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WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?

Writer's picture: stphilipseasthamptstphilipseasthampt

A Sermon preached by the Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock

[Jeremiah 31:7-9; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 10:46-52]


In an election year’s campaigning, lots of questions have been asked of the candidates; and in spite of the refined art of side-stepping difficult or pressing inquiries and using a diverting answer to talk about something more manageable, nonetheless, there are certain questions that require a direct and honest answer – rare as this experience may be.  Not surprisingly, Jesus asks this type of direct and honest question.  Expressed twice in Mark’s gospel account (one of which is found in today’s gospel lesson), Jesus’ question’s gravitas zeroes in and demands an answer. His question is this: What do you want me to do for you?1


In this particular question, we can feel in our bones that this inquiry cannot be danced around or avoided.  Being direct and personal, such a question requires an answer, an answer that reflects our character and our integrity as human beings.  Besides which, in ignoring this type of question, running away from it is a revealing answer in itself; isn’t it?


What do you want me to do for you?


As I say, twice in Mark’s gospel account we have heard this question.  And twice we have heard two different and telling kinds of answers.


The first came from the entitled Zebedee brothers, James and John in last week’s lesson.  Having heard Jesus predict his death in Jerusalem three times, they come to our Lord and ask him to do them a favor.  In response, Jesus asks the question at hand: “What do you want me to do for you?” James and John provide their revealing answer.  They ask Jesus to make sure that when all the threatening Jerusalem dust settles and his promised kingdom is established, that he will reward them with special honor and a trust fund to match.  They ask for an easier life – life on their own terms.


The second time Jesus poses this question comes in today’s gospel, where we meet the blind beggar, Bartimaeus.  This encounter poses a very different kind of answer to Jesus’ question, one that leads to moving into life on God’s terms.  As such, I suggest that Bartimaeus stands as a model for all of us who care about what it means for us to be made in God’s image.


When Jesus asks Bartimaeus the question: What do you want me to do for you?, we heard an implicit answer in Bartimaeus’ yelled statements.


This story begins with the crowds along the roadway, waiting to catch a glimpse of Jesus as he moves through town on his way to Jerusalem.  As any experienced beggar worth his salt would do, Bartimaeus took a visible place along the parade route.  After all, this is where the action would be.  Hearing the throng’s increasing excitement, the blind beggar knew his time had come.  So, Bartimaeus sprang into action and began to shout at the top of his lungs: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”2


I have no way of knowing the extent to which Bartimaeus was consciously using this potent phrase (“Son of David”), but I don’t think he was simply seeking an autograph.  Historically and traditionally, the phrase, “Son of David”, contained powerful faith connotations of the reality of the promised Messiah.  And that, coupled with Bartimaeus’ request that Jesus,  as “Son of David”, be merciful to him already sets the stage for something more than another request for a miraculous healing.  Rather, I think the request for mercy from Jesus speaks to two things: 1) only God can provide forgiving and restoring mercy; and 2) if mercy is granted, how will this affect the beggar’s life?


And what do you make of the crowd’s reaction to Bartimaeus’ public shouting?  Surely, there were others on the roadside who shouted to Jesus.  (It brings to mind Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on what we call “Palm Sunday” and the uncontrollable cries of “Hosanna!” that spontaneously erupted then.)  Yet, Mark tells us that initially those non-beggar-types sought to stifle Bartimaeus’ outburst.  Our English translation (that those around Bartimaeus tell him to “be quiet”) is much too sanitized.  The RSV translation says that those around the beggar “rebuked” Bartimaeus, which is the same word that describes what Jesus did to quiet the demons and Peter in his insistence that Jesus must not die.  Did the upscale types along the roadside “rebuke” Bartimaeus for “bad form” and rude behavior; or was there something more than social etiquette involved?


What I am suggesting is that with Bartimaeus’ bellowing address of Jesus as “Son of David” and his request for mercy from David’s “Messiah”, the blind beggar’s shouting let the proverbial cat out of the bag.  Jesus in the one!  And perhaps this is the reason Jesus stopped and called Bartimaeus to him.  Of all the other shouted acclamations, Jesus heard this one tellingly faithful statement; and on his way to Jerusalem, the Lord had to acknowledge the truth of his identity: something even his own disciples have failed to perceive.


Call him, Jesus said.4


Mark reports that at this invitation, Bartimaeus jumped up and threw off his cloak and met Jesus.  Again, this action amplifies what the blind beggar yelled.  For at Jesus’ calling, Bartimaeus jumped up and discarded his cloak. With this Bartimaeus demonstrated his willingness to accept what Jesus offered.  This is to say that his cloak was not only what kept him relatively warm and dry; more tellingly it was also the tool he used to collect the fruits of his begging.  In response to Jesus calling him, Bartimaeus left that life and that attitude.  And this is the reason that as I am presenting Bartimaeus as our model for how we might answer Jesus’ question: What do you want me to do for you?


Without hesitation, evasion, or pretense, Bartimaeus replies: Master, let me receive my sight.5 Let me see again.6  To which, Jesus said: Go your way; your faith has made you well.7


With his regained sight, what was it that Bartimaeus saw?  And what was his reaction to his restored vision?  Clearly, he saw Jesus, who also clearly gave Bartimaeus permission to “go his own way”.  Yet, the telling thing is that Bartimaeus chose to follow the source of his clear vision. He followed Jesus on the way.


There are two aspects that draw me to Bartimaeus as our discipleship model.  He faces Jesus' direct question about what the beggar wants from Jesus; and instead of asking for a “trust fund” or something we might want from Santa Claus, Bartimaeus asks for something that will heal and transform his life.


Understandably, he wants to see again.  Of course, the risk of seeing with the vision God-in-Christ offers is not a matter of making our life happy-ever-after.  Rather, it is a clear vision, seeing both the beauty and grace of God’s gifts as well as the painful brokenness and neediness of our lives.


What Bartimaeus requests from Jesus is something that transforms his life and compels him to follow Jesus.


What do you want me to do for you?


In case you haven’t caught the drift of my message, this is a question all of us need to deal with because it is the question Jesus asks each and every one of us.  Being asked as you and I are, what is our answer?  What transforming answer dare we say?


Personally, I’ve thought about my own response to this Jesus question; and with some trepidation, I will use myself as an example, hoping you too will work on offering your own answer.


For me, what I want from Jesus is the strength to continue following him.  I want the strength that overrides what has the power to distract me, what makes me afraid, and feeds my unbelief.  This is to say that, in a very real way, I am asking for the same thing Bartimaeus requested: the strength and openness to see with God’s eyes – especially to see myself as God sees me -- and to follow that transforming, loving, hopeful vision until I see what Jesus sees.


Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; all else be naught to me, save that Thou art…8


…that I may have an awareness of all God’s mercies and with a truly thankful heart show forth God’s praise, not only with my lips, but in my life,…9


Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy.  Amen.

 

1.  Mark 10:51

2.  Mark 10:47

4.  Mark 10:49

5.  Mark 10:51b – NRSV

6.  Mark 10:51b – RSV

7.  Mark 10:52

8.  Hymnal 1982. Hymn 488

9.  Book of Common Prayer. General Thanksgiving, p. 101

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126 Main Street
Easthampton, MA 01027

 

413-527-0862


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The Right Rev. Douglas Fisher
Bishop of Western Massachusetts

The Rev. Michael Anderson Bullock, Priest-in-Charge

Karen Banta, Organist & Choir Director

Lesa Sweigart, Parish Administrator

 

David Brown, Sexton

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