The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus

Text: Mark 10:46-52

Our scripture passage this morning is a very interesting story. There is a degree of depth and beauty in this passage that may not initially strike us, but upon further examination, re-examination, and reflection hopefully we can discover a powerful truth embedded in the words here. Ask yourself the following questions this morning: What does it mean for Bartimaeus to be healed? What did it take for Bartimaeus to be heard? And what is the reaction of Bartimaeus to his healing? Finally, What can we learn from this passage given its place within the gospel of Mark?

After asking yourself these textual questions, ask yourself about your own receptivity to the answers we propose. To phrase it another way, as you are asking yourself questions about the text, think about whether or not you are willing to listen to the answers. Will you let this passage affect you this morning? Will you take the meanings of this text and apply them in your own lives? Will you only hear the words of Mark, or will you listen to the words of Mark? Listening requires both hearing and understanding, and understanding demands application. Thus, in listening to Marks words, will you be transformed by the power and beauty of understanding the message, and will you follow Jesus alongside Bartimaeus? My prayer is that our hearts are not callused by self-righteousness, that we would be humble enough to investigate the message this morning and genuinely respond to its implications.

Before we return to the text, allow me tell you of an experiment I read about this week. It actually reminded me of a similar experiment we tried in my high school science class, and the results were strikingly similar.

Sometime ago psychologist Ruth W. Berenda and her associates carried out an interesting experiment with teenagers designed to show how a person handled group pressure. The plan was simple. They brought groups of ten adolescents into a room for a test. Subsequently, each group of ten was instructed to raise their hands when the teacher pointed to the longest line on three separate charts. What one person in the group did not know was that nine of the others in the room had been instructed ahead of time to vote for the second-longest line. Regardless of the instructions they heard, once they were all together in the group, the nine were not to vote for the longest line, but rather vote for the next to the longest line. The experiment began with nine teen-agers voting for the wrong line. The subject would typically glance around, frown in confusion, and slip his/her hand up with the group. The instructions were repeated and the next card was raised. Time after time, the self-conscious subject would sit there saying a short line is longer than a long line, simply because s/he lacked the courage to challenge the group. This remarkable conformity occurred in about 75% of the cases, and was true of small children and high-school students as well. (www.sermonillustrations.com)

It is simply amazing how willing we are to conform to the standards that are around us, to the expectations that are before us. It is difficult to step out against the crowd, to move in the direction opposite of accepted thinking. Moreover, it is tremendously tough to face the actual opposition that occurs in pursuing a minority viewpoint. Although you may recall examples in your own lives when you dissented from the majority and were ridiculed, there are some important events in history which adequately illustrate the value of minority thinking.

Take, for example, the issue of slavery in 19th Century America. There are countless examples of strong-minded individuals who were killed for making it their life's work to expose the evils embraced by the majority of society. One such person was Elijah Parish Lovejoy, the son of a congregational minister. A Princeton Theological Seminary graduate, Elijah Lovejoy became the pastor of the St. Louis Presbyterian Church in 1834. He established a religious newspaper called the St. Louis Observer and advocated the abolition of slavery. In 1836, Lovejoy published a detailed account of a lynching and trial where the leaders of the hanging were acquitted. Many were angered by the sensational report and some gathered together to destroy Lovejoy's press. After having his press destroyed, Lovejoy moved to Alton, Illinois where he continued to advocate abolition. He had his new presses destroyed over and over again, but he persisted in publishing his views in an attempt to confront the violence and evil of slavery. After being given a press by the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society, a local mob attempted to destroy it. This final encounter resulted in the tragic shooting and death of Elijah Lovejoy.
(http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USASlovejoy.htm)

Now, place yourself as a Christian in a society dominated by slave-holder rationale. Put yourself in the mindset of a person who recognizes the wickedness saturating society. What would you do? Would you speak up or cry out? Some might think they would simply move to a place where there thoughts were not in the minority. But slavery was a pervasive issue all over the United States at that time, not just in the South. Abolitionists in the North faced immense obstacles in declaring their message and were often subject to intense mobs attempting to prevent them from speaking or being heard. Here are the written words of a Vermont Bishop in the Episcopal Church:

I shall prove in [this] book, by the most unquestionable authorities, that slaves and slaveholders were in the Church from the beginning; that slavery was held to be consistent with Christian principle by the fathers and councils, and by all Protestant divines and commentators, up to the very close of the last century, and that this fact was universal among all churches and sects throughout the Christian world.

(Bishop John Henry Hopkins, 1864)

Now, over a hundred years later, we recognize the cruelty and iniquity of the racism that created and perpetuated slavery as an institution. We have witnessed the Civil Rights Movement and find ourselves in a culture and time where the majority is appalled at the concept of slavery. But this was not always the case. Even 19th Century Christianity--as represented by a large diversity of denominations--embraced slavery as a God-given structure within society. To eradicate this warped perspective took the effort and sacrifice of countless lives. These heroes of human rights spoke out and resisted the evil of slavery. They cried out and would not be silenced. They were not even silent in death, for their very death proclaimed their cause. Their memories cried out to the conscience of a nation.

