"And they came to Jericho: and as He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway side begging.
"And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth; he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
"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.
"And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee."
"And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto Him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
"And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." Mark 10:46-52.
We frequently find incidents in the gospels such as our story of blind Bartimeus which illustrate the way in which a sinner lays hold of Christ. Here we have a lovely picture of how a seeking Savior meets a seeking sinner. In Luke's gospel is the text of the sermon preached, as it were, to this blind man. It is a very short sermon "Jesus of Nazareth passeth by."
Bartimeus had come to the turning point of his history, for had he missed the Savior that day, he would never have had his eyes opened. Jesus never passed that way again. That day He was on His way to the cross where He accomplished the work of redemption, shed His precious blood, died, and rose again; now He is on His way to execute judgment and bring in the glory.
Because judgment is coming, I urge every unsaved soul to be like Bartimeus. He seized immediately his one and only opportunity. How often moments like his in the history of souls are slighted, and they never return. Procrastinators lose their opportunity by saying, "I shall have plenty of opportunities; people do not often die as young as I am." They float easily down the stream of time; they go quietly out of the world, perhaps without any fear of hell. Some are exercised, and for a time are in an agony of conviction, but many slight the warning as to the eternal judgment ahead.
There comes a moment in a person's life when God says, as it were, "Let him alone," and his heart is hardened. This hardening of the heart is a solemn thing, and it is more solemn when we think of God's doing so. We have an example of this in Pharaoh. God warned him in nine solemn judgments and then, as it were, gave him one more chance. Pharaoh did not yield his will to God; he hardened his heart against God, and God hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he went to destruction. In the face of such a fact, I press upon you the need of promptness in the matter of salvation. The Lord is long-suffering; He waits on His road to judgment, but at any moment the day of grace may be closed.
Bartimeus was blind, but he heard that Jesus passed by. God's resource for the blind sinner is the "hearing of faith." This was the avenue to his soul. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. 10:17. Notice the little word "when" (v. 47). Bartimeus might have said, Here is a golden opportunity; I will receive much today from this multitude. Perhaps crowds like this were not often seen on the roadside between Jericho and Jerusalem. The great multitudes were following Jesus that day; He had many followers, but few friends. Bartimeus might have reasoned: I will speak to Jesus some other time, and gather the silver coins today. Such an opportunity will not come again, and Jesus may be met at any time. But he did not reason thus. And yet how many do, saying, "I will give myself to getting rich now through one enterprise or another, and then I will retire. I wish to be saved, but I must attend to other things now; later I will look after my soul.
Bartimeus felt that the present was too great an opportunity to lose. "When" Jesus passed by he cried out. He was in earnest, and his promptness to seize his opportunity is lovely to behold. It was his turning point. Saints and sinners all have their turning points. If he had missed his, the opportunity would never have come again. We boldly say this, for Jesus never passed that way again. He was on His way for His last entry into the City of Solemnities, Jerusalem, from where after a few days He was taken out and crucified.
Have you an unsatisfied need in your heart? Then cry out, and Jesus will hear. Your cry of need will arrest His steps just where you are this moment. Be like Bartimeus who, when Jesus was passing, cried out, "Son of David, have mercy on me." When was there a cry of need on earth which He refused? Will He refuse the cry of need now that He is in the glory? Will He not stay His steps this moment and meet the need-fill the void of your heart?
"And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called." In each of the three gospels which tell the story of Bartimeus, His "calling" is given in a different way. In Matt. 20:32 it is simply "Jesus... called." This is the sovereign call of mercy through grace which belongs to God alone. In Mark 10:49 Jesus "commanded him to be called." This shows the instrumental call, the call of the preacher. What a word of exhortation this is for those who preach the gospel. They are the "commanded" ambassadors of God's grace. In Luke 18:40 Jesus "commanded him to be brought unto Him." This was done by the earnest, effectual guiding hands of others. It encourages the believing wife to bring her unbelieving husband under the sound of the gospel, the parent to bring his child and the child to bring his parent, if still unsaved. It suggests, too, the work of the Spirit of God to bring souls to the Savior.
How often has the Lord answered the faith of those who have brought others to hear the word of grace preached by saving the souls of those who have been brought! It is sad indeed to see the empty seats in many meeting rooms where there is an earnest preacher who longs to bring souls to Christ.
But "many charged him that he should hold his peace." v. 48. They tried to hinder his coming to Christ. The devil always finds ready instruments for this service. Those who labor beside an anxious seeking soul in the factory, in the office, etc. are ready to scoff at him. But there are many ways of hindering besides the open taunt. One of them is Christians criticizing the gospel that is preached. I remember reading of one case in point. A Christian lady brought her unconverted husband to hear a preaching of the gospel. The servant of the Lord who spoke that night was "no great preacher," as people say. On their way home she remarked about the failures-the poverty of the address. She was pulling the whole thing to pieces, but on turning to see why she got no response from her husband, it was to see the tears coursing down his cheeks. On asking him what was the matter, he replied, "Ah, I found Christ tonight in that preaching." That gospel was God's quickening word to the soul of her husband. Oh, take care how you criticize the measure of gift of a preacher. Remember the preaching of the cross, and not the gift of the preacher, is the power of God unto salvation. Believers can hinder souls after a gospel meeting or at any time by careless ways or careless speech.
The failure of saved sinners does not excuse the lost sinner in the least. He is responsible to come to Christ, and God will hold him so. He does not come because his will is against God. In the judgment scene of Matt. 25, it is the absence of good, not the commission of evil, for which the sentence is passed. "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to Me."
And "Jesus stood still." v. 49. Thus He waits on you in grace because "He delighteth in mercy." Mic. 7:18. And Bartimeus, "casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus." How many things are allowed to hinder the soul in coming to Jesus! Perhaps it is some garment, a habit or some secret indulgence which must be cast aside.
And Jesus answered and said to him, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" Jesus expected nothing from him. But hear what Jesus says: "What wilt thou?" Have you a desire? He who came from heaven, died and rose, now waits in heaven to save and to serve the poor sinner who comes with his need.
What is the request of Bartimeus? "Lord, that I might receive my sight." And Luke (chap. 18) tells us of the echoing reply from the heart of God.
"Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee." Faint and tremulous was the request of faith, but clear and blessed the response of the Lord. Not a doubt remains; his eyes are opened, and he is saved.
Have you a need to bring to Him? Will you trust Him? God's heart will bless you to the full. It was so with the poor prodigal (Luke 15). He hoped for a servant's place, and the father's heart exceeded all his expectations. He kissed him and received him as a son. It was more than the echo of the desire; the answer of grace ever exceeds the request of faith. It was so with the thief on the cross. He asked for a place in the kingdom, but received one in paradise that very day!
When Bartimeus opened his eyes, the first object before him was the Lord. He saw beauty in the Lord, his Object for eternity. What will the joy of the most blessed saint be throughout eternity? Surely the same Object-Jesus! Jesus only! And he "followed Jesus in the way." It was then the way to the cross; it is now the path of rejection leading to the glory. He is on His way to the kingdom and glory. Like Bartimeus did, follow Jesus in the way; suffer with Him; be true in heart to Him in the day of His rejection, and when He takes His place as "King of kings," you shall reign with Him.