Dear Christian friends:

Our text today tells about a blind man's faith in Jesus. He was handicapped the same as you are handicapped. He was blind; you are deaf. I know that you can easily stand in his shoes.

The blind man showed wonderful faith in Jesus. He showed more faith than those who could see. Jesus praised his strong faith. Often the handicapped people show more faith than those who are not handicapped. This is the wonderful work and way of God!

Our faith can grow stronger and our appreciation of God's wonderful work in us will grow stronger if we study this blind man's faith


The blind man's faith is wonderful because God gave him that faith. Our faith, too, is wonderful because it is the work of God in our hearts by His Word and Spirit.

God's Holy Spirit led this blind man to believe that Jesus is Christ, the promised Savior. He is the first Jewish person that called Jesus Christ or Messiah. Even the Jews who could see had not yet done that. They were still spiritually blind; he was spiritually seeing!

How did the blind man know that Jesus is the Christ? He had heard about Jesus' wonderful works. How Jesus changed water to become wine; how He healed the sick; how He made five other blind persons to see; how He raised several persons from death; how He opened the ears of a deaf man.

The blind man knew that only the Christ could do such wonderful works, as the prophets long ago had prophesied. So now, when he hears Jesus walking by he shouts out, "Jesus, Son of David, show mercy to me." (verse. 47) Notice that the blind man calls Jesus "Son of David." In the Old Testament the prophets had written that the Christ would be a Son of King David. By calling Jesus "Son of David" the blind man shows his faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior God promised to Abraham and his descendants. The Holy Spirit gave this blind man his faith through his knowledge of the prophets' writings and through his knowing about Jesus' wonderful works which fulfilled those prophesies.

Our faith, too, is wonderful because it is the work of God in our sinful, rebellious hearts. By nature we are spiritually blind and deaf. We don't know God's love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We are all poor, blind beggars before God. "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy soiled rags." But God has shown mercy to us. He has not left us blind, deaf and dead! He has called us to faith in Jesus through His Word and Spirit. He has opened our eyes, ears and hearts so that we believe in His Son Jesus Christ who died upon the cross for our sins.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see!" (LW 509 verse 1)

Our faith, like blind Bartimaeus, is wonderful! It is the precious work of our merciful, loving God in our sinful hearts to save us now and forever.

Another wonderful thing about the blind man's faith is that he persisted in faith. At first Jesus paid no attention to his cries for mercy and help. Although Jesus heard his cries, He continued on walking past him. Then some of the people told him to shut up and not bother Jesus. (verse 48)

Although he felt sinful and unworthy, and although some of the people rejected him and told him to stop yelling, he did not stop. He persisted praying and crying to Jesus for mercy and for help. His faith was wonderful because he persisted. Jesus was pleased with his persistent faith. Jesus told some people, "Let him come to Me." Then Jesus healed him.

(verses 49-52) You and I must have a strong, persistent faith like Bartimaeus. We must not give up our trust and hope in Jesus. We must believe that God loves us although we are sinners and unworthy of His love and help. We must daily cry out like Bartimaeus, "Jesus Savior, have mercy on me!" We must persist in our faith by daily looking to God's words and promises in the Bible.

Often during our life here on earth it seems that God has forsaken us and that He doesn't care about us: when we loose our job or other position; when a loved one in our family dies; when natural disasters happen such as fires, floods or earthquakes; when friends fail us and when we are ill and dying. During these difficult times we must be like Bartimaeus, persistent in faith, trusting God's Word and promises in Jesus. Going to church regularly and to the Lord's Supper often helps us to be persistent in faith.

Another wonderful thing about the blind man's faith is that he followed Jesus as a living witness to Jesus' power and mercy.

We read in our text, Jesus said, "Go, your faith has healed you." Immediately the blind man could see and followed Jesus on the road." (verse 52) Now everyone could see the wonderful power and love of Jesus. They saw him who was blind now seeing and following Jesus. Bartimaeus was a living witness to everyone of Jesus' great power and love.

We, too, should follow Jesus here in the world and let our life and talk be a living witness to Jesus' love and saving power. When others see us and hear us they should be able to see that Jesus lives in our hearts.

We do this when we go to church regularly to worship God and sing praises and thank Him and by supporting our church so that it can proclaim the gospel here in Los Angeles and in our District and throughout the world. Most of us are doing this. However, we may overlook another way that we are to witness Jesus. That is by our daily life at home with our family and at work with our fellow workers and at play with our friends or enemies. Our talk and our actions should daily show that we believe in Jesus. Does your family and friends believe that you are a Christian? Or do they think that you are a hypocrite? How do you do with your enemies? Do you do like Jesus would? Or like an unbeliever? Is your life a living witness to Jesus' love and power?

Bartimaeus had a beautiful, wonderful faith which God gave to him. God has also given us a beautiful, wonderful faith. May he help us through His Word and Sacraments to show this faith to others.

Amen.