THE MAN WHO WENT AWAY WITH JESUS
LUKE 18:35-43
Introduction:
There are many today have gone away FROM Jesus, but few that have gone away WITH Jesus. Here a blind man by the name of Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by and determined to get the Lord’s attention that his need might be met.
I. THE BLIND MAN GOT IN THE WAY OF JESUS.
A. There were actually two blind men, Matthew 20:30, “And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.”
B. Bartimaeus was more vocal than the other was. He persisted, Mark 10:48, “And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
1. Bartimaeus had heard of Jesus of Nazareth, Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
2. He called him the Son of David, knowing the prophecy regarding the Messiah and the throne of David, Luke 1:32, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:”
C. Bartimaeus responded to what he had heard about Jesus.
1. He saw his own need of the Lord in his life. Matthew 9:12, “But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.”
2. He saw in Jesus the cure for his blindness. Isaiah 42:6-7, “I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
3. He wasn’t going to let Him pass by without knowing Him personally, so he cried out. Luke 18:38-39, “And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 39And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
II. THE BLIND MEN GOT INTO THE MIND OF JESUS.
A. Bartimaeus got the attention of the Lord, v. 40a, And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him:”
B. When the blind men were near, Jesus asked a question: Matthew 20:32, “And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?”
1. If Jesus asked you that, what would you ask for?
2. Bartimaeus asked for his sight, v. 41, “Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”
3. The Lord responded to his need, v. 42, “And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.”
a. God restored his sight to look upon the most magnificent face the world has every seen, the Lord Jesus Christ.
b. Bartimaeus saw the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys, Song of Solomon, 2:1, “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”
c. He looked into the face of his King, the Son of David, v. 38, “And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”
III. BARTEMAEUS WENT AWAY WITH JESUS.
A. This blind man now had his sight and his Savior, v. 42, “And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.”
B. Bartimaeus followed Jesus, v. 43, “And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”
1. The recipient of God’s Grace followed the Lord in praise of what He had done for him. John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:”
2. The people glorified God in what they saw happen in the life of the believer. Psalm 86:12, I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”
CONCULSION
Some of those that Jesus healed did not return to follow Him as in the case of the 10 lepers that were healed. Only one returned to give glory to God. Luke 17:15-18, “And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18-There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”
I hope your life is not like those 9 men. God expects to be honored by those He saves.