The Blind Could See

The tenth chapter of Mark tells the story of all sorts of capable, intelligent, educated people.  Each of the people of groups that encountered Jesus were quite sure that they were on the right track.  In fact, they were so sure of their own correct viewpoint that they were willing to speak up and challenge Jesus.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

The Pharisees had it all together.  They had spent years and years studying the Law, and thought they knew it all.  They wanted to trick Jesus, so they asked Him a question about divorce.  He set them straight.  They didn't realize, but they were dead wrong.

The disciples had it all together.  They were the ones walking with Jesus every day.  They knew how important He was, and how necessary His ministry. So they kept the little children away.  They thought they were helping their Master in ministry, but they were dead wrong.

The Rich Young Ruler had it all together.  He kept every jot and tittle of the law, and had from his youth.  He thought he could inherit eternal life and keep his earthly wealth, but he was dead wrong.

James and John had it all together.  They were part of Jesus' inner circle, and they just knew that someday they'd have a special place in heaven.  They thought that following their Master meant accolades and honour, but they were dead wrong.

The people of Jericho had it all together.  I imagine there was quite a bit of excitement when Jesus came into town!  Everyone would line up to see Him and to hear Him speak.  He was a celebrity at this point in His ministry, and everywhere He want, great crowds followed.  There was no time to bother with some blind beggar, sitting by the side of the road.  The crowds were dead wrong.

None of Them Could See

The Pharisees could not see that they were trying to trick the Omniscient.
The Disciples could not see that they way to eternal life is to humble yourself, like a little child.
The Rich Young Ruler could not see that his treasures were weighing him down, blinding him to eternal wealth.
James and John did not see the lesson of their Master who was a Servant to all.
The People of Jericho did not see that the person of interest to Jesus that day was a blind and helpless beggar.

Blind Bartimaeus

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!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”(Mark 10:47-48 ESV)

Bartimaeus Could See

• Jesus was present
• Jesus was able
• Jesus was merciful
• Jesus was the Son of David

Bartimaeus saw more than any of the others mentioned in this chapter.  He was poor and blind and needy, but rich in faith.  Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

Let Me Recover My Sight

Bartimaeus, the one who could see through eyes of faith alone, wanted to see the world.  Jesus had mercy on him.

And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.  (Mark 10:52 ESV)

Go Your Way

Jesus told Bartimaeus to go his own way.  The only way Bartimaeus wanted to go was after Jesus.  He followed His Master on the way.

Lessons

1. Things are not always as they seem.  People who have it all together in their own minds, don't necessarily have it all together.  Man looks at the outward appearance.  The Lord looks at the heart.  He considers the humble children and the blind beggars (the poor and needy) to be infinitely valuable. As followers of Christ, we should do the same.
2. Afflictions aren't always terrible.  I'm sure nobody would choose to be blind, to have to sit at the side of the road and beg for enough money to buy a bit of supper.  Yet God, in His infinite wisdom, blessed Bartimaeus with blindness.  He gave him eyes of faith, which are infinitely better than eyes that can see the material world.
3. Even Spiritual Leaders can miss the mark.  The Disciples walked with Jesus every day, yet made some serious errors in judgment.  The Bible warns us to guard against pride - and Christians can stumble and fall just like anyone else.  Be careful, Christian, to guard your heart.  Consider yourself to be a Servant - a doulos - a Slave to the Good Master, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Bartimaeus was a Street Preacher

He called out loudly, "Have mercy on me!"  Everyone knew he was yelling.  Everyone saw what happened.  Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry (CARM) has a section on Street Preaching that's worth checking out.  

Divisions, Quarreling, or Unity.

Paul opens his first letter to the Corinthians with greetings and thanksgiving, affirming that the Corinthian Christians are not lacking in any spiritual gift.  They are truly saved.  They love Jesus.

