BOTH APPEAR TO BE BLIND. THE PILOT IS USING A WHITE CANE, BUMPING INTO PASSENGERS LEFT AND RIGHT AS HE STUMBLES DOWN THE AISLE, AND THE CO-PILOT IS USING A GUIDE DOG. BOTH HAVE THEIR EYES COVERED WITH DARK GLASSES. AT FIRST THE PASSENGERS DO NOT REACT, THINKING IT MUST BE SOME SORT OF PRACTICAL JOKE. HOWEVER, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINES START CRANKING UP, AND THE AIRPLANE STARTS MOVING DOWN THE RUNWAY.

THE PASSENGERS LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH SOME UNEASINESS, WHISPERING AMONG THEMSELVES AND LOOKING DESPERATELY TO THE STEWARDESS FOR REASSURANCE. THEN THE AIRPLANE STARTS ACCELERATING RAPIDLY, AND PEOPLE BEGIN PANICKING. SOME PASSENGERS ARE PRAYING, AND AS THE PLANE GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE VOICES ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE HYSTERICAL. FINALLY, WHEN THE PLANE HAS LESS THAN TWENTY FEET OF RUNWAY LEFT, THERE IS A SUDDEN CHANGE IN THE PITCH OF THE SHOUTS AS EVERYONE SCREAMS AT ONCE, AND AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT, THE AIRPLANE LIFTS OFF AND IS AIRBORNE.

UP IN THE COCKPIT, THE CO-PILOT BREATHES A SIGH OF RELIEF AND TURNS TO THE CAPTAIN: "YOU KNOW, ONE OF THESE DAYS THE PASSENGERS AREN'T GOING TO SCREAM, AND WE'RE GONNA GET KILLED!" (PAR)

IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE, ISN'T IT?... ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE GOING TO FLY AIRPLANES. BUT IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE IN OTHER WAYS. IN OUR TWO STORIES FOR TODAY WE SEE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BLINDNESS, DON'T WE? IN THE FIRST, THE DISCIPLES, WHOSE PHYSICAL SIGHT IS FINE, SHOW THEMSELVES TO BE SPIRITUALLY BLIND, AND JESUS TRIES TO OPEN THEIR EYES TO THE NATURE OF HIS MISSION AND THE FACT THAT THEY, ALSO, WILL HAVE TO PICK UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW HIM...EVEN IF THAT RESULTS IN DEATH. THE SECOND STORY DEALS WITH A MAN WHO IS PHYSICALLY BLIND BUT WHO SEES AND UNDERSTANDS FAR MORE THAN THE DISCIPLES WHO HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS ALL ALONG.

THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING PARALLELS IN THE STORIES THAT HAVE OFTEN CAUSED THEM TO BE LINKED TOGETHER. AND THERE ARE ALSO SOME FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS FOR DISCIPLESHIP CONTAINED IN THESE STORIES.

JAMES AND JOHN APPROACH JESUS WITH THEIR REQUEST AS THEY ARE "ON THE ROAD OR THE WAY." BARTIMAEUS CRIES OUT FOR MERCY AS HE SITS "BY THE ROADSIDE OR ALONGSIDE THE WAY." AND WHEN JESUS RESTORES HIS SIGHT, HE FOLLOWS JESUS ALONG "THE WAY." "THE WAY" IS OBVIOUSLY A SIGNIFICANT CONCEPT THAT THE BIBLE WANTS TO EMPHASIZE HERE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE DISCIPLES OF JESUS, WE JOIN EVERY DISCIPLE OF JESUS THROUGHOUT HISTORY IN LIVING OUR LIVES ACCORDING TO THE SPECIAL WAY OUR LORD LEADS US TO LIVE THEM...WITH LOVE AND OBEDIENCE TO HIM. WE JOIN HIM IN THE WAY...IN THE JOURNEY HE TOOK BEFORE US...A JOURNEY THAT ULTIMATELY RESULTS IN WHOLENESS AND PEACE AND JOY AND A LIFE LIVED WITH TREMENDOUS SIGNIFICANCE AND CONTENTMENT.

