October 24, 2021
“Lowering our Voices That Blind Bartimaeus May Be Heard.”
Pastor Hines
This story in Mark is the last
healing miracle that Jesus did. The story is unusual not only because it is a
healing story but because we know the name of the person Jesus healed. We don’t
usually know the names of the people Jesus healed. His name was Bartimaeus –
“Bar” meaning “son of” and “Timaeus” being the name of his father. When Jewish
boys and girls come to the age of responsibility, they celebrate with a Bar/Bat
Mitzvah. They then become a son or daughter of the Law, of the Commandment.
Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus. Timaeus is associated with the name Timothy
which means “honor.”
When I was in
Spain many years ago, the seminary professor who set up the trip decided it was
cheaper to get a hotel in a “red light” district. As several of us were walking
down the street for dinner, there were women who appeared to be drug abusers
hiding in the shadows of the dark doorways, mumbling, inviting, even begging
for the men who accompanied us, and promising a night out on the town in
exchange for money. They seemed to be poor souls, hiding their hunger for love.
You’ve probably
seen a recent television commercial showing a young child coming home from
school, opening up the refrigerator and closing it because there was nothing
there to eat. His mother then comes home with a bag of rolls of bread
Sometimes that
care and provision is blocked. There is a spiritual battle going on. There are strongholds that cause certain blessings to
be delayed. However, even in the waiting, God is present. There are particular
blessings that God has ordained in our seasons of waiting and wanting.
Jesus heard him
shouting and called him to come forward. Those in the crowd were quiet enough
to understand what was going on with someone who needed help. Some may have
been annoyed or disturbed by the shouts of a begging man. Others were
encouraging, understanding. Perhaps they even lowered their voices so that
Blind Bartimaeus could be heard which is a prayer I have been led to pray: Help
us to lower our voices that the voices of blind Bartimaeus can be heard. They
spoke gently and kindly to him, saying ‘Take heart, Bartimaeus. Be encouraged.
Don’t cry. Look, Jesus is calling you. He wants to help you.’
We know Bartimaeus
was blind. We are not told why. Sight can be lost in a number of ways. There is
a condition called River Blindness where eyesight is loss due to exposure to a
parasite. Some become blind after an injury from an accident or a medical
condition that affects the arteries like strokes or diabetes. Psychiatrists
have treated those who suffer from what is called hysterical blindness or
psychological blindness. Great anxiety can blur the vision and overshadow one’s
life with darkness. Those traumatized by war, who see death and destruction to
the point where their hearts shut down and they just can’t stand to see
anymore, are blind, even though doctors see nothing medically wrong with their
eyes.
We may wonder what caused
Bartimaeus to become blind, but we don’t have to wonder about whether it is ok
for US to call Jesus when we
are on the side of the road figuratively or literally, when we can’t see what’s
ahead of us, when dark shadows surround us. Are you on the side of the road in
any way in your life…does your health have you sidelined? Is the coronavirus
casting grey shadows on your life? Is
your family troubling you? Your neighbor, your job…your mental health.
Jesus asked
Bartimaeus as Jesus may be asking you today, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Bartimaeus’ answer was simple. He said “Good teacher, let me see
again.” Spiritually or physically, he wanted to see again. That
presupposes that at one time he was
able to see. Spiritual or physical sight may come and it may go.
Whatever the case, we do well to cry out to Jesus.
Jesus may say to
us like he said to Bartimaeus: “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately
Bartimaeus regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way. Many times if we
have the faith to ask Jesus for healing, we immediately feel better. That is
often how the healing process begins. We feel better immediately for having put
our faith into action by trusting that Jesus can help us.
There is much that happens if we
could only read between the lines. It may be like the lady I knew who was
inspired to give up smoking, so she threw her pack of cigarettes out of the
window. The next day she had cravings so strong that she was outside crawling
around on the ground looking for that pack. Or the story may be like the person
who gave up smoking and had no cravings at all and never smoked again – adding years
to their life without the struggle that Joyce Meyers said she had when she
stopped smoking.