Mark 10:46-48

46Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

If you think about it, our failures in life come from the inability to see. We didn’t see starting that job or opening that business was the wrong move. We didn’t see that going to that school or befriending that person was the wrong move. We didn’t see that starting that hobby would end up destroying us. If we could only have the power to see things the right way… The Bible teaches us how. The blind beggar Bartimaeus cries out when he hears Jesus was nearby. When others tell him to quiet down, he ignores them and keeps crying out because his life depends on it. And when Jesus asks him what he wants, he says, “I want to see.” Not I want more money or more power. “I want to see.” Of all the things to ask for in the world, we must ask God for the ability to see. We are all Bartimaeus, blind beggars lost in the world, hoping Jesus will open our eyes. To adopt the faith of Bartimaeus, we must do five things.

One. Bartimaeus understood all his misfortune was rooted in his inability to see. All his woes in life came from being blind. We must have this recognition, this moment of clarity when we realize all the hardships, calamity and setbacks are results of our inability to see things correctly. Instead of blaming it on this person or that person, bad luck, or bad times, step back and realize the inception of these misfortunes rests in our blindness. If you are in a bad place, you’re in it because you saw things the wrong way.

Two. Bartimaeus believed the only person who could cure His blindness was Jesus. To see the world in the “right” way, we go to school, we learn certain subjects, we nurture skills, we foster relationships with the right kind of people… but these things will not cure our blindness, our inability to see the world in terms of blessings and curses. Jesus Christ is the only One who can cure our blindness. He is the only One who can open our eyes and have us see the world in the right way.

Three. When Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus, people tell him to stay down, to keep his mouth shut. He is a lowly human being, a blind beggar. But he screams even louder. He does not give up. We need this faith, this power to call out to the Lord even when we face obstacles. The world will try to keep us down, but we must rise and call to Jesus with even more vigor. We must never let the hindrances muffle our voices. Cry to the Lord in a louder, more passionate voice!

Four. When Bartimaeus hears the Lord’s voice, he throws his cloak aside and runs to Jesus. For Bartimaeus, his cloak is his most prized possession, but he throws it away without a second thought because he hears Jesus calling Him. When we hear Jesus’ voice, we must run to Him with a sense of urgency, as if our life depends on it. Many of us say, “I’ll run to Jesus after I make some money or retire or send my kids to college or get settled in.” No! When Jesus calls us, we must throw our cloaks aside, jump to our feet, and run to Him!

Five. When Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants, he says, “I want to see.” He doesn’t ask for money or power. He asks to see. We need to have this kind of faith. If you were asked this same question, how would you respond? Seeing the world in the right way is the most important thing in the world. Because we are blind, we can’t see beyond this world. We can’t see what are true blessings. Being poor or sick, being rich and healthy- if we are blind, we have no idea what is good or bad for us. Sometimes losing everything is a blessing! Sometimes falling into money can be a curse! If we are blind, we are blind to what are truly blessings.

Bartimaeus has amazing faith. He understands all his misfortune and despair come from being blind. He believes Jesus is the only One who can help him see. He overcomes obstacles and the world trying to hold him back to scream even louder for the Lord. And when he hears the Lord’s voice, he doesn’t hesitate: he drops everything and runs to the Lord. Finally, when the Lord asks Him what he wants, he asks to see because he knows it’s the most important thing in the world.

Click for Korean sermon.

English Reading  https://youtu.be/91wBKSj69eA