Dr. Dale Miller

March 25, 2007

Tip-Toeing Through the Darkness

Part Five of Six Part Sermon Series, "In His Steps"

Luke 4:18-43

Earlier in my ministry there was a game we played with youth groups to build trust with each other. The idea of the game was for one youth to silently lead a blindfolded youth through a room by maneuvering around obstacles set in their way. You had to beat the clock, but you also had to keep from losing points by bumping into any obstacles. The blindfolded person had to trust the other person totally, allowing each pull of the arm, or push of the hand to lead them in a safe direction, tip-toeing through the darkness of not being able to see.

Most of the kids worked together as a team, one willing to take the lead, and the other willing to be led. Then there are always those youth who are willing to push the envelope. One kid grabs the other and starts pulling them through the obstacles, while the blindfolded youth struggles not to be led anywhere. Everybody laughs. It is a funny sight to see, but it's not very helpful in helping them to trust one another. When it's a game, it is easy to fool around, not taking seriously the issue of trust or the issue of not being able to see, or the willingness to be led, or the willingness to lead.

"As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.'" (18:35-37)

Beggars would often be found at the city gate where people are passing in and out. Blindness and diseases of the eye were common in those days. This blind man is just another insignificant beggar. From the Gospel of Mark we know that his name is Bartimaeus. He is considered a bother and is rejected by most of the people passing by. Then there is a crowd surge, a new group of pushing, shoving people. The blind man cries out to whoever can hear him, "What is going on?" And one of the bystanders says, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

Bartimaeus begins to yell at the top of his lungs: "He called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'" (18:38-39) This is no helpless, feeble cry for help. It is loud and insistent. The word translated "called out" is Greek boao, "to use one's voice at high volume, call, shout, cry out." He keeps on shouting. He won't be shut up, even though the crowd continues to tell him to stop.

What motivates Bartimaeus' clamor for help? Was it faith? Was it trust? This blind man called to Jesus using the name "Son of David." It is a title equivalent to calling someone "Messiah." "Son of David" first appears in Jesus' genealogical tree in the third chapter of Luke, but this is the first time in Luke that the title is spoken. Next week we will hear these words shouted again by the crowds during the triumphal entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem.

I believe Bartimaeus was willing to trust someone because he recognized his own need. He couldn't do anything about the need; instead he had to trust in someone who could do something for him. He had to have someone help him get to the side of the road each morning and he had to sit waiting there for people to come by and give him alms. This guy was so dependent on others he even had to ask what was going on when he heard the commotion by Jesus' passing.

Think about that day. Jesus was surrounded by people who had needs. Every man, woman, and child on that crowded street needed his touch. But for whom did Jesus stop? A blind beggar who recognized his own need, and was willing to humble himself, to cry out for help, to trust a stranger, and even declare his faith for an unknown Savior.

What was amazing is that Jesus stopped, or as Luke put it, "Jesus stood still." Jesus revised his agenda. Bartimaeus went to the top of his list. What that says to me is that when you and I catch ourselves getting carried away, when we become too busy to love people, then you and I had better learn to do what Jesus did in Jericho: "Jesus stood still."

Irwin Shaw was one of the most prolific writers of modern times. His output of short stories, novels, television and movie scripts was awesome. The quality of Shaw's work in his later years, however, was often embarrassing in its shallowness. Reviewer Richard Schickel said in Time magazine, "Shaw was betrayed by his own facility. There was nothing he couldn't write, so there was nothing he didn't write. Preoccupied by productivity and the demands of his life-style, he had no time left to develop the guiding vision of self and world a major novelist needs." Irwin Shaw should have stood still and reorganized his agenda, his priorities.

When Bartimaeus was willing to trust, when he was willing to be led, Jesus was willing to stop for him. Jesus was also willing to ask him, "What do you want me to do for you? I find it fascinating that Jesus asks the man what he wants. It would seem that the answer is rather obvious. Does he really know what he wants from Jesus? Do we know what we want from Jesus?

A proud young man once came to Socrates asking for knowledge. He walked up to the great philosopher and said, "O great Socrates, I come to you for knowledge." Socrates recognized the shallowness of the need in the young scholar so he led the young man through the streets down to the harbor and waded with him chest deep into the water. Then he asked, "What do you want?" "Knowledge, O wise Socrates," said the young man with a faint smile.

