JESUS OF NAZARETH PASSETH BY

Sermon of the Week - May 27, 2005

And it came to pass that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, “Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.”

Matthew, Mark and Luke tell this story in the life of Jesus. Only Mark identifies him by name. He is called Bartimaeus. He was blind and because there were no social programs to help those in this condition in those days, he was a beggar.

There are three types of blindness. First there is physical blindness such as Bartimaeus had and then there is mental blindness. We call it idiocy. There is a third type of blindness which is the worst of all, and that is spiritual blindness. People who are spiritually blind are unable to see scriptural truth. They are blinded by prejudice. They look at it, and just don't see it. I showed an open Bible to a man, and had it open at Mark the sixteenth chapter. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. I mentioned that it said, shall be saved after belief and baptism, and he said, “I don’t see it.” Spiritually he was as blind as the proverbial bat.

It is well to remember that the Bible for many does not mean what it says, it means what you feel it says, the Bible means what you think it says, it means what your denomination says it says. The Bible can always be adjusted to a denomination mind set.

            Such folk are spiritually blind. The real reason for spiritual blindness is in the words of the Apostle Paul in Second Corinthians chapter four when he says, In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Bartimaeus was not spiritually blind. His spiritual vision was like that baseball player who had 20‑40 vision. They said he could see the stitches on a baseball as it was thrown at ninety miles an hour by the pitcher. Jesus of Nazareth passeth by and Bartimaeus saw something that many need to see. What did he see? For one thing he saw his need for Jesus.

HE SAW HIS NEED FOR JESUS

He heard a multitude going by and asked what it meant. He was told that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Today there is always a great multitude of people passing by especially on Sonday. The uproar is, tremendous. We hear them shout. Pandemonium seems to reign supreme. Hearing this great tumult if we inquire what it is all about one might be told it is the Super Bowl, it is the World Series, or a Rock Concert. I would fervently hope that perhaps through the din of the noise on Sonday and the roar of the multitude, especially on the Lord's Day that my voice can be heard on this broadcast saying, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” Jesus of Nazareth is passing by at this moment in the preaching of this message. He is passing by every time an opportunity is give to contribute financially to His cause. He is passing by every time the opportunity comes to attend services. Jesus of Nazareth is always passing by for somebody somewhere.

He cried out, “Jesus of Nazareth have mercy on me.” They rebuked him and told him to shut up, wonder why? Some Pharisees in the crowd may have objected to the term, “Thou Son of David” and advised him to cool it man, cool it. Then again some may have been like many today saying, "Don't go crazy over religion." It is all right to squall like a crazy maniac at a ball game, but if you are in a church service, cool it man, cool it.

Bartimasus would not be stopped. He cried out again. This time a different Greek word is used. This time it was a shriek, an almost inarticulate scream, “HAVE MERCY ON ME!” Not once but several times. Mark says he cried out the more a great deal. Think of it his voice was like a croaking noise. It was difficult to make out the words,”Thou Son of David have mercy on me.” That did it. He got the Lord's attention. Jesus stood still. This was a tremendous demonstration of power. Jesus one time said to the stormy sea, "Peace be still," and there was a great calm. In the Old Testament Joshua caused the sun to stand still. Here Bartimaeus does something even greater. By screaming, “Jesus, Thou Son of David have mercy on me,” he causes the Son of God to stand still. Think of it. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem to die on the cross, yet by the shriek of this man; Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, "Be of good comfort, rise; He calleth thee." Jesus of Nazareth passeth by and Bartimaeus saw his need. He cried, “Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me.”

Jesus of Nazareth is passing by for many now on this broadcast. When we read in Revelation twenty: “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Is that not enough to make one cry out, have mercy on me? Some may dismiss this thought as the ravings of what they call a Bible thumping, hell fire and brimstone preacher. The Lord will do some tall Bible thumping on the Judgment Day. He Himself said that the word he spake, the same would judge at the last day. What if there is a hell after all? Think about it. People are always telling others to go to hell. Could it be that they are telling people to go to a non-existent place?

