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Sermon - Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost (B) - 25th October 2009
St Alban's Anglican Church Epping
Readings: Job 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalm 34:1-8, 19-22; Hebrews 7:21-28; Mark 10:46-52
After 2000 years we can look back through the history of Christianity to see some great heroes of the faith, people who inspire us by their wisdom, their writings, their faith in difficult circumstances. I am amazed that through the horrors of a Nazi prison we get the best of Deitrich Bonhoeffer’s writings as he meditates upon his situation and his faith. But we are greatly blessed that there have been so many in history who have taught us the path of discipleship. Earlier this year I had the benefit of attending the St Albans patronal festival at St Albans itself. Alban was a man at the very beginning of his life of faith who not only attempted to save the life of a brother in the faith, but also made a clear profession of his faith before a hostile judge. He had a great testimony “I am Alban, and I serve the true and living God.”
But surprisingly, we don’t see many examples of faith in the gospels. Rather, we see the Pharisees and scribes rejection of Jesus or we have the disciples confused and uncomprehending, or we see them vying for the best place in the Kingdom of God. So its refreshing when we come across people who know how to respond to Jesus and who are commended for their faith. The story of Bartimaeus is such one yet we can learn so much from him. Its ironic that there is a man who is an example of faith, who is commended by Jesus and yet we don’t even know his name. He is referred to as Bartimaeus, but that should read Bar Timaeus, that is, the son of Timaeus. So we don’t actually know his first name, only his father’s name. This gives us an insight into his humble condition that no one bothers to remember what his name was.
Yet, it is this man who receives blessing from Jesus. But being blind, he was also an outcast. Just as sacrifices in the Temple had to be healthy animals, the Jews believed it was only those who were well who received God’s blessing. Those with any physical condition were under a curse and not acceptable to God. They would not be welcome in the Temple or the Synagogue. Being blind, Bartimaeus couldn’t work. Rather he spent each day at the city gate as a beggar. Yet this man had once been able to see. When Jesus asked what he wanted, he asked that he could see again. Some how he had lost his sight. He had to give up his employment and was reduced to the life of a beggar. So not only did he live with the affliction, he also lived with the grief of knowing what he had lost, as well as the life he had left behind.
This man had been rejected both in the Temple and in the market place. It is something that our society still does. Those with permanent injury and disability become marginalised. They become fringe-dwellers in our society. And the temptation is that the same thing happens in the church, that there is no place for those suffering from mental illness, those with special needs, those who need more of our time, those who find it difficult to fit it. It is much easier to dismiss these people like Bartimaeus was rejected by the crowd. It is easier to ignore these people and to forget them just as Bartimaeus name is forgotten and left out of the story.
Yet here is a man who never gives up. He hears that Jesus is coming and immediately begins calling out to him. I am always surprised by the arrogance of the crowd. Its like they felt they had the right to silence him. After all, he was just another troublesome beggar. What right did he have to call out names like “Son of David”? What right did he have to declare that Jesus was the Messiah? But what was Bartimaeus’ response to their rebuke. He shouted out even louder. Nothing would stop him. This was one single-minded man. But what’s more, he truly understood who Jesus was. And not only that. He had an unqualified understanding. Earlier, Peter had declared Jesus was the Christ. But when Jesus began to explain that his Messiahship meant suffering and dying, Peter rebuked him and wanted him to stop talking like that. Peter could accept Jesus as Messiah but only on his terms. Jesus was supposed to conform to Peter’s idea of what Messiahship meant.
But it is a test of faith to call on Jesus as God. yet it is another test of faith to see Jesus as God no matter what that means for us. The danger for us is that when we put our faith in him, he calls on us to follow him. And like the disciples we too may say, “But I don’t know where you are going.” What’s more, that may be not were I want to go. It is a real test of faith to let God be God whatever the circumstances and wherever he may want to take us.
And not only does Bartimaeus have faith to let Jesus be whoever he is, he also prays that way too. He doesn’t ask for a special seat in the Kingdom like James and John. Rather, knowing that Jesus is the Messiah he simply prays, “Have mercy on me!” No doubt, as he sat by the roadside, and as he heard Jesus approach, he shouted out that prayer over and over. “Jesus, be the Messiah you have come to be – whatever that involves. And have mercy on me – whatever that may mean.” This is great faith, when a person can abandon themselves to the will of God and allow him to do with them whatever God chooses.
And so Jesus began to move towards Bartimaeus. Jesus stopped and told the crowd to call him. Now, instead of rebuking him, the crowd told him to cheer up, get on his feet, and go to Jesus. They had no hesitation in giving him more orders. But Bartimaeus response is remarkable. Its as if he knows that contact with Jesus is the beginning of a new life. We’re told he threw his cloak aside. It was usual for beggars to find a place to set each day. Then they would lay out their cloak and begin their begging. The money from the passers-by was thrown on to the cloak. Then at the end of the day, the cloak was gathered up with the money of the day. But here, Bartimaeus throws his cloak aside. Its as if he is throwing to one side his former life. Its like he is saying, “Having met Jesus, I will have no further need of begging. As he approached Jesus his new life had already begun.
And Jesus, recognising his faith, asked a very daring question. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus rarely left himself so open. People can take advantage when you make offers like this. When Herodias’ daughter danced for Herod on his birthday, he so enjoyed the performance, he offered to give the girl anything she asked. And she asked for John the Baptist’s head. But Jesus must have seen the faith in this man who was crying out for mercy. And Bartimaeus request was simple, “I want to see again.” Its an ironic statement because Bartimaeus saw Jesus better than anyone around him. He had discerned the truth about Jesus. And Jesus gave his command. “Go! Your faith has made you well.”
But for this man, he received more than his sight. He was made well in every sense of the word. Here was a new man. And what did he do? he began to follow Jesus to Jerusalem. Jesus had commanded his disciples to come follow him and they did. He had commanded the rich young ruler to seel everything and follow Jesus. And now Bartimaeus having come to faith, cast aside his old life and began to follow Jesus.
In Mark’s gospel, this is the last healing miracle Jesus performs. But in fact its an acted out parable on discipleship. This man Bartimaeus is the exemplar of discipleship. His faith, his humility, his willingness to follow Jesus, whatever that was, is given to us as a model at the very climax of Jesus ministry. Let us pray that we too would share his humility before Jesus, that we too would share his wisdom in understanding Jesus, that we too would rise to that courage of faith in following Jesus, wherever he may lead us.