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October 29, 2006

Anne Jensen October 29, 2006

Anne Jensen - Proper 25 B Mark 10:46-52

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Who among us has not had a moment when the words of John Newton’s hymn have echoed our own experience. “I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see.” They reflect his conversion from being a slave trader to a Christian and eventually to be an Anglican clergyman.

These same words could have come from blind Bartimaeus, and for him they would have had literal as well as metaphorical meaning. Blindness comes in so many ways—physical, psychological, emotional, political, social and spiritual to name a few. Sometimes blindness results from the way we are put together, and sometimes it is willful. We defend ourselves by choosing not to see. And that’s what Isaiah is railing about in our first lesson…the iniquities of the social system and the lack of justice …and the unwillingness or the inability of the righteous to step forward.

“The Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm brought him victory.” God took on the cause of justice and righteousness, Godself. God intervened.

Move ahead six hundred years and God has sent Jesus into a world where conditions had not changed much. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who hung out at the gate of Jericho. Beggars, then as now, were at the lowest level of society. This story is more than just a story of restored physical sight. It is also a story of Jesus’ compassion, trust and faith that leads to conversion and new life.

In today’s gospel Jesus and his disciples are leaving Jericho. When Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, he shouted out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” Obviously he had heard of Jesus and his gift of healing. He made connection: “Son of David” is a messianic title…it implied that Jesus was not just an itinerant teacher, but was a man of God’s own choosing.


The people around Bartimaeus told him to be quiet, but that didn’t stop him. He called again, and Jesus heard him.

Jesus’ response reveals the compassionate nature of God. Jesus stops and says, “Call him over here.” Which probably surprised all those around him, but they said. “This is your lucky day. He’s calling for you. Get up!” He sprang up and came to Jesus. Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” He did not assume the man’s needs. He asked. And the man replied, “My teacher, let me see again.”

“Jesus said, ‘Go, your faith has made you well.’” We have heard these words before. The Greek word used here for well means both healed and saved., and in this case it carries both meanings. Jesus tells him to go, but instead of leaving, Bartimaeus follows Jesus. Seeing and following often go together in the gospels. Seeing “who Jesus is” is the goal of faith, and it leads to discipleship. Only the unblind can see where to follow. Since that the very next verse in Mark narrates the entry into Jerusalem, the way Bartimaeus followed was the way to the cross.

When have your eyes been opened to a new truth, a new way of seeing? Did it lead to fear or a deeper faith? Our greatest challenges can become avenues for growing in faith and opening to God’s grace. God’s grace and healing power will lead to restored vision and new life.

Recently we at Trinity Parish have had our eyes opened regarding our financial situation. I know that some of you fear for the future of this beloved church. My proposal to you is that this is an opportunity to grow in faith by embarking on a new understanding of stewardship. In the past there have been special appeals because the budget gap looked grim, and people have come forward to meet the need. That’s good, but that kind of request is more akin to fund-raising than it is to stewardship. I want to invite you to enter into a new way of looking at life and God’s many gifts, a conversion to a life of stewardship.

Stewardship is a spiritual practice that recognizes that all that we have ultimately comes from God, and that in the very beginning, God gave stewardship of this world to God’s people, to care for the earth, the animals, the waters and each other as God would. Out of love for God and for all of creation, and in response to God’s love made known to us through Jesus Christ, we respond by trying to see with the eyes of God the reality of life around us. We do not live for our own sakes alone, but for God’s sake and for the sake of the world.

That’s pretty abstract, but it has real application. As Christians we have committed to following the teaching of Jesus, and Jesus commanded his followers to proclaim forgiveness and reconciliation, to welcome the outsider, and to praise God. The church is body that carries out these instructions: it aims to make disciples who follow Christ. Even in the year that I have been here, I know that this faith community has changed peoples’ lives by offering acceptance. It demonstrates a level of caring that is beyond what the world at large deems adequate. It offers material help by taking on driving people who no longer drive themselves, giving furniture to those in need and food as people need it. The church and its members give spiritual support through prayer and personal support. On our campus and beyond we have served the people that Jesus reached out to...the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the ill. These are ministries I know you are committed to.

With a new commitment to stewardship as a way of life, we can continue these ministries and even grow. The Bible talks about first fruits being offered back to God. What would that look like in terms of time? If we figure in general 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of work, that leaves 8 hours a day for everything else. If we multiply that by 7 days a week and we get 56. The Biblical standard is the tithe, giving 10%. That would be about 5.5 hours a week of discretionary time. In reality most of us don’t start there, either in terms of time or money.

We need start by seeing with new eyes. In faith we start by giving a percentage off the top. I’m talking about time, talent and money. When we surveyed all the ministries last spring, every group said they needed more bodies to share in the work.

This past week Doug and I talked about our own journey in financial stewardship. The first step was the shift from “I earned this money” to recognizing that the gifts we have for life and for earning really came from God. The next step was to give off the top. At first it seemed like a lot, especially when we had children in school and I was in seminary, but there was enough. About this time I asked a priest whether one should figure the percentage before or after taxes, and his response was, “It doesn’t matter.” I found that remarkably freeing.

Another discovery about building a stewardship plan is that it feels good to be generous, to know that you, along with many others, are making a difference in peoples’ lives…people we will never know, but who have deep needs. The reason we do this is spiritual…it comes from understanding that all people are God’s beloved children. God wants us to get that message out! This mission takes time, energy and money, but through it we know that we are participating in something much larger than ourselves. We are part of God’s effort to mend creation.

Yet another step in stewardship is the realization that it is a daily thing and involves daily choices about how we use water, whether we turn out the lights, what we are going to buy, and how we are going to spend our time. Stewardship is the journey toward living consciously in the presence of God.

In order for Trinity Parish to stay strong and to grow we need your participation in worship. Stewardship of time includes making a commitment to attend church. The strength of our worship depends on all our voices lifted up. And we need your participation in giving and in doing the work of the church, for the sake of the church and for the sake of the larger community.

Bartimaeus regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way. May we too see with new eyes and embark on a journey to renewed faith through stewardship.

I close with an image of the five ships of Christian life. Our Christian life might be seen as a fleet of ships. One ship is worship. In worship we praise God and give thanks. Another is fellowship. When we find fellowship with Jesus, our lives are changed. We become a member of God’s kingdom.


Another ship is discipleship. As we learn more about the Christian faith, we learn to follow the Savior. Studying our Bible and praying become a part of our lives.

Then there is friendship. We join other Christians in serving Christ. Friendships develop among God’s people. As we attend church regularly, we meet other people who share our faith. We share a special bond and they become our friends.

But for many, there is one ship that doesn’t set sail…it is the good ship stewardship. All the other ships bring happiness and joy into our lives, but the stewardship never gets out of the harbor. This week as you set out on the sea of life with your fleet of ships, let one of them be the ship of stewardship. Your life will be blessed by it. All the other ships will be able to bring back more enjoyment and contentment when all four sail together.

Please turn to the Joy insert in the bulletin and join me in saying the stewardship prayer.

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