Mark 10:46-52  “Open Hands… Committed Hearts”

INTRODUCTION

The World Health Organization reports that there are about 45 million blind people in the world today and about 135 million more who are visually impaired.  There are many children in the developing world afflicted with preventable blindness.  Physical blindness presents many challenges today, but it was worse in the first century when Bartimaeus lived.  Today a blind person with adaptive training can live a productive life. We bear witness to this in our own congregation as we are blessed many Sunday mornings with Otis’ phenomenal playing.  Some of the most skilled and creative people in our society are blind.  But in Jesus’ time, a person who was blind almost always lived in abject poverty.  They made their living by begging, dependent on the generosity of others.  There was no hope for a cure, no schools for the blind, and, as far as we know, no seeing-eye dogs.

 BARTIMAEUS

When Jesus began his ministry with the reading of the prophet Isaiah in Nazareth’s synagogue, he announced that he had come to bring “good news to the poor and sight to the blind.” The writer of today’s gospel reading places the healing of Bartimaeus just before Jesus enters Jerusalem for the last time.  Prior to this passage, we find several teachings of Jesus about what it means to be his follower.  Again and again, the disciples “don’t get it.”  They argue among themselves about who will be on the right and left hand of Jesus in his coming kingdom.  Though Jesus warns them that being his disciples involves sacrifice and embracing the life of servanthood, the disciples either do not or cannot understand these teachings.  They are spiritually blind.

In contrast Bartimaeus, the man who is physically blind, is not spiritually blind.  He cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.”  This year we have been reading our way through Mark on Sunday mornings.  In an earlier message, I spoke what Biblical scholars call, the “messianic secret” in this gospel.  Jesus in Mark tries to keep his identity as Messiah a secret.  He tells those whom he heals to keep quiet about him, at least he does up until the encounter with Bartimaeus.  When Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus, the crowd tries to silence him, but he persists.  Bartimaeus refers to Jesus with the title, “Son of David.”  David was the great beloved king of Israel’s past.  To refer to Jesus as “Son of David,” was tantamount to calling him King.  Though he is physically blind, Bartimaeus is spiritually aware.  He recognizes Jesus as the anointed king, come to establish his reign on earth. In crying out, Bartimaeus lets the “cat out of the bag,” and from this point on Jesus makes no attempt to conceal his identity.

Because Bartimaeus can see spiritually, he is a better example than the disciples of Jesus who are quarrelsome and thinking only of their personal advancement.  When Jesus calls to Bartimaeus, he jumps up immediately, throwing off his cloak which he probably used to catch the coins people tossed to him.  He is ready, enthusiastic, and eager.  He wants to see again.  Jesus tells him that his faith has made him well.

Prevenient Grace

What was it that prompted such faith?  John Wesley, who started the Methodist movement, spoke of prevenient grace. Prevenient grace is divine grace which precedes human decision. It exists prior to and without reference to anything humans may have done.  Wesley, agreeing with earlier reformers, believed that human beings are corrupted by the effects of sin, but prevenient grace allow people to engage their God-given free will to choose relationship with God through Christ.  I believe with Wesley that this grace is given to every person, but some choose to ignore it or reject it.  Bartimaeus did not.  It was this tiny spark of faith within that prompted his enthusiastic response when he learned that Jesus was present in Jericho.

On Friday night, Johnnie, Vivian, and I attended a conference called, The Magnetic Church.  The speaker, Louis Weeks, works for the Alban Institute, an organization that provides resources and encouragement for churches.  Mr. Weeks offers these workshops on evangelism all over the country.  He began the evening by telling us a little of his story. 

Though he had gone to church as a child, he drifted away from the church after confirmation and didn’t return to church until he was well into a successful career in business.  He sensed a need to connect with people outside his business, and decided to go to church.  He enjoyed the people at the church and became active, serving on the church board, singing in the choir and even as church treasurer.  For him, the church wasn’t about God; it was about the people.  After attending for more that four years, he had what he called a visual encounter with Jesus one Sunday morning.  The vision was somewhat like that of the disciples of Jesus who witnessed the transfiguration. He said at that moment he became a Christian.

The grace of God that prompts belief is within each of us.  But like Bartimaeus, we must be willing to leap up when we hear Jesus call.  Like Louis Weeks, we must be willing to put ourselves into the context of community where God’s revelation may be more likely to occur.

Lessons from this Story

This story, though very brief, is powerful.  Bartimaeus is an example of someone open and sensitive to God’s call.  He doesn’t allow others to silence him.  When they do try, he cries all the louder.  He is the advocate for justice who doesn’t allow others to silence him, no matter how hard they try.  He is the one willing to risk everything to gain what is most important.  Bartimaeus is willing to o follow Jesus on the way.  He is willing to commit himself to Christ.  Are you?