JESUS ASKS BOTH JAMES AND JOHN AND BARTIMAEUS THE SAME QUESTION: "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?" THE DISCIPLES' ANSWER IS TELLING: THEY WANT TO SIT ON THRONES WITH JESUS AND REIGN WITH HIM IN TRIUMPH. BARTIMAEUS SITS IN THE DUST AND MAKES NO DEMAND FOR GLORY. HE ONLY CRIES OUT FROM THE PIT OF HIS MISERY AND POVERTY: HE ONLY WANTS TO SEE. THE DISCIPLES LOOK AT JESUS AS A WAY TO BRING THEM POWER AND GLORY. BARTIMAEUS SEES HIM AS THE SON OF DAVID WHO CAN BRING HIM HEALING AND SIGHT. JESUS CANNOT GRANT THE DISCIPLES REQUEST FOR POWER, BUT HE CAN GRANT A BLIND MAN'S REQUEST FOR VISION.

JESUS CAN HEAL PHYSICAL BLINDNESS, OF COURSE, BUT HE ALSO WANTS TO HEAL SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. BARTIMAEUS LITERALLY WANTS HIS PHYSICAL SIGHT AND IS CERTAIN THAT JESUS CAN GIVE IT TO HIM. ON A SPIRITUAL LEVEL, HE CRIES OUT FOR WHAT EVERY DISCIPLE SHOULD WANT...TO BE ABLE TO SEE. BARTIMAEUS' IMMEDIATE DECISION TO FOLLOW JESUS TELLS US THAT DISCIPLESHIP IS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO IDENTIFIES WITH HIM IN FAITH AND IS NOT JUST CONFINED TO JESUS' SPECIFIC CALL TO FOLLOW. ALL IT TAKES TO BECOME A DISCIPLE IS TO PUT YOUR FAITH IN JESUS AND CHOOSE TO FOLLOW HIM.

BARTIMAEUS IS SOMEONE MANY OF US CAN IDENTIFY WITH BECAUSE OF THE HEALING GRACE JESUS HAS GIVEN US IN OUR OWN LIVES. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO SIT IN THE DUST, BEGGING FOR GRACE AND FORGIVENESS AND HEALING, SHOUTING OUT FOR HELP AND SHOUTING ALL THE LOUDER WHEN OTHERS TRY TO DROWN OUT OUR CRIES. WE KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LEARN THAT JESUS CARES - THAT HE CARES ENOUGH TO HEAR OUR CRY ABOVE THE NOISE OF THE CROWD AND TO STOP AND CALL US INTO HIS WONDERFUL PRESENCE IN ORDER TO RESTORE OUR SIGHT AND GIVE US UNDERSTANDING AND PEACE.

AND IF YOU ARE SITTING IN THE DUST ALONGSIDE THE ROAD OF YOUR LIFE THIS MORNING...ACHING FOR THE HEALING TOUCH OF HIS HAND, HUNGERING FOR THE SOUND OF HIS VOICE TO CALL YOU OUT OF YOUR DARKNESS INTO HIS LIFE, LISTEN TO HOW YOU CAN JOIN THE REST OF US ON OUR JOURNEY TO JOY AND MEANING.

FIRST OF ALL, REALIZE THAT HEALING DOES NOT ALWAYS COME EASILY FOR THOSE WHOM JESUS HEALS. BEFORE BARTIMAEUS RECEIVES HEALING FROM JESUS, HE HAS TO OVERCOME THE CROWD'S EFFORTS TO STIFLE HIS CRIES FOR HELP...HE HAS TO PERSIST IN CALLING OUT JESUS' NAME UNTIL HE HEARS JESUS CALL OUT HIS OWN NAME.

IT'S LIKE THE LITTLE LEAGUER WHO WAS PLAYING THE OUTFIELD IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON. AFTER CHASING A LONG FLY BALL THAT HAD SOARED OVER HIS HEAD AND HUSTLING THE BALL BACK INTO THE INFIELD, SOMEONE ASKED HIM HOW HIS TEAM WAS DOING. "OKAY," HE SAID, "WE'RE ONLY BEHIND SEVENTEEN TO NOTHING."

