by Bruce Mackay | Download PDF | Purchase Hardcopy

Blindness, for a person with excellent vision, is impossible to comprehend. How can we imagine being locked up to darkness? Without outside intervention, blindness is being destined to a life of stumbling and falling. For a person born blind, the image of the unseen would have little meaning. No doubt the senses, like touch, hearing and smell, would be highly tuned. I have a cousin who is blind, who is so helped by her seeing-eye dog and the use of Braille that she can do almost anything a person with complete sight can. But nothing can replace the privilege of seeing.

Spiritual Blindness

Jesus came to recover the sight of those who are blind. As we read the most wonderful stories of the life of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we discover Jesus healing the sight of many. But, He also clearly shows that blindness is not only related to the physically impaired, but also to the human spirit. On many occasions, Jesus called the religious people of His time 'blind leaders' and 'blind guides'. He said that if you follow them, you too are also blind.

Blindness in the soul and spirit puts us in spiritual darkness, stumbling without clear direction. An honest appraisal of the days in which we live reveals darker and darker times. Every stumble seems more serious, to the extent that the human race is almost ready to make a fatal fall into darkness.

Jesus came to recover the sight of the blind. Jesus is the light of the world. No one needs to sit in darkness. In this article on the life of Jesus, we will join Him and His disciples as they pass through the ancient city of Jericho. As we participate in this marvellous event of Bartimaeus receiving his sight, we can learn how we can have our spiritual sight recovered. Illumination can come into your life as you read on. Jesus said, 'I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.'

Blind Bartimaeus

'Now they came to Jericho. As He 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, "Master, 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.' Mark 10:46-52.

Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, sat on the outskirts of Jericho. People in the business of life passed him by with little thought. One or two would drop a spare coin or a scrap of food at his feet. Rarely, if ever, would anyone stop and talk to him or show any personal interest or care toward him. Bartimaeus' life was one of darkness, dust, flies, smells, noise and most likely constant hunger, as his only form of existence was begging. There was no government assistance in the days of Bartimaeus! Thankfully, there is wonderful assistance for those in our society with disabilities.

This tragic picture of a blind beggar is the spiritual reality of every human that has lived on this planet. The Bible says that we are born in sin and that we are separated from God without hope. It says that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The Bible actually says we are each dead in sin. According to God's view of our spiritual internal life, we are blind, desperate beggars. We have no more ability to change ourselves than blind Bartimaeus had himself. Sinful self cannot improve sinful self. We have as much hope of bringing life and light to our own soul as we have of swimming up the Niagara Falls!

The result of our blind beggarly condition is the way we live. Despite each person endeavouring to live a good life, we still manage to sin. We still offend others. We are still selfish and we are still proud and angry people. No government legislation can stop sin. Tragically, deaths and accidents caused by speed, drink-driving and drugs still occur. There are still murders, rapes and robberies.

Despite our increase in knowledge, our society is going backwards. Schools are becoming less and less places of learning and more and more places of bullying and disrespectful behaviour. Yet, there are more seminars and courses on behaviour management than ever before. Corresponding to this, there is less and less honouring of the living God. Surely it is time to say, 'Enough of this flood of evil', and return to the Lord.

As we continue with Jesus and His disciples, we find that Bartimaeus' life is about to change forever.

Faith comes by hearing

As blind Bartimaeus sat begging, he became aware of an unusually large crowd coming near him. To his surprise and joy, Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was coming his way. He would have heard of Jesus. He may not have had sight, but his hearing was perfect. He had heard many stories about Jesus and His teachings and miracles. Having heard about Jesus, he had a certain belief in who Jesus of Nazareth was. Many may have argued and questioned, but Bartimaeus believed that this Jesus, who was about to come his way, was none other than the Saviour sent from God. He began to call out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me'. The use of the phrase 'Son of David' by Bartimaeus was confirmation that he believed this Jesus was the 'Messiah' – God in flesh.

Could I ask you, the reader, who do you believe that Jesus is? Jesus said, 'If you do not believe that I Am [He], you will die in your sins'. John 8:24. Jesus is the 'I Am', The LORD God in flesh. Faith in Him and only in Him can remove our sin. Jesus did not come to condemn, but to show mercy and save us from the blindness of our sin. He said, 'I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness'. John 12:46.

