Bible Talk with Sister Deb: Out of Darkness: Blind Bartimaeus' Faith Journey

Have you ever felt trapped in darkness—not just physical blindness, but the overwhelming darkness of fear, doubt, grief, or sin? In this powerful exploration of Mark 10:46-52, Sister Deb Osborne unpacks the transformative story of Blind Bartimaeus, a marginalized beggar whose persistent faith changed everything.

When Jesus passed through Jericho just days before His crucifixion, Bartimaeus seized his moment. Despite the crowd's attempts to silence him, he cried out even louder, refusing to miss his chance for deliverance. What happens next reveals something profound about Jesus' character—He stood still. Despite the weight of His impending sacrifice, Jesus paused His journey for one desperate man.

There's something deeply moving about Bartimaeus casting aside his only possession—his begging cloak—to reach Jesus faster. This powerful metaphor shows us what genuine faith looks like: a willingness to abandon our old identities and securities when Christ calls. When Jesus asked what he wanted, Bartimaeus didn't hesitate: "Lord, that I might receive my sight." His clarity of purpose challenges our often muddled prayers.

Sister Deb draws a crucial distinction between those who receive blessing then return to their old ways, and Bartimaeus who "followed Jesus in the way" after his healing. True transformation doesn't just improve circumstances—it completely redirects our path.

For everyone feeling overwhelmed by darkness today, this episode offers a lifeline of hope. Jesus promises in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." No matter how thick the darkness around you, there is always a way out—and that way is Jesus Christ. Are you ready to cast aside whatever holds you back and cry out to Him today?

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Worship
• 4:30 Sister Deb's Hatred of Darkness
• 9:13 The Story of Blind Bartimaeus Begins
• 13:17 Jesus Stood Still
• 17:42 Casting Aside His Garment
• 21:28 Finding Your Way Out of Darkness
• 23:51 Prayer and Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Thank you. Shed a joy and put tear. It was grace that brought me safe this far, taught my heart to fear when I'm a holy lord.

Speaker 2: 0:30

Hey, you're listening to Bible Talk with Sister Deb Osborne. You can also listen to Bible Talk and much more on the 421 Podcast. You can find the show streaming on Apple, spotify or whatever platform you're choosing. If you'd like to contact Sister Deb, you can email her at osbraindebrak at gmailcom. That's O-S-B-O-R-N-E-D-E-B-R-A-K at gmailcom. If you'd like to support the show, you can support it through PayPal slash H-O-R-421 or you go through our website at H-O-R-421showbuzzsproutcom.

Speaker 1: 1:05

Now I give you your host of Bible Talk, Sister Deb Osborne.

Speaker 3: 1:09

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, so glad to be back in the studio today doing this. I love the Lord today and just thank Him for everything that he's done. So what I'm going to be talking about today, of course I'm still in Mark, I know, I know I stay in Mark a lot, but I love the book of Mark. I don't know what it is about Mark. I love all the Gospels, I love the Bible, but the book of Mark has really captured me.

Speaker 3: 1:42

But anyway so I'm in. I'm in Mark, chapter 10, and I'm talking about today verses 46 through 52. And that's the story of blind Bartimaeus. Um so Bartimaeus, uh, first let me start like this I hate darkness. I hate darkness, and it's not the fear of darkness itself, it's just not being able to see where I'm going and not being able to see the things around me and not being able to see in the corners, people I hate not being able to see. In my blind spot. We have blind spots around us and to me, darkness it's darkness and I just don't know what lurks there and it just worries me. But anyway, I don't fear going out into the dark, I just fear not being able to have the light, to not be able to see.

Speaker 3: 2:39

You know, years ago, a few years ago, I went to a restaurant with some friends to eat dinner and we got in this restaurant. It was pretty good food, but the table they set us at the area was so dark and I couldn't see my food. Now, you know, I'm picky about what I'm eating and what's going in my mouth and I don't think that I would ever want to go back there and I might have been back one more time. I'm eating and what's going in my mouth, and I would. I don't think that I would ever want to go back there and I might have been back one more time, I'm not sure. Uh, but I could not see the food on my plate. I ordered this food and it was good, don't get me wrong. I didn't feel no crunches or nothing, the stuff that I didn't order. But the point is I couldn't see. I was in the dark about what I was eating. It tasted okay and I just it just really blew my mind that I couldn't see my food and I was about ready to get a candle and start eating my candle lot if I had to.

