This Sunday is known as Reformation Sunday in remembrance of Martin Luther nailing his Ninety-five Theses on the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany that launched the Protestant Reformation 501 years ago on October 31, 1517. Luther launched this protest in objection to church practices that hinders people in their faith journeys instead of helping. This was not new to the times of Martin Luther, the great reformer.
We see this same thing in the gospel lesson assigned for this Sunday from Mark 10. A blind man is appealing to Jesus as He passes by for help, but the people following Jesus who should have helped the man get to Jesus; instead, scolded him to keep quiet; which would have kept him from getting the help he sought. In the end, Jesus heals the blind man; but this story of Blind Bartimaeus has much more than that to tell us.
You probably have heard the old saying, “The blind leading the blind.” That’s an expression used to describe a situation where a person who knows nothing is getting advice and help from another person who knows almost nothing. This saying is meant metaphorical, not literal. Almost every blind person I’ve met was gifted in many insightful ways despite not having physical sight. Mr. Homer Hairston was a blind man I knew growing up was one smart cookie. His daughter, I still communicate with often on Facebook. He ran a little store all by himself. There were many lessons we could and did learn from Mr. Homer. And so, it is with Blind Bartimaeus in the gospel text for this Sunday.
Join us at Covenant for worship on this Reformation Sunday for my sermon called “Lessons From A Blind Man” based on Mark 10:46-52.
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