WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:08.640 As we always do, if you would take out your copy of God's word, open it up, turn it on, however you brought it with you this morning, and join me back in the Gospel of Mark. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:10.880 We're gonna finish chapter 10 this morning. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:14.400 Mark, chapter 10, we're gonna pick up in verse 46. 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.359 If you don't have a Bible with you, there are some in the pew back there in front of you. 00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.280 We're gonna be on page 908 in that pew Bible, and it is our gift to you. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:26.879 If you don't own a Bible, if you need a Bible, please take that one with you this morning. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:31.120 I truly am excited about Vacation Bible School. 00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:38.640 I know I routinely and annually say that it is my favorite week of the year, but in many ways it truly is. 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:45.039 It is because we have such a wonderful opportunity to impact children with truth. 00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:55.920 If I were to take a poll in here, I imagine there are many of us who are impacted with the gospel when we were young, perhaps even during a vacation Bible school. 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.640 And so I pray that you would be praying this week. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:04.239 If you are participating, we thank you for taking time out of your schedule to invest in our kids. 00:01:04.319 --> 00:01:07.680 But if you aren't participating, you can still participate. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.000 And if you would, just pray every morning. 00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:15.920 Just pray for the kids, pray for their families, pray for the leaders that are in vacation Bible school and helping. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.560 Uh, pray that children would come to see and know and understand the truth. 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:22.879 Uh, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:30.480 Those are the days when we pull the third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade aside, and I just spend some time personally with them, and we talk about what the gospel is. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:33.920 We talk about what it means to be a sinner and what it means to have a savior. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:38.719 And so uh I would covet your prayers this week as we have vacation Bible school. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:43.120 The goal isn't to fill this room with a bunch of screaming kids, although that's a lot of fun. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.400 Uh, the goal is to share the gospel with kids. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:49.920 And so if you would uh pray with us this week. 00:01:50.239 --> 00:01:55.840 The theme verse for VBS this year is John chapter 8, verse 12. 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:59.840 Jesus said, I am the light of the world. 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:07.680 Whoever follows after me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of light, of life. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:24.080 Our prayer for our kids this week is that they would move from darkness into light, that they would see the light of Jesus Christ, that they would understand how much He has loved them and desires to spend eternity with them. 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:31.680 We pray that God would open the eyes of their hearts to see that truth, that he would open their blind eyes to understand that truth. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:40.159 And honestly, our prayer is that for some of them to go home and that their moms and dads would hear the same truth and follow that as well. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:46.639 We pray that lights would come on in people's lives. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:53.759 This morning, as we come back to Mark's gospel, we are going to come back to yet another contrast in his gospel. 00:02:54.479 --> 00:03:05.280 Last week we saw a contrast between Jesus' disciples and what their expectation of Jesus was and the reality of who Jesus actually was. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:10.800 We saw their expectation of thrones and power and prestige. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:16.400 They thought he was going to set up an earthly kingdom, and they wanted to sit on his left hand and on his right hand. 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:25.840 And Jesus came and he said, The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to be served, but to serve and to give his life up for many. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:35.680 We saw a contrast between that in this morning as we come to the end of Mark chapter 10, we're going to see yet another contrast. 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:43.199 We're going to see the contrast between a man who is physically blind and yet can spiritually see. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:51.439 And we're going to see the contrast between men who can physically see, but were yet still spiritually blinded. 00:03:52.080 --> 00:04:02.879 We're going to see the contrast between a man who puts his faith in Jesus, trusts in him only, and those who are trusting in their own goodness. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:17.199 We're going to see a contrast between somebody who comes to Jesus and just simply asks for mercy versus others who have come to him bringing their resumes, expecting rewards. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:24.959 Contrast is what we're going to see today between a group of blind people. 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.720 We're going to read the story about a man named Bartimaeus. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:35.920 Some of you even remember the story of blind Bartimaeus, but Bartimaeus isn't the only blind person in this story. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:40.480 He could not physically see, but God opened his spiritual eyes so that he could understand. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:49.519 But there are other people in the story who were more blind than Bartimaeus was, who needed to have their eyes opened. 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:55.519 It is a stark contrast in how to approach Jesus. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:05:03.279 There is a contrast in how James and John approach Jesus and how Barnamaeus approaches Jesus. 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:15.360 There is a contrast in how Jesus responds to his own disciples in their arrogance and how he responds to Barnabas in his humility. 