Speaker 3: 3:32

But anyway, so I just I hate the darkness and so, anyway, the story I want to talk about today is blind Bartimaeus in the book of Mark, and he was a blind guy. You know, many of the Jews back around that time believed that blindness was the punishment from God for sin. I don't know that to be a fact. I mean the Bible doesn't say that. I've read, I was reading up on blind Bartimaeus and a couple of different things that I read. I don't know if he was born blind. The bible doesn't say that. That I can find it and it's. It's in here, a couple different versions, um, but I know I heard I read where someone had said that he asked for his sight to see again, and now that's not what I read. Anyway, I'm going to read this. It's not very much, I'm going to read this and then I'll get into my message.

Speaker 3: 4:28

But anyway, the restoration of Bartimaeus' sight out of darkness. Anyway. So Mark 10, verses 46, it says and they came to Jericho and he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people. Blind Bartimaeus and the son of Timaeus sat by the highway, sobbed, begging, and when he had heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace. But he cried the more of a great deal thou, son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still and he commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying Be of good comfort, rise, for he calleth for thee and he, casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him what wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him Go thy way. Thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus in the way. Praise the Lord, I love the Word of God. So here we have this guy.

Speaker 3: 5:41

We read the story of blind Bartimaeus, and the Bible tells us that Jesus of Nazareth was walking by and his disciples and a whole multitude was walking by, and he saw this man, this man standing by the road or sitting by the road, and he's begging. And when he heard that Jesus was coming by, he begins to cry out loud. You know, jesus, son of David, have mercy on me, right, and the people around him, they to, they tried to, uh, they tried to stop and they tried to tell him to be quiet. You know, he was already getting on their nerves, I'm sure, because in jesus's day, the blind people, the outcasts, of course, and the diseased, they were pushed all to the edges of society and they were forced to beg on the side of the road, right.

Speaker 3: 6:23

So so what bartimus is saying, saying to Jesus? You know, wow, jesus, please, I need your help. I'm in the darkness here. Now, of course I'm, I'm, you know, paraphrasing, but Bartimaeus is crying out to Jesus as he went by. You know he wants out of the darkness. He's been in the darkness all these years I don't know if it was his whole life, whatever. Anyway but he's saying wow, I need you, jesus, I'm in the darkness and I need a way I need out of the darkness.

Speaker 3: 6:51

And the people around him was telling him just to shut up and hold your peace, don't bother the Lord with this stuff is what they were really telling him. Don't bother the master with this stuff. I can just see him now Hold your peace, you know, just just. But see, this story, friends, is a true story and it happened in that beautiful city of Jericho and it was just 10 days before the Lord was being crucified. And Bart Bartimus and I've called him Bart, sorry about that, but he called out to Jesus for mercy and he didn't let the crowd or his blindness or anything stop him from approaching Jesus. And so Bartimaeus humbled himself before Jesus because he had heard of Jesus' healings. He knew Jesus, of course, was just a week away from his own death and, as always, his selfless self he stopped and he focused on the needs of others. That tells you about our Lord Jesus Christ, right there and there.

Speaker 3: 7:51

But the Bible says Jesus stood still. He stood still and he asked Bartimaeus what do you want? And so the Word tells us that he asked him what you know? What can I do for you? He stopped. He stood still, you know, and Bartimaeus having the faith, bartimaeus knew that the lepers had been healed. He knew the fish and the bread had multiplied. He had heard how this man had walked on the waters and he calmed the storm. He had heard of the miracles that jesus performed. He didn't know him, hadn't probably seen him. I'm sure he hadn't seen him, he didn't know jesus, but he had heard. He'd not witnessed any of it, any of the lord's miracles, but his ears were open and you know they say, once you lose one sense, your another sense will get doubled, just double, triple, whatever. So his ears were open and I'm sure he heard a lot of things that normal people probably didn't hear. But he had not witnessed none of the Lord's miracles, but he knew he had heard.

Speaker 3: 8:57

And the Word of God tells us that Bartimaeus cried out. He wasn't just a little shout. The Bible says he began to cry out loud. He didn't just say hey, you know, he wasn't just a little shout. The Bible says he began to cry out loud. He didn't just say, hey, you know Jesus, hey, you know it was loud. I would say you know. And there's one thing that I hope to get out about this message when you read this, I hope the Lord puts it in your heart to understand that all you have to do is cry out to Jesus when you're in the darkness. All you have to do is cry out to Jesus. You know, lift your voice. If you want out of the darkness, lift your voice. And this day and time, that's all that's around us is darkness. But, friends, mark 10 and 49 tells us Jesus stood still and it said the whole crowd stopped. Now, that was a buzzer. It just said a crowd, it didn't say how many. But see, I hope you get what I'm trying to say here. I hope you really understand what's happening here.

