Summary notes from a sermon preached at Carmarthen Evangelical Church Sunday 24th June 2012 by Ian Jones.
Bartimaeus was a good example of why Jesus needed to go to the cross; naturally we are blind in our sins.
Bartimaeus:
His Condition;
Pitiful - blind from birth, poor, completely dependent on others - there was no Welfare State. He had to beg
He would have been well known by the regular travellers to Jerico. He would have been there every day - no time off, this was his only means of survival!
It is likely he inherited his condition from his father, Timaeus (which is Aramaic for impure, unclean). We are all in far worse condition than this man because we have all been born spiritually blind - our hearts are not in tune with God's! We are all born without any desire for God (Jehovah).
His Persistance;
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he really wanted to be healed. He called out to Jesus - he recognised who Jesus was - the Messiah! He must have heard about Jesus from passers by, the more he heard about him, the more and more his faith grew! Despite people telling him to be quiet, he remained persistent - he knew he had to be healed.
His Response;
Jesus didn't turn away from him - He wanted to help Bartimaeus. He responded to an ordinary man - a man who wasn't eloquent, wasn't rich, wasn't dressed in fine clothes (but a beggar's garment). After he was healed Bartimaeus followed Jesus - would have followed Him into Jerusalem, seen Him on the cross, seen Him atfter He was resurrected and seen Him ascend into heaven.
Bartimaeus was a good example of why Jesus needed to go to the cross; naturally we are blind in our sins.
Bartimaeus:
His Condition;
Pitiful - blind from birth, poor, completely dependent on others - there was no Welfare State. He had to beg
He would have been well known by the regular travellers to Jerico. He would have been there every day - no time off, this was his only means of survival!
It is likely he inherited his condition from his father, Timaeus (which is Aramaic for impure, unclean). We are all in far worse condition than this man because we have all been born spiritually blind - our hearts are not in tune with God's! We are all born without any desire for God (Jehovah).
His Persistance;
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming, he really wanted to be healed. He called out to Jesus - he recognised who Jesus was - the Messiah! He must have heard about Jesus from passers by, the more he heard about him, the more and more his faith grew! Despite people telling him to be quiet, he remained persistent - he knew he had to be healed.
His Response;
Jesus didn't turn away from him - He wanted to help Bartimaeus. He responded to an ordinary man - a man who wasn't eloquent, wasn't rich, wasn't dressed in fine clothes (but a beggar's garment). After he was healed Bartimaeus followed Jesus - would have followed Him into Jerusalem, seen Him on the cross, seen Him atfter He was resurrected and seen Him ascend into heaven.
