Sermon by Herman Kauffman
Timbercrest
November 7, 2003

Bartimaeus

Mark 10:46-52

Once upon a time ... a long time ago, ... Once I was blind, but now I can see....

That's my story, and if you will give me your attention, I would like to tell you what happened the day that Jesus came into my life.

I was a blind beggar. You have probably heard me referred to as Bartimaeus, though that wasn't really my name. Bar - timaeus means "son of timaeus" or "son of the unclean." To call me Bartimaeus is not something I appreciate, especially now that I am a follower of Jesus.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not blaming you - you simply didn't know better. You simply read Mark's account of my story and assumed my name was Bartimaeous. Fortunately, when Luke and Matthew incorporated Mark's story into their own gospels, they were sensitive enough to omit the reference to "Bartimaeus - son of the unclean." They simply left me nameless.

That's appropriate, you know, that I should remain nameless, for there are so many who share my story. Persons who have been cast aside by society to sit and beg, persons who have handicaps and are often considered useless by society, persons who can not "see" any hope for the future.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I want to tell you my story so that you also will be sensitive to the needs of those in your community who, like me, are also considered to be "unclean."

I grew up blind and alone - it was a miserable way to live. In fact, it was not living at all - it was merely survival. I quickly learned that if I were to survive in my world I would need to become an effective beggar. That meant, first of all, that I needed to be seen. Did you know that the three essential rules of begging are: location, location, location! I learned that the best place to beg was along the road that led from Jericho to Jerusalem. Here I was away from the many city distractions, so I would be noticed; and yet I was near the busy road where so many traveled on their way to Jerusalem.

Even with this excellent location, you would be surprised how many persons passed by, pretending not to see me. They would look my way and see me only as part of the landscape - like a tree, a bush or a boulder. They did not see me as a real human being with feelings and needs. I thought to myself: "They have eyes with which to see, yet I see reality more clearly than they do."

O, there were some who would see me sitting there who would stop and stare, or the occasional child who would ask, "What's wrong with his eyes?" Some would throw a coin or two in the dirt at my feet and I would express my thanks since it meant I would eat another meal; but inside I grew sarcastic knowing the person was only trying to ease their guilt, and tossing a coin was easier than stopping to discover my real needs.

So I learned to beg in order to survive. I found a good location and I expressed my thanks for any gift that was tossed my way. Beyond that I quickly learned to keep my mouth shut and my feelings to myself. I knew that to be critical would only cut off my only means of survival.

I didn't like what was happening to me. I did not like not knowing where my next meal was coming from. I didn't like to beg. I didn't like feeling isolated from society. I didn't like the feelings I had within toward others and toward myself. I longed for something, or for someone, to come along and change it all, but I didn't have much hope for any positive change.

Then I began to hear bits of conversation about a man named Jesus. I heard that he had healed persons who were sick or lame and even some who were blind. I heard Jesus was a teacher who taught his followers to love one another and to care for the needs of others. I heard that he was a man of compassion who had time for children and women and the outcasts of society. For the first time in my life, I felt a spark of hope.

My hope grew when I heard someone say that Jesus would be traveling to Jerusalem for Passover. If he were going to Jerusalem by way of Jericho, there was only one road and that would take him right past my spot. I would be ready, I thought, if Jesus came my way.

How about you? Have you heard about this one called Jesus?

• Have you heard that he can heal a broken heart as well as a broken leg?
• Have you heard that he teaches us to love one another and to worship the one true God?
• Have you heard that he is a man of compassion who looks beyond the outward appearance and reads the needs of your heart?
• Have you heard that he is coming this way? Aren't you excited? Are you preparing to meet him?

It doesn't matter whether you are blind - like I was - or whether you just can't see - like those who passed me by without stopping. Jesus can help you to see again! I believe that, look what he did for me. But I'm getting ahead of my story.

Jesus did come to Jericho. And the next morning I was at my place along the road very early. I knew it was Jesus approaching, I could hear the excitement in the crowd. I began to have second thoughts: Why should Jesus want to help me? Nobody else did. They considered me to be "Bartimaeus" - son of the unclean, and nobody wanted to come too close to a blind beggar - it was if I had what you today call AIDS.

But I also knew that this was my one chance in life to be set free, so I yelled: "Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!" (Pause) "Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

I knew I had been heard. I sensed the crowd grow still. I felt hundreds of eyes turn and focus on me as some noticed me for the very first time. Others tried to silence me. "Be quiet, Bartimaeus! It's Jesus. He can't be bothered with the likes of you!"

"Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!"

And then he was present. I sensed his presence even before I felt his touch. And I heard him say, "What do you want me to do for you?"

I could hardly believe my ears. No one had ever asked me that question before. They had always assumed what my needs were - money, food, clothing. They assumed my biggest need was to have my eyesight. They didn't know that I longed for friendship, that I needed to be touched, that I just wanted to be seen as a human being despite my handicap.

"What do you want me to do for you?"

Even as I heard him asking the question, I knew he already knew my needs. Jesus knew that I needed more than another coin. Jesus knew that I needed more than eyesight. Jesus knew that I needed to be heard, to verbalize my needs.

"Teacher, I want to see again." Oh, how I wanted to see. I longed to see the trees that had provided shade and shelter for me. I longed to see the birds who sang for me. I longed to see the curious faces of the children who came to stare. I longed to see even those who no longer wanted to see me. But most of all I wanted to look into the gentle face of this Jesus who had stopped to care for my needs. "Teacher, I want to see again."

He touched my hand. "Arise and go," he replied, "your faith has made you well."

Once I was blind, but now I can see. That's my story, the story I came to share with you, the story of how Jesus touched my life and opened not only my eyes but my heart and soul as well. Jesus helped me to see myself in a new way so that now I feel good about who I am. I am not Bartimaeus, son of the unclean. Rather, I am a child of God. Jesus helped me to see myself as a person of great value and potential.

Jesus also opened my eyes to see other persons in a new way. The inner anger was washed away. I began to see others who were still blind and needed to be touched by Jesus, and I was led to approach them as Jesus had approached me, asking; "What do you want me to do for you?"

It has not always been easy. There were times I wished I could not see:

• When I watched the soldiers come for Jesus in the Garden
• When I saw the crowd gather and shout to Pilate, "Crucify him?"
• When I saw them drive the nails into his hands and the spear into his side

In those moments I almost wished Jesus had never opened my eyes to the reality of the world around me.

But let me tell you something more. I've seen persons whose lives have been transformed by this gentle man named Jesus. I've seen the lame walk and the blind see. I've seen the empty tomb and I've experienced the presence of the living God.

I've seen persons lost in the darkness of sin, discover a light at the end of the tunnel. I've seen persons hopelessly lost in their own self-centeredness, find a new center for their life in Jesus. I've seen persons blinded by selfish desires, stop and care for someone in need. Why, I've seen a church full of people decide to live their lives by a new commandment: to love one another.

Not everyone has seen the light, not everyone can see clearly ... but I have hope, because Jesus is coming this way and I know that we will stop and touch those who still cry out to him.

Once I was blind, but now I can see ... the light of the world is Jesus!