September 21, 2016
BLIND FAITH
Luke 18:31–43
Anne Bush
Central Truth
Jesus desires for each one of us to cry out to Him in faith as our personal Lord and Savior. Jesus alone offers salvation to those who have blind faith in Him.
Key Verse | Luke 18:38–39
And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38-39)
Luke 18:31–43
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” 34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Dive Deeper | Luke 18:31–43
When the blind man heard that Jesus of Nazareth was approaching, he shamelessly cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Verse 38) The more the crowd tried to silence him, the more he cried out to Jesus. Although he was blind, he saw more clearly than those around him because he recognized the true identity of Christ. We are told in Mark 10:46 that the blind man's name was Bartimaeus. When he called Jesus “Son of David,” he was indicating that he believed Jesus was the Messiah, the promised deliverer from the line of King David who will reign forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was a young child, but it was not until I was 18 that I realized how much I desperately needed Jesus. My mother passed away that year and I, like Bartimaeus, cried out to Jesus to help me. That is when my relationship with Jesus began. He has given me, and continues to give me, His comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding.
Jesus heard Bartimaeus' persistent cries. Rather than continuing on His journey, He stopped and asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?" (Verse 41) Jesus is affirming Bartimaeus' faith as well as allowing him to publicly proclaim his trust in Jesus. Jesus was basically asking, “Do you really believe I can heal you?” I was struck by Jesus’ compassion for Bartimaeus. How many times have I missed opportunities to be Christ's hands and feet because I was in a hurry and did not take time to stop “my schedule" to help someone in need? Ask Jesus right now to open your eyes to see opportunities to stop and serve others today.
Bartimaeus responded to Jesus’ question by saying, "Lord, I want to see" (verse 41, NIV). Because of his blind faith, Bartimaeus instantly received eyesight, immediately praised God, and followed Jesus. This miracle caused the witnesses to also praise God. Bartimaeus humbly saw his need for salvation in Jesus and boldly cried out to Him, resulting in physical and spiritual healing.
Discussion Questions
1. Are you willing to boldly and blindly follow Jesus?
2. Bartimaeus recognized his desperate need for Jesus. Do you? What do you want Jesus to do for you? Do you really believe He can?
3. Are you persistent in prayer, or do you give up when your requests do not seem to be answered on your timetable?
4. Do you take time to be the hands and feet of Christ to others? Are you interruptible when opportunities arise?