KINGDOM CULTURE: The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus And His Friend
(Written by
Kevin A. Hall 08.2016)
CAN GOD GIVE YOU
SIGHT? CAN GOD PROVIDE AN ANSWER FOR MY NEED?
The story of blind Bartimaeus is a moving account of
personal faith. What do you do when all the odds are against you? What do you
do when no one else can believe with you for your breakthrough? What do you do
when no one else embraces your vision or your dream? If you are a leader, this
can be very frustrating. Ever wondered “These people just can’t seem to get
it”. Well my friend, Bartimaeus has walked in your shoe.
This was his way of earning a living. In fact, he was not by himself. There was another blind man with him, so this was one of their spots along the trade route. Matthew mentions the other man in chapter 20. Bartimaeus was no doubt the more vocal of the two. Let’s look at their story from all the gospel accounts:
Matthew 20
29 As Jesus and the
disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind
men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that
way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31 “Be
quiet!” the crowd yelled at them. But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of
David, have mercy on us!” 32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called,
“What do you want me to do for you?” 33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34
Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see!
Then they followed him.
Mark 10
46 Then they reached
Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him.
A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.
47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout,
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 “Be quiet!” many of the people
yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they
called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50
Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you
want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi, ” the blind man said, “I want
to see!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.”
Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
Luke 18
35 As Jesus approached
Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise
of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus
the Nazarene was going by. 38 So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me!” 39 “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only
shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 When Jesus heard him, he
stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus
asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to
see!” 42 And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed
you.” 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And
all who saw it praised God, too.
There is a principle
to draw on here called the agreement principle, which no doubt is in play.
Whether or not these two men were aware of the principle, they enacted the
Principle:
AGREEMENT PRINCIPLE:
Matthew 18: 19-20
19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth
about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is
in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am
there in their midst.”
They were partners in crime, they both suffered the same
pain, they shared the same trial, they shared the same tribulation, they were
both blind, they both had the same need – Sight! “It is good for those that are
laboring under the same calamity, or infirmity of body and mind, to join
together in the same prayer to God for relief, that they may quicken one
another’s fervency, and encourage one another’s faith” (Henry, 1718). This is a
good time to agree with someone else for your breakthrough. With God all things
are possible.
They heard that Jesus was passing by. Remember now, these
men had been blind for some time, but they were not deaf. They would have heard
of the Messiah, the worker of miracles. By now news had spread of Jesus the
Messiah raising Lazarus from the dead. If I was in their shoe, this would be
the time to raise my game a make some noise for this miracle worker to bless me
with sight. They would have heard street talk about Him, but now like the
crowd, they too would love to see Him. This may have been their only chance for
a breakthrough. What if he never passed by this way again? Sometimes it is not
a good thing to procrastinate. These men only had one shot at this. No one was
about to steal this opportunity. This reminds me that every time we enter into
the presence of the Lord, whether in prayer or assembly, follow the example of
these men and embrace the Now. Jesus was present. It is He who could grant them
their wish. It was time for action.
EMBRACE THE NOW!
Embracing the Now may take effort. Remember now, they were along
the way. One can imagine scores of people making their way to
Jerusalem, not to mention those with and wanting to be a part of the Jesus
crowd. As it was a busy trade route, imagine animals and caravans adding to the
noise. These men would have to put great effort to be heard.
And so they did. They cried out (together – they agreed.
They came together. They believed together. They sought God together.) “Lord,
have mercy on us, Son of David!”. The crowd tried to shut them out. The crowd
told them to be quiet “Silence you miserable blind beggars. Jesus has no time
for you!”, I can hear them saying. Bartimaeus and his friend were determined
even more. So they ramped up their plea – “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on
us”.
these men have slept on the streets, hungry, tired, feeling
dirty, hopeless, homeless and even hungry. The crowd doesn’t know your trouble.
You can’t afford to shut up now. Jesus is here right now. I can hear Isaiah
sing a praise “Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in
your midst is the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 12:6 Nasb). I love the way King
James expresses this verse as well: “Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of
Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.” Powerful!