Speaker 3: 9:58

The days ahead for Jesus were going to be really crazy for Jesus. He knew what was getting ready to happen. The next seven days was. He had a full schedule coming. You know, he was going to have to meet in the upper room with his disciples, then he was going to go out and he was going to preach the greatest message that was ever preached. Then he was going to have to go out and pray as nobody had ever prayed before, and then he was going to agonize in the garden for a while. He was going to be arrested, beaten, tried and crucified, and all of this was probably weighing heavy on him. I'm sure he knew what was coming. Just seven days, I think, from then, or a few days from then, seven to ten days from then.

Speaker 3: 10:41

But the Bible says Jesus stood still. He stopped no matter what he was getting ready to stood still. He stopped, no matter what he was getting ready to go through. He stopped. He heard a sinner call out to him and he stopped. Isn't that awesome, isn't that wonderful to think that this man was getting ready to give his life on this big piece of wood for all humanity, for all the world, and all we had to do was say Jesus, help us. Lord, son of David, however you want to call out to him. And he stopped. He wasn't too busy. He wasn't too busy to stop and talk to this raggedy little old blind man. And I say raggedy and I'm not talking bad about the man, but that did in that time? He was blind. I'm sure he probably had raggedy torn clothes on, but that didn't matter to Jesus.

Speaker 3: 11:25

It did not matter what you, and it still don't matter today what you look like, where you come from, what you got on, what kind of car you drive, what work you do, how much money you got. None of that matters. The thing that matters is getting out of the darkness that surrounds you. Today, friends, he stopped for blind Bartimaeus and he'll stop for you too. Not only will he stop. The Bible says he knows your name. Isaiah 41, 43 and 1 says Fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name, you are mine. So don't ever stop to think that he's not going to stop for you. Don't ever think that Jesus Christ is not going to stop and say what can I do for you? Because he will, he will. It doesn't matter what's going on around him, he will. It doesn't matter what's going on around him, he will stop. He'll say hey, what can I do for you? So never stop to thank people that you cannot. Don't, please don't think you can't go and get on your knees at the anywhere for that matter and call out to Jesus and get out of the darkness because you can. Just as he cared about a beggar named Bartimaeus, he cares about you People. He went to his cross with us on his mind, and so Mark 10, getting back, mark 10, 50 says and casting aside his garments, he rose and he came to Jesus.

Speaker 3: 12:45

Now, that was a big step for Bartimaeus because, you know, casting aside his garment, his garment was probably the only thing he owned. It was probably his only piece of material, probably his, his cloak, his garment, whatever you want to call it. But, being blind, I'm sure he had to sit on side of the road. He had to lay this garment out, and this is stuff that I've read. He laid his garment out. When people would walk by, they would throw these arms on that garment. That's how he kept track of them. He was blind, he couldn't see. I don't know what an arm looks like, I need to research that but anyway, so he would he laid his garment down here and as the people would walk by and it was a busy road from Jericho to Jerusalem, very busy road, so as people would walk by, you have all these weary travelers and and and people going to Jericho, jerusalem, blah, blah, blah. And so they would throw these arms down and they would throw them on this cloak, this coat, garment, whatever you want to call it.

Speaker 3: 13:37

And the Bible says he cast that cloak aside, he cast his garment aside. You know, I don't need these begging garments any longer. I'm going to Jesus. That's what he's saying. He's cast aside anything that, and that's another thing we need to do today. Anything, people, that's keeping us from serving Jesus wholeheartedly. We need to cast it aside, not worry about it. Let it go, leave it. We are in darkness and we want out of the darkness. And that's what Bartimaeus is saying. He cast this aside. I'm coming out of the darkness, I'm going to the light, I'm going to the Son of God. And what an act of faith. And, my friends, today, people, that's all we have to do. You know, he said I'm casting aside all these filthy rags and I'm coming to Jesus. And that's what he wants us to do today. Isaiah 64 and 6 tells us. It says Our righteousness is as filthy rags. Cast it aside.

