Mark 10:46-52
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 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!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
What is striking about this story is how determined the blind man was in seeking Jesus. The crowd told him to be quiet, to mind his own business, "but he cried out all the more" (verse 48). He didn't care what others thought of him, he wanted to be healed!. Do we have the same desperation, the same williness to do whatever it takes, even if we become an embarrassment to others? Jesus rewarded the man's faith with healing: "Go your way; your faith has made you well" (verse 52). Before that Jesus asks the blind man a provocative question: "What do you want me to do for you?" (verse 51). How would you answer that question?
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Rabbi, let me be pure.
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 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!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
What is striking about this story is how determined the blind man was in seeking Jesus. The crowd told him to be quiet, to mind his own business, "but he cried out all the more" (verse 48). He didn't care what others thought of him, he wanted to be healed!. Do we have the same desperation, the same williness to do whatever it takes, even if we become an embarrassment to others? Jesus rewarded the man's faith with healing: "Go your way; your faith has made you well" (verse 52). Before that Jesus asks the blind man a provocative question: "What do you want me to do for you?" (verse 51). How would you answer that question?
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Rabbi, let me be pure.