Homily & Campaign Proposal: Click here to listen
Jesus healed many people in the Gospels, and a lot of the times we don’t hear the details of it. Sometime there are individual encounters, but almost never are they named. Today’s encounter is remembered because it is special, and it is told in such a way that it outlines what the every Christian life is meant to be – in one way or another. The blind man from today, Bartimaeus, must have been known to the early Christian communities. This is the best explanation for why his name is remembered. It says he got up and followed after Jesus, which is not just a fact, but is also symbolic language for becoming a disciple. The same goes for Jesus’ call. He indeed calls the man to come to him (notice that the community of faith brings this man to Christ, kind of like the man who is lowered through the roof on a stretcher – a great lesson of intercessory prayer), but that calling is a symbol for the invitation to the church, to be invited into the faith community.
Jesus healed many people in the Gospels, and a lot of the times we don’t hear the details of it. Sometime there are individual encounters, but almost never are they named. Today’s encounter is remembered because it is special, and it is told in such a way that it outlines what the every Christian life is meant to be – in one way or another. The blind man from today, Bartimaeus, must have been known to the early Christian communities. This is the best explanation for why his name is remembered. It says he got up and followed after Jesus, which is not just a fact, but is also symbolic language for becoming a disciple. The same goes for Jesus’ call. He indeed calls the man to come to him (notice that the community of faith brings this man to Christ, kind of like the man who is lowered through the roof on a stretcher – a great lesson of intercessory prayer), but that calling is a symbol for the invitation to the church, to be invited into the faith community.
2. I want to see. – How rarely do we truly express our need.
Symbolic for the light of
faith.
3. Jesus heals. The doctor needs to know our needs. Do we trust him?
4. With transformation
comes the demand for response – DISCIPLESHIP.
Will we follow?
Trust God. Draw close to him (through church). Express your needs. Walk behind him in faith.
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