Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- What do you want me to do for you?
- Imagine if Jesus asked you this question!
- This Jesus who claimed to be God
- A staggering question
- A question asked by Jesus to the man in the passage
- For us - we might assume that one must hold some sort of power over the other
- But here we have the King of Kings
- It is typical of Jesus to give outrageous blessing to those who ask/do not deserve it
- This is the same Jesus that is available today
- If you do not know Him - come to Him now
- Prayer
- The theme is blindness - divided into two sections
- v31-34 - the blind disciples
- v35-43 - the blind beggar
- Two truths:
- Without Jesus we are all blind
- How to See
Without Jesus we are all blind
- Jesus takes aside His disciples and explains what is about to happen
- Jesus has perfect vision - He knows what is going on and what lies ahead
- He knew more that the physical things - that we would take sin, stand in the place of sinners and bear the wrath of God
- Because He is committed to and loves us
- The disciples were blind
- They couldn't understand these things - that He would be crucified
- Even though this was the 3rd time He told them – cf. Luke 9:22 & 9:44-45
- Jesus gives more information/details
- Explanation
- They just don't understand it - they are blind
- We have to be careful in how we think or judge the disciples
- It was hidden from the disciples
- Jesus used a lot of figurative language
- Jesus spoke often in parables
- It is hard for us to understand how the disciples didn't see
- Why?
- The answer - the meaning was hidden from them (v34)
- This raises more questions than answers - but three things to consider:
- God the Father hides things from the pride and arrogant - Luke 10:21
- Satan - has blinded the mind of unbelievers - 2 Cor
- The wrong expectations of the disciples themselves
- All three
How to See
- v35-43 - speaks of a man that is physically blind
- Bartimaeus
- Also had a friend who was blind
- He relied on his friends and others
- He hears a whole crowd approaching
- He calls out until he knows what is happening
- He is told that Jesus of Nazareth is coming and his heart islifted
- He knows He is the Messiah and the Son of David
- He seizes this once in a lifetime opportunity
- Jesus hears
- Although Jesus is on the way to save the world ...
- Although He is doing the greatest work in all of history ...
- ... He pauses and spends time with this man
- ... He asks Bartimaeus what he wants
- Bartimaeus asks for his sight
- Jesus touched his eyes and spoke a word
- Bartimaeus believed in faith
- His eyes were open and suddenly he could see
- The very first thing he sees is the Lord Jesus
- The people join Bartimaeus in rejoicing
- The fact that Jesus heals him teaches us three things:
- Is a sign that Jesus is the promised Messiah - explanation
- A foretaste of how Jesus will one day put everything right - explanation
- If we are not trusting in Jesus we are all blind
- People may take offence at being called blind - but Jesus was unstinting
- Luke
- Matt 23
- God wants us to know the truth - without Jesus we are spiritually blind
- Lets take a spiritual eye test - let us ask some questions
- What is God like?
- What is the meaning of your life
- What happens to you when you die?
- ...
- If you don't know Jesus you likely won't know or won't be sure
- Feelings and hopes are not sufficient
- Are you happy lacking spiritual sight - with the world being blurry and things being fuzzy?
- The passage shows us how to clearly see
- This passage shows us how to be saved
- It is so simple and free
- To cry out to Jesus
- We could learn many lessons from blind Bartimaeus
- Seize every opportunity
- Be persistent - don't let anyone stop you calling out to Jesus
- To plead mercy
- We must call out Jesus
- What did Bartimaeus do after he received his sight - such a life changing event
- He followed God
- There is nothing like a life changing event