (v. 46-47). The fame of Jesus had spread all over Israel by this time. Bartimaeus addresses Jesus as the Son of David. This was a declaration that Jesus was the rightful heir to the throne of David. At a time when messianic hopes were high, this was a statement that would have provoked attention. So Bartimaeus is asking for mercy from the one he considers the anointed one of Israel.
Persistence (v. 48). One person’s need is often another’s bother. Some people find Bartimaeus an irritant and tell him as much. But he will not be dissuaded. He cries out even louder. Some people give up when the public mood is against them. But faith requires no popular vote. You may be the only one who believes, believe on and shout it if you must.
Preference (v. 49-51). What is a bother to men may be the focus for God. No one, however destitute and insignificant to men, is unimportant to God. Jesus stops and focuses all his attention on Bartimaeus. When Jesus asks what he desires, it is not because he needs the information. He is prompting Bartimaeus to state his request and so proclaim his faith. It is important to declare what we desire. When God does it for us, it will be obvious that he is the one who did it.
Proclamation (v. 52). Jesus makes what sounds like a simple statement but one that is very significant: Bartimaeus’ faith has made him well. Faith is the key that unlocks the blessing of God. Often, people miss that blessing because they fail to exercise faith. Despite opposition, Bartimaeus kept calling out to Jesus. He knew both the ability and willingness of Jesus to help him. Even though Jesus told Bartimaeus to go his way, he followed Jesus instead. Can you picture the excitement? What is it that you want God to do for you? Are you ashamed to speak out and say it?
Your Loving Pastor Chris.