Christians are called to be holy, and dare not live without prayer, for they are acutely aware of the "pardoning mercy, sanctifying grace, and comforting peace of God." ~(Matthew Henry's Commentary, henceforth MHC.  It is available free online.) Those who are saved are given useful gifts by which they are to bless others, and they will be kept to the end and found blameless when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. 

Kept and found blameless!  Think about that!

"How glorious are the hopes of such a privilege; to be kept by the power of Christ, from the power of our corruptions and Satan's temptations!"~ MHC

You'd think that because of this marvellous fact that we are sanctified and kept by the power of God, we Christians would be unified.  Sadly, just as there were divisions in the Corinthian church of the first century, there are divisions today in churches, in families, in organizations that are made up of Christian people.  Paul addresses this in I Corinthians 1.  He says there ought to be no divisions among them.  

"In the great things of religion be of one mind; and where there is not unity of sentiment, still let there be union of affection. Agreement in the greater things should extinguish divisions about the lesser. There will be perfect union in heaven, and the nearer we approach it on earth, the nearer we come to perfection."~MHC

Paul and Apollos were both faithful ministers of Jesus, and they must have been appalled when their followers broke into dissenting parties over lesser things.  

"Satan has always endeavoured to stir up strife among Christians, as one of his chief devices against the gospel."~MHC

So what were these Divisions in the Church?  The people of Corinth were quarreling among themselves over minutiae that were not essential to the faith.  The same thing happens today.  Is there one covenant, or many?  Can Christians drink wine, or not?  Should women wear dresses, or are they free to wear jeans?  Is the Lord's supper restricted to members of a local church, or ought visitors to be welcomed as brothers in Christ?  So many little things, so many opportunities to disagree.

But what is of utmost importance?  Is it not the plain preaching of a crucified Jesus?   Is it not the fact that Christ crucified is the foundation of all our hopes, the fountain of all our joys?  By His death we live.  This seems foolish to those who are perishing, who have not been given eyes to see,  Yet those who have been enlightened by the gospel see the great treasure there is in Christ.  

I do know what makes someone a Christian. It is not the life that we live for God but the life that Jesus lived for us! ...believe what the Bible says. ...understand that God is a good and holy God who deserves worship.  

Instead of honoring and loving him with all of our lives we have loved and served ourselves. This deserves wrath and hell. Instead, God has sent his Son Jesus to live the life that I could not and would not and to die the death that I deserve. He bore my penalty of wrath upon the cross of Calvary. I must turn from my sin and rebellion and turn to trust and treasure Christ, living in response to his finished work, submitting to his Lordship. ~Erik Raymond, Ordinary Pastor

God did not choose the rich and the powerful, the men of wealth and pomp and circumstance to demonstrate and be partakers of the gospel of grace and peace.  Oh, they need Christ and His pardoning grace - everyone needs the regenerating grace of God.  We are guilty, deserving only punishment, yet we are given His righteousness.  We are depraved and corrupt, yet we are sanctified by His grace, redeemed from the power of sin, and given the sure hope of eternal life.

 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  And because of him  you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,  so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

                                                                                                 ~1 Corinthians 1:28-31

Boast in the Lord!  You have nothing to boast about, Christian.  Your doctrines, your convictions, your standards, your opinions - they all pale in comparison to the Treasure that is in Christ Jesus.  Boast in Him.  Speak much of Him.  Be thankful for Him.  Bless His holy name.  


If you are doing that, you won't have time to argue and fight, to quarrel and bicker.  


If you are doing that, you won't be grieving the Holy Spirit, or making Satan smile with glee.


Be Wise

 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. ~James 3:13-18 ESV

 “Selfish ambition” is a divisive willingness to split the group in order to achieve personal power and prestige.  Are you willing to do so?  


What is more important to you?  Your reputation, or that of Jesus Christ?  Remember, God chose the weak to confound the wise.  Are you willing to decrease, so Christ may increase?  Are you willing to humble yourself in order to magnify the Lord?