What if it is true? The abortionist needs to cry, “Have mercy or me.” The homosexual needs to cry out, “Have mercy on me.” Is there anyone who is in danger of hell fire anymore than the members of the court that would make such laws as legalizing abortion, and forbidding prayer in public schools? Whatever logic can be used for such a prayer law in a divergent assembly, it would make my skin crawl to vote for such a thing. How they have need to cry out unto Almighty God have mercy on me.

Mercy is there; mercy is available. God was willing to forgive even those who were guilty of crucifying Jesus. Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” They were not forgiven at that moment at the cross while still unrepentant, but God did answer the prayer of Jesus on the day of Pentecost when the sin of the crucifixion was impressed upon them: Ye by the hands of lawless men did crucify and slay. They were pricked in their hearts and said, “What shall we do?” And Peter told them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. But not only did Bartimaeus see his need of Jesus, he saw something else. He also saw that this was his one and only chance. There were many blind that were cured by the Lord Jesus Christ in His sojourn on earth while only seven cases are mentioned; but this would be the last one to receive this blessing.

HE SAW HIS ONLY CHANCE

His only chance and Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. As far as we can tell the Lord had never been in Jericho before this trip and now that He is here He would never come back again. In another week He would be on the cross. This was the only chance Bartimaeus would have. If he missed this chance he would remain in darkness for the rest of his earthly life.

For the unsaved, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. This could be your last chance. Paul speaks of spiritual darkness in Colossians when he says: “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us the kingdom of his dear Son....” Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.

In the first sermon I ever preached right after graduation from High School many years ago I used this illustration. I had never heard it before and since then I have heard it at least a zillion times. It goes something like this.

One time the Devil called a meeting of all the fallen angels in the halls of torment for the purpose of devising a master plan of damnation. One demon arose and made the proposal. “Let me go,” he said, “and I will tell men that there is no God.” Satan said, “Shut up and sit down. Most people are not so stupid as to say there is no God.”

Another demon arose and said, “Send me and I will tell men that the Bible is just a myth and a fairy tale.” Satan said, "Shut up and sit down. Most men are too smart to believe that.”  People will never fall for that. Some of them may act like they don't believe it, but they don’t really mean it. One by one a demon arose and suggested something just as hard to believe until one demon had a real brainstorm. He got up and said, "Send me to the earth and I will tell men there is a God. I will tell them the Bible is true. I will tell them that Jesus is the Son of God. But after telling them all that I will also say to them what’s the big rush? You have plenty of time, what’s your big hurry?”

Satan said, “That’s it, that’s it, that’s it. With a program like that we can damn more millions than I ever dreamed.” Unlike Bartimaeus many believe there will always be another time.

 There is a time we know not when, a point we know not where, that marks the destiny of men to glory or despair. There is a line by us unseen that crosses every path, the hidden boundary between God's patience and His wrath. To pass that limit is to die, To die as if by stealth. It does not quench the beaming eye or pale the glow of health; but on that forehead God has set, indelibly a mark, unseen by men for man as yet is blind and in the dark. And like the doomed man’s path below in Eden may have bloomed, he did not, does not, will not know or feel that he is doomed. He knows he feels that all is well, and every fear is calmed he lives, he dies, he wakes in hell, not only doomed but damned. 0 where is that mysterious bourn, by which our path is crossed? Beyond which God Himself has sworn, that he who goes is lost. How long may man go on in sin, how long will God forbear? Where does hope end and where begins the confines of despair? An answer from the skies is sent, ye that from God depart while it is called today repent and harden not your heart.

          Bartimaeus could see that this was his only chance. Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Then again Bartimaeus had great spiritual vision because he saw something else. He saw he could not afford to let anything stand in his way.

