ROSLIN-THOMASBURG PASTORAL CHARGE
October 25, 2015: Twenty-first after Pentecost
Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22); Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52
The Gospel according to Mark is understood to be a record of Peter’s memories. It is written with a Roman audience in mind. Thus it is a fast-paced, action orientated account of Jesus’ ministry.
In the opening of chapter 10, Jesus begins his final journey towards Jerusalem. In this account of the last miracle recorded in Mark, it is obvious that Blind Bartimaeus knows three things. He knows he needs to ask for help. He knows who to ask for help. He knows what help he needs.
Bartimaeus knows he needs help and isn’t ashamed to ask for it.
Regardless of what kind of man Bartimaeus is, he is seen by others as a sinner, an outcast and someone to avoid, except for an opportunity to give alms. Whether born blind or becoming blind, his condition says that he is suffering the consequences of his or his father’s sinfulness and is not worthy of participating in temple worship. If anyone should be reluctant to ask anyone for anything, it should be him. And yet he does.
He is not capable of earning and income but he still needs food to eat, clothes on his back and a roof over his head. The only option open to him is begging, relying on the kindness of strangers and the commands in the Law to give to the poor. As long as he is blind, he has no other recourse. But Bartimaeus isn’t content to be blind.
Three ministers are having lunch in a diner. One says “Ya know, since summer started I’ve been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church.
Another responds “Yea, me too. I’ve got hundreds living in my belfry and in the narthex attic. I’ve tried everything–noise, spray, cats, I’ve even had the place fumigated, and they won’t go away.”
The third says, “I had the same problem and tried the same solutions, but like you, nothing worked. The one day, I decided to apply the wisdom of my experience to the problem. I gathered them all up, baptized them, and made them members of the church. I haven’t seen one back since!!!”
Bartimaeus knows he needs help and isn’t ashamed to ask for it.
Bartimaeus also knows who to ask for help.
Jesus is well known by the people of Israel as a healer. Receiving sight again or for the first time is not something with which the people he knows can help him. Only the Messiah can cause the blind to see.
He calls out to Jesus, “Son of David”: a term referring to the Messiah. Did Bartimaeus actually believe that Jesus was the Messiah or was he merely hoping Jesus could heal him?
Perhaps it doesn’t make any difference at this point in time. If Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus has the divine authority to heal him. If Jesus isn’t, there is no harm in asking. Perhaps God will bless Bartimaeus anyway. You never know until you try, right?
The crowd tells Bartimaeus to be quiet, not to bother Jesus but Bartimaeus doesn’t back down. He keeps calling out to Jesus until Jesus finally responds.
One Sunday a pastor told his congregation that the church needed some extra money and asked the people to prayerfully consider giving a little extra in the offering plate. He said that whoever gave the most would be able to pick out three hymns.
After the offering plates were passed, the pastor glanced down and noticed that someone had placed a $1,000 bill in offering. He was so excited that he immediately shared his joy with his congregation and said he’d like to personally thank the person who placed the money in the plate.
And there sat shy, quiet Rosie all the way in the back, gradually raising her hand. The pastor asks her to come to the front. Slowly she makes her way to the pastor. He then goes on and on telling her how wonderful it was that she gave so much and in thanksgiving asks her to pick out three hymns.
Her eyes brighten as she looks over the congregation, and then and says, “I’ll take him and him and him!”
Bartimaeus knows he needs help and isn’t ashamed to ask for it.
Bartimaeus knows who to ask for help.
Bartimaeus knows what help he needs.
Bartimaeus is no longer content living as a blind man. He wants more. He wants to be a real human being in the eyes of others and in his own eyes. He is ready to leave behind what is known and move forward into the unknown even though he knows he will have to live his life very differently. He will have to work rather than beg for income. He will have to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem because when his shamed is removed he will have no excuse. He will be expected to participate in community life rather than being dependent upon it. Bartimaeus is willing because, he wants to see.
When Bartimaeus asks Jesus for sight, Jesus heals him and then says that Bartimaeus’ faith made him well. But is Bartimaeus truly a man of faith as this story begins? Maybe, maybe not. What we do know from the scriptures is that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. Perhaps Bartimaeus only had enough faith to ask for help and keep on asking until he got an answer.
He follows Jesus down the road. Why? Was this a sign of his gratitude? Did he not have anything better to do? Jesus had changed Bartimaeus’ life. Did his life not now belong to Jesus? Unlike the rich man who was asked to give up all he had and follow Jesus but wouldn’t, Bartimaeus did.
At a Wednesday evening church meeting a very wealthy man rose to give his testimony.
“I’m a millionaire,” he says, “and I attribute it all to the rich blessings of God in my life. I can still remember the turning point in my faith, like it was yesterday:
I had just earned my first dollar and I went to a church meeting that night. The speaker was a missionary who told about his work. I knew that I only had a dollar bill and had to either give it all to God’s work or nothing at all. So at that moment I decided to give my whole dollar to God. I believe that God blessed that decision, and that is why I am a rich man today.”
He finishes is story. It is pretty clear that everyone is moved by this man’s story. As he takes his seat, a little old lady sitting in the same pew leans over and says: “Wonderful story! I dare you to do it again!”
Are we like Bartimaeus? Are we willing to ask for help or does our pride stop us from living life to its fullest? Do we know who to ask for help whether that be other people or Christ? Do we know what help we really need or are we willing to settle for merely treating the symptoms of what we lack?
Bartimaeus may have been physically blind but in the 10th chapter of Mark, he is the only person that is singled out that could truly see. In deed Blind Bartimaeus was actually not so blind after all. How is our sight – 20/20 or far less?
Prayer: God who gives sight to the blind, help us see. Amen.