Bartimaeus

This sermon was preached on 20/9/2009.

Bartimaeus
(Mark 10:46-52)

This incident took place towards the end of Jesus’ life on earth. He was on his way to Jerusalem and during the following week he would be arrested, tried, condemned to death and crucified. On this stage of his journey he was accompanied by a great crowd of people, most of whom would have been going to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, one of the annual feasts of Israel, which celebrated an important historical event, the Exodus from Egypt when their national life began centuries before.

We can ask a fairly obvious question to begin with: why give this amount of detail about an individual most people would not have met and about whom we know nothing else? After all, it would have been accurate merely to say that Jesus, in his ministry, gave sight to the blind. Two answers can be given to this question.

First, the account is a reminder that God is interested in all kinds of people – his love is not limited to the self-sufficient and prominent but also extends to those who are not great as far as this world is concerned. This reality should be a great comfort to us because that latter category is the one to which we belong. Not many people may pay attention to us, but how encouraging it is to know that God cares for us.

The second answer is that such accounts are also pictures of something greater than the individual’s place in society. This is the main reason for the inclusion of the story of what happened to Bartimeaus. Many of the details depict aspects of the experience of personal salvation and it is possible for us to take those details and use them as illustrations of how to find salvation. We will consider several of those details in the sermon, but in order to show that they depict aspects of spiritual life we can look at how even the city of Jericho is a picture of spiritual realities.

In order to appreciate this point we need to know some of the historical details of Jericho. It is regarded as one of the oldest cities in the world and extensive ruins of several different periods can be seen even today. The modern city is a short distance away from these old ruins. In the Bible, Jericho is mentioned as the first city conquered by the Israelites when they entered Canaan. God had placed his curse on the city and required that it be razed to the ground. In Joshua 6:26 we are told that ‘Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”’ It is hard to believe that this threatened curse was actually fulfilled, but it was because of one man’s sinful folly. 1 Kings 16:34 says this: ‘In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.’

So Jericho was a city under the curse of God. Nevertheless Jesus paid a visit to it and during his time there brought spiritual blessing to Bartimaeus, to another beggar (Matt. 20:30), and to Zacchaeus (Luke 19:2ff.). This city depicts the world to which Jesus came in order to find sinners. The world is under the curse of God because of its rebellion, but that did not prevent the Saviour coming on a mission of mercy to the very place that epitomised rebellion against God. Mark expects us to note that divine blessings were given freely in the location where God’s enemies once displayed their opposition to him.

The time of Jesus’ visit
To many people, the presence of a crowd making their way to Jerusalem at Passover time would not have been unusual. Jericho was on the main road to Jerusalem and it must have been a common sight to see groups of various sizes making their way to the city. Yet there are two details of this particular visit that we should note.

First, Jesus was on a journey during which he was going to display the fullness of his love. We know that a few days after his arrival in Jerusalem he would be executed on the cross. The journey that he was making at Passover time was going to involve him as the fulfilment of what that Passover lamb had pointed to down through the many centuries in which the feast had been held. Jesus was going to show the greatness of his love by taking the place of sinners under the judgement of God. On the cross Jesus was going to pay the penalty for sin, endure God’s anger against that sin, and die as a substitute for sinners. Each step he took on the road to Jericho and from Jericho was a step of love. This is the journey that he was on when he met Bartimaeus.

Second, it was the last time that Jesus would ever pass through Jericho. We have no idea how often Bartimaeus had sat beside that roadside; for all we know, it may have been his first time (perhaps he had sat elsewhere begging), or he could have sat there countless days. It does not matter how often he had been there, but it does matter that it was the last time that Jesus would have passed through the city. This was Bartimaeus’ only chance of experiencing the grace of Jesus.

We can briefly address both these points to ourselves. Regarding the first, it is true that Jesus journeys no more to Calvary. Yet there is the real sense that every journey he now makes is a journey from Calvary. Just as the cross was the goal of all his steps before he was crucified, so the cross is the starting-point of all the journeys he has made since then. It was from the cross that he made the journey on that first day of the week when he encountered, as risen from the dead, the women who were on their way to take care of his corpse. It was having been on the cross that he met Saul of Tarsus and all the other sinners he saved during the period of the early church. Just as we can define the Saviour’s footsteps before he died as taking him to the cross, so we can define the journeys he has made since his resurrection as coming from the cross. The Jesus that draws near to us here displays all the evidences that indicate he has been to the cross. In his glorified body are the many wounds of the crucifixion. This is the only Jesus that exists. There is no Jesus who is merely a great teacher or merely a wonderful miracle worker. The only Jesus that exists is the Saviour who has been to the cross and then journeyed from it into the lives of countless millions.

Similarly to what happened to Bartimaeus, this service may be the last time that Jesus will come into your presence with the offer of mercy. In a sense, it does not matter if this is your first time listening to the gospel or whether you have heard it on hundreds of occasions. What does matter is whether or not it is the last time when you will hear the good news of mercy. Many a person sat in this building in the past and eventually their last occasion of hearing the gospel came. Our common sense tells us that previous generations all came to this point of hearing the gospel for the last time. Very few of them knew that it was the last time they would hear the message of mercy. Therefore Bartimaeus has something to say to us: ‘I took my opportunity to ask Jesus for help on the last visit he paid to Jericho. You should listen to him as if this occasion was your last time.’