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:21.519 It is a stark contrast as we look in God's word. 00:05:21.839 --> 00:05:24.399 Mark chapter 10, beginning in verse 46. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.800 If you're willing and able, would you stand with me as we read from God's Word this morning? 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:49.439 Then they came to Jericho, and as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:57.600 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out, saying, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:05.920 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me. 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:09.920 And Jesus stopped and said, Call him here. 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:16.560 So they called the blind man, saying to him, Take courage, stand up, he's calling for you. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:21.439 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:26.639 And answering him, Jesus said, What do you want me to do for you? 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:32.000 And the blind man said to him, Raboni, I want you to regain my sight. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:36.879 And Jesus said to him, Go, your faith has made you well. 00:06:37.439 --> 00:06:42.959 Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:53.279 Heavenly Father, as we stand today with our Bibles open, we pray that you would open our hearts, you would open our minds to your truth. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:58.720 In fact, today, as we talk about spiritual blindness, Father, we pray that you would open our eyes to see. 00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:17.279 Lord, help us to see a man who humbly comes before God, understanding who he is, understanding his need, and crying out simply for mercy, and how that stopped Jesus in his tracks, and how Jesus responded to genuine faith. 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:19.519 Lord, open our eyes to see. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:23.839 Change our lives so that we're more like Christ when we leave than when we came in, we pray. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:26.240 And it's in the matchless name of Jesus. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:27.279 Amen. 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.800 Jesus performed countless miracles during his public ministry. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:47.279 He would go around teaching, he would go around proclaiming that the kingdom of God is at hand, and along the way, he would heal people, he would perform miracles. 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:58.000 Certainly he did this out of compassion for those who were hurting, but Jesus also performed miracles in order to authenticate who he was and what his message was. 00:07:58.240 --> 00:08:02.560 He did miracles so that people would know that he is the Son of God. 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:05.040 He was the Messiah. 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:08.240 He performed many different types of miracles. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:23.680 In Mark's gospel, he records for us a few select miracles, ones that he uses in order to establish that Jesus is the Son of God who came to give up his life, to be one who serves, not one who is served. 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:30.240 He gives us examples of having authority over creation and calming storms. 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:35.039 He gives us examples of Jesus having authority over demons and casting out demons. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:39.440 He shows us where Jesus had authority over disease and healing people. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:47.440 And he also tells us twice in his gospel that Jesus healed people who were blinded. 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:56.720 Now, certainly Jesus healed more than two blind people, but Mark chooses just two blind men that Jesus tells us about. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:06.960 Mark records for us in chapter 8 that Jesus healed a man in Beth Seda who had been born blind. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:16.399 And Jesus, if you'll remember that story, put a little spittle on his hand and touched the blind man's eyes, and he said, Can you see now? 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:21.360 And the man said, Yeah, I can see, but I see men, but they look like trees. 00:09:21.440 --> 00:09:24.960 They're kind of blurry, they're moving around, I can't really make them out. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:28.480 And so Jesus touched him again and and he was completely healed. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.399 He could see clearly the second time. 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:35.600 And as we went through chapter eight, we we began to ask the question, what's happening there? 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:37.360 Was Jesus having a bad day? 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:38.960 Was Jesus tired that day? 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.039 Was this man's blindness with particularly difficult blindness? 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.480 Was there a demon behind this blindness that Jesus had a struggle with? 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:49.840 What in the world was going on that Jesus didn't just heal him immediately? 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:54.080 Because this is the only time we ever see where Jesus didn't just immediately heal somebody. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:56.159 It was a two-stage process. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:10:05.919 And if you'll remember, we said that this man, this blind man in Betheda served as a living parable for Jesus' own disciples. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:13.039 Who, seeing what Jesus did, still did not come to the right conclusion, time and time again. 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:15.679 They needed to be touched more than once. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:21.759 They needed to see truth more than once in order to come to faith in who Jesus Christ was. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:34.720 The second man who is healed of being blind is here in chapter 10, Bartimaeus, who, in the midst of a sentence, that Jesus said, Go, your faith has made you well. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:36.639 At the beginning of the sentence, the man was blind. 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:40.000 At the end of the sentence, he was staring at Jesus. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:42.159 He's healed immediately. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:46.000 Mark tells us these two stories intentionally. 