The Healer of Jericho

The Rev. Dr. David R. Freeman

Mark 10:46-52

The passage of scripture before us today is significant for several reasons. Matthew and Luke, as well as Mark, relate this event in their gospel accounts. And both Mark and Matthew bring their portrayal of Jesus' public ministry to a conclusion as the events of Holy Week take center stage. Furthermore this act of healing by Jesus is his last. One other matter of significance involves a man named Bartimaeus whose life was radically changed as a result of this road-side, gospel event at the city limits of Jericho.

When Bartimaeus had gotten the attention of Jesus with his cries for mercy, the compassion of Jesus took charge, and he delayed his departure from Jericho in order to minister to this blind beggar. No surprise then or now in the action of Jesus. What is somewhat of a mystery is the question with which Jesus addressed Bartimaeus; "What do you want me to do for you?" (Mark 10:51). Jesus' question was not seeking information, rather he sought to establish a relationship with Bartimaeus, one that would forever change the blind man. We know, for instance, that his life would be altered in ways he had never imagined. He abandoned Jericho and followed Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. Might he have been among the crowds who shouted "Hosanna," welcoming Jesus as the "one who comes in the name of the Lord?" (11:9-10). And too, the fact that his name was remembered in the same early Christian fellowship from which Mark's gospel originated seems to indicate a continuing relationship with the early church.

Perhaps the key to understanding Jesus' question lies in the matter of faith. We know that Jesus perceived Bartimaeus to be a person of faith by which the blind man experienced healing. The question, then, may have been expressed this way, "What do you want ME to do for you?" The question is itself a call to faith, and this faith in Jesus Christ led to the healing. Maybe none of us will experience what plagued Bartimaeus, but we do have needs and do have the compassion of the Healer of Jericho. What do we want from the Healer? It is the relationship of faith that we share with Jesus and with Bartimaeus that brings us into the healing circle.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our faith and grant us the healing we need. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In over 50 years of ministry David Freeman has served Presbyterian congregations in Alabama, Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, and Mississippi. He and his wife, Mary, currently reside in Oxford, MS where he serves as parish associate of First Presbyterian Church. They are also my parents.

A Muddle of Faith

Hebrews 11:23-31

Here are the concluding verses of our reading from Hebrews for today: “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace” (Hebrews 11:29-31). What a strange collection of people! We have fleeing Hebrews, drowning Egyptians, a collapsing city, and a righteous prostitute, all of whom are touched in one way or another—for good or ill––by faith in the God of Jacob. It doesn’t seem to make much sense until I look out the window (or into a mirror) and remember what the world is like today. Try making sense of your own life in terms of faith. Try finding a neat, concise way to sum up God’s work day in and day out. I find it very difficult to deal with such issues without falling back onto worn platitudes or dog-eared expressions.

Yes, we live in a time of contradiction and conflict and confusion, yet God is able to work through it in ways that may be unclear to us but which serve the divine purpose. Even when we look back on history we may not understand what we see. The world defies our attempt at easy explanations and even God stands beyond our ability to categorize or predict, but that does not mean all is lost. Sometimes it just means is that we need to take a deep breath and trust God. Thankfully, God’s work does not depend on our understanding. What a muddle that would be.

Prayer: Lord, we do not always know what you are about, but we trust you and depend on your grace in our lives. Help us to live as your people day in and day out. In Jesus’ name. Amen.