Those who see, follow

Jeff Garrison
Mayberry & Bluemont Churches
November 10, 2024
Mark 10:46-52

At the beginning of worship: 

Back in the good old days (the fall of 1992, the last time the Pirates played for the National League Pennant), I meet up with friends in Pittsburgh for a game. Sadly, they lost the series in seven games to the Braves, but at least I was able to watch them win one. On this night, as it was an evening game, we carpooled together and parked in one of the many parking decks in downtown and walked across the 6^th Street Bridge to Three River Stadium. We were not the only ones who decided to do this. There were hoards crossing the bridge filling not only the sidewalks but also part of the roadway. 

I was out in the edge of the road and couldn’t help but notice through the people to my left, a beggar in ratty clothes and a cup, sitting up against the bridge’s railing. I was shocked to see people just step over him. The crowd was so large there was no way they could go around. I have no idea if anyone dropped any coins into his cup. The noise was so loud I couldn’t have heard the jingle. Besides, we were all so excited to get to the game. The man was just in the way and those close to the edge of the bridge had no choice but to step over him.^[1]  

As you know, we frequently see homeless people in urban areas. And when there is a crowd, it is easy to rationalize that someone else will help, or so we assume. Besides, the crowd swept everyone along toward the stadium. I hope there will be grace for the crowd because that ignored man was also a child of God.

Before the reading of scripture:

As we’ve seen over the past month, the tenth chapter of Mark is full of advice on discipleship. We had the rich young ruler, who just couldn’t leave his wealth behind to follow Jesus.^[2] If you are going to follow Jesus, you must be all in. You can’t hedge your bets. And we had James and John, as we saw last week, try to use Jesus for their personal greatness. They learned that’s not what Jesus’ kingdom is about.^[3] If you come to Jesus to get ahead in the world, you’re in for the wrong reason.

The 10th chapter ends with an example of a true disciple, one who was at rock bottom and is appreciative of whatever Jesus could do for him. And the man is not only healed but also follows Jesus. The word Jesus uses for Bartimaeus’ healing also means to be saved.^[4]

Interestingly, Bartimaeus is the only person healed in the synoptic gospels named.^[5] Maybe he’s also an example of the last being first.^[6] A nobody depending on the generosity of strangers, until Jesus comes along. Now he’s a somebody with a name! He credits Jesus. We should do likewise. 

Read Mark 10:46-52

The story I told you about the beggar along the 6^th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh was like what happened in Jericho some two thousand years ago. Jesus and the crowd head to Jerusalem. Excitement fills the air as pilgrims, hoping to spend the Passover in the holy city, make their way through the last major urban area, and of the oldest cities in the world, on their journey to Jerusalem. 

I imagine it’s morning. After all, they’re a good day’s hike from their destination and a steep climb ahead. There will be few places to stop, until they get to the villages surrounding Jerusalem.^[7] So an early start assures their arrival before dark. And we know what happens to lone hikers in this curvy stretch through the hills. Recall the story of the Good Samaritan.^[8]

So, they head out early and in a crowd. Perhaps they sing the fifteen Songs of Ascent, which we know as Psalm 120 through 134. It’s part of the Psalter sung by Pilgrims heading to Jerusalem.^[9] Leaving Jericho, they look up to the hills ahead, as we hear in Psalm 121: 

It should be noted the pagan believers around Israel often worshipped Baal or other idols on the high points of hills and mountains. But for the faithful Jew, they didn’t see the mountains as a place of worship but as an indication of the greatness of their God, the creator of all. The mountains instill awe. 

So, among the singing and the talking along the way, the multitude, like those of us going to see the Pirates play, totally ignore a blind beggar sitting on the side of the road at the edge of town. That is, until he learns Jesus is in the crowd. Bartimaeus must have heard about Jesus, who had previously given sight to the blind.^[10] So, he begins to make a fuss, shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” 

But the crowd has no time for this. They tell him to hush, not to bother Jesus for he is a busy man with a long walk ahead. But the blind beggar only shouts louder. Now we have our first miracle of the story. Jesus hears the man! Over the singing and the excitement of the crowd and the hum of a busy city waking up, Jesus hears the man’s cry and stops. Imagine the crowd so thick that Jesus must ask those near the man to bring him over. 

