Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 18:35-43 "THE COMMENDATION OF FAITH"
Day 231 – Luke 18
Text: Luke 18:35-43
THE COMMENDATION OF FAITH
Jesus always commended faith whenever He saw it. Whether it was in the heart of a Gentile centurion (Cf. Luke 7:9), or in this case, in the heart of a blind and poor beggar, Jesus would take note of that person’s faith and commend it.
There were little evidences of faith in Israel. There was hardly any faith to be seen in the religious leaders of the day. They were outright hypocrites, pretending to have faith. Their faith-life was just one big sham (Luke 12:1-2).
There was little faith to be seen in the multitudes that flocked to Jesus! They had seen Him perform miracle after miracle, and yet they could not conclude that He was indeed the promised Son of David. They marveled at His teaching. They thought that He might be a prophet (Cf. Luke 9:19).
Jesus indicted His hearers as belonging to a “faithless and perverse generation” (Luke 9:41). On another occasion, He spoke about how the people were “an evil generation” (Luke 11:29).
Once again, Jesus saw faith – and in a poor, and blind beggar at that! The crowds did not see the faith of Bartimaeus and thus tried to shut him up. Jesus on the other hand saw his faith and sought to commend him publicly! What a contrast Luke drew as he wrote his Gospel.
“WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?” Luke 18:41
Jesus commended the faith of Bartimaeus in a very practical way. He, the Son of David would grant him a boon. Kings gave boons to good and loyal subjects who proved themselves worthy of special notice.
What would Bartimaeus who recognized and acknowledged Jesus as The Son of David, when so many others didn’t and couldn’t, ask from his King?
As may be expected, he said,
“Lord, that I may received my sight.”
Luke 18:41
Jesus, the Son of David, acceded to his request, and in reply He said,
“Receive your sight;
Your faith has made you well.”
Luke 18:42
THE POWERFUL POTENTIAL THAT IS FOUND IN FAITH
Why is it that we struggle with finding and developing faith in the Lord? Why were there so few people who possessed faith, even though they heard and saw Jesus? The potential power of faith is so astonishing! Imagine being granted a boon from the King, because of a faith that stands out!
How did Bartimaeus posses faith? Let us take time to study this subject of faith once again. May we be deeply challenged to discover a deeper faith in the Lord.
1. Conversion of knowledge of the Scriptures into Faith.
There must of course be knowledge. Bartimaeus had some knowledge of the Scriptures concerning the Messiah that God promised He would send to Israel. Though he must have waited for many long years, he believed what the Scriptures taught. He converted his knowledge of Scripture into faith. Many have knowledge, but few have converted that knowledge into faith.
2. Holding on to faith despite adverse circumstances in
life.
Bartimaeus was blind. Probably because of his blindness, he became destitute. In that sad state, he turned to begging as the only way he knew how to survive.
He could have queried and blamed God for the circumstances of his life. However, he did not. Somehow, he clung to his faith in the Scriptures of a coming Messiah.
3. Identification of Jesus as the Promised Saviour
Bartimaeus somehow was able to make the connection between what the Scriptures said, and what he had heard about Jesus. Obviously, he must have taken the trouble to think through lots of things.
He came to the conclusion that Jesus was indeed the Son of David. He was not mistaken. He had come to the right conclusion. Based on this faith, he cried out to Jesus, as the Son of David and pleaded for mercy.
4. Application of faith into life’s circumstances
All the above are exciting things to discover. However, they belong to the realm of the theoretical. Faith cannot be just a thought, even though it may be a good thought. Faith must be applied to life’s circumstances.
Thus Bartimaeus cried out loudly, declaring his faith in Jesus as the Son of David, on the one hand. On the other, he pleaded for mercy. If indeed he believed that Jesus was the Son of David, then he must approach him humbly as one would greet a King!
His application of faith met with swift and adverse reactions! What did an ignorant and blind person know about Jesus as to call him, “Son of David”? Thus they told him to cease shouting out to Jesus. Did he not know that he was making a lot of noise and disturbing Jesus?
Bartimaeus was right. The crowds that tried to hush him up were wrong. Bartimaeus was well rewarded for his faith in Jesus. Faith is always well rewarded!
“IMMEDIATELY HE RECEIVED HIS SIGHT AND FOLLOWED HIM, GLORIFYING GOD…” Luke 18:43
We can imagine how happy Bartimaeus must have been to regain his sight! Luke recorded many instances of people being healed by Jesus. On rare occasions, he would record that the ones healed followed Jesus.
Strangely, Luke did not record too many people following Jesus as His Disciple after they were healed. Bartimaeus’ faith in Jesus and his commendation from the Lord was well founded. Genuine faith must lead us to follow Jesus… as His Disciple!