Speaker 3: 14:33

You know, I'm telling you today, bartimaeus was a real man facing real issues in a real world, just like many of us today. You know, a whole lot of people walk in darkness today, a whole lot of people, and people. I'm not talking about just actually blindness, I'm talking about the darkness that lurks all around us, all over the world, everywhere we go, you know. And today Jesus Christ asked you and me both the same question what can I do for you? He said all we had to do is ask and we would receive. John 14 and 14 says if you ask anything in my name, I will do it. I mean, he gives us that promise. But see, blind Bartimaeus knew what he wanted. And friends, today, he wanted his sight and Jesus told him hey, thy faith has made thee whole. Go.

Speaker 3: 15:31

And today, all I'm telling you is, if you're walking in the darkness, whether you're a child of God and you face darkness around you it's around you Whether you're a sinner and needs to walk out of the darkness to the Lord, all you have to do is cry out. All you have to do is cry out Lord, please save my children. Lord, save my job. Lord, I need healing. You have to cry out to the Lord and tell him God, lord, I need out of the darkness, the darkness that's surrounding me. I need out of it Because people, he said, ask and you'll receive.

Speaker 3: 16:02

And Mark 10, 52 says Bartimaeus immediately received his sight and he followed Jesus on the road. He didn't go back to sin either. He went right straight to follow Jesus. The Bible tells us that after receiving his healing, bartimaeus followed Jesus. He became a Christ follower. Now I know people today I could probably even name people I won't, I could name people today that's cried out to God and once they got their answer, they went right back out doing the things on their own that they wanted to do.

Speaker 3: 16:31

They pray in desperate moments and then, when it all passes and when all God answers the prayers, they get back doing what they want to do. They forget it. They got the healing, they got the job they asked for. They got whatever they got down on their knees and cried out to the Lord for, and then when they get it, you know, after they got all that, then they just walk away. They just forget about what they've asked Jesus Christ, what they've asked the Lord to help them with, because he'd not brought them ass.

Speaker 3: 17:00

He didn't go back after sin. He was healed. He could see For the first time. He laid eyes on Jesus Christ. For the first time in his life he laid eyes. His eyes were open and he laid eyes on our Lord and Savior. Can you imagine that? Wow, I can't imagine it, man. But he was out of the darkness.

Speaker 3: 17:22

You know, when Bart saw, heard about, when Bartimaeus saw and heard Jesus passing by, he cried out. He cried out for mercy. They tried to shut him up, but he was insistent. He went, calling on for Jesus and Jesus, seeing Bartimaeus' faith, restored his sight. He didn't give up, even when he was discouraged, even when he wanted out of the darkness. You know, he was in great need. He was dependent on others. Bartimaeus was blind. People thought he was a nuisance not worth the time of day. He was hungry. He was poor, destitute, physically suffering, put down and stomped on by his enemies. Now, every one of y'all ask yourself does that not sound familiar to most of us today, does it not? I'm sure some people are going through that same thing right there today. Some people are going through that same thing right there today. But Bart cried out to God for mercy. He cries out in faith. He wanted out of the darkness. Jesus was walking by and he cries out.

Speaker 3: 18:27

You know, now we don't know how Bartimaeus came to all this faith, but we do know that he was right, you know, and his insistence on talking to Jesus shows how deeply he had faith in this Jesus of Nazareth that's coming by. You know, on this road to Jericho, on this road from Jericho, jerusalem, bart was patiently waiting and watching, waiting for God to make himself known in this little bit of the realm of Bart Bartimus' resistance existence. He wanted to call out to Jesus. He was waiting and when he heard Jesus was coming by, he goes out there, the son of God. You know, on his way to the cross, the son of God stops and tells Bartimaeus go your way. Thy faith has made thee whole and that's what we have to do today.

Speaker 3: 19:20

People, jesus wasn't too busy then and he's not too busy today, even although he was facing the stress of the cross then. He wasn't too busy and stressed then and he isn't today. And, friends, today somebody needs to know when he faith, when he faith like Bartimaeus, faith that's intense and persistent, despite all the barriers of the darkness and all the negativity of the crowd, Despite people telling you to hush. You know, today you may be in the darkness, not literally blind, maybe, but just in the darkness of sin and doubt, maybe just a trials of the enemy, fear, sickness, whatever the dark side has thrown at you right now problems at home, at work, uh, you know, at church, reach out, people and touch the lord, he's not too busy. There's a song says reach out and touch the Lord as he walks by. He's not too busy to answer your prayers. I love that song. Even when the world, the crowd, even the pew warmers sitting on either side of you are telling you to shut up, reach out, people Cry out. Don't let nothing stand in your way. Reach out, people Cry out. Don't let nothing stand in your way. And when he asks you, what can I do for you? Today, you tell Jesus I want out of the darkness, I want out of the darkness.

