[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 3rd of February, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Look for the video of this and our other services on our Vimeo channel: http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Back when your pastor search committee was interviewing me, they asked that I lead a sample Bible Study session for them. I chose a passage from our Bible, but rather than lecture to them, we held a role playing session instead. Our dear brother Jim Neese took on the starring role of the blind beggar. We saw how that man gave up everything just to follow Jesus.
I’d like to look at that story again, but from a slightly different angle. Please listen and follow along as I read from the Gospel account of the Apostle Mark, chapter 10, verses 46 through 52, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
I’d like to look at that story again, but from a slightly different angle. Please listen and follow along as I read from the Gospel account of the Apostle Mark, chapter 10, verses 46 through 52, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.
Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
--Mark 10:46-52 (NKJV)
Let us pray… Father God, You sent Your Son Jesus as a Light to mankind, to show us the way that we might clearly see the truth, Your truth. Help us, please Father. Give us clarity of vision so we can discern Your truth in all things. Speak to us this morning that we might hear Your word and understand Your message. This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.
In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood. When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight. But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.
Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing. He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult. Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits - his behaviors - were still those of a blind man.
Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. It is the interim, the limbo… that is so terrible."
To truly see Jesus and His truth means more than observing what He did or said. It means a change of identity. We must die to this world, become blind to all its enticements, and be born again in Christ. We must indeed become that new creation the Apostle Paul talks about in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians. The focus of our vision needs to change, from worldly things to heavenly, spiritual things.
Bartimaeus was blind, physically blind, and reduced to begging for his means of sustenance. Yet I wonder who truly was blind: Bartimaeus, or those who tried to hush him. Once his sight was restored, Bartimaeus willingly cast aside his only means of a livelihood: his cloak. As a beggar, his cloak served as a place for kindly folk to toss a little money to him. Bartimaeus gave it all up to follow Jesus. Did the others have his vision, his spiritual sight?
As we saw last week, Jesus healed many people during His ministry, including giving sight to the blind. In chapter 15 of his Gospel account, verses 30 and 31, the Apostle Matthew tells us that…
But just as last week when we agreed that not only our physical bodies can be in need of healing, we may be blind not only in physical sight. Jesus often taught the people using parables. His disciples wondered why. Listen to this brief exchange recorded by Matthew in chapter 13 of his Gospel, verses 10 through 13…
“Seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear.” That sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it? But only if we consider the physical aspect of seeing with our eyes, and hearing with our ears. Actually, Jesus was quoting the great prophet Isaiah. Here’s what God said through Isaiah in chapter 42 of his book of prophecy, verses 18 through 20 – this might clear up the seeming contradiction…
This is God speaking to and about His chosen people – Israel. He calls them blind because even though they see and recognize what is right, they refuse to act on it. They physically hear, but don’t listen, don’t pay attention to what they’ve heard.
How many of us are still like that today? How many of us see the truth of God, the truth of Jesus, yet still refuse to act on that truth, still refuse to accept Jesus as Lord? Even among those who call themselves Christian, how many fully obey Him as their Master, rather than just seek His saving grace?
The Apostle Paul was blinded by Jesus on the dusty road to Damascus, robbed of his physical sight so that he might see the truth of God! What will it take for those who seeing, do not see?
In our little story at the start, Virgil had to die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. Paul had to die to the old self in order to be born again as the new person Jesus needed him to be. There is in each of us sinners a part that needs to die so that we can be reborn fully in Christ.
Family, the world needs us, whether it will ever admit it or not. The world needs us to restore its sight, to show it the way, to help it find redemption through Christ Jesus. Because of his faith, Bartimaeus was saved and given vision, not only into the physical world but the spiritual realm as well. We need to show more persistence, like Bartimaeus did, and ignore those who would try to hush us.
We can help the blind to see, and be saved. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, an inspired man once said, “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” You sent Your Son to show us the way, yet too many refuse to see it. Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son. Thank You for offering us vision into Your heavenly kingdom. Please forgive us when we fail to see what is right before us. Forgive us when we won’t help others see Your truth.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness for our disobedience…
Lord Jesus, You brought the Light of God into this world, but the world prefers darkness. You offer us sight, but too many would rather remain blind. Thank You, Jesus, for restoring our vision, for giving us sight. Forgive us when we fail to help others see. Please help us serve You by showing them Your way, Your love. Help us refocus our and the world’s vision onto spiritual matters.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Master. Amen.