00:10:46.559 --> 00:10:54.159 And now, as we come to chapter 10, he's now told us two stories back to back that are intended to be understood together. 00:10:54.320 --> 00:11:04.399 The story of James and John that we read last week, Jesus' two disciples coming up to him after Jesus has just told them, hey, we're going to Jerusalem. 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:06.799 The Son of Man is going to be handed over. 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:08.320 He's going to be beaten. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:09.600 He's going to be crucified. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:11.200 He's going to die and he's going to resurrect. 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:15.440 You remember what they came up to him and said, We want you to do anything for us. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.559 Whatever we ask of you, do for us. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:23.360 And then Jesus asked this question. 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:25.039 I believe it's verse. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:27.840 I'm not even going to guess. 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:29.519 Let me tell you what verse it is. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:31.759 Verse 36. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:38.320 Jesus said to them, What do you want me to do for you? 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.399 What do you want me to do for you, James? 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.960 John, what do you want me to do for you? 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:49.759 And their request was, we want to sit on your right hand and on your left hand. 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:57.120 When you come into your glory, when you come into your kingdom, we want the positions of power, we want the positions of praise, we want the positions of prominence. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:59.120 This is what we want from you. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:06.399 I don't think it's coincidence that Mark now tells us the story of blind Bartimaeus. 00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:12.000 Who, when given the chance and called before Jesus, Jesus asks him a question. 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:14.080 Do you remember what the question was? 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:17.279 What do you want from me? 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.519 Same question, two stories in a row. 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:23.120 Not coincidence. 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:25.679 Mark is trying to teach us something. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:31.360 God is trying to teach us something in his word as we approach Jesus. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:36.559 Two different approaches, two different responses. 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.879 How should we approach? 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:45.519 You'll remember that Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:47.919 He's concluded his public ministry. 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:52.639 He has now resolutely set his eyes to go to Jerusalem for the Passover. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:54.639 There he knows he's going to be arrested. 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:58.159 There he knows he's going to be handed over to the Gentiles. 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.080 There he knows he's going to be crucified. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:01.840 There he knows he's going to die. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.759 He knows he's going to take the weight of the sin of the world on his shoulders. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.960 He's going to drink the cup of God's wrath for our sake. 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:12.720 He is headed to Jerusalem to die and to be resurrected. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:17.440 Within a week of this story, Jesus will be crucified. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.080 He's headed there for the last time. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:26.720 Along that journey, he comes to the last major city before you get to Jerusalem. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:35.759 It is the ancient city of Jericho, the longest actively occupied city in the world. 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:40.320 It was an oasis in the midst of a desert. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:46.399 Just 15 miles away from Jerusalem and 3,500 feet below Jerusalem. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.600 You went from Jericho up to Jerusalem. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.600 It is a famous city. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:55.600 It was famous even in the time of Christ because it had been there so long. 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:57.919 We remember it from the Old Testament. 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:09.360 We remember that Rahab was a harlot who lived inside this city, and the spies of Israel came, and when they were looking in the promised land, she hid them within her house. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:16.159 Rahab, who by the way, is listed in the genealogy of our Savior Jesus Christ. 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:21.919 It's the same city where the nation of Israel didn't attack the city. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:26.320 They just simply marched around the city, time after time after time. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:31.360 And you sang the song as a kid, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.879 It's the same city. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:40.399 And Jesus is making his way through Jericho. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.559 He's making his way through because it's Passover season. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:51.600 Passover season was one of the three festivals where people were required to go back to Jerusalem in order to celebrate. 00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:54.879 And the roads would have been teeming with people. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:15:01.440 They would have been crowded with people traveling from whatever direction they were up to Jerusalem. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:05.039 Jesus was traveling along with his 12 disciples. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.080 He traveled with a larger band of disciples. