What’s Keeping You on the Sidelines? (Mark 10:46-52)

In Mark 10:46-52 Jesus encounters a blind beggar without purpose in life. The interaction begs a question for every pursuer who has lost his way: What’s keeping you on the sidelines? 

Sidelined

Bartimaeus was a beggar who was sidelined in life because of his blindness. When he cried out to Jesus for mercy, the crowd tried to put him in his place. But desperate people ignore the crowd.  

Mark 10:46-48 (NLT) Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

• He began to shout – speaks of desperation for deliverance from his pain
  • This was his once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Jesus and ask Him for the one thing He needs most, salvation.  His brokenness was most noticeable in his blindness, but there’s more to it than that.
  • “Have mercy on me!” is analogous to screaming “Pity me!”  Bartimaeus is quite familiar with being pitied, but that pity is temporary and means he gets his needs met for today by generous and empathetic passers-by.  When he hears that Jesus is there, you can almost hear the desperation in his voice.  The one person who can truly pity me and truly help me is here.  Jesus, Son of David, Please Pity Me!!!
• Bartimaeus calls Jesus “Son of David”. This is a Messianic designation that shows who Bartimaeus knew Jesus to be.
• There were likely many other beggars and people around Bartimaeus.  Many folks who had accepted their lot in life and expected nothing to change.  Bartimaeus was filled with belief that Jesus could and would change his circumstances, that he did not have to simply accept his lot in life. When Jesus comes around, desperation turns to hope.
• You don’t have to be part of the “religious” crowd to be seen by Jesus.  He hears us and sees us, even if we are on the side of the road being ignored by everyone else.  Jesus can see past the crowd and the chaos to hear the voice of those who follow Him.  When Jesus comes around, desperation turns to hope.
  • On the way to His most difficult trial, Jesus takes the time to answer Bartimaeus’ need. Jesus offers more than just physical healing, He offers salvation to all who follow Him.

Expectant Faith

Jesus heard Bartimaeus and stopped for him, because people matter to God. He told the crowd to invite him over, and the blind man threw aside his coat in expectation of healing.

Mark 10:49-51 (NLT) When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”

• Jesus is walking to Jerusalem in what He knows is the last time.  He knows He is marching to His death on a cross, and the weight had to be immense.  On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus has had to repeatedly correct His disciples’ lack of humility through various illustrations.  He’s also tried, and seemingly failed, to enlighten them about His upcoming death and resurrection.  Yet, despite all of that weight and emotion, Jesus stops to answer the cries of a single, desperate man.
  • MacLaren’s Expositions – That pause of the King is repeated now, and the quick ear which discerned the difference between the unreal shouts of the crowd, and the agony of sincerity in the cry of the beggar, is still open. He is in the heavens, surrounded by its glories, and, as I think Scripture teaches us, wielding providence and administering the affairs of the universe. He does not need to pause in order to hear you and me. If He did, He would-if I may venture upon such an impossible supposition-bid the hallelujahs of heaven hush themselves, and suspend the operations of His providence if need were, rather than that you or I, or any poor man who cries to Him, should be unheard and unhelped. The living Christ is as tender a friend, has as quick an ear, is as ready to help at once, to-day, as He was when outside the gate of Jericho; and every one of us may lift his or her poor, thin voice, and it will go straight up to the throne, and not be lost in the clamour of the hallelujahs that echo round His seat. Christ still hears and answers the cry of need. Send you it up, and you will find that true.
• Why did Jesus tell the crowd to call Bartimaeus to Him?  He could have walked over to Bartimaeus and healed him, but He seems to be teaching the crowd a thing or two about humility, in keeping with the lessons He’s been teaching to this point.  By telling the crowd to go get Bartimaeus, Jesus is rebuking them for trying to silence Bartimaeus before.  
  • Jesus warns people not to come between Him and the people who truly need Him.  (i.e. children Mark 9:52, 10:14)
• “Threw aside his cloak” is an important detail.  If you are a blind beggar, you’d do well to keep your belongings within touching distance lest they disappear.  Could it be that Bartimaeus expected Jesus to heal him, so he could pick his cloak up later when he was able to see it on the ground nearby?  Or perhaps he was tossing aside his old way of life and expecting Jesus to deliver him?
• God exists outside of time and space, so not only does He know the future, but He is already in our future waiting for us to get there.  That is amazingly reassuring because it solidifies the reason for our expectancy in our faith.  
  • It’s like following your Dad across a rickety bridge.  It’s one thing if He is there with you encouraging you, telling you he knows it’ll hold you up.  It’s a totally different situation when he crosses the bridge in front of you and calls to you from the other side.  You know it works because He has already done it and proved it’ll work.
  • God has already seen what we are going to do, how we are going to fail and succeed.  And He is waiting on the other side of time beckoning us to Him even still.  
• “My Rabbi” is also interesting.   
  • Greek “Rabboni” = “My Great Master”
  • Rabboni occurs twice in the New Testament John 20:16 – Mary said this to Jesus after he resurrected in the garden
  • Enduring Word Commentary – Rabboni, that I may receive my sight: The title Rabboni “is a strengthened form of ‘Rabbi,’ and means ‘my lord,’ ‘my master.’” (Lane) When Bartimaeus said this, he expressed his humble submission towards Jesus.

• Isaiah 35:4-5 “Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.”  And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.
  • This is what Jesus had been doing in Israel up to this point, and word had gotten around.  Bartimaeus was not simply hoping for some traveling healer to notice him, he was expecting the Messiah to do what was foretold in Isaiah.
• We should submit our expectation to the God who already has an answer ready for us.  Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was the only answer to save him from his life of begging and pain.  While many folks hope for a miracle, Bartimaeus expected that Jesus could and would save Him.
• You don’t have to be with the “in” crowd for Jesus to see you. He is more interested in seeking and saving the lost than pandering to His fan club.

On the Road

Jesus healed Bartimaeus, but that was only the beginning. Once he could see, he joined Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus submitted his way to Jesus’ way.

Mark 10:52 (NLT) And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

• • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The difference in his position “beside the road” (Gk., para ten hodon) at the beginning of the story and “on the road” (Gk., en te hodo) at the end of the story signifies the difference between being an outsider and an insider, an bystander and a disciple.
  • From the Enduring Word Commentary – Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus: Now healed and saved, blind Bartimaeus then followed Jesus. The way of Jesus became his way. This was especially significant when we consider where Jesus was going at this time – to Jerusalem where a cross waited for Him.

Close

Jesus can see past the crowd and the chaos to hear the voice of those who have been sidelined in life. He offers purpose to those who are desperate enough to follow him.

• Bartimaeus chose to follow Jesus once he was physically able to do so. What’s stopping you?
• Will we follow the lesson of Bartimaeus?  If you knew Jesus was nearby, what would you do?  Would you cry out to Him for mercy and follow Him on His path?  Would you go on about your normal day, hoping to discover your own way to salvation?  Would you follow Him passively to see what He does like some in the crowd were doing?
• Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT) “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell[a] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.