1046. His Condition

His Condition

"Blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side, begging" (Mar_10:46).

In the condition of Bartimaeus as he sat by the public roadside, we find mirrored the condition of every poor lost sinner.

1. Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus. The expression suggests the descent of the blind man. He must not have always been poor. The fact that he is spoken of as "the son of Timaeus," suggests that his father was a man of recognized prominence. Bartimaeus, evidently, had gone down hill from the social and financial standpoint. Has not every poor lost sinner fallen? He has gone down, down, until he has lost almost the semblance of his former self.

2. Bartimaeus was blind. Every sinner is blind. "The god of this age hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ * * should shine in upon them and convert them" (2Co_4:4).

What was the beautiful valley that lay beyond Jericho, the valley of the Jordan, to Bartimaeus? He could not see. It was the poet who wrote:

"O lost sight, of thee I most complain.

Blind among enemies. O worse than chains!"

The sinner is face to face with God, but he never realizes it. The sinner is face to face with Heaven, but he never sees its glories. The sinner is face to face with hell, but he never knows its terror.

"Oh, dark, dark, dark, amid the blaze of noon;

Irrecoverably dark–total eclipse,

Without one ray of light!"

The sinner has eyes, but he sees not. His understanding is darkened.

3. Bartimaeus was poor. He was so poor that he sat with his little tin cup by the highway, pleading with passers-by for a pittance to help him in his poverty. There was plenty around Bartimaeus, but Bartimaeus was impoverished. Is not this the case with every lost sinner? He, too, is poor. He is without God and without hope in the world; he is Christless, favorless, homeless, promiseless. To be sure, God's children have plenty and to spare, but the sinner would fain fill his belly with the husks that the swine eat.

4. Bartimaeus had nothing to recommend him but his poverty and his need. This is true of any and of every unsaved man. He may think that he has much by way of commendation, but before God he is altogether impoverished; he is a beggar who must sue for grace. Yet, the very fact that the sinner is shorn of all, appeals to the loving heart of a merciful God.

Illustration: We heard Dr. Bernardo tell how a little lad stood at his door and said: "Are you the man what takes the boys and girls what haven't any home?" Dr. Bernardo replied: "Why, yes, my son. We have an orphanage where we house some thousands of homeless children. What do you want?" The little lad replied: "Please, sir, I haven't got any papa or mamma. Won't you please take me?" The president of the orphanage answered: "But, my lad, I must know something about you; I must have something to recommend you." At this the little fellow held up the threads of his ragged coat, and with tears running down his dirty cheeks, he said: "If you please, sir, I thought these 'ere would be all I'd need to rekermend me."

And that is all a sinner needs–just to confess his sad estate, just to sit and ask.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR