The Rev’d Kenneth H Saunders III
Christ Episcopal Church
Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Proper 25) – October 25, 2009
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
There once was a young man that found an old tarnished brass lamp. He began to polish it to clean it up a bit and all of a sudden… POOF! - out popped a genie! “I will give you three wishes,” said the genie. You may have anything you like.”
So the guy thinks for a minute and says, “I would like a billion dollars." (10% of which I will give to the church) "You shall have it," and the genie grants him the wish. "Anything else?"
The guy thinks for a while. "I would like a brand new red 2010 Mustang GT, maxed out! With a big engine and a booming stereo system." "Your wish is my command,” said the genie. And the Mustang magically appeared.
What is your last wish? "Hmmm. I think I'll save my last wish for later." "OK, suit yourself," says the genie. So the guy gets in his new Mustang and goes for a drive to show off to all his friends. He turns on his booming stereo system…
But there's a very familiar commercial on… and the guy starts singing along to it: "I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener." The moral to that story is… Be careful what you wish for…
These past few weeks we have heard the stories from scripture of the disciples wishing for positions of power; of one wanting to be exalted over the other to some kind of important position within the kingdom of God…
When two of the disciples, James and John came to Jesus… Jesus asked them, “what is it that you want me to do for you?”
Christ Episcopal Church
Cleveland, NC
RCL Year B (Proper 25) – October 25, 2009
Job 42:1-6, 10-17
Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 10:46-52
There once was a young man that found an old tarnished brass lamp. He began to polish it to clean it up a bit and all of a sudden… POOF! - out popped a genie! “I will give you three wishes,” said the genie. You may have anything you like.”
So the guy thinks for a minute and says, “I would like a billion dollars." (10% of which I will give to the church) "You shall have it," and the genie grants him the wish. "Anything else?"
The guy thinks for a while. "I would like a brand new red 2010 Mustang GT, maxed out! With a big engine and a booming stereo system." "Your wish is my command,” said the genie. And the Mustang magically appeared.
What is your last wish? "Hmmm. I think I'll save my last wish for later." "OK, suit yourself," says the genie. So the guy gets in his new Mustang and goes for a drive to show off to all his friends. He turns on his booming stereo system…
But there's a very familiar commercial on… and the guy starts singing along to it: "I wish I was an Oscar Meyer Wiener." The moral to that story is… Be careful what you wish for…
These past few weeks we have heard the stories from scripture of the disciples wishing for positions of power; of one wanting to be exalted over the other to some kind of important position within the kingdom of God…
When two of the disciples, James and John came to Jesus… Jesus asked them, “what is it that you want me to do for you?”
What is it that you wish for?
Today we hear the story of the blind beggar, who is identified to us as the son of Timaeus. Bartimaeus… We are told that Bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road begging… Positioned carefully by the side of the road, with his cloak probably spread out to receive any alms that may be pitched his way…
Doing the only thing he knows how to do… living within the shame of his condition… And along comes Jesus and his caravan of followers, making their way toward Jerusalem… Now, Bartimaeus cannot see, but he can surely hear the crowd, as they must be causing a large commotion… Among the buzz of the crowd, Bartimaeus figures out that Jesus must be with them… So, He cries out loudly… “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!”… Addressing Jesus by his royal lineage, focusing on Jesus… and forgetting about his begging for a minute… Bartimeaus cries out… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!...
And after being told to be quiet… He cries out again, even louder… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!... Jesus stood still…
Again, Bartimeaus cried… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!... Over the noise of the crowd, Jesus heard the voice of the blind beggar… Then Jesus tells the crowd, “Call him here…” Bartimeaus springs up and goes to Jesus… Jesus asks him… What do you want me to do for you?...
Today we hear the story of the blind beggar, who is identified to us as the son of Timaeus. Bartimaeus… We are told that Bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road begging… Positioned carefully by the side of the road, with his cloak probably spread out to receive any alms that may be pitched his way…
Doing the only thing he knows how to do… living within the shame of his condition… And along comes Jesus and his caravan of followers, making their way toward Jerusalem… Now, Bartimaeus cannot see, but he can surely hear the crowd, as they must be causing a large commotion… Among the buzz of the crowd, Bartimaeus figures out that Jesus must be with them… So, He cries out loudly… “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!”… Addressing Jesus by his royal lineage, focusing on Jesus… and forgetting about his begging for a minute… Bartimeaus cries out… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!...