THE PERSON ASKED THE KID IF HE WAS DISCOURAGED ABOUT BEING SO FAR BEHIND, AND IF HE WAS READY TO ADMIT DEFEAT. HE CAME BACK IMMEDIATELY WITH: "HECK NO! WE AREN'T BEATEN, WE HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN UP TO BAT YET!" (PAR)

IN THE SAME WAY, HEALING COMES TO THOSE WHO DON'T GIVE UP...WHO DON'T BECOME DISCOURAGED BY THE OBSTACLES OTHERS MAY PLACE IN THEIR WAY. WE HAVE TO WANT TO SEE...TO UNDERSTAND...TO HUNGER TO RECEIVE THE TOUCH OF THE HAND OF CHRIST SO DESPERATELY THAT WE WILL IGNORE THE PUT-DOWNS OF THE CROWD IN ORDER TO GAIN THAT VISION.

BARTIMAEUS WAS ALSO INTENTIONAL IN COMING TO JESUS FOR RELIEF, WASN'T HE. HE CRIES OUT SPECIFICALLY TO THIS FAMOUS PROPHET FROM NAZARETH BECAUSE HE IS CONVINCED WITH EVERY BONE IN HIS BODY THAT JESUS WILL HAVE MERCY ON HIM AND CAN GIVE HIM HIS SIGHT.

WHEN JESUS ASKS "WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?", JAMES AND JOHN ASK FOR POSITIONS OF POWER AND INFLUENCE, BARTIMAEUS MIGHT HAVE ASKED ONLY FOR MONEY...BUT INSTEAD HE ASKS TO SEE AGAIN.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?" IS THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION GOD EVER ASKS US AND THE ONE WE USUALLY ANSWER WRONGLY. WE HAVE THIS WAY OF TYPICALLY ASKING FOR THE WRONG THINGS IN LIFE. THE GOSPEL OF MARK GIVES US A COUPLE OF EXCELLENT EXAMPLES. HEROD TELLS HIS DANCING STEP-DAUGHTER, SALOME, "ASK ME FOR ANYTHING YOU WANT." HER REQUEST? "GIVE ME THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST." PILATE ASKS THE CROWD THE SAME QUESTION. THEIR ANSWER? "BARABBAS" AND "CRUCIFY HIM!" OUR OWN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION WILL SHOW WHETHER WE WANT DEATH OR LIFE, WHETHER WE WANT TO BE HEALED FROM OUR BLINDNESS OR WANT TO TRY TO USE GOD AS SOME KIND OF COSMIC GUMBALL MACHINE TO SATISFY OUR OWN SELFISH DESIRES.

THERE IS ALSO AN URGENCY IN THE WAY BARTIMAEUS RESPONDS TO JESUS AS HE IS PASSING BY. "HE WHO HESITATES IS LOST" APPLIES WHEN IT COMES TO RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF JESUS. WE CAN'T SIT IN THE DUST AND DECIDE TO WAIT UNTIL JESUS COMES OUR WAY AGAIN SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE. IF YOU WANT JESUS TO HEAL YOU, YOU HAVE TO THROW CAUTION AND PRIDE TO THE WIND AND SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY...OTHERWISE IT WILL BE LOST.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID, "ON THE PLAINS OF HESITATION BLEACH THE BONES OF COUNTLESS MILLIONS WHO, AT THE DAWN OF VICTORY, SAT DOWN TO WAIT...AND WAITING, DIED." (PAR)

REACH OUT NOW...IN THIS MOMENT...AND GRASP THE HAND OF JESUS...CHOOSE LIFE. HE MAY NOT PASS YOUR WAY AGAIN.

AND LASTLY, AFTER HE IS HEALED BARTIMAEUS MOVES INTO ACTION. WHEN HE RECEIVES HIS SIGHT, HE DOES THE ONLY THING HE CAN DO...HE FOLLOWS JESUS. HIS JOY AT HIS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS SPURS HIM INTO ACTION.

