MOVE Series# 9, Seeing Through the Eyes of Faith

MOVE Series# 9 , Seeing Through The Eyes Of Faith
By: Bobby Sullivan

Mark 10:46-52

Quote of the week

Question: Why The Blind See And The Seeing Are Blind?

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

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 made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

Our world is filled with blind people. Now, I’m not talking necessarily about physical blindness. There are many who see perfectly physically but live in absolute blindness to the Lord. They refuse to see the love of Christ.

Many have heard the truth of Jesus but have never had their eyes opened to see their condition, or their great need. Jesus alone can touch blinded eyes.

WHAT’S A POOR, BLIND BEGGAR TO DO?

Intro: Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem.

As He moves steadily in that direction, He is surrounded by people who cannot understand just who He is. The Jews are blind to who He is, though He tried to tell them and show them on many occasions. The disciples are blind to who He is, though they have seen Him demonstrate His identity time after time. Those around Him would not recognize just who Jesus was until after He has died on the cross and rose again.

As Jesus makes His way to Jerusalem, He and His disciples pass through the city of Jericho. The name “Jericho” means “To smell, or A place of fragrance.” It was a city that was filled with  fragrant plants like roses, balsam, and cypress. Honey was found there in abundance as well. Travelers passing through Jericho were surrounded by many fragrant smells. It was a city that lived up to its name.

There would be a fragrance in Jericho on this day that had never been there before. “The Rose of Sharon, the Lily of the Valley” was passing through. As He did, He demonstrated the great fragrance of His glory in the city of Jericho.

Most people were blind to just who Jesus was. Only a very few people in that great crowd recognized Jesus as He moved among men. But, there was one man in that crowd that received 20/20 spiritual vision that day. This is his story.

As we look at  this encounter between Jesus and a blind man named Bartimaeus, I want you to look into you own heart. Let God speak to you and show you that what He did for this blind man, He can do for everyone who will call on Him by faith. I want to preach on Seeing through the eyes of faith and try to answer: How the Blind can See.

I want you to see Bartimaeus And His Condition, Bartimaeus And His Cry; and Bartimaeus And His Cure.

1. v.46  BARTIMAEUS AND HIS CONDITION

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.

1. He Was Blind — Bartimaeus was a blind man. Due to disease and poor sanitary conditions, blindness was very common in Israel in Bible times. It still is today! Here is a man who has never seen a sunrise or a sunset. He has never seen the smile on a baby’s face. He has never seen the beauty of God’s creation. Bartimaeus lived in a very narrow world. He lived in a world of darkness.
2. He Was A Beggar — Bartimaeus was not able to go out and find a job. There were no social programs and no welfare programs to help him survive. He was forced to sit beside the road and beg for his living. When the Bible says that he was “begging”, it means that he constantly begged and asked those passing by to give him money. Bartimaeus lived a life of wretched poverty.

I can imagine him being led to the side of the highway in the morning to spend his day begging for alms. Or maybe he used a cane to find his way to the place where he begged. He was a pitiful man, with a tragic condition, living in a cruel and heartless world.

1. v.47-48BARTIMAEUS AND HIS CRY

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!”

1. It Was A Passionate Cry— As Bartimaeus sat there begging that day, he heard the crowds pass by and he heard the excited voices of the people. Luke 18:36 tells us that “he asked what it meant”, someone told him that it was Jesus and Bartimaeus began to cry out.

Why did he call out to Jesus? I suspect that Bartimaeus had been hearing some things about Jesus. He might have heard how Jesus had healed some lepers. He might have heard about the demoniacs Jesus had delivered. He might have heard about the way Jesus walked on water and multiplied loaves and fishes. He might have heard about how He saved old Zacchaeus. Of course, he might have heard about how Jesus had restored sight to other blind men. ( You do know that Jesus healed more blindness than He did any other kind of physical ailment.) I think that hope was beginning to build in the heart of Bartimaeus. Maybe he said, “If Jesus can do all the things I have heard about Him, maybe He can heal me too.” So he cried out for healing.

The people tried to stop him, but he cried out even louder. This was his only hope and he knew it. He wasn’t taking any chances. He wanted Jesus to help him.