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:23.519 And then there would be others who were in that crowd who were curious about who Jesus was, who were just tagging along, perhaps to see him perform a miracle, and there were still others in the crowd who were there to keep an eye on Jesus to make sure he didn't do anything they thought was inappropriate. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:32.399 Along the way, they would intersperse with other traveling parties, all making their way to Jerusalem, crowding through these streets on their way up. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:39.200 And as they come into Jericho, the Bible tells us that Jesus meets two people. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:44.320 Mark records one of them for us, this blind man named Bartimaeus. 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:49.759 But Luke tells us another story about a man that Jesus meets going into the city of Jericho. 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:53.200 It's another song you may have sang when you were young. 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:59.759 It goes something like this Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he. 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:04.320 He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see. 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.960 When Jesus walked into the city, there is a wealthy man there. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:17.919 He is the chief tax collector in the city, a man by the name of Zacchaeus, and he has heard word that Jesus is traveling through town, and so he wants to go and see Jesus. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:28.720 But these crowds that are traveling through on their way to Passover have overwhelmed the city, and Zacchaeus cannot see Jesus, so he climbs up into a tree. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:36.480 And although Jesus is resolutely headed towards Jerusalem, he stops and he says, Zacchaeus, get down out of that tree. 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.559 I'm going to your house today. 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:44.799 And he goes to Zacchaeus's house, and there they have a meal together, and Zacchaeus invites his friends. 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:48.879 And the only friend that a tax collector has is another sinner. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:52.080 And there are people who begin to criticize Jesus. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:57.440 I cannot believe that this man is having dinner with this known sinner. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:01.440 Jesus does not care about his reputation. 00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:06.319 Jesus, remember, came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life for many. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:10.079 Jesus came to die for sinners. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:14.640 And there he is in the house of Zacchaeus, and Zacchaeus that day is saved. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:22.000 He trusts in Jesus Christ and he says, if I've ever wronged anybody, I'm going to pay them more than I've ever owed them back. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:26.720 And Jesus said, Today salvation has come to this man's house. 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:33.839 And Jesus gets back off on the road, and as he's heading out of Jericho, he comes across another man. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.920 Mark introduces us to him here in Mark chapter 10, verse 46. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:41.119 His name is Bartimaeus. 00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:49.039 As we talk about Bartimaeus, I've just got four words that are going to keep my thoughts together, and hopefully it'll keep you on track as we move through this text. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.039 The first one is desperation. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:55.839 The second one is devotion, then restoration, then transformation. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:18:02.880 First of all, we see desperation in this one that we are introduced to in verses 46 and 47. 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:14.319 As Jesus is traveling out of town, we're told by Mark that he meets a man by the name of Bartimaeus, and then he explains to us the son of Timaeus. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:21.279 Mark is actually being redundant because the name Bartimaeus literally means son of Timaeus. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:25.519 Bar means son Timothy, son of Timaeus. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:26.480 He's being redundant. 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:28.720 He's being redundant for a reason. 00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:32.400 Because he's writing primarily to a Gentile congregation. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:37.920 He's writing primarily to people who would not have known what Bartimaeus means. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:42.000 And so he's explaining to them this is what this name means. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:49.119 Historians believe that Barmaeus quickly became a leader in the church in Jerusalem. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:56.799 Now we don't have scriptural support for that, but historically we believe that this man went to Jerusalem, followed Jesus there, and became a leader in the church. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:01.119 And Mark is using his story to encourage others. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:07.920 He is using his story to tell others about what Jesus might be able to do for them. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:11.920 Mark tells us three things about Bartimaeus. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.440 Three quick things. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:17.920 He says he's blind, he's a beggar, and he's sitting by the road. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:21.039 He says, first of all, here's what you need to know about Bartimaeus. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:22.400 He could not see. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:29.039 He doesn't give us any details, doesn't tell us if he was born blind or if he lost his sight sometime during his life. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:31.920 Don't know when he became blind, we just know that he's blind. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:35.440 Don't know if it happened through disease, don't know if it happened through an accident. 00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:38.559 Here's what we know the man could not see. 00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:43.759 As a result of that, we find out the second piece of information about Bartimaeus. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.960 He is a beggar. