Creekside Church Sermon of October 15, 2000 "What Do You Want Me To Do For You?" Mark 10:46-52	Rev. David Bibbee
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It was obvious that the words were part of him, and we were being caught up in it with him. I scanned the people seated around me and saw several teary eyes. We all were moved by this man who for the last half of his life was blind. He did not read from a Braille Bible that Sunday. In fact, there was not even a Bible in the lectern. Ira spoke the Word that day from memory. In fact, he had committed the entirety of all four gospels to memory.

As he recited the passage he did not look to the left or right. He looked straight ahead as though he was seeing something or someone. I suspect he was... it was someone not visible to us, but whom he saw clearly with his inward eyes. In those moments of moving recitation, it seemed that Ira had better insight than the rest of us. Though he said nothing before or after his reading, I sensed he was saying to everyone worshipping that day, "Come and see what I see." It was the case of the blind leading the sighted.

Today's lesson is situated at a pivotal point in Mark. Jesus' miracles, healings, and manifestations of power were growing fewer in number. His resolve was set upon where he would go next... to Jerusalem and all that awaited him there. Mark tells us that Jericho was a "passing through" point for Jesus and the disciples. Jericho was a town located 15 miles from Jerusalem. The time for the great observance of Passover was near. Jericho was on a main route to the holy city, so the streets were packed with religious pilgrims, most of whom were in a generous mood which made it prime time for beggars.

As Jesus was leaving Jericho, he was surrounded by a crowd listening to him talk as they walked. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus heard the commotion, and when he learned it was Jesus, he made a commotion of his own. He cried out to Jesus at full volume and continued even as those who wanted to hear Jesus told Bartimaeus to shut his trap. But Jesus had the ability to pick the voice of individual need out of every crowd. He stopped and said, "Call him here." "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. With no hesitation, Bartimaeus said, "Master, let me see again." And he did. No mention of spit and mud rubbed in his eyes. No mention that Jesus even touched him. Just, "Goodbye. Your faith has healed you." Thus ends the last healing story in Mark. But why this man, this way, and at this time?

Jesus did not heal everyone who needed it. For every blind person and cripple Jesus healed, there were thousands he did not. If healing was the sole emphasis of Jesus' ministry, he would have opened a chain of 24-hour free clinics. When Jesus healed someone, the final focus wasn't upon the healing. At every healing there was a crowd, and after every healing was a sermon about the bigger picture. The blindness which disturbed Jesus most was the blindness of heart and soul which kept people from recognizing what God was doing among them. He grieved the blindness which prevented people from understanding the truth. He was saddened by those whose blindness kept them locked into limited life when they could have the abundance he offered them.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked Bartimaeus. "Master, let me see again." His desire was granted. But now I want you to put your Bible in reverse and go back several verses to Mark 10: 35. The disciples James and John approached Jesus abruptly and demanded, "We want you to do whatever we ask of you." Now comes the very same question Jesus asked Bartimaeus. "What do you want me to do for you?" "When you become ruler of the world, we want reserve seating next to you." It was an embarrassingly apparent attempt to secure the perks of power for themselves and only for themselves. Because their desire was so self-serving and so contrary to what Jesus spent the past three years teaching them, their request didn't stand a chance.

Imagine you were among the great throng that day in Jericho. Imagine Jesus singled you out of the crowd and asked the question, "What do you want me to do for you?" What might you say? Some of us might freeze for fear of asking for the wrong thing. Some of us might come up with zeros because we're satisfied with things pretty much as they are. Some of us would have no trouble offering our answer. "I want a job. I want to be out of debt. I want a loving relationship with my children. I want my husband to come home. I want the cancer to go away." We can certainly identify with the needs motivating such prayers. But is it appropriate to pray for such things? It is... as long as we understand that our true needs run deeper than we think.

Suppose Bartimaeus had said, "Let me see again so I can be sure no one's ripping me off while I'm begging." or, "Let me see again so I can make good money painting sunsets down at the beach."? Would he have been healed then? I don't know. But I think I know this much. It wasn't just physical sight he was after. James and John wanted their selfish desires handed them on a blue plate special. More than just wanting to see the sunset or people's faces, Bartimaeus wanted to see the truth and cast his lot with Jesus.