Socrates then put his hands on the man's shoulders and pushed him under and held him under for thirty seconds. When he let him up Socrates asked again, "What do you want?" "Wisdom," the young sputtered. Socrates pushed him under again, this time for forty-five seconds.

When Socrates let him up the man was choking and gasping and Socrates again asked him, "What do you want?" Between coughs and sputters he wheezed, "Knowledge!" Socrates jammed him under again. Forty seconds passed. Fifty seconds passed. "What do you want?" "Air!" he screamed. "I need air!" Socrates then looked the young man in the eyes and said, "When you want knowledge as you wanted air a moment ago then you shall receive it."

Jesus stopped. Jesus asked. Jesus healed. "Immediately Bartimaeus regained his sight and followed him on the way." Jesus is always a bridge to God. Jesus is constantly teaching people to trust God. The result of the healing is immediate. The once-blind man now joins Jesus' band. He is now ready to act as a man of vision, God's vision, giving to others.

I would invite us to an understanding that says we are Bartimaeus. We often find ourselves unable to find our way, uncertain about the present and the future.

• Jesus invites us into his presence. He wants us to bring to him who we are and whatever is happening to us. The door to his presence is always open.

• Jesus will meet us at the place where we hurt the most. We are not alone in our struggle.

• Jesus will give us a new vision. He gave Bartimaeus a new vision. Jesus still opens blind eyes.

In a small town five men operated bakeries, all on the same street. One put up a sign, "Best Donuts in Town." So the others put up signs, which said, "Best Donuts in the State" - "Best Donuts in the Country" - "Best Donuts in the World." And the last one put up a sign that said "Best Donuts on this Street."

Jesus helps us see a vision of our best self where we are right here, right now. Jesus helps us see the best way we can follow him. Jesus helps us see the things about our lives we need to change and the ways God is calling us to change the world.

• Some see the world and say, "Look what the world is coming to." Others see Christ and say, "Look what has come to the world."

• Some see things as they are and ask why. Others see things as Christ can make them and ask why not.

• Some see only problems and give up. Others see possibilities in Christ and give him their lives.

• Some see nothing but shadows and spend their days living in the dark. Others see the light of life in Christ and live by the new vision he has given them.

Over a period of several months a man had cataracts removed from both eyes. He went back to his doctor for a final check. The doctor handed him a bottle that contained the cataracts, and said, "This is the thing that kept you from seeing." The man replied, "Doctor, I want to thank you for giving me my sight back. I want to thank you for a new set of eyes. I'm glad I don't have my old eyes. I have seen some things lately I never saw before."

Jesus gives us a new vision. We will see some things we never saw before. The healing of Bartimaeus is not simply a miraculous work of medicine. The healing acts are a symbol of what Jesus' ministry among us was all about: making the Kingdom of God a visible reality in a world, which seems spiritually blind.

When Robert Louis Stevenson was a boy he was being cared for one evening by a sitter. The sun had just gone down. Little Robert went into the living room and looked out into the darkness. As he stood there he saw a lamplighter coming up the street lighting the street lamps. And he turned and called to the sitter, "Look, there's a man punching holes in the darkness!"

There is someone who will punch the darkness right out of our lives. We will see things we never saw before. With a new vision and the light of God's love we will find our way. The way is not easy.

Bartimaeus could have returned home or gone on a sightseeing trip to exercise his new eyes. Jesus told him to go, but he chose to follow; it was his choice. Jesus was on his way to the cross and not many were with him. He made it clear that he would suffer and be killed in Jerusalem. It's a wonder anyone was behind him on the road that day.

It is so easy to have faith in the sunshine when all is well. It is faith in the darkness that impresses Jesus.

• We are challenged not to waste our opportunities.

• We are challenged not to be silenced by objections.

• We are challenged not to be concerned with the trivial.

Imagine if we are invited to play that game of trust. We are the ones who are blindfolded. Are we willing to allow Jesus to be the leader? Are we willing to be led? Do we trust Jesus to help us with the obstacles in our lives? If we can do that, we will be surprised how much we can truly see through the eyes of Christ. We will not have to go tiptoeing through the darkness because the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, will show us the way.