These men knew it was time to shout unto God for their salvation. There comes a
time when the only way to find true relief from your pain or bondage is through
contact with the King Himself. These men believed like the psalmist “God is in
the midst of her, she will not be moved. God will help her when morning dawns”
(Psalm 46:5)
YOU CAN’T KEEP ME
FROM MY BLESSING
It is interesting that as they ramped up their appeal that
they called Him Lord. These men acknowledge that Jesus was their Salvation.
They believed that He was their only hope. What did Jesus say in Matthew 5:6?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness (God), for they
shall be filled”. These men had the faith to believe that and no one,
absolutely no one was going to steal their joy! I am sure that within the crowd
were some religious leaders, teachers of the Law. These men should have
recognized that this Jesus was their Messiah. The one who said “The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me because He has anointed Me to preach to the poor, proclaim
release to captives, give sight to the blind, set free the oppressed and
proclaim the favorable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19). The very leaders of
the people were themselves “BLIND”. These two men in recognizing their need for
the Savior already had “SIGHT”. So, Bartimaeus and his blind friend are already
seeing. My friend, you already have the victory when your only source is Jesus!
Praise God for that!
There was no way these people were going to keep them from
getting their blessing. They raised their voice even more and threw themselves
at the mercy of God – “Our only source of hope and salvation (Lord), have mercy
on us!”. At this point it was not about a few coins in their cup. This was for
the ultimate prize. If this man raised Lazarus from the dead, then he can give
us sight. If they were Jamaican they would have said “Laad mi a beg yu
please…have mercy!”. In essence, they were praying to God. And like Peter who
said “You are the Christ”, the Holy Spirit revealed to them that Jesus was
Lord. Are you asking God to reveal Himself to you?
They acknowledged him as Lord and Savior and this kind of
attitude moves God no matter how big and busy the crowd is. God hears every
sincere plea for His help. The “crowd in your life” (friends, family, spouse,
co-workers) may discourage your efforts, but take courage my friend, if you
recognize Jesus as your lord and Savior, He will answer your prayer. You must
persevere. You must keep on believing. “The sincere and serious beggars at
Christ’s door commonly meet with the worst rebukes from those that follow him”
(Henry, 1719). Isn’t it interesting how your fellow Christian brothers and
Sisters can discourage your efforts? I say, keep on praying! Keep on believing
for your miracle. If Bartimaeus and his friend were familiar with the Psalms,
then they may have been aware of a time when the writer penned these words:
LONGING FOR GOD
LONGING FOR MY BREAKTHROUGH:
Psalms 84
How lovely are Your dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! 2 My
soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh
sing for joy to the living God. 3 The bird also has found a house, And the
swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Your altars, O
Lord of hosts, My King and my God. 4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your
house! They are ever praising You. Selah.
5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose
heart are the highways to Zion! 6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make
it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. 7 They go from
strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion.
8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of
Jacob! Selah. 9 Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Your
anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I
would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the
tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives
grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You!
GOD CAN AND HE WILL
Well, their efforts
payed off. The Lord Jesus heard their cry.
Jesus Stopped
Jesus called them
At this point I’d like to turn our attention to Mark’s
version. He obviously spoke to the more vocal of the two Bartimaeus. There is a
reason why we know of his name and not the other. I love the Lord, He cares so
much about individuals within a crowd. Your crowd may be two. According to
Mark:
Jesus Stopped and said “Call him” (Bartimaeus)
The people called him and said “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling
you.”
What was Bartimaeus’ response? He jumped to his feet, threw
aside his cloak and went to Jesus. My brother was like “I don’t need this cloak
any more”. My mind surmises that he feels his cloak was too dirty to enter the
presence of his Lord. This one act speaks to repentance. Already God had
revealed to the both of them that He was their Lord (means of hope and
salvation). After having prayed and cried unto God for recovery of his sight,
he now ditches his dirty old garment and runs to God to claim his blessing. Do
you see that. In order to receive God’s blessings, there are some things we
must forsake in order to embrace our calling.
