Be like Bartimaeus

Thoughts on Mark 10

"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." v.15

"...Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!" v.24

"Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." v. 27

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
v.29-31

"Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus."What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road." v46-52

Some verses that jumped out at me while Whitney and I hung out at White Rock Coffee. Our new favorite coffee house this side of the continental divide. The Kingdom of God is not something that we can ever enter into. It must be recieved. Childlike humility and dependence upon God.

The phrase "Jesus have mercy upon me" continues to impress me. Our acknowledgement of the need for mercy seems to be key to receiving mercy. In this same passage the rich young ruler turned away from Christ unaware of his need for mercy. (He beleived he had kept the commandments from his youth) He did not walk away from Jesus because of money. His love of money was only a symptom of a deeper self sufficiency. There is nothing that we can do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. We are dependent upon God's mercy. In contrast to the rich young ruler Bartimaeus received mercy because he unashamedly confessed his need and utter dependence upon Christ.