We call him blind Bartimaeus. The text calls him “a blind beggar.” Many people with disabilities in ancient cultures were reduced to begging. What we learn of Bartimaeus, though, is that despite his blindness he could “see” quite well.
Sermon Texts
The book of Job addresses the issue of human suffering. Why do the righteous suffer? It also addresses this important issue: why are the righteous righteous?
The book of Hebrews may have been a sermon originally. The preacher was addressing Christians who had been Jewish. They were under persecution. Some were leaving their Christian faith. Others were considering it. The preacher urged them not to leave, arguing for the superiority of Christ.
Esther was a Jewish orphan. She found favor with the king of Persia and became his queen. She used her position to save her Jewish people. The book of Esther is the only book in the Bible that does not mention God, but it still has some important lessons for us.
It wasn’t complicated for Jesus. It was not theoretical. It was as simple as taking a little child into one’s arms. When you welcome one little child in “my name,” Jesus said, you welcome me.
We had it all wrong as kids. We used to think sticks and stones could do more damage to us. Most of us have learned, though, that words can wound ever deeper.