FAITH BELIEVES EVEN WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE

He believed before he saw any proof. Some people want visual proof that God exists. What if I could PROVE to you that God exists? I’m going to give you visual proof God exists. “God, I want everyone to see with their eyes that you are real, so right now, lift the roof off this huge building and twirl it around three times and then gently place it back on top of the building as if it never moved. Okay, please God, do it now!”

Imagine for a moment God did it. I suspect every skeptic here would be converted to Christ. We couldn’t hold the crowd that would show up next week. As word would spread around the region, can you imagine how many people would be crowded in this building next Sunday? Talk about parking problems!

But to believe in God because you saw something like that is not faith–it’s simply sight. The Bible says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV)

5. It Was A Particular Cry – Bartimaeus may have been blind, but he saw some things about Jesus that others with 20/20 vision did not see. Bartimaeus had come to see that Jesus was the Messiah. That is why he called Him the “son of David”. Somehow, Bartimaeus had taken the things he had heard about Jesus and it all came together in his mind. He understood the truth that most people in that day missed. He saw the truth that Jesus was the Messiah! Since he believed that, he believed that Jesus could heal his blindness. Why? One of the signs of the Messiah would be that He would open the eyes of the blind, Isa. 35:4-6; Matt. 11:5.
6. It Was A Personal Cry — Bartimaeus cries to Jesus and says, “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.” Did you notice that Bartimaeus did not try to demand his “rights”? Bartimaeus knows that he is no position to demand anything. He is seeking “mercy”. The word means “to bring help to the wretched.” Bartimaeus knew that he needed something he could not provide and had no right to demand. He cried out to Jesus asking for help for his wretched condition!
7. It Was A Persistent Cry – Bartimaeus is calling out to Jesus and he is raising a ruckus. He is causing an uproar. The people try to silence him. Jesus has come to Jericho and here this blind man is creating a scene. They tell him to shut up. The word “charge” means to “rebuke sharply.” They threatened him and said, “You better shut your mouth blind man! Don’t bother Jesus! He’s too busy for the likes of you!”

But, Bartimaeus just kept on calling out to Jesus. He believed Jesus could help him and he wasn’t going to allow Jesus to pass by without getting that help.

When they told Blind Bart to be quiet, he wouldn’t be silenced. In verse 48 the word translated “shouted all the more” is krazen. We get our word crazy from it.

When the crowd told him to be silent, he shouted to the Lord. “Aaaaagh! Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He yelled so loudly everyone got quiet.

3. v.49-52BARTIMAS AND HIS CURE
4. 49-50A Personal Cure – 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.

Jesus heard the cry, of poor, blind Bartimaeus and He stopped in His tracks.  He is on the way to the cross but He still takes time for one blind sinner! What a Savior!

Jesus stops and calls for the people to bring Bartimaeus to Him. Imagine how Bartimaeus must have felt. Day after day he sat by this road. The people pass by and most of them simply ignore him. Every now and then some kind soul will cast a coin in his basket. But today, he has caught the attention of the Lord of Glory! Just as surely as Jesus “must go through Samaria”, He also had an appointment in Jericho with a blind man named Bartimaeus.

Bartimaeus gets up and throws aside his outer garment. After all, he is blind and that garment might have tripped him up. He got rid of the things that could have hindered him and he came to Jesus.

1. v. 51-52A Powerful Cure–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 made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

When Bartimaeus comes to Jesus, Jesus asks him what he wants. Bartimaeus responds in faith and asks for healing. He wants to see.  Some would call it Blind Faith.

There are about 10 million legally blind people in America. Most of those are visually impaired with correctible vision. But many live in total darkness. Some famous blind Americans include Helen Keller, Fanny Crosby, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.  One  blind American was Charley Boswell, who was blinded while fighting in World War II while rescuing a friend from a burning tank. He had always been a great athlete, so after the war he took up golf. He became famous and won 16 National Blind Golfing Championships, usually shooting a score in the low 80s.

In 1958 Charley came to Ft. Worth to receive the coveted Ben Hogan Award. Mr. Hogan agreed to play a round of golf with Charley. Charley said, “Would you like to play for money?” Hogan said, “That wouldn’t be fair!” Charley said, “C’mon, Mr. Hogan, are you afraid to play a blind golfer?” Hogan was pretty competitive so he said, “Okay, I’ll play for money. How much?” Boswell said, “$1,000 per hole.” Hogan said, “That’s a lot. How many strokes do you want me to give you?” Boswell said, “No strokes. I’ll play you heads up.” Hogan said, “Charley, I can’t do it. What would people think of me taking advantage of a blind man?” Boswell smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Mr. Hogan, our tee time is tonight at midnight!”