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:56.880 In that culture, in that time, about the only thing that a blind person could do in order to survive was to beg and plead and count on the goodness of other people to provide for him. 00:19:57.119 --> 00:20:04.319 And so he was a blind beggar, counting on the goodness and mercy of other people. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:06.720 Which leads to the third piece of information. 00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:09.839 He's blind, he's a beggar, and he's sitting by the side of the road. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.480 He's not sitting by the side of the road wasting time. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:15.359 He's not sitting by the side of the road having conversation. 00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:18.079 He's not sitting by the side of the road giving people direction. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:21.519 He is sitting by the side of the road because he is a blind beggar. 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:34.559 And the best place to sit for a beggar would be on a crowded street where people are passing by, going to a religious festival, in order to offer offerings and sacrifices. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:40.559 And so bind Bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road. 00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:43.839 He cannot see, but the man can hear. 00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:46.559 He can hear the crowds shuffling by. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:49.359 He can hear the feet as they move along the road. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:53.200 He can hear the cartwheels as they go along the road. 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:57.039 He can hear the neighing of the burrows and the donkeys as they pass by. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:59.759 He can hear the conversations of the crowd. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:05.359 And somewhere in the midst of all of that din, he hears Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:17.920 And so blind Bartimaeus begins to shout out at the top of his lungs, Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me. 00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:27.279 He doesn't stop, he continues to cry out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:35.119 There's something in Barnabas that understands that the man who is passing by isn't just a normal man. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:37.920 Certainly he's heard about Jesus' miracles. 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:40.079 Certainly he's heard about him healing other people. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:46.880 He might have even heard about him healing Barnamaeus, or excuse me, the man in Beth Seda who was blind. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:55.200 He's heard stories about Jesus, but he's also heard the Bible. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:58.559 He was raised in the Hebrew Scriptures. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:06.319 He was Raised to understand that 2 Samuel says that there is a son of David who is coming along who is greater than David himself. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.279 One who established a kingdom that will never fail. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:15.599 One who will come and who will have the power to give the blind man's sight. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:19.680 And in 2 Samuel, you know what his name was? 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.519 Son of David. 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:33.920 Now that was fulfilled somewhat in Solomon who came, but it's fulfilled completely in this one who was walking on this road through Jericho, and this blind man knew it. 00:22:35.359 --> 00:22:36.079 Jesus. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.160 You're the son of David. 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.759 Jesus, you are the Messiah. 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:42.160 Jesus, you are the one who can heal. 00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:45.680 Jesus, you are the one who came from God. 00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:48.000 Have mercy on me. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.279 Three things that we need to recognize about Barnabaius that will help us. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:55.599 Number one, he recognized who he was. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.279 He recognized his own need. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:10.000 He had a full and comprehensive understanding that he was a blind man, that he could not heal himself, that no one else could heal him. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:12.160 He knew who he was. 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:16.799 He knew he was utterly dependent on somebody else to have mercy on him. 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:20.880 The second thing is he recognized who Jesus was. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.079 Can I tell you? 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:29.039 You will never find mercy if you don't know you need mercy. 00:23:30.000 --> 00:23:33.359 You will never find salvation if you don't know you need salvation. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:37.599 You will never recognize the Savior until you recognize you need a savior. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:41.599 And Bartimaeus is a picture of this. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:55.279 He's helping us to see that in order to come to salvation, in order to have freedom from sin, in order to have hope and peace in our lives, we first of all need to recognize that we are separated from a holy God and that we have sinned. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:58.880 The Bible says we've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:02.079 The first step to being saved is to recognize you're lost. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:08.799 Many people in our culture struggle with this because we don't want to talk about standards. 00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:11.920 We don't want to talk about black and white and what's right and what's wrong. 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:15.599 We don't want to talk about there as an authority who can say, these are the rules. 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:17.839 We don't talk about holiness and sinfulness. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:24.079 We want our personal autonomy and we want to do whatever we want to do, and you can't tell me what's right, and I can only do what I want to do. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:27.359 Your truth is your truth, and my truth is my truth. