Storyteller John Shearhart shares the following of a wealthy man, his son, a soldier and a poor man.

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art."

The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this." The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

"Oh, no sir," the soldier/artist said. "I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

Silence filled the room. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100? $200?"

Another voice yelled angrily, "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's and Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son, the son, who will take the son?" Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. "I'll give $10 for the painting." The man who offered the $10 dollars was a poor man. $10 was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters!"

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!

"A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection" The auctioneer laid down his gavel and said to the shock of the influential crowd, "I'm sorry, the auction is over. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything."

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, God's message today is still the same: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?" Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Who will take the Son? Our blind beggar did. He took the opportunity Jesus, the Son, presented and he, like all of us, can be made well.

Let's get into the scene today's parable presents. A large crowd, presumably following Jesus and his disciples, were leaving the city of Jericho. From some distance, this large group passes this blind man, Bartimaeus, who was begging alongside the roadside.  Now Jericho, like any city of that time, was comprised of the working class. If you didn't work, if you couldn't produce a livelihood in agriculture or trade, you didn't have a job, and no job then was worse than having no job now. Those who couldn't work were outcast and downtrodden.

So, here's the lowest of the low, Bartimaeus. And we're back in verse 47 now for those with their scripture sheets nearby. Now someone please read that verse again for us. When he (Bartimaeus) heard it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"    

Now Bartimaeus had an understanding just of who Jesus was. He had an understanding of who Jesus was because calling this passerby the Son of David was another way of addressing Jesus as the Messiah because, according to Isaiah 9:7, it was known to all at the time that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David.

And boy, did Bartimaeus call out! After that first outburst, the lowlife had been told where to stick it—and where he was told to stick it is in a place, young people, like the back of your desk or the bottom of your locker in school where you know nothing ever survives. Or even worse than that, many in the crowd probably wished Bartimaeus would go to that mysterious place under your bed where stray socks go to die.

Yes, like a stray and unwanted sock, Bartimaeus is told to get lost. Or at least be quiet. But he doesn't get lost. He doesn't stay quiet. He perseveres! And that's our first sermon point today for those following along with our sermon notes. In coming to Jesus, we need Bartimaeus's boldness.

Bartimaeus, like all of us, has had a few knocks. He's been dealt with some bad blows. Maybe in his lifetime he lost more than his sight. Perhaps other bad things have happened to him like they happened to us. Maybe he had a bad neighbor, or a brother-in-law he couldn't stand. Maybe he was about fifteen years old and his best friends dumped him. Maybe he was an adult and his teenage kids really drove him crazy, or his boss, when he had one, was a real banana. Maybe he had to take care of his senior, aging parents. Maybe he never had a love of his life, not like he wanted, and the loneliness was too much to bear.

The point here is when Jesus came to him (as Jesus comes to us), this man spoke up. He put it out there. I love you as a congregation and challenge you to think of times when you, while in a crowd, are reserved to say what you need.

To build the relationship you want with Jesus, be bold. Put it out there. Don't have a quiet relationship with Jesus because you operate under the assumption that Jesus knows your needs. Now yes, the man who walks on water and turns water to wine does know your needs. Here, in this parable, he wants you to share them.

Of course Jesus knew what Bartimaeus wanted. He knows what you want. Still, Jesus asked what in verse 51? What do you want me to do for you?

When answering that question, be bold with Jesus. In your prayer life, build your connectedness to him in such a way that you call out what you need without reservation.

Yes, put it out there. And here's the second sermon point. Once you put it out there, remain open. Yes, here it is. In our prayer lives, we need to remain open. We need to remain open to what comes. And what comes, as we all know, may not be exactly what we ask for, but it's what's best for us in God's eyes.

Be open. We talked last week about prayers being answered and what to do once that happens. This week, I invite you to be open to what is next. There's so much that God is asking of us in this church and its life. Be open to it. See where it goes. Don't try to shape or control it. Don't doubt or turn inward. Don't rely on your own self. Rely on God. Your faith has brought you this far. Let it bring you further.

Take a look at this. What made Bartimaeus see again? What made him well? In this scripture, what exactly healed Bart? That answer is in verse 52. What is it?  That's right. Jesus says, your faith has healed you.

Let me close with point three today. In our own healing, which happens when we connect and respond to God, we need to rely on our own assuredness.

Some here may be hearing this truly for the first time, though the words may have come before from different sources at different times. But your faith has made you well. Whether you name it as such or not, your faith has brought you through tight spots. If we can use Bartimaeus as an example, your faith has brought you through your own darkness.

Connect to God. Respond to God.

There may not be an art auction anytime soon in your future. But, like the poor man in our first story, and like Bartimaeus in scripture, you can choose the Son, and you, too, will see in ways you have not seen before.

Yes, open your eyes. See.