It's important to see that the initiative was Bartimaeus'. If he had kept still that day Jesus would have presumably walked on by and the Bible would know nothing of Bartimaeus. In that moment Jesus walked by, it was as if Bartimaeus knew his time had come and if ever he was going to fulfill his deepest desires, it was now or never. The unconditional love of Jesus is available to everyone, but is imposed on no one. Jesus will not go where he is not invited. He cannot offer direction when he is not consulted.

Admiral Perry spoke of the desire that drove him. He said, "The determination to reach the Pole had become so much a part of my being that strange as it may seem, I long ago ceased to think of myself save as an instrument for the attainment of that end." What he was really saying was that this was his prayer. He knew what he wanted. Clearly, not all of our wants are what we need. A child may love ice cream so much she says she could eat it for every meal. A man spins on a carousel of success status and says he never wants to get off.

But our greatest need is in knowing we were made for and meant for a relationship with God. Someone said that when we finally take our blinders off, we realize the hopeless inadequacy of everything we want. "What do you want me to do for you?" "Master, I want to see again." Bartimaeus' prayer was answered. But this isn't where it all ends. Mark says that he regained his sight and followed him on the way. These final words are key to the entire story. It wasn't enough to rejoice in the gift of sight. Bartimaeus knew from that moment on his life would be tied to Jesus. This isn't just another healing story. It is about the making of a disciple.

There are churches which place great emphasis upon healing. They go so far as to say Jesus will heal everyone of everything as long as they have faith he can do it. Jesus did heal, but not everyone. His primary mission was to call us to hand our lives over and follow him. Sickness, suffering, hardship and heartache will come to all of us sooner or later, and being delivered from these facts of life is not a prerequisite for following him. Bartimaeus' story tells us that the most important thing we can do is hear God's call and respond by following in the footsteps of Jesus whether we are blind or sighted, handicapped or healthy. It is to know the answer to our deepest longings, and give ourselves over to the love of God.

Ann Tyler wrote a novel called, Breakfast at the Homesick Restaurant. It's the story of a man who's decided to reopen Mrs. Scarlatti's restaurant in Baltimore and cook all the meals were homesick for. He made tacos for a Mexican neighbor. He made barbecue for a man from North Carolina. One woman said she was homesick for her grandmother's mashed potatoes since her grandmother died. They all came to realize it wasn't the food they were homesick for, but for the love and comfort of home.

Steven Shoemaker asks us to imagine the church as a homesick restaurant. We are all homesick for the word of God, for hope, for communion with other Christians, and for Christ himself. Imagine Jesus is your waiter. "What would you like?" he ask. We stammer and ask for a little time. We are not always sure of what we want, or what we are homesick for. He is patient. "Escargot?" "What is escargot?" we ask. "I don't think that is what you're looking for," he answers. "Have you tried our roast beef and mashed potatoes?" "That sounds good," we say and smile with sudden recognition.

We are nervous about the price and look over to the right-hand column where the prices are, and to our consternation, we see no prices. You know you're in trouble when the prices aren't even printed. But he sees your anxiety and says, "Don't worry. It's on the house. Welcome home."

Did you know that of all the recorded healings in the gospels, Bartimaeus is the only one whose name is given? He must have stood out from all the others, and that must be because of the final words about him... "And he followed him on the way." He followed Jesus not just in the initial excitement of restored sight. Not just to the gates of Jerusalem, but presumably to Pilate's portico, to the foot of the cross and the sealed tomb. I think he was numbered among those to whom the risen Christ revealed himself. I believe we are given his name because he experienced Jesus' healing, and with new eyes witnessed all that Jesus did.

And what do we want Jesus to do for us? If Bartimaeus could offer a suggestion, it would be for the gift of vision such that whatever condition we experience and whatever circumstance confronts us, we too will decide to follow Him.

Paul described this hope for us in the first chapter of Ephesians where he said, "I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ... may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation... so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance among the saints."

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