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:36.160 And it is so hard to tell people that they need a savior because they don't recognize that there's anything wrong. 00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:45.519 Bartimaeus recognized fully that he was a blind man, and he recognized fully that Jesus was the Son of God. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:49.039 Thirdly, he requested help. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:51.839 Have mercy on me. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:56.880 Those are the steps to coming to faith in Christ, by the way. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:02.960 Recognizing you're a sinner, recognizing Jesus as your Savior, and asking him to forgive you. 00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:05.279 Asking for his mercy. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:13.519 We have the desperation of Bartimaeus, and then we see the devotion of Bartimaeus in verse 48. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:20.240 The crowds around him begin to tell him, you need to be quiet. 00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:27.680 We can see his standing in society because the crowds are like, hey, you're making a scene. 00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.480 You just need to hush up. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:32.000 Stop yelling so loud. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.039 You're embarrassing yourself. 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:34.240 You're being a nuisance. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:36.160 Just be quiet. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:49.599 The idea that they had of this man was probably the same idea that those that are in John 9 had about a blind man when they came up to Jesus and said, Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born this way? 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:54.720 And Jesus responded in that instance, no, it doesn't work that way. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.960 He didn't sin, his parents didn't sin. 00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:01.759 And yet the people in this town thought this man was cursed of God. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.200 They were looking down upon him. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:04.480 They were saying, Be quiet. 00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:06.160 Jesus isn't going to pay attention to you. 00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.279 You're not important. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:09.359 Nobody cares about you. 00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:11.440 Just hush up. 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:17.519 But does this dissuade Bartimaeus? 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.599 No, Mark says he just began crying out all the more. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:24.720 Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:26.160 He cried out loudly. 00:26:26.319 --> 00:26:28.000 He cried out repeatedly. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:29.839 He cried out desperately. 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:32.079 Jesus, help me. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.359 Can I tell you? 00:26:38.079 --> 00:26:42.880 Once you come to the realization that you need Jesus, don't let anybody dissuade you. 00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:47.680 Don't let the distractors dissuade you. 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:50.799 Don't let your fellow sinners discourage you. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:54.880 Don't let hypocritical believers in the church stop you. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:27:06.480 When you come to recognition that you're a sinner and you need Jesus as your Savior, don't let anything or anyone come between you and him. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:15.039 I can't move on without noting that what should the crowd have been doing? 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:18.880 Here's a man blind. 00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:25.599 They see him every day, but it's probably at to the point where they see him every day where they don't see him anymore. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:26.640 You know what I mean? 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:28.720 He's just become the lawn furniture. 00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:33.359 They just walk by and they just kind of gotten to the point where they're ignoring him. 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:42.079 And here is a man who has been blind, and here is a guy walking through, and people are reporting, this man can give sight to blind people. 00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:45.200 What should the crowd have been doing? 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:49.200 It's not a hard question, is it? 00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.440 They should have been doing everything. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:53.759 Hey, let's get this guy to Jesus. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:56.160 Let's get Bartimaeus to Jesus. 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:59.759 Hey, make a way, make sure Bartimaeus meets Jesus. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:03.519 But the crowd didn't do that, did they? 00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:07.279 The crowd stood in front of Bartimaeus. 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:09.599 The crowd wanted a better position in line. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:12.240 The crowd wanted to have a better view. 00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:17.279 So they weren't just passively ignoring him. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:20.799 They are now actively inhibiting him from coming to Jesus. 00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:31.920 Church, do we make it easier or harder for people to meet Jesus? 00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:35.200 Do we make it easier? 00:28:35.519 --> 00:28:39.839 Do we go out of our way to say, here's somebody that doesn't need, doesn't know Jesus. 00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.559 They need them. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:41.680 I want to introduce them. 00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:43.920 I'm going to do everything I can to introduce them. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:49.119 Are we so busy living our little religious life that we get in the way of that sometimes? 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:52.319 Are we more like the crowd in Jericho? 00:28:52.480 --> 00:29:03.839 Or are we more like the crowd, the four friends who picked up their friend who was lame and took him to where Jesus was, and seeing the crowd crowding around Jesus, went up on the roof, cut a hole in the roof, and lowered him down. 