NOTHING COULD STAND IN HIS WAY

When Jesus called him Mark says, "And he casting away his garment sprang up and came to Jesus." Bartimaeus let go of a very valuable property so that nothing could impede his progress in coming to Jesus. His cloak was his bed, his covering from the cold. He could ill afford to lose it in this crowd. Paul in Hebrews twelve gives us the same advice. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.

There wasn't anything immoral about the garment Bartimaeus was wearing, but since it hindered his progress it had to go. Paul said there are two things that hinder our progress--weights and sin. The weight may not be a sin. But if it impedes our spiritual progress it becomes sin. You never see a runner in the Olympics wearing an overcoat and carrying two pieces of luggage.

          A lot of people in the race of life are simply carrying too much baggage. Most people just don't have time to read the word of God for any significant amount of time or to pray to the point where it is a major activity of the day. The reason is they are too busy. To be effective in the race of life something has to go. Like Bartamaeus, spring up and cast off the garment. There is simply just not enough time to give to services on S o n d a y, too much baggage impedes the progress in coming to Jesus. Spring up and cast off your garments. These are golden moments that can never be reclaimed.  Our philosophy needs to be: “Nothing is going to stop me when Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

CONCLUSION

         And Jesus said unto h1m, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Listen to that. Jesus told him to go his way and Bartimaeus followed Jesus in the way. His way now was the way of Jesus.

        What a thrill that was to follow Jesus in the way. Some wonderful things happened as he followed Jesus in the way. For one thing Luke tells us that he received his sight and followed glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it gave praise unto God. Following Jesus in the way is the way of giving praise unto God. How sweet it is to attend the services and give praise unto God on the day that is called S 0 N D A Y. But that is not all, if he followed Jesus to Bethany, he saw Him raise up a rotting corpse and bring Lazarus back to life. Isn't it wonderful to follow a Saviour who can raise the dead. We love, to sing, “We will sing and shout the victory.” Then too, just think if he followed Jesus to Jerusalem the following S 0 N D A Y he participated in the Triumphant Entry. He followed Jesus in the way. Then later on that week as he followed Jesus something went all haywire—the he singing stopped. People started shouting, “Crucify Him! crucify Him!” and all bf a sudden it was no fun to follow Jesus anymore. I don't know what happened to Bartimaeus, but almost everybody else left Jesus. There were only three left at the cross when Jesus was crucified.

The mystery of what happened is cleared up when we remember something that Jesus said about following Him. He said, "If any man would come after Me, let him take up his cross daily and follow me." Well-meaning folk who attempt to follow Jesus today will come to the same conclusion.

This thing of following Jesus is not an easy way. It is the way of the cross. It is a life of denial. It is not all singing sentimental songs with a good beat, listening to gospel quartets, going to concerts, family camps and going on week end retreats, attending midweek suppers at prayer meetings that we would not consider attending without the eats. Our philosophy is: No soup no service.

For the preacher it means that you will faithfully preach the Word whether it is popular or not. The plan of salvation in the book of Acts the day the Church began is something that folk don't want to hear in this day when the popular appeal on television is bow your head and ask Jesus to come into your heart. That sounds good, but it is not what the Bible says. The Bible still says, "Repent and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." It still says that they went down into the water and he baptized him and they came up out of the water. It not only still says it, but it will continue to say it till Jesus comes.  So follow Him in the way. Many today may be members of a church and never follow Jesus anywhere. Follow Him in the way. He said the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost so follow Him in the way of evangelism.  Either go yourself or help someone else do it. Follow Him to the Lord’s Table on the Lord’s Day. Follow Him in giving of your time and money. He gave His life, what do you give? Follow Him in prayer. One time it is said He prayed all night. How long has it been since you prayed five minutes? Follow Him in the way.

 Again He comes from place to place His holy footprints we can trace. He passes at our threshold, nay, He enters condescends to stay. Shall we not gladly raise the cry, Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. Ho, all ye heavy laden come! Here’s pardon, comfort rest and home! Ye wanderers from the Father's face, return accept His offered grace. Ye tempted ones, there’s refuge nigh, Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.