Speaker 3: 20:46

This historical account of Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus. It should encourage everybody who needs healing, spiritually and physically. You know there is a way out of the darkness. You don't have to be blind and in the darkness. You don't have to be blind and not be able to see, to know that you're in the darkness. But people remember Jesus Christ is always, always near you. He's always available to hear your cries. You just have to have faith. You just have to have faith. There is a way out of the darkness. And that way is Jesus Christ.

Speaker 3: 21:28

And Jesus said in John 8, 12, he said I am the light of the world, and whosoever follows me will never walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. What a promise. Read that, john 8, 12. He's the light of the world, he said whosoever, whosoever is you, whosoever is me, whosoever is our friends, our families.

Speaker 3: 21:53

Now, I know that this reading is about physical blindness, but, people, I want you to think about the inward darkness, the inward darkness and the darkness that's all around you, the darkness of fear, the darkness of grief. See, bartimaeus knew his condition and he knew the only way out was to talk to Jesus Christ. As he was passing by and he had his chance. It might have been his only chance to get mercy and he took it.

Speaker 3: 22:26

And friends, my friends, today I'm telling you, I'm telling somebody that you've got that chance as well.

Speaker 3: 22:32

Right now he's walking by and he's asking you what can I do for you?

Speaker 3: 22:39

And just tell him you need to get down on your knees. Wherever you are, whatever your situation is, whatever's going on in your life, right now, you need to get down on your knees and say God, I want out of the darkness. I want away from the darkness that's surrounded me. It is surrounding you and you can't get out. He is the light of the world and all you got to do is call out to him. My friends, today I'm telling you, I'm telling you please sit down, open your Bible, lay your phones down and talk to God. Tell him you want out of the darkness and he will get you out of the darkness Because it's all around you. Some places are going to be thicker than darkness. It's there, but there is a way out. You don't have to stay in the dark and I hope and pray that this has touched somebody today.

Speaker 3: 23:29

I hope that this has went to somebody's heart and mind where it needs to go People that need to hear it. I hope and pray that this has touched you and I hope that you have been blessed by this as much as I've been blessed to give it. Somebody needed to hear this today and somebody needs to hear this right now that there is a way out of the darkness Jesus Christ. There's no other way except through and by Jesus Christ. I'm going to finish this with a prayer. I hope and pray everybody has a good week. Thank you everybody for listening. God bless everybody, our Father in heaven.

Speaker 3: 24:06

I thank you, lord, for this message. I thank you to be able to sit here and to speak on the Bible and to get the words out there that people need to hear, and I ask you to let this message go to the hearts of the people that need to hear it. Let the people that still feel in the darkness whether they're a child of yours already or whether they're someone thinking about wanting to be a child of God that needs to be Lord let these people hear this today. Let them understand that there's no other way out. This is not going to end well for people that need to be out of the darkness. Let them understand that. Let these words go to the heart and to the soul and the ears of people that need to hear it. Lord, I thank you for this beautiful day and let me get in here today and be able to get this out there. I praise you, honor you and I ask you, lord, to go with us and lead us and guide us all. God bless you everybody.

Speaker 1: 24:59

In Jesus' holy name, I pray, amen and amen, rescue me, set me free and make me what I should be.

Speaker 2: 25:07

Hey, you've been listening to Bible Talk with Sister Deb Osborne. If you'd like to contact Sister Deb, you can email her at OsborneDebraK at gmailcom. O-s-b-o-r-e-n-e-b-e-b-r-a-k at gmailcom. Recorded at the 421 Studio. For contact information, you can email at H-O-R-421Ministries at gmailcom.

Speaker 1: 25:37

Phone number is 239-849-150. Praises ring. Well, ever since he rescued me from the rain and the storm, he been a-walking along beside of me. He never have left me alone. Every since I've been adopted into the holy family, I can feel the arms of protection wrapped all around me. Every time I think about it, it makes me happy as I can be, I can feel the Holy Spirit moving around inside of me, holding on, and I'm not ashamed to call the mighty name.