I hope you have been following our journey through the gospel of Mark because Sunday’s text (Mark 10:46-52) marks a significant turning point in the book. In chapters 1-8, Jesus demonstrated His identity as Messiah and the Son of God through His miracles and parables. However, the people, even the disciples, did not fully understand. All of this came to a head at the end of Mark 8 when Jesus asked the disciples who they say He is. Peter finally confesses that Jesus is the Christ, but the twelve disciples still do not understand what kind of Messiah He has come to be. They think He will go to Jerusalem to reign, but Jesus tells them He is going there to be humiliated, to die, and to rise from the dead. He also clarifies that following Him means denying oneself and taking up the cross. From Mark 8:34 through 10:52, Jesus teaches the disciples what it truly means to follow Him. They understand Jesus is the Messiah, but they do not yet grasp His mission or what discipleship entails. This larger section begins illustrating this through the healing of a blind man in two stages (Mark 8:22-26). Like that blind man, the disciples see but not clearly yet. Each time Jesus explicitly states that He has come to die, they focus on their own glory and greatness (Mark 8:33-37; 10:35-45). Jesus repeatedly corrects them, saying that those who want to be great must be servants. He tells them that they must receive the kingdom as a child—desperately dependent—and uses the example of a rich young ruler who refuses to recognize his need and leave everything to follow Jesus. In Mark 10:46-52, right after James and John again seek after glory and greatness, Mark presents us with a powerful example of faith and discipleship. Just as this section began with the healing of a blind man, it now concludes with another blind man’s healing. In contrast to the rich young ruler and James and John’s requests for seats of power, the healing of blind Bartimaeus (the final healing miracle in Mark) depicts the faith and discipleship Jesus has been teaching His followers. Bartimaeus does receive the kingdom as a child. He leaves all to follow Jesus. When Jesus asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" as He asked James and John, Bartimaeus does not ask for glory or greatness—he begs for mercy. Sunday’s text isn’t just another physical healing; it’s a powerful example of how faith sees clearly and follows Jesus.
I. The Faith That Sees Clearly ( 46-48)
II. The Faith That Perseveres (46-48)
III. The Faith That Acts (49-51)
IV. The Faith That Follows (52)