JESUS OPENS THE EYES OF THE BLIND ON THE WAY TO THE CROSS
Sermon Text, St. Mark 10:46-52. Now they came to Jericho. As He [Jesus] went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 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!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 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.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 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.” 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.
Lord, this is Your Word and these are Your words. Sanctify us by the truth. Your Word is truth. By Your Word enlighten our hearts and open our eyes to see with eyes of faith, just as You mercifully opened the blind man’s eyes, that in all tempt-ations and trials we may look to Your mercy and find comfort by Your Word. Amen.
Dear people loved by God who has chosen and redeemed you by His mercy in His Son, Jesus, the Son of David: Grace, mercy, and peace to you. Amen.
Of all the people Jesus healed, we only know the names of three of them: Mary Magdalene – He cast seven demons out of her, by which He healed her body and mind. Malchus – the high priest’s servant whose ear Peter cut off as they were arresting Jesus, but Jesus touched his ear and healed him. The other one is the unforgettable guy here: the blind man Bartimaeus.
He did this for Bartimaeus on the road going through Jericho. The road is important. It begins with a procession coming down the road. The blind man is sitting right by it. He’s got a good spot. Jesus doesn’t do His miracle off the road, away from the crowd. All the action is on the road. Then Bartimaeus gets in line with the others, walking down the road Jesus is on.
What comes after this if you keep reading in Mark, is Palm Sunday, when Jesus enters Jerusalem to die. This story comes right before that. Jericho was the last “rest stop” for the people from Galilee who went up to Jerusalem for the Passover. The road in the story is the road to the cross.
We’re starting out on our annual journey to the cross. The season of Lent is about to begin. Each year the Sunday before Lent features this story (not from Mark but Luke) about Jesus’ healing of the blind man in Jericho. Since we know how Lent ends, with Jesus’ death, and it has to do with our sins, we think we’re headed into a gloomy time in church. It is serious to think about. But as Mark’s story of the blind man shows, this is anything but glum. We learn what joy Christians have waiting for us each Lent!
Jesus is coming down the road at the head of a procession. Not only with the 12 disciples, but it’s a whole crowd of people going to Jerusalem for the Passover. As the custom was, all the townspeople of Jericho are coming out to greet them on their way. It’s joyful. It’s a parade. We know when Jesus gets to Jerusalem, there will be palm branches, shouting and singing.
So you’d think that a blind beggar in this scene would be a real drag. Here’s a party scene going along, and who’s sitting by the road but a blind man, the very sign of the devil’s power! St. Paul speaks of unbelievers as those “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ should shine on them” (2Co 4:6).
It’s as if the devil planted Bartimaeus on the road, to say, “So there!” Won’t it spoil Jesus’ party, cramp His style? Won’t the parade screech to a halt? It does screech to a halt, but not in the devil’s favor.
Bartimaeus asks a simple question, and he is told, “It is Jesus of Nazareth passing by.” What a powerful word that is! For the blind man starts yelling at the top of his lungs, shrieking really, and this isn’t good form for a parade, so the crowd tries to stop him. But he keeps yelling.
His voice is heard above the crowd. Not an ordinary beggar’s cry, but “Son of David!” He says it again: “Son of David!” It stops Jesus in His tracks, it stops the parade. Jesus can’t take another step. “Son of David” means “the Christ,” Messiah. I think a disciple of Jesus’ perked up at this, he who said, “You are the Christ” – Peter. Peter saw Jesus stop and command: “Call him!” He saw the man not just “rise” to his feet, but literally it says that Bartimaeus “bounded” up, jumped to his feet, skipped like a deer. This was Peter’s kind of guy!
This is why Mark’s gospel, consisting largely of how Peter remembered things, gives us Bartimaeus’ name. So we remember it. Crying, “Son of David” – “You are the Christ!” – at the top of his lungs. Bounding for joy.