Many will oppose you

As Bartimaeus called out as loudly as he could, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me', the people around him tried to stop him. They saw no worth in him. To them he was just a blind beggar who only deserved the scraps they threw at him. They tried to shut him up by pushing him away and telling him to leave the Master alone.

Whoever seeks to call on the Lord for mercy will find that there is always opposition. It could come from many areas. Friends and family may try to talk us out of it. We may be worried that if we call on the Lord, we will lose our friends. It may even split our family apart. Perhaps there is a little voice saying that money is more important. The bottom line is that Jesus is Lord and we must put Him first in all things. This will always cause conflict.

Bartimaeus did not allow this conflict to leave him as a subdued beggar on the side of the road. He called out all the more because He believed that Jesus could give him sight.

He calls you

Something amazing happened. In the midst of the noisy and bustling crowd, Jesus heard the call of Bartimaeus. Jesus stopped and commanded Bartimaeus to come to Him. Jesus put value on Bartimaeus. Amongst the huge crowd, Jesus stopped and called a blind beggar to come to Him.

Each individual is of great worth to the Lord. He values you enough to die for you. He knows your need and He is commanding you to come to Him. God commands all men everywhere to repent; to change direction by turning away from sin. He calls you by name. The challenge for each of us is to humble ourselves and bow our heart to Him. You are not just a part of the mass of humanity; you were personally chosen by God to be His child. The darkness of sin and blackness forever is not God's purpose for you, but that you may live your life in the light as He is in the light. 'Be of good cheer… He is calling you.' Jesus called Bartimaeus just as he was. Many people feel that they need to improve themselves before they can follow Christ. They feel too unworthy to come before the Lord. That is a lie, because Jesus only received sinners.

Receive your sight

Bartimaeus threw aside his garment, rose and came to Jesus. Jesus calls each of us just as we are, but to come to Him we must leave the old behind. Bartimaeus knew he would not be a blind beggar again. He cast off his begging coat because he believed that he was to live a new life. What great expectation and what great faith! When we turn to the Lord, we become new. The old life of sin is finished. We are new in Christ.

Bartimaeus confessed his blindness and his faith for sight. Jesus responded by saying, 'Go your way, your faith has made you well'. The Bible says that Bartimaeus immediately received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. So simple, yet so marvellous – one moment in darkness, the next moment, sight. A whole new way of living was before Bartimaeus.

A good friend of mine has been suffering from failing eye sight. Just two days prior to the writing of this article, he had a simple cataract operation and he is so amazed at having good sight again. He was weeping with joy at being able to see clearly that to which he had been blinded. How much more for a totally blind person is the blessing of sight?!

Our Heavenly Father desires that we have spiritual sight. He sent Jesus to open the eyes of the blind. Jesus fulfilled God's purpose for us all.

'"The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned." From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."' Matt 4:16-17.

'When Saul, the religious leader who was spiritually blind to the true purpose of God, met the risen Christ, he heard Him say, "I now send you to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me."' Acts 26:18.

That same message comes to us now. All who will believe can receive godly sight.

Behold now is the day of salvation

For a last time, Jesus was passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem where He would be crucified. If Bartimaeus had listened to the crowd and held back from calling on the name of the Lord, he would have died a blind beggar. That was the day of his salvation because Jesus was to never pass through Jericho again.

The Bible says, 'Today if you hear His voice, don't harden your heart'. Behold, today is the day of your salvation. God is merciful. He calls us, He draws us, but we, like Bartimaeus, must choose to believe and call on Jesus as Lord. We must leave our old selfish and self-centered way, receive His mercy and forgiveness, and follow Him.

We follow Jesus by participating in His church and living in the light of Christ with other believers. In this context, we find that the darkness will pass away and we can live in His wonderful light and life.

Author: Bruce Mackay | Citywide Christian Fellowship - Cairns | CCFC
Published by Vision One at Toowoomba Christian Fellowship | TCF
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