Your Faith Has Made You Well

"And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way." – Mark 10:52

What sort of faith can make us well?

What will raise us up and send us on our way?

There was a blind man. He could not have gone his way because he could not see the way. He had been led around for many years. His was a life of dependency that robbed him of his dignity. There was no” Americans with Disabilities Act” to insure him equal treatment, a level playing field, or a chance to live with dignity and independence.

Yet, he had an ability to see that far outpaced the vision of his neighbors. He could see Jesus through the eyes of faith. He could see a better future.

"And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me."

He cries out to Jesus, using a messianic title, Son of David. He cries for mercy, trusting that the one to whom he cries is merciful.

Jesus recognizes this desperation as faith and responds with the mercy requested.

The man who had been led by the hand now had another hand to lead him. Now, it was not because his eyes could not see. He was free. He could go his way. He could become all that he was made to be. He could earn a living, make a home, build a family, and watch them grow. Yet, when his eyes were open and he was sent to go his way, he chose to follow Jesus.

What could you do if you had more faith?

What could you see?

What could you become?

What could you be?

God, grant us deeper faith to cry to you for mercy. Open our hearts and eyes. Give us a vision of the path before us. Awaken us to go our way, the way that you have prepared for us. Set us free. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Believing Is Seeing

NOTES

Mark 10:46-52

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” – Erasmus 

What is in a name?

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 

What did Bartimaeus see?

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

What did the “many” miss seeing?

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" 

Take heart – a three-point sermon in a three-part sentence.

Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him,

 "Take heart;

 get up,

he is calling you." 

His last possession – Another three-parter

So throwing off his cloak,

he sprang up

and came to Jesus. 

A searching question and a simple answer

Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?"

The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again." 

Believing is seeing – three more points

Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well."

Immediately he regained his sight

and followed him on the way.

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