In his book, An Anthropologist on Mars, neurologist Oliver Sacks tells about Virgil, a man who had been blind from early childhood. When he was 50, Virgil underwent surgery and was given the gift of sight. But as he and Dr. Sacks found out, having the physical capacity for sight is not the same as seeing.
Virgil's first experiences with sight were confusing. He was able to make out colors and movements, but arranging them into a coherent picture was more difficult. Over time he learned to identify various objects, but his habits - his behaviors - were still those of a blind man.
Dr. Sacks asserts, "One must die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. It is the interim, the limbo… that is so terrible."
To truly see Jesus and His truth means more than observing what He did or said. It means a change of identity. We must die to this world, become blind to all its enticements, and be born again in Christ. We must indeed become that new creation the Apostle Paul talks about in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians. The focus of our vision needs to change, from worldly things to heavenly, spiritual things.
Bartimaeus was blind, physically blind, and reduced to begging for his means of sustenance. Yet I wonder who truly was blind: Bartimaeus, or those who tried to hush him. Once his sight was restored, Bartimaeus willingly cast aside his only means of a livelihood: his cloak. As a beggar, his cloak served as a place for kindly folk to toss a little money to him. Bartimaeus gave it all up to follow Jesus. Did the others have his vision, his spiritual sight?
As we saw last week, Jesus healed many people during His ministry, including giving sight to the blind. In chapter 15 of his Gospel account, verses 30 and 31, the Apostle Matthew tells us that…
30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, crippled, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them. 31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.--Matthew 15:30-31 (NKJV)
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”--Matthew 13:10-13 (NKJV)
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the hidden truths of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
18 “Listen, you who are deaf!
Look and see, you blind!
19 Who is as blind as my own people, my servant?
Who is as deaf as my messenger?
Who is as blind as my chosen people,
the servant of the Lord?
20 You see and recognize what is right
but refuse to act on it.
You hear with your ears,
but you don’t really listen.”
--Isaiah 42:18-20 (NLT)
This is God speaking to and about His chosen people – Israel. He calls them blind because even though they see and recognize what is right, they refuse to act on it. They physically hear, but don’t listen, don’t pay attention to what they’ve heard.
How many of us are still like that today? How many of us see the truth of God, the truth of Jesus, yet still refuse to act on that truth, still refuse to accept Jesus as Lord? Even among those who call themselves Christian, how many fully obey Him as their Master, rather than just seek His saving grace?
The Apostle Paul was blinded by Jesus on the dusty road to Damascus, robbed of his physical sight so that he might see the truth of God! What will it take for those who seeing, do not see?
In our little story at the start, Virgil had to die as a blind person to be born again as a seeing person. Paul had to die to the old self in order to be born again as the new person Jesus needed him to be. There is in each of us sinners a part that needs to die so that we can be reborn fully in Christ.
Family, the world needs us, whether it will ever admit it or not. The world needs us to restore its sight, to show it the way, to help it find redemption through Christ Jesus. Because of his faith, Bartimaeus was saved and given vision, not only into the physical world but the spiritual realm as well. We need to show more persistence, like Bartimaeus did, and ignore those who would try to hush us.
We can help the blind to see, and be saved. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father God, an inspired man once said, “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” You sent Your Son to show us the way, yet too many refuse to see it. Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son. Thank You for offering us vision into Your heavenly kingdom. Please forgive us when we fail to see what is right before us. Forgive us when we won’t help others see Your truth.
Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our sin, seeking Your forgiveness for our disobedience…
Lord Jesus, You brought the Light of God into this world, but the world prefers darkness. You offer us sight, but too many would rather remain blind. Thank You, Jesus, for restoring our vision, for giving us sight. Forgive us when we fail to help others see. Please help us serve You by showing them Your way, Your love. Help us refocus our and the world’s vision onto spiritual matters.
This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Master. Amen.
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