BILL HYBELS OUT AT WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY CHURCH IN ILLINOIS HAS POINTED OUT THAT "WHEN IT COMES TO DEFINING JOY, THERE IS A CERTAIN WILDNESS, A NEAR RECKLESSNESS IN THE BIBLE'S CHOICE OF WORDS. JOY IS FRAMED IN THE POSITIVE: BE, DO, TRUST, RISK, LOVE. FROM THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE, JOY IS NOT DEFENSIVE, BUT RATHER INHERENTLY OFFENSIVE. BARRIERS ARE BROKEN DOWN, NOT ERECTED. INSTEAD OF HIDING IN SAFE CORNERS, WE RUN TOWARD LIFE AT FULL SPEED, EMBRACING WHATEVER IT OFFERS." (PAR)

THIS IS WHAT BARTIMAEUS DOES...HE RUNS TOWARD LIFE AT FULL SPEED, EMBRACING ALL IT OFFERS. THIS IS THE KIND OF LIVING THAT IS POSSIBLE ONLY BY RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF JESUS.

BILL AND FRED WERE IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION. IT SEEMS THAT THIS PLACE HAD AN ANNUAL CONTEST, PICKING TWO OF THE BEST PATIENTS AND GIVING THEM TWO QUESTIONS. IF THEY GOT THEM CORRECT, THEY WERE DEEMED CURED AND FREE TO GO.

BILL WAS CALLED INTO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE FIRST AND ASKED IF HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WOULD BE FREE IF HE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS CORRECTLY. THE DOCTOR SAID, "BILL, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I POKED OUT ONE OF YOUR EYES?"

BILL SAID, "I'D BE HALF BLIND."

"THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT IF I POKED OUT BOTH OF YOUR EYES?"

"I'D BE COMPLETELY BLIND." THE DOCTOR STOOD UP, SHOOK HIS HAND AND TOLD HIM HE WAS FREE.

ON BILL'S WAY OUT, AS THE DOCTOR FILLED OUT THE PAPERWORK, BILL MENTIONED THE EXAM TO FRED. HE TOLD HIM WHAT QUESTIONS WERE GOING TO BE ASKED, AND TOLD HIM THE ANSWERS. FRED WAS CALLED IN. THE DOCTOR WENT THROUGH THE FORMALITIES AND ASKED, "WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I CUT OFF ONE OF YOUR EARS?"

REMEMBERING WHAT BILL SAID WAS THE CORRECT ANSWER, FRED ANSWERED, "I'D BE HALF BLIND."

THE DOCTOR LOOKED A LITTLE PUZZLED, BUT WENT ON. "WHAT IF I CUT OFF BOTH OF YOUR EARS?"

"I'D BE COMPLETELY BLIND,' FRED ANSWERED.

"FRED, CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU WOULD BE BLIND?"

"MY HAT WOULD FALL OVER MY EYES."

BEING ABLE TO SEE IS IMPORTANT, ISN'T IT? AND IF THERE IS SOMETHING OBSTRUCTING OUR VISION LIKE OUR HAT FALLING OVER OUR EYES, WE NEED TO REMOVE IT. BUT SEEING IS MORE THAN SIMPLY POSSESSING PHYSICAL SIGHT. WE NEED TO SEE WITH OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS, TO UNDERSTAND MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE NATURE OF OURSELVES AND OUR GOD AND THE UNCONDITIONAL, ENDLESS LOVE HE HAS FOR EACH ONE OF US. WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES AND TRUTHS HE HOLDS OUT TO US...POSSIBILITIES AND TRUTHS THAT HE WANTS US TO GRASP IN ORDER TO ENABLE US TO LIVE OUR LIVES WITH ALL THE MEANING AND HEALING AND JOY THAT HE WANTS TO GIVE US.

HAVE YOU OPENED YOUR EYES LATELY AND LOOKED AROUND? JESUS IS STAND RIGHT THERE BESIDE YOU...AND HE WANTS TO GIVE YOU LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS. HOW ABOUT IT?