Jesus Heals a Blind Man Named Bartimaeus Mark 10:46-52
Bartimaeus' story teaches us about the importance of faith and trust in Jesus, and how it can lead to healing and restoration.
David Servant preaches on the story of Bartimaeus, highlighting his unwavering faith in Jesus for healing despite discouragement from others. Bartimaeus boldly called out to Jesus, demonstrating his strong belief that Jesus could grant his request. When Jesus stopped and invited Bartimaeus to Him, Bartimaeus showed his faith by eagerly approaching Jesus and requesting to see. Jesus commended Bartimaeus for his faith, emphasizing that his healing was a result of his strong belief in Him.
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Bartimaeus must have heard about Jesus and the many people who were being healed by Him. It sparked a faith within him that he would be healed if Jesus would ever visit Jericho, and when he heard that Jesus was passing nearby, his faith went into action. Bartimaeus began calling out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" That shows how much faith he had. He wasn't embarrassed to request healing publicly. He was certain Jesus could give him what he wanted if he could only get His attention. Even after people around him tried to discourage him, telling him to be quiet, he just yelled all the louder.
When Bartimaeus was told that Jesus had stopped and invited him to come to Him, he knew he would soon be seeing. He threw aside his coat and excitedly jumped up. Some say that blind people back in Jesus' time wore special coats that identified them to everyone else as being blind. If that was the case, Bartimaeus throwing aside his coat was another act of faith. He believed he no longer had any need of a blind man's coat!
With someone guiding him, Bartimaeus made his way to Jesus. Testing his faith one more time, Jesus asked him what he wanted Him to do. Without hesitation, Bartimaeus made his request: "Teacher, I want to see!" Obviously he wouldn't have made such a request unless he believed Jesus could and would grant it. And Jesus gave him exactly what he requested.
Q. According to Jesus, Bartimaeus was healed because of his faith. What would have happened if Bartimaeus had not believed?
A. He would not have been healed, even though it was obviously God's will for him to be healed. This once again proves that God's will doesn't always automatically come to pass. When people say, "If God wants me to be healed, I'll be healed," they're mistaken.
Q. Was Bartimaeus instantly healed?
A. He was instantly healed once Jesus told him, "Go your way. Your faith has healed you" (Mark 10:52). However, it took some time and persistence before Bartimaeus heard Jesus speak those words. Actually, he was believing even before Jesus visited Jericho, and kept on believing as he continually cried out to Jesus. In that sense, his healing wasn't instantaneous.
Application: We will probably never know the joy that Bartimaeus experienced when he regained his sight. Why not close your eyes for the first five minutes of your next family meal to experience a small sampling of the frustration that blind people face all day, every day? When you open your eyes to finish your meal, think of how Bartimaeus felt when Jesus opened his eyes.
Sermon Outline
- I. Introduction to Bartimaeus and his faith
- A. Bartimaeus heard about Jesus and believed he would be healed
- B. He requested healing publicly, showing his faith
- II. Bartimaeus' actions demonstrate his faith
- A. He threw aside his coat, symbolizing his faith
- B. He made his way to Jesus, trusting in his healing
- III. Jesus heals Bartimaeus
- A. He asked Bartimaeus what he wanted Him to do
- B. Bartimaeus requested to see, and Jesus granted it
- IV. Application of Bartimaeus' story
- A. We can experience a small sampling of Bartimaeus' frustration
- B. We can learn from his faith and trust in Jesus
Key Quotes
“He wasn't embarrassed to request healing publicly. He was certain Jesus could give him what he wanted if he could only get His attention.” — David Servant
“He believed he no longer had any need of a blind man's coat!” — David Servant
“Go your way. Your faith has healed you” — David Servant
Application Points
- We can experience a small sampling of Bartimaeus' frustration to appreciate his healing.
- We can learn from his faith and trust in Jesus.
- We should not assume that God's will will automatically come to pass, but rather trust in His power and provision.