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The sermon presents Bartimaeus as a picture of fallen humanity: spiritually blind, impoverished, unable to recognize Christ or provide its own salvation. Faith originates through hearing about Jesus and responds by urgently crying for mercy, despite opposition. Christ effectually calls the needy sinner, grants immediate forgiveness and renewal, and opens the eyes of faith. Genuine conversion is demonstrated by joyful gratitude, testimony, and lifelong following of Jesus.
Theological center: Salvation is an act of Christ’s gracious mercy that opens spiritually blind sinners, grants forgiveness and renewal, and creates faith through hearing.
Applications: Cry to Christ for mercy · Come when Christ calls · Confess your sins plainly · Follow Jesus continually
Primary texts: Mark 10:46-52
“And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:46-52 THIS poor man was beset with two great evils—blindness and poverty. It is sad enough to be blind, but if a man that is blind is in possession of riches, there are ten thousand comforts which may help to cheer the darkness of his eye and alleviate the sadness of his heart. But to be both blind and poor, these were a combination of the sternest evils. One thinks it scarcely possible to resist the cry of a beggar whom we meet in the street if he is blind. We pity the blind man when he is surrounded with luxury, but when we see a blind man in want, and following the beggar’s trade in the frequented streets, we can hardly forbear stopping to assist him. This case of Bartimaeus however, is but a picture of our own. We are all by nature blind and poor. It is true we account ourselves able enough to see, but this is but one phase of our blindness. Our blindness is of such a kind that it makes us think our vision perfect, whereas, when we are enlightened by the Holy Spirit, we discover our previous sight to have been blindness indeed. Spiritually, we are blind, we are unable to discern our lost estate, unable to behold the blackness of sin, or the terrors of the wrath to come. The unrenewed mind is so blind, that it perceives not the allattractive beauty of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness may arise with healing beneath His wings, but ’twere all in vain for those who cannot see His shining. Christ may do many mighty works in their presence, but they do not recognize His glory, we are blind until He has opened our eyes. But besides being blind we are also by nature poor. Our father Adam spent our birthright, lost our estates. Paradise, the homestead of…