Return with me to our text this morning. We are going to focus on a character in Mark's Gospel that will not be silenced. Let us look again at the blind Bartimaeus. First, to acquire some context, remember that we have been touching on the subject of discipleship and faith over the last few weeks. In following the Disciple's lectionary we have explored the Gospel of Mark, specifically chapters nine and ten. These chapters are part of a specific section of this Gospel relating to discipleship. In chapters 8-10 Mark gives us insight into the nature of following Jesus; about its properties, hardships and rewards. If we examine the “bookends” of the discipleship section we will notice an important framing technique. In Mark 8:22-26, Jesus heals a blind man with Jesus' own saliva and a little mud. Then in our passage this morning we find Jesus healing yet another blind man. These miracle stories are not simply there as a progression of events that happened in the life of Jesus. These miracle stories actually have a purposeful significance: they frame and highlight Jesus' teachings about discipleship.

Thus, these specific miracles of sight allow the reader to understand that there is a consistent message within the teaching found in between. Also, these miracle stories are dividers in that they signal a transition from one section of Jesus' ministry to another. Following the healing of blind Bartimaeus, the Gospel of Mark will continue in chapters 11-13 to investigate questions regarding the divinity and humanity of Jesus, or what is called Christology. As a result of sectional transition, our scripture passage this morning should be instructive for discipleship, but should also hint at the Christology of Jesus. Ultimately what we find is that this miracle story is a pivotal point within the Gospel. It tells us that we have come to the end of Jesus' teachings on discipleship, and it also directs us toward the content of the passages to come.

Now we can easily label this portion of text a “miracle story.” But there is something more going on here. Mark is not describing the healing of an anonymous beggar, but is instead pointing out the name and person of a follower of Jesus. Thus, we can also label this passage a “Call Narrative.” Like the disciple's who were named and called to follow Jesus, so Bartimaeus is called out and then follows.

If we take the literary context of this scripture into consideration, we discover that this important passage reveals a disciple of Jesus who engages in acts of discipleship through recognizing Jesus as the redemptive hand of God. How is that Bartimaeus does this, well he simply cries out to Jesus. Turn with me to verse 47.

Now being a blind beggar was not necessarily disgraceful. There was not much else a blind man could do in those days, yet if you asked Bartimaeus, he probably would not tell you that begging was his vocation of choice. As a result of this desire to be changed, Bartimaeus cried out incessantly to Jesus. In verse 48 we see that he is rebuked for calling out to Jesus. And what does good ole “Bart” do? Bartimaeus cries out all the more! He will not be silenced. Seeing this, Jesus stops, and calls on Bartimaeus. And Bartimaeus throws off his cloak, racing to the feet of Jesus. Jesus asks blind “Bart” what it is that he can do for him, and “Bart” asks for his sight to be returned to him. Jesus heals Bartimaeus and tells him to go. But Bartimaeus, who calls Jesus “Rabbi” or teacher follows Jesus toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus presumable follows the one he recognizes as teacher so that he can be discipled.

What is it that makes Bartimaeus the recipient of Jesus' healing? Bartimaeus is a beautiful example of two important traits of faith and discipleship. Faith and discipleship require two important things: recognition of need, and a committed willingness. If you will remember, we have over the weeks seen that Faith is rooted in Grace, the realization that we are desperately in need of God's Love and Mercy. Bartimaeus does not simply solicit Jesus for healing, but he first actively recognizes his own need. He says: “Have mercy on me!” Bartimaeus recognizes that he is in need of Mercy, that he is needful. Whats more, Bartimaeus will not be silenced. Rebuked by the crowd that was probably following Jesus as he traveled and taught, Bartimaeus called out louder: “Have mercy on me!”

And then, upon being healed, Bartimaeus chose to follow the teacher. He became a disciple of Jesus on the road to Jerusalem, and he recognized the power and beauty of Jesus' message of hope and transformation. So what can we learn from good ole “Bart”? Do not let anyone or anything silence your cry for help. Receptivity is the foundation of Faith. We must be receptive by recognizing that we need to receive. To remain receptive means ever-lasting recognition that we are in desperate need for God's help. We are beggars who cannot see and need the healing touch of God. But being blind in itself should not hinder out pursuit of righteousness in God's Grace.

Like Bartimaeus we too must throw off our cloaks, give up our “old” selves and fall at the feet of Jesus to be transformed. This takes great courage. Bartimaeus, in the face of ridicule and rebuke, cried out all the more for the Mercy of God. He would not be silenced, but stood steadfast in his need, recognizing the redemptive power of the Most High God. I tell you this morning, that this thinking is difficult. It is much easier to follow the accepted norms of society. Bartimaeus did not have a disgraceful occupation. He was simply doing what was expected of blind men. But Bartimaeus hoped for more.

Will you hope for more this morning? Will you follow Jesus as the Disciple Bartimaeus followed Jesus? Will you take up the courage to fall at the feet of Jesus and first say “yes, I am in need”? Will you then take the risk of standing against evil and injustice in this world, even if it means parting with the “typical” or the “accepted” found within society? Will you be transformed by the Grace of God and follow after Righteousness, doing something that is different, unexpected? Shape society by what you do as a follower of Christ. Be an initiator, be a change-maker. The power of Christ's message lies in transformation. Let that transformation happen within you, then make it happen in the world around you. Step out as a Disciple of Christ, but do not, please do not, stand still. To follow Christ means to do just that, move forward with Christ. Elijah Lovejoy did not stand still. Bartimaeus did not stand still. Will you?

Benediction:

Right now you have the opportunity to stand up and come forth, to come to the feet of Jesus and admit your need. You have the opportunity to accept the healing power of God's Grace and live for the Glory of the Almighty One. And finally you have the opportunity to join in fellowship with other believers, bound by the Love of God. May ou not stand still, may you not let your cry for help go silenced.