Touched through blindness

Notes from a sermon heard on 1 September 2013

Luke 18 verses 35 – 43

Think of a special day in the life of Bartimaeus because it was the day the Lord not only entered into Jericho but his life touched others in Jericho.  “And he cried, saying Jesus thou son of David have mercy on me.” (verse 38)  He was sitting in his blindness, his darkness.  He was lifted by his friends and taken to this place sitting with his bowl crying out as people passed him by.  Somehow he would be able to receive pennies.  One day Jesus Christ came.  One day he lifted up his voice.  One day he cried to the Lord.  Was there a day like that in our lives?  A day when we heard the Lord passing by, when we cried out to him, invited him into our hearts and lives?

It was a blind cry.  It came out from the very depths of the soul of a blind man.  He couldn’t have seen the Lord passing by.  He had to be told about it.  He could only depend on others leading him around.  That is what the Bible says about us today.  As you and I come into this world you are blinded.  We can see the things around us.  We cannot see into the depths of our heart.  Do not know what lies within that heart.  What lies there is the sin nature.  We have been born again the Bible says.  Everyone has sinned, broken God’s laws, broken God’s commandments, come short of what God would have for us today.  This man is crying out for the darkest depths of despair.  David was a young shepherd boy guarding his sheep.  One day he had to defend the whole nation of Israel, went on to become great King of Israel.  He went through an awful time of despair, discouragement, deep despair.  I’m sure there are times we can look back on our lives, can say they were difficult for us to endure.  David looked on it like a horrible pit, couldn’t get out of it by his own will power.  The Bible says “I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and he heard my cry.  Jesus says it doesn’t matter who the person is, if that person comes to me I will not pass them away.  Here was a man felt was in a horrible pit, all he could do was lift up his voice and cry.  Remember how the children of Israel in Egypt under hardship, taskmaster.  The people of God got to the place of despair and discouragement.  The Lord took Moses out into the wilderness.  I have a very special job for you.  I want you to go down into Egypt and bring my people out of that land.  He had to have seen the affliction they are under.  I have heard their cry.  Not until they cried out would God move in to take them out of that situation.  Maybe you realise you need to be saved.  There is sin in your heart, never be in heaven because of that sin.  You really need to get saved.  Not prepared to call or cry.  The Lord would not break in without you crying.  “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in.”  Manasseh king is Israel his father Hezekiah brought the nation of Israel back to the Lord.  Father and mother do you see a family underneath you going out into a lost and Christless hell for eternity.  Are you concerned about it today?  Hezekiah did everything in his power to set an example in his home.  Manasseh didn’t want that example.  Don’t blame yourself if one in your home is starting to go the opposite way from you.  What you will answer for is the example you have set before them.  Manasseh did everything in his power to do the opposite of his father, to turn the people away from the Lord.  The Lord spoke to him again and again but he wouldn’t turn.  The Lord sent the enemy against him.  They took and put him in fetters.  2 Chronicles 33 verse 12.  From the pit God heard David.  God heard Manasseh.

It was a begging cry.  Have mercy on me.  He was begging for mercy.  This man had nothing to bargain with just helpless.  A poor blind beggar to cry that somehow God would look on him with favour.  Mercy was not something we deserved because we have sinned, turned our backs on God, broken his law.  The soul that sinneth it shall die but God extends his mercy to us.  He took his only son and he sent him in into this world on that cross of Calvary there he died and suffered for you and I.  He suffered for your sins and my sins, died for your sins and my sins, died to pay the price of them that you would not have to die for them.  Whenever we cry out to the Lord he comes and saves us.  The prodigal son in scriptures came to himself, came to his senses and decided to go back to his father.  He planned what he would say to him.  Now he was returning empty and a beggar hoping to be given the servants position but no the father hugged him, kissed him, put a ring on his finger and a robe on his back and shoes on his feet.  He welcomed him back into his home.  Bartimaeus could hear the noise and questioned what it all meant.  He cried out asking what it all meant.  The people told him Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  All he had to do was cry out to Jesus and he would save him.  Christ has died for you.  He wants to save you, come into your heart and life.  Forget about a profession you made in the past.

It was a believing cry.  Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was.  Maybe he had knowledge of who he was.  Somehow this man knew the word of God.  Maybe you know the word of God, know everything I am saying.  On the cross of Calvary Jesus died for you but you just haven’t come.  Maybe you know the story, brought up in a home where you were taught the story of Jesus, how he was crucified but it is all a story for you today.  Why not make it a reality.  That is what Bartimaeus did.  It was a believing cry.  David thou son of David have mercy on me.  When we come to Jesus we must believe that he is God and Saviour.  He is the only remedy.  He is the only mediator between God and man.  Believe he is a diligent rewarder of them that seek him.  I wonder are you ready to call out with a believing heart for Christ today?

It was a beneficial cry.  Jesus stopped right where he was and called Bartimaeus to himself.  Do you see Christ calling today?  Telling you you need to be saved?  It is important that you are saved.  Here was a man who heard, was stirred by faith, he cried.   Unless your heart is stirred you will never cry.  You will go out into a Christless eternity.  If you can hear the Lord saying you need this, you need to cry out.  Bartimaeus came to the feet of Jesus.  He asked him “what will you that I do unto you?”  Bartimaeus said “that I might receive my sight”.  Jesus told him “thy faith hath saved thee”.  It was his faith not works that saved him.  All because he cried to Jesus that day.  You will never be in heaven because you go to church, read your Bible or pray.  You will only be in heaven if you trust the Lord as Saviour and Lord.  The consequences are to be lost in a Christless hell for eternity.  Will you come like Bartimaeus of old crying out to him, ask him into your heart and life to be your Saviour and he will do it.