We pursue God because God has first put within us the desire to pursue Him.
We reject the idea that spiritual hunger originates naturally within fallen humanity.

  • Humanity, left to itself, does not seek God.
  • Any true desire for God is already evidence of God’s initiative.

Therefore: Our “pursuit” is always response, never initiation.

Bartimaeus functions as a compressed picture of how Christian salvation works (Mark 10:46-52)

  1. RECOGNITION of Need (ie. Spiritual Poverty) – The Kingdom is received by the helpless, not achieved by the capable
  2. Right CONFESSION (Christological Clarity) – Salvation involves true recognition of who Jesus is.
  3. INSISTENT Plea (Against Opposition) – The crowd rebukes him. He cries out all the more. Faith is not PASSIVE.  It is PERSISTENT.
  4. Jesus’ CALL (Divine Initiative) – Notice the order carefully: Jesus comes near. Bartimaeus cries out.  Jesus stops.  Jesus’ calls him. Then crowd the stops being annoyed.
  5. ABANDONMENT of Old Security – He throws off his cloak. Bartimaeus relinquishes the only thing he has.  That is repentance: Repentance is not primarily sorrow. It is not mere moral regret.
  6. Personal Trust (Direct Request) – Responding to the awareness of God (in prayer)
    Jesus asks: What do you want me to do for you? Salvation involves asking for the right thing.
  7. Faith as the instrument: Your faith has saved you – Faith literally means Healed, Saved, Delivered. Mark intentionally blurs physical healing and spiritual salvation. The miracle is both restoration of sight and entrance into salvation.
  8. Following on the Way (Discipleship as Evidence) – Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. Bartimaeus doesn’t just see. He follows. Healing leads to discipleship.

Following Means Trusting Jesus’ Definition of The Kingdom (Mark 11:1-11). The crowd embodies three dynamics that can suffocate genuine faith. Crowd dynamics HINDER faith. The Crowd dynamics here:

  • POPULIST – Crowds assume they see clearly because many see the same thing. Numbers do not equal discernment.
  • ENERGIZED – Being the crowds feels powerful. But energy is not the same as conviction.
  • POLITICAL – Their hope is shaped by Roman oppression and Nationalistic nostalgia. They want the Messiah to solve their public problem. But the problem was not outside of them. The problem was inside of them.

They are swept up in PASSION and MOMENTUM bound to a MOMENT.

Am I following:

  • Because others are?
  • Because it feels powerful?
  • Because it aligns with my dreams?
  • Because it promises visible success?

Or am I following:

  • When the moment fades?
  • When clarity is partial?
  • When applause disappears?
  • When the road narrows?