Blind Beggars

Mark 10:46-52

46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.  47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 51 So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

52 Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

It says that Jesus came to Jericho and left Jericho, there is no narrative of His visit there, because most likely nothing significant happened during this visit.  This is a very good illustration to show us that if we do not prepare ourselves for His presence, He will come and go, and we will not receive anything.

One man, who had been born blind, by the name of Bartimaeus was willing to reveal his emptiness, he was willing to endure the persecution for admitting he had a need.  It says that Bartimaeus heard the Crowd.  He couldn’t see but he could hear, and he used what he had. He couldn’t see but he had good vocal chords, so he used what he had.  God always gives us something to work with.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth he began to cry out for mercy.  Bartimaeus had been contemplating his condition and the spirit of desperation had been cultivating inside him. His plea for mercy was a cry of desperation for deliverance.  Jesus followers tried to get him to shut up and told him that he should hold his peace but he cried out even more, louder than before.  It was this cry that stopped Jesus in His tracks and made the Son of God stand still.

Jesus told His followers to bring the man to him.  Now the ones who had been telling Bartimaeus to shut up, now said, “Be of good comfort rise he calleth for thee.”

Isn’t it amazing how fast people can change when it will make them look more spiritual?  If they had cared about Bartimaeus they would have took him to Jesus

Mark 10:50

“And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.”

This garment was symbolic of his lifestyle, He had lived in this garment the life of a blind beggar. It was a representation of all the restrictions, and limitations and impossibilities that had defined his life.  It symbolized the lies of the enemy that he had believed and that held him captive, that had defined and had determined his actions.

This garment shouted to everyone coming by, “I am blind therefore I am helpless and cannot provide for myself, and so I must beg.”

I wonder today how many are spiritually blind to the things of God, and are beggars in the kingdom?  There are too many in our churches who know nothing of the spirit of revelation, and truth that can be made alive within their spirits. There are many who choose to live as blind beggar and to receive everything second hand.  Many in the church today are blind by choice, because to see carry’s the responsibility to change.

Bartimaeus knew that to receive his sight would end his right to beg, he would now have to labor for himself, and he publicly made that decision.  What Bartimaeus heard of Jesus called him beyond his condition and convinced him the possibility of an abundant life. This faith in his heart created a spiritual sight, and he began to visualize his healing.

He casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus.  Bartimaeus made a decision to be different, he made a determination to be different. He made a declaration to be different.  In standing up he was leaving the position that defined him as a beggar, in coming to Jesus he was leaving the condition that defined him as blind.  In coming to Jesus, he was stepping into the unknown

Every phase of growth in the spiritual life requires that you step into the unknown, go where you have never journeyed before and leave your comfort zone.  When God called Abram He obeyed and went out not knowing where he was going to be.  As the children of Israel prepared to cross the Jordan into their inheritance, they were told to leave a space between them and the ark so they could see which way to go because they had never passed that way befor

Many of God’s people are missing what God has for the

·         Because they are not willing to trust him where they cannot trace him. That is to say that if they cannot see or make sense of what he is requiring they refuse to follow.

·         Because they are not willing to cast away the old garment, Jesus said you can’t put new wine into old wineskins, or put a piece of new garment into the old.  That means we have to be willing to turn loose of the old to receive the new.  As Elijah’s mantle fell to the ground Elisha took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. Why?  What was he doing? He was removing the old to make room for the new.

·         Because they are not willing to admit spiritual poverty

·         Because they are not willing to change, they would rather be blind and beg.  They would rather eat the crumbs from the floor when they have been invited to the feast.  They would rather sit at the gate and beg when they could have a place at the table of the King.

Come and dine, the Master calleth, come and dine!