Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm19970108.htm

MARK: GOSPEL OF THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, GOD'S SERVANT
Part XLI: Learning That God Always Blesses Faith Even If It Arises From Great Darkness
(Mark 10:46-52)
  1. Introduction
    1. It is tempting for the Christian to feel like giving up on living for the Lord simply because he seems to be in the minority position. So many deny God's existence, or the reliability of Scripture, or who reject the clear teachings of Scripture on a variety of beliefs it promotes. Why then even trust the truth when it seems like such an uphill battle?
    2. To answer this question, Jesus supplied a great encouragement to trust Him even when that faith arises from an environment of intense, prolonged spiritual darkness.
  2. Learning That God Always Blesses Faith Even If It Arises From Great Darkness, Mk. 10:46-52.
    1. When Jesus met blind Bartimaeus near Jericho, the environment was one of great spiritual darkness:
      1. There was not supposed to be a city of Jericho around for Bartimaeus to use as a center for begging:
        1. When Joshua destroyed Jericho, a curse was put on the town for anyone who rebuilt it: his oldest son would die when he built the foundation and his youngest when he set up its gates, Jos. 6:26.
        2. Sure enough when Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt Jericho in 1 Kings 16:34, he did so at the death of his firstborn son, Abiram and at the death of his youngest son, Segub! Nevertheless, it was rebuilt against the will of God as spoken by J oshua!
        3. At this city where there was to be no city, blind Bartimaeus sat begging, Mk. 10:46.
      2. Under the Law at that time, only sinners were afflicted by diseases such as Bartimaeus' blindness. We know this from the Mosaic Covenant of Deuteronomy 28:1-35. Thus, Bartimaeus did not deserve any special treatment even as a sinner, for he probably had sinned more than most to produce his condition!
      3. When Jesus encountered Bartimaeus here, it was near the end of His ministry after Israel's leaders had rejected Him, and when He was heading to Jerusalem toward crucifixion, cf. Mk. 8:10-13; 10:32-34. It was thus at a very low spiritual point in Israel's history.
      4. In fact, when he began to address Jesus in the term Messianic of "thou Son of David," a number of people were so offended at addressing Jesus this way that they tried to reprimand him, Mk. 10:48. Thus, unbelief in Jesus as Messiah was sadly rampant in Israel.
    2. Nevertheless, Bartimaeus expressed an incredibly sterling faith in Jesus as Messiah, Mark 10:47.
      1. This is the first time in Mark's Gospel where Jesus is addressed with the Messianic term of "Son of David", cf. Bib. Know. Com., N.T., p. 155.
      2. Thus, for a blind person who had limited access to knowing the Scriptures as compared to others who could see, he had an unusual spiritual insight:
        1. Isaiah 35:4-5 predicted Messiah's arrival would coincide with healing the blind.
        2. The term, "Son of David" was a commonly known term for Messiah, cf. Ibid.
        3. Yet, this man with limited access to Scripture had put reports of Jesus' healings together with what he had heard of Messiah and concluded that Jesus must be Messiah.
      3. Thus, having heard that Jesus had healed others, in faith Bartimaeus called out to Jesus as the Messiah, indicating his faith in His Person, to find healing in his eyes promised in Isaiah 35:4-5! (Mk. 10:47).
      4. Even when others discouraged him from calling out this way as they were offended at his address, and thus risking his livelihood in breaking relationships with these supporters in alms, Bartimaeus cried out the more, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me." He was out on a limb with his livelihood for Jesus!
    3. Jesus of course stood still, called for him, and upon having Bartimaeus voice his request to be healed in his sight, healed this man for his sterling faith in Christ, Mk. 10:49-52a.
    4. Full of faith, the healed Bartimaeus followed His Messiah toward Jerusalem, Mk. 10:52b. The fact that we know his name from Scripture may be that he was known in the Early Church as a believer, Ibid., p. 154!
Lesson: No matter how bad the circumstances, no matter how bad the sinner, and no matter how bad is his environment, the mercy of God knows no limits to blessing the exercise of faith in Christ.

Application: God always wants us to be encouraged to TRUST His provision, no matter how bad we or circumstances or our associates or surroundings get. He is always prepared to bless true faith in Him!