Then comes the miracle. It’s a moment of such joy. Jesus is face to face with a man who is blind but sees clearly. He sees better than most of the partiers. He sees with spiritual eyes, with eyes of faith. He believes.
He calls Jesus “Rabboni,” not just “teacher” but “teacher and Lord.” He is not blinded. He is saying Jesus is his Lord. The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ is shining on him, in him, through him. His eyes not only open to see, but also they won’t stay closed in death, his eyes will open in heaven. Like Job, Bartimaeus will see Jesus “with his own eyes.”
Jesus now gives Bartimaeus the ability to see. He shows that the devil has achieved nothing. Jesus says, so all can hear: “Your faith has saved you.” He also says, “Go,” but Bartimaeus isn’t going anywhere. He’s coming. He began to follow Jesus “on the road,” the road to the cross.
This is a story about faith. Every time Jesus gives sight to a blind person it pictures God giving faith. The picture is that we’re born spiritually blind, born sinful – but in Him we see, we’re saved by faith. Our eyes are opened in Baptism and by His Word. He gives us spiritual eyes, eyes of faith.
Faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is believing things you can’t see. You learn not to judge by what you see and feel, but to see with eyes of faith. So you see by faith that your sins are forgiven and you’re holy and clean in God’s sight. You see by faith that you’re in His Church and it’s a multitude. You see by faith that angels are at your side. You see by faith that God is with you. You see by faith that He’s listening to your prayer.
We need this, because just like with Bartimaeus, sometimes it seems like the devil plants you where it’s miserable. That’s all you can see. You see your sins and guilt. You see the sins of others, all your hurts – and those of your spouse or children. You see all that worries you. You see the world from within a load of anxiety. You see what makes you sad, what makes you angry, what makes you afraid. You see everything you’re dissatisfied with. We’re still selfish, full of “me first.” We’re the ones that Longfellow’s poem about Bartimaeus is describing: Ye that have eyes, yet cannot see,
In darkness and in misery …
Yet what you find out is that the devil may have planted you there – seeing what he wants you to see, hearing what he wants you to hear, the accusations of the Law in your conscience and the guilt of your sins – but it turns out that it’s the very road Christ is passing through, with His long train of followers, all the saints of all time.
Jesus wants to be where your darkness is. He came into this darkness. He went into the dark valley of the shadow. We’ll hear it again this Lent. He comes into our darkness so He can fill it with His light. He wants the light of His gospel to shine on you. This is what He does in His Word.
The Holy Spirit, in His Word, whispers to you, as He did to Bartimaeus: “It is Jesus! The Son of David – your Messiah!” This makes you bound for joy. Jesus stops and stays with you in His Word. He “enlightens you with the Gospel” – fills you with light, which is faith in the truth of sins forgiven and of everything waiting for you on that brighter shore, in that glorious light.
What we can’t forget about faith is that isn’t just some general thing. It’s faith in Jesus. It’s personal. It’s faith in Him and all that He promises you.
Bartimaeus just kept calling His name, screaming and shrieking it, even. That’s what faith is like. Sometimes you’re falling and you just keep screaming His name: “Jesus! Save me! Help me!” Some would think that’s not much of a faith, it feels weak. But it’s the greatest faith: to call upon Him. Is that faith or is it prayer? The answer is yes. Prayer is what faith looks like. And when it is said to you, “It is Jesus!” – there He is, in His Word, in the Supper – in your heart you leap for joy to be where He is, where He gives your troubled heart relief, comfort, hope and courage.
Faith is the road you’re on. Sometimes it’s bumpy. Sometimes you fall down. But guess what? You follow Jesus on this road, and you don’t follow alone. You’re in a parade with others. You’re with all those whose darkness He has taken away, whose eyes He has opened, and they are all rejoicing with you – some already singing His joys in heaven, others struggling along with you. Our place is to keep following, keep picking each other up and pointing ahead to our Leader – Jesus. Amen!