Luke 18:31-19:10

Each of the first three Gospels have the account of Jesus healing blind man or men at Jericho.  Mark even names the man, Bartimaeus.  Here in Luke Jesus meets another man in Jericho, Zacchaeus (this will be the sermon Sunday.) 

Bartimaeus’ story is told in contrast the “Rich Ruler” just a few verses before.  The ruler called Jesus “good teacher;” while Bartimaeus called Jesus “the Son of David” (the Messiah.)  The ruler hoped that Jesus would give him what he wanted; Bartimaeus was desperate for Jesus to give him what he needed.  The ruler walks away from Jesus at the end; Bartimaeus follows Jesus after he is healed. 

What I have been impressed with this story, is the urgency of the blink man.  After the people around him sternly ordered him to be quiet, he shouted even louder.  Urgency is the undertone of Jesus’ two encounters at Jericho, Bartimaeus shouting and Zacchaeus climbing the tree.  The thing that I always wonder about here is “what would I have done?”  Maybe I would’ve been embarrassed at disturbing my neighbors with my loud shouts, or afraid of getting into trouble with my bold, but not popular identification of Jesus as the Son of David.  Or maybe I would’ve just thought I can wait for a more convenient time for all, then Jesus will heal me.

Jesus never came that way again.  He goes up to Jerusalem and the Cross, and the urgency of Bartimaeus is what Luke wants us to hear.  Jesus states about Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house.”  Today, the rich ruler walked away, maybe for a time he could work out things in his life.  Today, Bartimaeus would not take no for an answer when Jesus was passing by.  Today in the Bible is the Day of Salvation.  Today, salvation came to Zaccheus.

I have always supposed that Fanny Crosby was meditating on this story when she wrote here gospel song, “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.” 

Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry,
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.

Jesus is passing by, never to be back in Jericho again.  Today is the day of Salvation, today is the day to call upon the Lord.  As the Psalmist says in Psalm 55, “But I call upon God, and the Lord will save me.

Pastor Greg