PREPARING THE WAY: “A Prayer for Vision”

Mark 10:46-52

October 27, 2024

 

Lord God of all peoples and places, of all backgrounds and tribes, 

 illuminate your Word today by the power of your Spirit, in order to accomplish what you intend; 

    through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

 

Jesus, his disciples, and a large crowd were departing Jericho. 

  They were embarking on a long, uphill walk to Jerusalem, some 18 miles 

    with an elevation gain of nearly 4000 feet. 

  Jericho is 800 feet below sea level while the Mount of Olives stands at about 3000 feet above sea level. 

    It was going to be a long, arduous day. 

 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, prepared for their long journey, a beggar cries out to Jesus. 

    There is more than one miracle, one amazing movement of the Spirit, 

       in this story of the blind beggar outside of Jericho. 

   The most obvious miracle is the restoration of sight. 

   The less obvious miracle is that Jesus heard this one voice amidst the crowd. 

       Jesus heard a lone voice, stopped his entire entourage, stood still, had the man brought before him,

           and listened to the plea of this one blind beggar. 

 

Hear the Word of God from Mark 10:46-52.  

“They came to Jericho.  As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, 

    Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.  

 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say 

   ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’  

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’

  Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ 

And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’  

 So throwing off his cloak, Bartimaeus sprang up and came to Jesus.  Then Jesus said to him, 

   ‘What…do you want me…to do…for you?’ 

The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’  

Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’  

Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.” 

The Word of the Lord.  Thanks be to God

 

We don’t know anything about Bartimaeus or his family. 

What we do know is that there were no disability checks for a blind man in first century Jericho.

 There were no compassionate corporations or non-profits employing the handicapped.

   If Bartimaeus was going to survive, he was going to beg. 

     His life would consist of begging for food scraps that many would otherwise throw to the dogs.

When Bartimaeus began criying out: “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”, everyone him told to be quiet. 

  “Son of David” was a religious claim and a political title, and in that context, 

     a very dangerous name to call Jesus in public. 

  “Son of David,” Bartimaeus shouted even louder, “Have mercy on me!”

  “Hush, Bartimaeus!  Be quiet!”, they sternly ordered him.

     But Bartimaeus would not be quiet.  “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”

 

Suddenly Bartimaeus heard the crowd stop. The movement of feet had ceased. 

   Bartimaeus could tell that the crowd now stood just in front of where he sat!

  “Take heart, Bartimaeus.  Get up.  He is calling you.”

   Throwing off his old cloak from around his shoulders, Bartimaeus sprang to his feet.

     Half-stumbling, he made his way forward, guided by unknown hands to where Jesus stood.

 There two men stood facing one another on the uphill road from Jericho to Jerusalem – 

   Jesus – on the way to Jerusalem to die for desperate souls 

     and Bartimaeus – a desperate soul longing to be made well. 

 

Then Jesus asked Bartimaeus the most sublime question, “What…do you want me…to do…for you?”

     “What do you want me to do for you, Bartimaeus?”

 Had Bartimaeus doubted the power of Jesus, 

   he might have asked him for a scrap of bread or a piece of money. 

Bartimaeus, face to face with Jesus, mind racing and heart beating wildly, cried out,

  “Rabbouni, I want to see again.”

 

This narrative begs the question of each of us: What do you want?  What do you want Jesus to do for you?

    What change in your person or circumstances would be so dramatic as to alter the course of your life?

  What do you want Jesus to do for you? A sublime question, worth pondering in daily prayer, for all of us. 

Remember the less obvious miracle in the narrative?

   Among the hundreds, if not thousands, on the street that day outside of Jericho, Jesus heard Bartimaeus. 

     Jesus heard one blind beggar calling out in faith, crying out in prayer, begging for an audience with Jesus. 

   And Jesus responded. 

 

As we begin this year of celebrations at Decatur Presbyterian Church,

  can we be bold enough to cry out to our Savior once again?

     Do we believe that Jesus will not only hear us, but also respond in God’s way and in God’s time?

  Will God hear the prayers of this one congregation among the thousands of congregations

     and among the millions of those praying for God’s help today?

 

In reflecting upon this passage, I imagined many things that this congregation may want to pray for. 

 What do you want me to do for you, for Decatur Presbyterian Church?, Jesus asks us.

   We want to see again, Lord. 

    We want to see each other clearly and lovingly. 

      We want to see the Spirit of God at work in our midst. 

        We want to discern a vision of what God is calling us to do in this next season of our history. 

 We want to see joy and gladness in this coming year of celebrations. 