Don’t ever underestimate those who see through the eyes of faith.

52. v. 52A Permanent Cure— Bartimaeus never did go blind again. How do I know that? It says so right there in verse 52. The word “whole” is in the “perfect  tense”. That means that Bartimaeus was made “whole” and he stayed in a “whole” condition. The word “received” is in a tense that refers to “a onetime action that provides lasting results.” In other words, Bartimaeus started seeing and he never stopped! He just kept on having sight!

Jesus never touched Bartimaeus; He just spoke the word, and Bart believed Him. Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” Bart is a great example of how to exercise faith. All of us must have faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God; for anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV)

43. v. 52 A Profound Cure — As soon as Bartimaeus is healed, he starts to follow Jesus. He just begins to go after the Lord. Luke tells us that he, “followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God,” Luke 18:43.

Bartimaeus received his sight, fell in love with Jesus, began to praise the Lord and became a witness all in a few moments of time. That is profound, if you ask me!

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS CAN BE MORE DAMAGING THAN PHYSICAL BLINDNESS

They say, “Beggars can’t be choosers” but Jesus gave Bart a choice.

Jesus recognized another kind of blindness besides physical blindness. We have a saying, “There is none so blind as he (or she) who will not see.” Jesus reserved some of the harshest words He ever spoke about the Pharisees, who were the ultra-orthodox religious Jews of Him. He said, “Leave them [Pharisees]; they are blind guides. If the blind leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)

• Kind of Spiritual Blindness:

1. You may be blind to the truth about Jesus

Have you ever talked to an unbeliever about Jesus or going to church and they say something like, “I just don’t see what you Christians get out of going to church.” That’s true because the Bible says, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4

The English novelist Samuel Butler said, “A blind man knows he cannot see, and is glad to be led, though it be by a dog; but he that is blind in his understanding, which is the worst blindness of all, believes he sees as the best, and scorns a guide.”

2.) People are invisible when their eyes are closed as well

How many of you ever saw the 2009 YouTube video of Susan Boyle who has Asperger’s, singing on “Britain’s Got Talent?” The video has had 173 million views. Of course, about half of those were when I was watching it over and over. This lady shuffled in from off stage. Immediately the audience started smirking and laughing at her appearance. The camera focuses on a teenage girl who rolls her eyes as if to say, “How dare this untalented woman come out and waste my time.” Simon Cowell begins to interview her and patronizes her. “What’s your name darling?” She says, “Susan Boyle.” He says, “Alright, sweetie, how old are you?” She says, “I’m forty-nine, and that’s just the outside.” Already people are making fun of her. When he asks where she’s from, she stumbles over her words in a thick Scottish accent. He says, “What are you going to sing?” She says, “I’m going to sing, ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ from Les Miserables.” The three judges cut their eyes at each other as if to say, “Why did she choose such a difficult song?”

She stunned the world with what came out of her. There’s less laughter now. Susan Boyle is a multi-millionaire, one of the most commercially successful female singers of her generation with 14 million album sales in 14 months. The first British female artist (followed only by Adele) to have a number one album in the UK and the US simultaneously.

3. ) People are blind to their purpose: You have eyes in your head, but did you also know you have eyes in your heart?

Ephesians 1:18 inspired Paul Baloche to write “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord”. In this verse Paul prays, “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you.” (Ephesians 1:18)

Let us not be accused of the blind leading the blind.

Isaiah 42:16

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

“The Puzzle”

A father started to read a magazine but was being bothered by his little girl, Jessica. Finally, he tore a sheet out of his magazine on which was printed the map of the world. Tearing it into small pieces, he gave it to Jessica, and said, “Go into the other room and see if you can put this together.” After a few minutes, Jessica returned and handed him the map correctly fitted together. The father was surprised and asked how she had finished so quickly. “Oh,”she said, “on the other side of the paper is a picture of Jesus. When I got all of Jesus back where He belonged, then the world came together.”