The Story of Bartimaeus
The story of Bartimaeus as found in Mark 10:46-52 is an encouraging testimony of God’s power towards those that will believe on Him. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who would sit on the road side near Jericho and ask alms of the people that walked by. One day Jesus, followed by His disciples and a very large number of people, walked by where Bartimaeus was begging. When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus Christ of Nazareth that was passing by, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The people that were following Jesus scolded Bartimaeus to be quiet. Instead of shutting his mouth, Bartimaeus yelled all the louder. To the surprise of all His followers Jesus finally stopped and called Bartimaeus out of the crowd. In verse 50 it says that Bartimaeus tossed off his garment and ran to Jesus. Bartimaeus was healed instantly.
The first thing we have to notice in these scriptures is that Jesus walked right by that blind man at the first. Jesus didn’t stop just because this man was suffering from hardship in life. There are many people in this life that need a touch from God but just because they are sitting in a pitiful state doesn’t mean God will stop and turn things around for them. The Lord is not a respecter of crisis; He is a respecter of faith. The Lord has another reality for us just as He had for this blind man that day. But remember: Just because God wants it for you doesn’t mean it will automatically happen. You have to want it too. Actually, just like Bartimaeus, you have to be unwilling to go without God’s best for you. Bartimaeus wasn’t about to let the presence of the Lord go by without getting his supply! He was going to shout louder than a crowd of thousands! And as he shouted and called out, Jesus couldn’t keep walking. The Lord Jesus had to stop and deal with this man’s faith. The Lord cannot ignore our faith anymore than He could ignore the faith of Bartimaeus. Unfortunately, very few people have a Bartimaeus-like attitude about God. People today rarely pray, go to church, or study their Bible. God’s supply for your life will walk right past you if you let it. God’s power does not flow in random directions. It flows to the ones who cry out for it and pursue it.
Secondly, we read in Mark 10:50 that Bartimaeus “cast away his garment” as he ran to Jesus. History tells us that the Roman Empire in those days would require blind people to wear a government issued garment if they wanted to legally beg for money. That garment represented the world’s reality for Bartimaeus. In the eyes of the world he was worthless, beggarly, and someone to command to remain quiet. The world defined him as pathetic. But that day, though he was blind naturally, Bartimaeus “saw” that another reality was possible. He tossed off all the labels the world pasted on him and ran towards the new reality of God’s power. What labels has the world tried to make you wear? Divorced? Sick? Depressed? Poor? Get into a good Bible teaching local church and learn how to toss off the garments the world has put on you!
Pastor Tim
Family Church Jamestown is a non-denominational church located in Chautauqua County in Jamestown between Lakewood and Busti, NY. The senior pastor of Family Church is Pastor Tim Stahlman a native to the Jamestown, NY area.