  We want to see friends new and old connecting with each other and engaging in our ministries. 

   We want to reconnect with those who grew up here or those who were active in prior years.

    We want to see people of all ages growing in faith, and hope, and love. 

    We want to see this congregation worship with inspiring music, 

        with fellowship that engenders loving connections, 

          with prayers and sermons and liturgy that move the heart and hands to greater faithfulness. 

 We want to see this congregation continue to serve our community with hospitality, compassion and generosity. 

  We want to see the demographics of the congregation continue to become more similar to the demographics 

     of our surrounding community. 

   We want to see the members of this congregation acting as salt and light and hope in their daily lives,

       in all the places and groups and neighborhoods and homes where they live and work. 

 

And when it comes to the prayers for individuals, there are so many more pleas. 

   We want to see healing for those who are ill in mind, body or spirit. 

     We want to see comfort for those who mourn and guidance for those who are lost. 

      We want to see peace and joy for those who are anxious and afraid. 

 

Given that we have about nine days until a tremendously significant Presidential election,   

   we might consider what our nation might want Jesus to do for us, as a nation? 

Jesus did not just give Bartimaeus money or food. Jesus did not assume what he needed. 

  Jesus asked him: What do you want me to do for you?

Imagine what our nation might want Jesus to do for us… 

 Lord, we want to see again. 

 We want to see each other again, with less judgment. 

   We want to notice our neighbors, whomever they may be, and see the world from their perspective, 

    We want to see clearly in order recognize truths from falsehoods, 

      in order to discern paths of righteousness that will lead us in your ways, 

       to see the ways and means that will enable the common good of all. 

   We want to catch a glimpse of hope for peace again, 

        for peace in our homes and families, for peace in our cities and towns,

          peace in the Middle East, in Ukraine and Sudan, 

           and every nation throughout the world. 

  We want see a vision from both sides of the aisles of congress, 

    for common sense gun laws that can be agreed upon, 

    so that we may respond effectively to the real and present danger 

      to our children, to all, of easy access to handguns and AK-47’s.   

    for an economy which lifts all boats, so that all may have food, 

   which does not further harm the fragile planet which we all share, 

     which is sustainable for our nation and other nations, 

      and sustainable for the earth and all its creatures.       

     for an affordable and accessible health care for everyone, no matter their income or social class.

Lord, we want to see clearly again the face of Christ on our brother and sister,  

       the image of God in our neighbors near and far,

     the presence of your Spirit at work beyond our own limited belief systems.  

 

Jesus said to Bartimaeus, “Go; your faith has made you well.”

  The word for “well” is related to the Greek word “sozo” or “salvation”.

    Your faith has saved you. Your trust in God has made you whole. 

 

 Bartimaeus regained his sight, but it was not the renewed sight that made him well.

  It was his faith. It was his trust in Jesus that made him whole, whether or not he could see.  

 The regained sight was an incredibly wondrous gift that changed his life, 

   but it was his faith that made him whole. 

 Jesus told Bartimaeus to “go”, but Bartimaeus could not go. He was too grateful to go. 

  He was too overwhelmed with the gift that he had received.

So Bartimaeus followed.  He followed Jesus “on the way”, as the text reports, 

   perhaps all the way to Jerusalem, perhaps all the way to the cross.

  The fact that Bartimaeus name is included by gospel writer Mark probably means that Bartimaeus

    was known by the early church, involved in the early church, 

      active in spreading the good news of Jesus to all who would hear his story. 

 

What…do you want me…to do…for you?

 This is a question worth considering, and the future of our lives may depend on it. 

   What do I want Jesus to do for me?  for my family?  for my friends? for my Church?

This question, offered daily in prayer, could very well change our lives, 

    change our life as a congregation, change the life and health of our broader community. 

 

We all stand in need of God’s healing, of restoration to wholeness. 

   We all would benefit from the ability to “see” again.

    The world stands in desperate need of seeing and sharing the grace of Jesus 

      and coming to know God’s shalom, peace, for all. 

  Truth be told, we are all blind beggars in need of God’s salvation.

   We have not yet fully seen who Jesus is or what could be the implications of our daily words and actions.

 

The good news is that Jesus told his disciples then, and he implores us now:  

   “Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find.

    Knock and the door shall be opened unto you.”

“For I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, trust that you are receiving it, and it will be yours.”  

    To God be the glory, in all that we ask, in all that we receive. Amen. 

 

Rev. Dr. Todd Speed

Decatur Presbyterian Church

Decatur, Georgia