Windy Words

O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is high; I cannot attain it.
(Psalm 139:1-6 ESV)

The beginning of Psalm 139 is as mind-blowing as it is humbling.  God is Omniscient - He knows EVERYTHING about me.

• my actions
• my habits
• my thoughts
• my days
• my plans
• my words
• my rest

He hems me in, behind and before, and lays His hand on me.  This knowledge is too wonderful for me.  To know that God knows everything about me is humbling, to say the least.  Nobody else really knows me.  Nobody else really knows you, either.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
(Psalm 139:7 ESV)

God is Omnipresent - He is everywhere.  There is no place that I can hide from God.  There is no place you can hide from God, either.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
(Psalm 139:14 ESV)
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
(Psalm 139:17 ESV)

God is Omnipotent - He created everything.  He intricately formed each of us in our mother's womb; He made the stars and the sand and the snail and the slug.  His thoughts are unfathomable.  I can't begin to understand Him.  You can't begin to understand Him, either.  

David acknowledges how wonderful God is, and how precious God's thoughts are to him.  As he contemplates God's omniscience, His omnipresence, and His omnipotence, he looks around and sees those who do not care.  They are wicked men of blood, who speak against God with malicious intent, and take his name in vain.  David hates them.  He loathes them.  He wants God to slay them.

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain! Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.(Psalm 139:19-22 ESV)

Don't we all do that?  We look around us and see injustice and horror and hatred and pain.  And we get angry.

There is much to be sad about in this world.  We read of a widow bereaved of her husband and left with two small children to care for, and we grieve for her, and pray for her, and wonder why.  We see pictures of devastation and loss in tornadoes, hurricanes, and tsunamis, and we are saddened, and we pray, and long for a better day.  

But these things, sad though they are, are not what really gets us riled.  

It's stories like these that make us angry:

• Horrific tales of cruelty in Kosovo
• Torture in Rwanda (young girls given the choice of which hand they want to lose first)
• Tales of persecution in Romanian prison camps
• Anecdotes about rude, rebellious teens and their bad behaviour in public places
• Fraud that decimates people's life savings

The list goes on.  We cry out to God, Oh, that you would slay the wicked.  We solve the world's problems, sitting on the deck with a glass of wine and plenty of opinions.  We think we know the answers, and we think we have the solutions.  We cheer when the Bin Ladens of the world are taken out, or when the Bernie Madoffs are sent to jail.  

We know nothing.

David had an inkling after he cried out to God to slay the wicked.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

He'd just finished crying out to God to slay the wicked.  He thought he hated what God hated.  He thought he understood.

Then he realized, he knew nothing.

Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?  (Job 15:2  ESV)

Who are we to decide the fate of another?  It is God's decision.

Who are we to think we're better than another?  We are just as deserving of hell.

God is the One Who is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.  We are not.  God may intend to spare those wicked men we rail against.  We have no idea.

If you go back up and click on the link to the video of people who survived the Romanian prison camps, you'll be humbled.  You'll realize that men and women who were tortured and raped and humiliated can find the grace to say, "I'd rather be the tortured than the torturer."

I'd rather walk with God than pursue Christians.  

I'd rather have a stable family life than be in a gutter with track marks on my arm.

I'd rather suffer financial woes than be dancing on a world-wide stage, half naked, and not knowing it.

There but for the grace of God.

Therefore, we need to keep our mouths shut, and stop the windy words.  We need to walk humbly and thankfully with God, marvelling every day that He is a God of Compassion and Mercy who treads our iniquities underfoot.

He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8 ESV)

God's Steadfast Love and Compassion

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity

and passing over transgression

for the remnant of his inheritance?

He does not retain his anger forever,

because he delights in steadfast love.

He will again have compassion on us;

he will tread our iniquities underfoot.

You will cast all our sins

into the depths of the sea.

(Micah 7:18-19 ESV)