LET GO AND LET GOD
Both men are about to receive their blessing. Imagine now,
both of them getting up and approaching Jesus. Bartimaeus casting aside his
dirty clothes – I am going to the King! I can’t go any and any ole way! I am
leaving my past behind to pursue His will. Both men are about to receive their
blessing.
Then Jesus said “What do you want Me to do for you?”
“Ask and it shall be given unto you”
They already agreed together, they already prayed together…
now they both enter into the presence of their Lord and King to make their
request
“Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.”
There it is! Let Go and Let God! Make your requests known.
Remember the
Agreement Principle?
“Again I say to you,
that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be
done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
Is there something you need that only God can provide? Have
you partnered with anyone? Do you and your spouse need to take off those old,
worn, dirty, painful clothes, make amends and agree together about your
situation? You can’t move forward unless you agree. You can’t walk “together”
unless you agree? You don’t have to call it quits. God is able. Remember now,
both men were blind. They were in the mix of it. They lived it, they felt it.
Whatever your present situation is. Leadership challenges? In need of healing?
Financial needs? Emotional needs? Feeling suicidal or depressed?
YOU MAY BE BLIND NOW,
BUT GOD PROMISES RELEASE FOR THE CHILD OF GOD, ONLY ASK!
But, asking takes effort. These men saw an opportunity to
touch the very creator of the world and they seized it. “I was blind but now I
see”. Hey! You don’t have to call it quits. Even if you can’t partner with
someone, stretch your own faith.
God will (1) Stop
Just for you
God will (2) Call you
He had compassion on them, just as He will you
God will (3) Grant
you mercy He will show you favor
Moved with Compassion, Jesus touched their eyes
Yes! Yes! Yes! Praise Jesus!
What did Jesus declare at the onset of His ministry? “I was
sent to give sight to the blind” (Luke 4:18). Indeed he did it for Bartimaeus
and his friend. And Jesus can do the same for us, right now. Is your heart
right with God?
God will show compassion and mercy on you and I, just as He
did for these two men. Jesus shows here His concern for folks of all socio –
economic background. The creator of the universe does not discriminate in
answering prayers.
Our friends persevered the crowds, looked past their
situation, reached out to God, and received their healing.
These men were never the same after one touch from Jesus.
How about you my friend?
Do you know Jesus?
Are you in a spiritual desert as you read this?
God is walking down your street now and calling you to Live
The Life You’ve Dreamed Of. Why stay on the side of the street begging for
help. I know it may seem hopeless. But remember, it only seems that way. There
are times when God allows these things to happen so we can really gain sight –
Truth.
What is truth? Well, God so loved the world that he sent His
only Son into the world so that You too can gain sight, just as Bartimaeus and
his friend did.
He did it for those two and can do it for you as well. Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight. Our friends got their healing. It took some effort, but they overcame the crowd. You too will get through this. You can regain your sight as well.
He did it for those two and can do it for you as well. Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight. Our friends got their healing. It took some effort, but they overcame the crowd. You too will get through this. You can regain your sight as well.
NEW LIFE FOR THOSE
WHO BELIEVE
You know what’s the best part of this story?
Not only did they believe that Jesus was their Lord during
their trial
Not only did they pray for deliverance
Not only did they press through the opinions and ridicule of
the crowd
Not only did Bartimaeus throw away his cloak
After they regained their sight…. They followed Him!
Real Living is found
in the Kingdom of God. Real living is found in living for God. Real living is
found in following the Savior.
They followed Him.
How could you not want to follow a God who can raise the
dead and give sight back to the blind?
How badly do you want change?
Change my friend, is found in the Kingdom of God.
If you ever feel like you are not valued, remember the words
of Jesus:
Matthew 10:29 - 30
Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of
them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your
head are all numbered. 31 So do not fear; you are more valuable than many
sparrows.
No matter what mountain you face Jesus reminds us:
Mark 10: 27 “With people it is impossible, but not with God;
for all things are possible with God.”
Bartimaeus and his friend received their sight… So can you!
All Things Are Possible With God!
References:
Matthew Henry Complete Commentary
The Life Application Study Bible (NASB)
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