And after being told to be quiet… He cries out again, even louder… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!... Jesus stood still…
Again, Bartimeaus cried… Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!!!... Over the noise of the crowd, Jesus heard the voice of the blind beggar… Then Jesus tells the crowd, “Call him here…” Bartimeaus springs up and goes to Jesus… Jesus asks him… What do you want me to do for you?...
What is it that you wish for???
And very affectionately, and very simply, Bartimeaus replied, “Teacher, let me see again.” Then, without smoke and mirrors, and no drama… with no spitting on the ground to make a mud cake… or any other mysterious physical act, Jesus simply says, “go, your faith has made you well. ”
What is it that you wish for???
Bartimeaus is the son of Timeaus. His name, literally translated, means: “bar” (son of) and “Timao” (honor). Bartimeaus wasn’t just a blind beggar. A son of honor was sitting by the roadside begging for his next meal. And he goes to Jesus when Jesus calls him…
By his faith, Bartimeaus regained his sight. Jesus restored his “place of honor” in society from the shame of his condition. After he was healed, Bartimeaus abandons the security of his roadside vocation and follows Jesus and the caravan to Jerusalem…
What is it that you wish for?
Bartimeaus doesn’t seek power. He doesn’t hope for a high office. He doesn’t crave being special, or anything “flashy.” He doesn’t want to do something and be seen… All he wants to do is see.
He wants to be ordinary, and see the beauty of the world and God’s creation around him. This is the only transformation that Bartimeaus desires. And in that transformation Bartimeaus moves from blindness to sight. It is not a matter of medicine or magic It is only a matter of faith that opens his eyes.
Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” and we grope along sometimes like the blind… along a wall groping along like those who have no eyes, and Jesus wants to know what we wish for… Do we want to be seen like James and John, one seated on the right hand and one on the left… Or do we just want to see, like Bartimeaus?
And very affectionately, and very simply, Bartimeaus replied, “Teacher, let me see again.” Then, without smoke and mirrors, and no drama… with no spitting on the ground to make a mud cake… or any other mysterious physical act, Jesus simply says, “go, your faith has made you well. ”
What is it that you wish for???
Bartimeaus is the son of Timeaus. His name, literally translated, means: “bar” (son of) and “Timao” (honor). Bartimeaus wasn’t just a blind beggar. A son of honor was sitting by the roadside begging for his next meal. And he goes to Jesus when Jesus calls him…
By his faith, Bartimeaus regained his sight. Jesus restored his “place of honor” in society from the shame of his condition. After he was healed, Bartimeaus abandons the security of his roadside vocation and follows Jesus and the caravan to Jerusalem…
What is it that you wish for?
Bartimeaus doesn’t seek power. He doesn’t hope for a high office. He doesn’t crave being special, or anything “flashy.” He doesn’t want to do something and be seen… All he wants to do is see.
He wants to be ordinary, and see the beauty of the world and God’s creation around him. This is the only transformation that Bartimeaus desires. And in that transformation Bartimeaus moves from blindness to sight. It is not a matter of medicine or magic It is only a matter of faith that opens his eyes.
Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” and we grope along sometimes like the blind… along a wall groping along like those who have no eyes, and Jesus wants to know what we wish for… Do we want to be seen like James and John, one seated on the right hand and one on the left… Or do we just want to see, like Bartimeaus?
What is it that we wish for???…
Do we wish to be seen in positions of power, ready to impress our friends? Or do we wish to just see, and then follow Jesus along the way, down the road to Jerusalem?
Following Jesus down the road to Jerusalem, where he will be beaten, hanged on a cross and die a traitor’s death. We know that faith alone in Jesus made Bartimeaus well, and like Bartimeaus, even in our blindness and most broken moments, we can recognize the presence of God in Jesus Christ.
And we cry out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on us… And we know that it’s Jesus that hears us, and by our faith, He makes us well. So, what is it that we wish for???
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on us!! Be careful what you wish for…
Do we wish to be seen in positions of power, ready to impress our friends? Or do we wish to just see, and then follow Jesus along the way, down the road to Jerusalem?
Following Jesus down the road to Jerusalem, where he will be beaten, hanged on a cross and die a traitor’s death. We know that faith alone in Jesus made Bartimeaus well, and like Bartimeaus, even in our blindness and most broken moments, we can recognize the presence of God in Jesus Christ.
And we cry out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on us… And we know that it’s Jesus that hears us, and by our faith, He makes us well. So, what is it that we wish for???
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on us!! Be careful what you wish for…
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