The faith of Bartimaeus
When he heard that the Saviour was passing by, Bartimaeus cried out for help and persisted in doing so, even although the crowd urged him to stop making a noise. His response tells us several important details about the nature of faith.

First, faith is aware of the greatness of Jesus. Bartimaeus addressed him as the ‘Son of David’, which was a title confessing that Jesus is God’s appointed King. In what way blind Bartimaeus could have learned this knowledge we cannot say. What is important is that he used his knowledge to attract the attention of Jesus. All of us have sufficient knowledge about Jesus that we can call on him correctly, giving to him his place as the Lord of all. After all, it is those who call upon the name of the Lord who shall be saved. Faith includes as part of its content the realisation that Jesus is great, indeed the supreme person in the universe.

Second, faith is aware of the grace of Jesus. We can see this in the case of Bartimaeus when he asked Jesus for mercy. In theory, the beggar could have appealed to several other abilities of Jesus. For example, he could have said to Jesus, ‘Lord, I know that you have the ability to make a universe. Please give me my sight.’ I think that is an expression of faith, but by itself it is not saving faith. Similarly the beggar could have appealed to the wisdom of Jesus or to the praise that others would give to Jesus if he performed such a miracle. But the beggar’s faith had a different focus which went straight to the mercy of Jesus. It is a great lesson to learn when we realise that the attribute to which faith appeals is the mercy of God.

This is what Jesus instructed we should do in his parable of the tax-collector and the Pharisee. It is what Saul of Tarsus lays hold on: ‘though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief’ (1 Tim. 1:13). We can ask Paul what the outcome was, and he replies in verse 14: ‘and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.’ What wonderful blessings for a man who asked for mercy! But Paul has more to say: ‘The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life’ (vv. 15-16). It is not surprising that the apostle bursts into praise of the God of mercy: ‘To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.’

I think some of us try and look elsewhere than mercy when we are asking God for help. It is true that all of God is for us once he begins to help us. Yet we have to learn which attribute is the door into the heavenly storehouse. The attribute that fulfils this function is that of mercy. When we appeal to it, it reveals that we realise that we don’t deserve grace, that we are under just condemnation, that we can only appeal to the marvellous mercy of the compassionate God. We should take our place beside Bartimaeus, and if we do we will experience what the beggar discovered – Jesus will help us.

Third, faith grasps the genuineness of Jesus. When a person makes a claim about himself, others can test its authenticity by observing what he does. If a person claims to be a dentist, we expect him to deal with teeth. If he claims to be a counsellor we expect him to give advice. Jesus claimed to be the Saviour. How would onlookers know that he was genuine? They would know so when they observed him listening to those in need. Bartimaeus live in a world where no-one had time for him. This attitude is even seen in the crowd who are following Jesus on this journey – they had no time for the beggar. Thankfully Bartimaeus ignored the crowd and focused on Jesus. He took Jesus according to his claims and expected him to have time for those in need. And the beggar was not disappointed. Jesus stopped doing what he was doing and gave his full attention to what the blind beggar had to say. This is a reminder that Jesus always has time for those who seek him. Perhaps his followers, like the crowd here, can give the impression that they are too busy, and if we do so, then we should review ourselves. But even if we do, the fact is that Jesus has time for all who ask him for help, which is a great encouragement.

Fourth, faith experiences a response from Jesus. Bartimaeus responded to the invitation and rushed to Jesus. Mark informs us that the beggar threw away his garment – I assume it was a coat he wore to keep himself warm at night. Why did he throw it away? Some suggest that he was doing what Jesus had told his disciples – give up all that he had and start to follow Jesus. I suspect he realised that he would not need it any more. Perhaps it was not in good condition.

What is more important is the interaction between Jesus and the beggar. It may seem strange that Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted. But then until now, the beggar has not been specific in his request. Jesus led him gently to say what he wanted. It is the same with those who seek him today. When they draw near to Jesus by faith he wants them to be specific in their requests. Bartimaeus asked for his sight to be restored and his request was granted. Similarly those drawing near to Jesus should ask him to give spiritual vision that would enable them to see what they should do. If they ask, Jesus will give it to them.

The new direction
On that day Bartimaeus began a new journey. He was given the sight he needed (a picture of the divine enlightenment that is given by Jesus to those who make their way along the paths of righteousness. The beggar became a companion of the King and went with him on his triumphant entry into the city (Mark 11:1-11).

But that was only the start of his new journey. He became a disciple of Christ, served him throughout life, and eventually made his way to the heavenly kingdom. Bartimaeus, who made use of his one opportunity two thousand years ago, has spent the last two thousand years in heaven. Will it be said of you in two thousand years’ time that you made proper use of the opportunity you were given to meet with Jesus Christ? The only way to do so is to appeal to him for mercy.