Rev. A.J. Ogden

Unworthy lost sinners such as I was, can read the comforting words of Jesus in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” As unworthy of Christ as we all are, He is still calling whosoever will. Will you answer his call?

Blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the highway begging, says Mark 10:46. Verse 47 informs us, “And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me.” The Bible says the public wanted him to hush. Most people today want us to be quiet about Christ and salvation, but we are commanded to go into the entire world and preach and teach the gospel.

Bartimeus would not be quiet. He kept crying out, “Jesus thou son of David, have mercy on me.” No one was able to stop him from calling on the Lord. No doubt Bartimeus had heard of Jesus who set the captives free, healed the sick, gave sight to blinded eyes, lifted the lonely, fed the multitude, walked on the sea of Galilee, and lifted men like Lazarus from the grave.

The beggar must have thought; surely Jesus is the answer to my blinded eyes. Then Scripture tells us “Jesus stood still” and commanded that the man be called. Amen! I mean the one who spoke the earth into existence, stood out on nothing and made the whole universe, made every living creature there is and breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life. Yes, he stood still for one little blind beggar to help him out of his darkness.

Jesus simply said, “What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?” Bartimeus quickly said, “Lord that I might receive my sight.” Jesus responded by saying, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way. Luke tells us that he glorified God all along the way.