Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalm 126; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52.
Grace and peace to you dear family of God’s people.
The Gospel of today tells the powerful story of the cure of Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus’ name means son of Timaeus and “Timaeus” means honour. So Bartimaeus was supposed to be a son of honour but his condition contradicted his name. He was a blind beggar at the roadside of a cursed town.
There is no need to retell the story; we all listened to what happened and how Jesus cured him.
There are four messages I would like to share with us today.
A. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could help him.
Some of us may be like Bartimaeus; we are not where and how we should be. The story of today challenges us to believe that God is able to help us. We can come to Him with the faith of Bartimaeus.
Perhaps Jesus is asking someone today, “Do you believe I can help you?” What is our response? Jesus says to us in John 11:40 that if we believe, we will see the glory of God.
In the First Reading, God promised healing, restoration, comfort and salvation to the remnant of Israel. We too can receive our share of this, through faith in the power of God. Bartimaeus appealed to the mercy of Jesus and he obtained mercy.
The Second Reading of today tells us that Jesus is the ideal and merciful high priest. Those who seek mercy with faith, will receive it.
B. Determination and persistence.
People tried to shout Bartimaeus down but they could not shut him up. Many of us have allowed people to shut us up.
Many of us have not succeeded in achieving remarkable feats all because we always give up too soon. Many of us are still living with our weaknesses because we gave up in the struggle. Many of us have been defeated because we just stopped trying.
The crowd told Bartimaeus to stop trying but he was not discouraged. He knew what he wanted and he knew Jesus wouldn’t deny him. He didn’t need the crowd’s approval; all he wanted was Jesus’ attention. He didn’t give up till Jesus stopped for him.
Many of us give up too soon. This message is for someone today – don’t be too quick to quit. Don’t give up too quickly because the situation is challenging, because it looks impossible or because people are discouraging you. Don’t settle for less because the journey is tough. Without determination and persistence, we shall achieve very little in life and we cannot make much spiritual progress (Hebrews 10:36).
C. Do not let benefits become an obstacle.
Bartimaeus was cured by Jesus. Jesus told him to go on his way but Bartimaeus followed Jesus. The way of Jesus became his way; the blessing drew him to follow Jesus more closely.
For many of us, the reverse is the case. When God blesses us, we drift away. We use the blessings of God as our excuses for not being able to follow Him closely. Some of us cried to the Lord like Bartimaeus and He settled us and wiped our tears. He blessed us with prosperity, a good job, success in our career, a promotion at work, wonderful children, a breakthrough. He healed us, favoured us, fought our battles and now we scarcely follow Him. The very blessings we received have become our distraction from Him. We have drifted and distanced ourselves from Him. Let us be convicted by this story and like Bartimaeus serve God with all that we have been blessed with.
D. Listening to others.
Bartimaeus needed help. He was crying for help, but the crowd wanted him to stop. All they heard was noise pollution. Jesus listened – He heard that voice in the crowd, He listened with empathy and love and He listened without judging Bartimaeus. He listened with compassion.
The present Synod is all about gracious listening and speaking.
Are there people like Bartimaeus in our Church, family, community, in our lives who have been calling for help, crying for justice, asking questions, sometimes even questioning what they cannot understand but we have been inattentive to them, people we have turned deaf ears to? Perhaps we are trying not to get involved, trying our best to avoid responsibility. Perhaps we have listened to them but judged them without empathy and labelled them and don’t want any of their troubles.
Perhaps Jesus is teaching us today to be more gracious in listening and helping. Perhaps we could ask Him for mercy for the times we have behaved like the crowd and tried to shut people like Bartimaeus down. Maybe by doing this, we might begin to exemplify in our lives what we want to see in the Church.
Prayer
Thank you Lord for the revelation of your Word. You did something great in the life of Bartimaeus and here I am too, with my little faith. Would you touch me in a new way and mend what is broken in me? Listen to me when I call and teach me to listen to others. Jesus, Son of David, you showed mercy to Bartimaeus, have mercy on me also, Amen.
Sermon preached by Fr Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on October 27, 2024