Luke 18, 31–43
The approximately 30-year-old Jesus is known in his immediate region only as the son of Joseph the carpenter from Nazareth; a few villages away, it is likely that he completely unknown. This unknown man encounters fishermen on the Sea of Galilee or "a man at the tax collector's." With his compelling "Follow me!", he compels them to leave everything behind and join him. The path they now walk with the "Master" can be vividly imagined as a journey across the Holy Land, a shared endurance of heat and cold, hunger and thirst, sun and rain, together in silence or speaking of God, praying and celebrating together, together enduring the enthusiasm and hostility of the people.
Jesus calls people from all walks of life to follow him, regardless of their level of education or enlightenment, and without regard to demonstrable religious achievements. Everyone is suitable for discipleship.
Jesus' followers learned from him, experienced his deeds, and were instructed by him in his teachings.
The group is on the move again. Luke 9:51 states: “When the time was near for Jesus to be taken up into heaven, he decided to go to Jerusalem.”
I will read the sermon text from the 18th chapter of the Gospel of Luke:
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him;
33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,
41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Jesus resolutely goes to Jerusalem. On this journey we find two scenes that could hardly be more different, yet together define true discipleship. Two completely contrasting worlds are described that precede the entry into Jerusalem.
First, it is about one, more precisely, the third and final proclamation of Jesus’ Passion.
And then, suddenly, it is about a blind man—in the Gospel of Mark, he is even named Bartimaeus—who is healed by Jesus.
For the disciples, discipleship is still a purely physical movement: “Jesus goes before them” (Mark 10:32), and they follow him. Soon, however, discipleship would also include participation in the path of suffering Jesus undertook.
Then Jesus says: “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.”
“See,” the Lord says to his disciples, pointing to the writings of the prophets in which the holy will of God is laid down,
“See,” he says to them, meaning that his suffering is not just any suffering.
He consciously walks this path to fulfill the prophecies.
Jesus knows that a difficult path lies ahead, but one thing is clear: these are words that bring the suffering and death, the cross that awaits Jesus in Jerusalem, into sharp focus. Jesus knows what will happen and what its purpose is.
And they go with him. Even though they understand nothing and have no idea what will happen in the time ahead and why, they go with him, their friend. In their minds, the teacher and miracle worker they revere should finally receive the recognition he deserves at the festival in Jerusalem. Suffering and death had no place in this vision; rather, it was the recognition of the master. They hope that the son of David will restore the old kingdom.
But even on this journey, they stumble over reality.
On the road to Jericho, a blind man by the roadside calls out to Jesus as the Son of David and begs for mercy. Although the crowd tries to silence him, he continues to call out. Jesus asks him what he desires, and the man asks to regain his sight. Jesus heals him because of his faith, and the man follows Jesus and praises God.
The blind man's faith and perseverance serve as an example of the faith Jesus demands of his followers. His healing demonstrates Jesus' messianic power and shows that he came to heal people both physically and spiritually.
The book "Five Traits of a Christ Follower" (originally by Doug Nuenke and Jerry Bridges) defines authentic discipleship through five core competencies: growing in one's relationship with God, studying Scripture, bearing witness to Christ, living in community, and serving others.
1. Growing in relationship with God: Cultivating a deep, personal connection with the Creator.
2. Knowing and living according to Scripture: Not only reading the Bible, but actively applying its principles in daily life.
3. Engaging with those who do not know Christ: Bearing witness to the faith and sharing the gospel with others.
4. Living in fellowship with other believers: Active participation and support within the Christian community.
5. Equipping others to follow Christ: Multiplying the faith by guiding and mentoring new disciples.
This work is often used as a discipleship handbook to help believers increase their enthusiasm and capacity for following Christ.
The Blind Bartimaeus by the roadside becomes the antithesis of the disciples. He is physically blind, but spiritually sees who Jesus is. Although the crowd tries to silence him, he cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"). He recognizes Jesus as the Messiah ("Son of David").
But the disciples don't recognize or understand it. They are "blind" to the way of the cross. Why? Because they were chasing a false image of Jesus and discipleship. They expected the Messianic King who triumphs, not the one who suffers.
The lesson for us is that discipleship doesn't always mean success, recognition, or a life without suffering. Sometimes we don't "understand" God's way because it doesn't correspond to our expectations. But Jesus walks this path for us.
Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you" (v. 42). Discipleship begins when we recognize that we need help and that our blindness is healed by Jesus.
We go up. We hear this again and again this Sunday. So we are not spectators, neither in faith nor in worship. We are being addressed. Jerusalem is the place where Jesus was crucified. In his suffering, our own suffering is reflected. The path with Jesus is not a walk in the park. But when we walk with him, we are not alone. And one day we too will rise. We can't really imagine how and where that will be right now. We're in the same boat as the disciples.
When we see something that transcends what we can perceive with our eyes, we do so with a believing heart, just as the blind man in Jericho did.
Discipleship is giving thanks for the grace we have received and actively walking with Jesus.
What does this mean for us?
We may acknowledge our "blindness." Like Bartimaeus, we may ask for spiritual vision, especially when we don't understand where God is leading us in our lives.
True discipleship means accepting the cross. It means believing that God leads us to life even through difficult times.
Just as the blind man left behind his cloak (his livelihood according to the Gospel of Mark), discipleship sometimes requires giving up old securities in order to follow Jesus.
Since the resurrection of Christ, "discipleship" means "following" the one who is no longer to be seen, "only" to be believed. In a figurative sense, it means "to follow in his footsteps." It means allowing ourselves to be led "where you don't want to go." Amen.