Healings of blind men bracket the part where Jesus teaches his disciples about the Messiah going to the cross.
Three times Jesus tries to get his disciples to understand that he is going to be a suffering Messiah, who will go the Jerusalem, not to take up power, but to give his life away as a ransom for many by doing the unthinkable, and dying on the cross. These three times are backeted by two healings of a blind man. In ch 8 Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, places his hands on them, and asks if he sees anything? “I can see people, but they look like trees walking around.” Jesus again places his hands on the man’s eyes, and then he can see everything clearly. A two part healing, which points to the disciples not seeing straight away what Jesus is on about. Now, just before entering Jerusalem, Jesus heals Bartimaeus, who immediately follows Jesus ‘on the way’. Bartimaeus will see everything that happens to Jesus – the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the disputes and the cleansing of the temple, his arrest and torture, his death and burial, his resurrection. This blind beggar in Jericho is about to see the most vital events in the world. His life will never be the same.
I’m going to reflect on 4 points: creating a disturbance, throwing down his cloak, what do you want, following Jesus on the way.
1. Creating a disturbance.
Most of us are brought up to be polite, and not create a stir. We tend to look on those who feel entitled to stir things up as arrogant. But there are god times when disturbances are needed. How often are people with a disability or difference just pushed to the side. Stay in your box. Be grateful for what we do for you. For this blind man, creating a disturbance was the right and necessary thing to do. He needed to get to Jesus. Too bad if the crowd around him were put off by that.
There are times when we need to not just keep sucking it up. When we need to listen to ourselves if something is not right. I was remembering the protective behaviours program that Angela was teaching to children in Esperance in WA. We all have the right to feel safe all the time and there’s nothing so awful you can’t talk about it. If one adult doesn’t listen, you find someone who will. There are times when we need to focus down on ourselves- not in a selfish it’s-all-about me way. But in a way: the gospel is real. I am a dearly loved son or daughter of the living God. Jesus is my brother. I have the Holy Spirit breathing in me, with me. My heavenly Father delights in me. What’s out of sync, or off balance in me.
There are also times when we need to pull back, take our focus carefully off our own little personal world, and look and listen to those around us. Whose voices are being squashed, or not heard? Who has given up because it’s all too hard.
Creating a disturbance. Sometimes that is the exact God thing to do.
2. He threw down his cloak.
This was literally his security blanket. This was his protection from the elements, this was what he wrapped himself up in to sleep. That had the pockets that held his worldly possessions. The rich young ruler who came to Jesus to ask how he could be sure of eternal life discovered couldn’t let go of his wealth to follow Jesus. It had him, and he could not live without that security. As soon as he knows Jesus is calling for him, blind Bartimaeus lets his security fall away, so he can get to Jesus. Last week James and John had to let go their idea of being the boss men next to King Jesus. To get to Jesus and his new life, there are times when we need to let some big things go. We can come back and pick them up later, if they are needed.
3. What do you want? A helpful way to pray.
Ah, that’s the big one. Each night, as we are getting ready to sleep, one way of praying is to look forward to tomorrow, and name what we want, to the one who loves us. You might be surprised at what you want. You might find yourself remembering that God has you, and so you can let go the feeling of panic or fear about something. Take a moment to think: what do you want for tomorrow. Put that into a prayer. You might be surprised at what is actually really important to you.
4. He followed Jesus on the way.
Within a week Jesus will be entering Jerusalem in triumph. Then it will all turn bad, and we will discover the whole upside-downness of how God does God’s deepest work to bring forgiveness, healing and love to a sinful world, and into selfish hearts.
Let us each go with Jesus, and discover that he is with us not just in the easy or comfortable parts of our lives, but also in the confusing, the confronting, the difficult and the dangerous. We are never alone, and there is always new life, stronger than our powers, and making all things worthwhile. We never do this life journey of ours unsupported or unaccompanied. Jesus always walks with us.
