Rooster's Crow

“And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.” (Mark 10:46-52 ESV)

Bartimaeus, we will call him Bart, had likely become blind at some point in his life, as he asked Jesus to let him recover his sight, alluding to having had sight previously. As a blind man in the time of Jesus, there were no special ADA provisions. There were no seeing eye dogs or government assistance programs. Bart had to beg for any provisions he received, completely reliant on the mercy and charity of those passing by.

Day after day, Bart would sit by the road, crying out to those passing to show kindness and give him food or money. As is often the case in today’s world, he was frequently ignored and rebuffed, but Bart had no other alternative.

As Jesus made his way from Jericho to Jerusalem, his disciples followed as well as a great crowd. The signs and wonders Jesus performed caused a massive following of people seeking an outpouring of healing or waiting expectantly for Him to overthrow the Romans. No doubt Bart could hear the thunder of sandaled feet and cacophony of voices as the multitude made their way to where he was sitting.

As Bart waited, trying to comprehend what was going on in the world he could not see, he finally heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. Bart knew of the miracles that Jesus had performed, and he had probably dreamed of an opportunity to become a miracle himself. His chance had finally come, but how could he get the attention of Jesus? How could he be noticed as he sat on the side of the road, unable to locate the one person that could heal him?

“He began to cry out” is a description of initiating a pleading that did not stop. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Over and over, he shouted in sheer desperation. Bart was so loud, the crowd became frustrated and rebuked him, telling him to be quiet. Again, Bart was being ignored by those passing by as they focused on their own issues and desires. Blind, worthless Bart was preventing them from being able to hear what Jesus was talking about.

But Bart was not giving up. He did not know if this opportunity would ever come again. This was his single chance, so he cried out even more. He was determined that Jesus was going to hear his voice over the tumult of the crowd as he sat on the side of the road.

Bart called out for mercy. He understood that he was undeserving of any blessing, but he still cried out for mercy. A poor, blind soul understood that Jesus, the only person that could provide any help, was just a small distance away. Bart was desperate and helpless. The only thing that he could do was cry out, begging for mercy.

“And Jesus stopped and said” – this does not say that Jesus heard Bart; it simply states that He stopped. Jesus already knew that Bart was there. Jesus already knew what the outcome of this interaction was going to be, but it was up to Bart to cry out. In Matthew 6:8, Jesus had preached that “your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” God knows what we need, but He often waits to allow us to exercise our faith as we cry out for mercy. We must seek Him, meaning to desperately cry out, which is exactly what Bart was doing.

Jesus then stated two words, “Call him.” He did not speak to Bart directly, but to those around Him. Jesus told the crowd following Him to call Bart up. God uses His followers to do His work, to be His hands and feet. The crowd that had been telling Bart to be quiet as they focused on their own blessings they wanted to receive, were stopped in their tracks, and forced to call up someone else for a blessing.

The crowd spoke to Bart, saying “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” Notice, Jesus did not tell any person to bring Bart to Him. Bart was a blind man. He had to rely on someone else to even lead him to the spot where he sat begging every day, but Jesus is calling him to come on his own. But the fact Jesus was calling him, was an answer to prayer by itself.

Bart knew this was his chance. He had received Jesus’ attention, even though the crowd was noisy, even though the crowd was trying to make him be quiet, even though he was way shorter than everyone else as he sat on the ground. Jesus had called him. Bart threw off his cloak. He shed his outer layer so that he would not be impeded or held back. This is exactly what we must do when Jesus calls us. We cannot allow anything to hold us back, and we must irradicate whatever could inhibit us from getting to Him.

Bart’s cloak was a form of protection. It kept the sun off of him in the heat, and it helped shield him from the wind when it was cold. And if he left it behind as a blind man, he might not ever find it again, but in this moment, that was not a concern. Losing the only protection he had was worth the price of possibly receiving his request.

Bart “sprang up.” Have you ever seen a blind person spring up anywhere? Blindness has a disorienting effect as the mind cannot visualize balance. People without sight must be extra cautious to avoid anything that may cause them to stumble. But Bart jumped up! His desperation turned into immediate action when he was called. And then he came to Jesus. He cried in desperation and faith, and he immediately jumped when he was called. He did not plead for assistance, or ask Jesus to come closer. He jumped and went.

Jesus then asked him what he wanted. Jesus already knew the answer, but it was a question to again test the faith of Bart, but to also serve as an opportunity for the crowd to see another example of faith and healing.

Bart addressed Him as Rabbi, or Rabboni; the same title that Mary used when she saw Jesus the first time after His resurrection. It was a title of honor, acknowledging Jesus’ true power and position. After acknowledging who Jesus really was, Bart made his request to recover his sight. He asked to be made whole again, to be given the blessing that would allow him to become a valuable contribution, to not be left on the side of the road helpless.

Jesus tells Bart that his faith made him well. His determination and pleading for mercy without faltering because he knew what Jesus could do for him was why he was healed. And immediately Bart recovered his sight. Jesus had the power to heal him from a far distance, but Bart was tested first, which created an account recorded in history that is still being discussed and examined two millennia later.

And what was Bart’s response? Jesus told him, “Go on your way.” So, Bart “followed him on the way.” Bart’s way was immediately changed, and now his way was aligned with Jesus’ way. Is there any other way? Once you have had an encounter with Jesus, you give up your way to follow His way. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Bart’s story and encounter with Jesus is the same as our own. You have either experienced it and are gratefully following Him, or you are still sitting on the side of the road, blind and begging.

If Bart had kept sitting on the side of the road, sulking that he was blind, throwing up wistful prayers as one tosses coins into a wishing well, he would have still been sitting there after Jesus and the crowd passed by. But that’s not what he did. He was desperate. He believed Jesus was able to heal him. He cried out incessantly until Jesus stopped. He did not let up when others told him to be silent because he was making too much noise.

He seized the opportunity when Jesus called. He threw off everything that could possibly hold him back. That anger, fear, hiding, shame, rejection – whatever it is – toss it away. Make the leap of faith when Jesus calls on your heart. He will not let you down. He will not forsake you. Jesus is calling you. Go to Him, put your faith in Him, and you will be saved.

Romans 10:13, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

And if you have already received your sight and are following Jesus, then do not be like the great crowd telling those crying out to be quiet. Stick out your hand to pick them up and guide them to Jesus. Never forget when you were the one sitting on the side of the road, blind and helpless, crying out for hope. Seek out those that have been left and scattered on the roadsides. You may be the one that Jesus tells to call them. Do not miss your opportunity to be used as the opportunity for someone else.

Matthew 9:37 – “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.’”