[:en]

MARK 10:46-52

GETTING TO GOD

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction:
Note: So often, we have to face things we do not enjoy: new jobs, a new school, coming exams, coming operations, going to the dentist, etc. We often dread certain things we know are on the near horizon or in the future. Jesus understands this aspect of our lives and gives us some tremendous help in dealing with our dread.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:46 and Mark 11:1.
Q Where was Jesus heading as He left Jericho?
An = Jerusalem. There was nothing between Jericho and Jerusalem but a desolate wasteland.
Q What happened to Him when He arrived?
An = Jesus knew He would face His humiliation and crucifixion. Mark has shown five times in chapters 8-10 that Jesus was consciously aware of the crucifixion. Jesus knew what He was heading into, and He must have experienced some dread.
Q Is there something you are dreading tonight?
An = Write it down on a 3×5 card. They are being passed out right now. If you cannot think of anything right now, keep the card in case something comes to your during the lesson tonight.

III. First Interaction Outside of Jericho: Blind Man & Crowd. Mark 10:47-48.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:47-48.
Q Why did the crowd silence the blind man? Was it because he was a nuisance or because of his calling Jesus a messianic title?
An = It could be both, but probably because he was a bother.
Q What do we learn of the blind man’s character?
An = He was determined, persistent and insistent. These are excellent qualities for prayer.
Q Is determination necessary for getting to God?
Note: The phrase “have mercy on me” is a cry from the Psalter. Have three different people turn to the following three different Psalm references: Ps. 4:1; Ps. 6:2; Ps. 51:1
>>>> Have them read Psalm 4:1; 6:2; and 51:1.
After these three verses are read out loud you could encourage them to read the whole Psalm on their own at a later date. Psalms 4 is a call for mercy because of oppressive powerful people, Psalm 6 is a cry for mercy due to physical illness, and Psalm 51 is tied to need that arises from our own guilt and sin. All three are but the tip of the iceberg in the Psalms, where Israel was taught to cry out to the true Lord of all creation, because He was interested in their cries.
Note: Perhaps the title “Son of David” was messianic. The blind man could have seen Jesus as an instrument of Davidic hope. Have everyone turn to Isaiah 35:4-6.
>>>> Have someone read Isaiah 35:4-6.

IV. The Second Interchange Outside of Jericho: Jesus, Crowd, the Blind Man. Mark 10:49
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:49.
Q What was the difference in the crowd reaction from 10:48?
An = The crowd was involved twice: Mark 10:48 and 49. Crowds can be fickle and change. In 10:48 they were stopping the man from personally encountering Jesus, whereas in 10:49 they were encouraging the personal encounter. Jesus would meet with such fickleness soon enough in Jerusalem. The crowd changed dramatically from Palm Sunday in their cries of praise to their cry for Him to be crucified five days later.

V. The Third Interchange Outside of Jericho: Jesus & Blind Man. Mark 10:50-52.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 10:50-52.
Note: Jesus seemed to want to deal personally with this man. This was Jesus’ pattern: Mark 2:5-11; 5:30-34; 7:27-29; 9:21-24. Perhaps the example of a “silent helicopter” would help. If you had a silent helicopter and could hover over Jesus and possessed a gauge that indicated when people really got close to God, you would notice something about the ministry of Jesus. As long as people stayed part of the crowd they did not get any real spiritual business done. A person had to step away from their peer group and meet Jesus one-on-one.
Many of us today are not really close to God, and we know it. It is because we refuse to leave the crowd, leave our religious group, or scorning friends. We stay in the security of the pack. We will stay away from real contact with Jesus and God if we stay in the crowd!
Note: Jesus did not heal the guy as he walked by, He desired personal interaction. He wanted to interact with the man personally.
Q Why did Jesus ask the blind man the question of what he wanted? Wasn’t it obvious he wanted to be healed of his blindness?
An = Sometimes God wants us to verbalize what we want. Notice, the man moved from a general cry for mercy (10:47-48) to a specific request for healing his blindness.
Note: All three interactions show the blind man to be aggressive.
Q Did such aggressiveness seem to have worked?
An = Yes, notice the man did not ask for the salvation of Israel, or for some other worthy spiritual issue. He asked for what really dominated his life and thinking. Perhaps the blind man is a guide for how we should begin our prayers.
Q Was Jesus also aggressive?
An = The blind man was aggressive, but Jesus was more so. He took over (10:51), and made the blind man respond. Is this story an illustration of the truth that no matter how aggressive we are, He will be more so?
>>>> Re-read Mark 10:51.
Q What did the blind man want?
An = He wanted to be able to see. Notice two things. He stopped using fancy titles for Jesus. He did not use messianic titles, but a much more simple title: Rabbi. The man simply and humbly asked for what he wanted.
Note: Remember, eyes are the metaphor for perception in the Bible. We need eyes to see things we cannot see on your own. I have discovered if we ask for our eyes to be opened, we will begin to see. I have been amazed.
Q Did the blind man ask for something he could do for himself?
An = No, he asked for a miracle. He wanted to be able to see. The man could not perform the miracle on his own power. He needed divine help. If Jesus was just a good counselor and a kind person then Jesus was going to be of little help to this man. The blind man needed something that was impossible for him to do on his own. There had to be God.
VI. Summary:
Finally, back to where we started. Jesus was on His way to His death; and yet, He had time to give total attention to one in need. The next time we are under stress, let us look for the Bartimaeous’s in our path. This was Jesus’ way: see Mark 10:13. It was His manner of doing things all the way through the Passion Week. On the cross, He converted the thief, gave His mother a new son (in the Gospel of John), helped His disciples escape, etc. Jesus consistently dealt honestly and openly with His feelings but never forgot to look beyond His own sorrow and need to the needs of others around Him.
Q What are you dreading this week?
An = 1) Write down any other thing you might be dealing with that has come to your memory during the lesson.
2) Remember, learn to put aside your own problems like Jesus did and look beyond your own problems. Look for the Bartimaeous’ in your life.
3) Write down, next to what you have listed, any Bartimaeous’ you are aware of. As the weeks goes on, keep adding new Bartimaeous’ to the card.
4) God may not take what you dread, but He might begin to use you to bring help and maybe even do miracles, for others.[:]