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:07.680 Nothing was going to get in their way to bringing their lame friend to Jesus. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:12.480 Are we more like that crowd, or are we more like the crowd in Jericho? 00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:18.720 There is desperation, there is devotion. 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:20.880 He was going to do whatever it took to get him there. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:25.200 And then in verses 49 through 51, we see there's restoration. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:28.799 Verse 49, the story turns. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:37.680 It's been a desperate story of a blind beggar sitting on the side of the road, large crowds going through, Jesus passing through, him crying out, everybody telling him to be quiet. 00:29:37.839 --> 00:29:42.559 Verse 49, everything turns because Jesus stopped walking. 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:59.920 Resolutely heading towards Jerusalem, walking in front of his disciples, leading them there, knowing where he was going, knowing he was on a mission, people shouting out, people everywhere, one voice in the crowd. 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:10.079 Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, stopped Jesus in his tracks. 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:14.480 One voice. 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:17.599 He didn't stop for everyone in that crowd. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:20.240 Surely there were other people reaching for Jesus. 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:24.160 Surely there are other people clamoring for his attention. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:26.559 But Jesus stops. 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:35.920 And Mark tells us that he threw aside his cloak and Bartimaeus jumped up, and surely he had to be guided towards Jesus, but somebody took him to Jesus. 00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:40.799 He left everything behind and he went to where Jesus was. 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:47.839 Now we we we can make metaphorical hay out of this section right here. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:51.759 But the question I have for you is when Jesus calls, how do we respond? 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:57.039 When Jesus stops and hears our cry for mercy, how will we respond? 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:01.920 Bartimaeus left everything and just went. 00:32:02.400 --> 00:32:07.119 He dropped everything, every encumbrance, everything he had, and he just went. 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:13.599 Many times we call out for mercy from Jesus and we hear from Jesus and then we think, well, you know what? 00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:16.480 Maybe I'll respond another day. 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:23.039 Maybe Jesus will be by this way another time and I'll have another chance. 00:32:28.000 --> 00:32:29.599 He'll wait till I get out of college. 00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.720 He'll wait till I get married. 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.799 He'll wait until I establish my career. 00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.480 Then I'll start following him. 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:37.200 He'll wait till the end of my life. 00:32:37.359 --> 00:32:43.119 At the end of my life, there's some things I want to get done before I respond to when Jesus says, come here. 00:32:48.079 --> 00:32:52.720 Bartimaeus recognized this was probably going to be his one and only shot. 00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:58.480 The odds of Jesus the Nazarene passing through his town again were small. 00:32:58.640 --> 00:33:03.119 The opportunity for him to meet face to face with Jesus were very slim. 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:06.480 There was one shot and he was not going to miss it. 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:13.200 I don't know your future. 00:33:13.920 --> 00:33:16.240 I don't know what tomorrow holds. 00:33:16.960 --> 00:33:19.440 I don't even know if there will be a tomorrow. 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:22.319 The Bible doesn't promise us tomorrow. 00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:37.279 But here's what I know: when Jesus calls out, when you hear him tugging, when you feel him tugging at your heart, and you hear him calling your name, you ought to respond like Barnamaeus and jump up, leave everything, and run, because it might be your one chance. 00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:39.680 Might be the only one you get. 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:40.799 I don't know. 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:43.359 But it might be the only one you get. 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:47.599 He gets to Jesus. 00:33:49.440 --> 00:33:54.160 And Jesus says to him, What do you want from me? 00:33:56.559 --> 00:34:00.559 What do you want from me? 00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:04.799 And it's a simple request. 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:10.719 Rabbi teacher, I just want to regain my sight. 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:14.480 He doesn't ask for power like James and John. 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:17.039 He doesn't ask for prestige like James and John. 00:34:17.199 --> 00:34:19.599 He doesn't ask for prominence like James and John. 00:34:19.760 --> 00:34:22.559 He just says, Jesus, I've got one great need. 00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:25.599 I need you to meet the greatest need that I have. 00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:27.199 I need to have my sight. 00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:30.239 I need you to have mercy on me. 00:34:33.119 --> 00:34:36.480 Mercy is help for those who are undeserving. 00:34:36.800 --> 00:34:43.280 Mercy is what you ask for when you can't ask for anything else because you don't deserve anything else. 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:50.400 He did not come to Jesus and he did not say, you know, Jesus, it's unfair that I've been born this way. 00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:52.800 Jesus, I'm a good person. 00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:56.239 Jesus, I deserve more than what I've got. 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:58.400 He doesn't come with a resume. 00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:03.920 He just comes with empty handedness saying, God, have mercy on me. 00:35:05.920 --> 00:35:10.239 Do you see the contrast between James and John coming to Jesus? 00:35:11.679 --> 00:35:12.800 What do you want from me? 00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:14.079 Oh, Jesus.