At this point, the crowd stops their rebuke of the man. Essentially, they say, “Dude, it’s your lucky day.” A path opens for him to travel through the crowd. The man throws off his cloak and makes his way to Jesus. 

Standing in darkness before Jesus, our Savior asks the man, “What is it you want me to do for you?” We’ve heard that question before, haven’t we?  Well, yes, in our text last week, just before this passage. James and John asked Jesus to grant them a wish and he responded with this same question, “What is it you want me to do for you?”^[11]

But the answer Bartimaeus gives couldn’t have been more different that the one given by the two disciples. The disciples wanted fame, honor, greatness, and all that would go with being next to the king. They could become wealthy from such a position! But this man doesn’t take Jesus for granted. Instead, he addresses him reverently and only asks to be made whole, that he be given his sight so that he could live, not as a beggar, but as productive citizen of society. 

You know, we should try to place ourselves into the position of the blind man sitting on the side of the road or even the homeless man sitting against the railing on the 6^th Street Bridge in Pittsburgh. Life often beats us down. Yet, on these days, both men had a good spot. Because of the crowds, it’s the perfect place to beg. 

But is that the life we want? We really want more from life than that, don’t we? But if we’re in their places, we’re desperate. We see no way out (after all, the man in our story is blind). But then a glitter of hope arrives. We hear about Jesus. This is our opportunity. The question to ask, “are we willing to risk it? To make a fool of ourselves to catch Jesus’ attention?” 

Bartimaeus is desperate. He may have felt this was his last chance. So far down on his luck, he ignores the crowd’s insistence that he keep quiet and in his place. He cries so loudly that he makes a fool of himself. And Jesus hears. 

The good news of this story is that Jesus hears Bartimaeus and responds. Even in the turmoil and confusion of the world, God can hear our cries, our pleas. But for us to find help like Bartimaeus, we must be willing to risk it all. 

Bartimaeus tosses down his cloak, possibility his only possession of value, because he needs to quickly make his way to Jesus. He risks losing it because he has an opportunity. He trusts this man whom he’s heard so much about that he acts like a fool and then is given an opportunity. And, unlike James and John in the previous story from Mark, Bartimaeus is not greedy.  

You know, Jesus tells us to pray for our daily bread.^[12] We’re not to pray for full pantries or wealth or fame, but just what we need to get by. And we’re to pray daily because that’s how we learn to trust, not in ourselves, but in the one who has created and redeemed us. 

In our journey through Mark’s gospel, the twelve disciples continually trip over themselves because they don’t yet fully trust Jesus. So here, at the end of the chapter on discipleship, we’re given an example. It’s not one of the twelve. Nor is it the rich man. It’s the blind beggar. He had hit rock bottom and calls out to the only place he can find help. And when Jesus answers, unlike the rich man, the beggar follows and I expect he continued to follow, telling others about when he met Jesus. 

When we are at wits end, we can call out to Jesus. And when he answers, when he lifts us up, we should continue to follow him, humbling giving thanks for the blessings we’ve experienced. Amen. 

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^[1] I told this story before, with a slightly different focus, in a sermon on November 2, 1997.

^[2] Mark 10:17-31. See https://fromarockyhillside.com/2024/10/20/with-god-all-things-are-possible/

^[3] https://fromarockyhillside.com/2024/11/03/the-demands-of-discipleship/

^[4] James R. Edwards, The Gospel According to Mark, (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2002), 331. 

^[5] Ibid.

^[6] This appears a common saying of Jesus. See Matthew 19:30, 20:16; Mark. 9:35, 10:31; and Luke 13:30. 

^[7] Jericho is located 840 feet below sea level and 3500 feet below Jerusalem. Edwards, 329. It’s 18 miles from Jerusalem. William L. Lane, The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974), 386. 

^[8] Luke 10:25-37. 

^[9] For insight into the Psalms of Ascent, see Eugene H. Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society (InterVarsity, 1980).

^[10] Mark 8:22-26. See https://fromarockyhillside.com/2024/08/18/open-our-eyes/

^[11] Mark 10:36.  See https://fromarockyhillside.com/2024/11/03/the-demands-of-discipleship/

^[12] This petition is in the Lord’s Prayer. See Matthew 6:11 and Luke 11:3