Through New Eyes
Refusing to stay silent, Bartimaeus SHOUTS OUT to Jesus. Throwing cloak aside, life begins afresh. In conversation, prayer, action and blind hope all can worship, witness, encounter, imagine, go …
Set up
A lectern in central place with fixed microphone
Two radio microphone
Picnic blankets laid out around venue each with a plastic bag at each. Bag to contain
strip of stickers, people shapes (2 attached), felt tips, dice
Voices
A scriptural voice – telling the bible story
A practical voice – explaining activities
A prayer voice – leading prayers
A teaching voice – providing commentary
Beginning
Participants are encouraged by the greeters to sit on the blankets in groups of 8-10 and to get to know one another answer the questions on either side of the bag – “What have you seen this weekend that interested you?” or “What has someone told you about that you missed seeing?”
Bible is carried in and placed on the lectern
We listen for the Word of God. Mark 10:46-52
They came to Jericho
We are going to pause the bible reading for a moment, to say welcome to this conversation in which we will aim to experience this life-changing encounter together. Just as our bible passage has begun with a group of people coming into Jericho we have each arrived from somewhere on our way to somewhere else. Take two minutes to speak in your groups where have you each come from, where are you going?
They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.
A new character is introduced into the story of Jesus, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus. But Bar Timaeus simply means son of Timaeus, In Greek Timaeus means honour, in Hebrew it could mean unclean. So twice we are told he is either the son of honour or more likely son of the unclean – but we are never told his own name. What we are told is that he is blind and that he is beggar – he will be known through history as Blind Bartimaeus.
What are you called? How are you known by others? How are you known by yourself? In your bags you will find a number of people chains. Take 2 minutes to decorate the figures – on the left hand side with with the ways you are known by others and on the right how you see yourself. If you want to you can close these and keep them private
As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
What do you want to shout at Jesus? Think about that for a moment, what if you only had one chance to catch Jesus’ attention – What would you call him? What would you shout?
Quiet thinking time
If one of these prayers is your prayer – then say Amen
if someone is swearing angrily – have mercy
if someone cries noiselessly – have mercy
if someone bawls painfully – have mercy
if someone weeps incessantly – have mercy
if someone complains endlessly – have mercy
if someone laments blindly – have mercy
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet,
What is it like to seek attention and be quietened? Some may know only too well, but to give everyone an idea, here’s a game that may help us to experience that place. In your bags each group has a dice – take turns to roll it – when someone in the group rolls a 6 they shout as loud as they dare, “Jesus, son of David have Mercy” and the rest of the group shouts “Shush”
“Jesus, son of David have Mercy” …
play game
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’
Time to speak in your group again. “Whose voice is being silenced?” “Whose voices do we not want to hear?” “Whose voices do we constantly talk over?”
Let us move this conversation on in prayer:-
if someone has been silenced – have mercy
if there is someone to whom we will not listen – have mercy
if there is someone I shout down – have mercy
Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’
Silence
They called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
A beggar’s blanket marks out their pitch in the daytime, keeps them warm in the evening. It is the place where they gather money, it is their security, their livelihood. The Bible tells us that, shortly before meeting Bartimaeus, Jesus conversed with a young man who wanted to follow him. This young man politely asked all the ‘right’ questions of Jesus. But when it came to the final question, the question about how he would gain eternal life, Jesus told him to throw off his security blanket. “Go sell everything you have and give it to the poor” said Jesus, “Then come, follow me”. The man’s face fell and he went away sad for he had great wealth, and that was the one security blanket he knew he could never throw off. Bartimaeus does not yet know what Jesus will say to him, how Jesus will challenge him; yet already he is throwing off whatever security he has and leaving it behind, in order that he might encounter Jesus.
What is your security blanket? What is it that you cling to? Is it time to throw your cloak aside? In you bags are stickers, write on them anything that you need to throw aside so that you can meet with Jesus – stick them to the blanket
When everyone who wishes to has placed a sticker on the blanket – nominate someone from your group to gather up your blanket, with all that you wish to throw aside, bring it to the lectern and throw it down here.
So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’
We have called out for mercy, we have been quietened, we have been welcomed, we have thrown away our security blankets, it is time to seek new eyes with which to view our world. If one of these prayers touches your heart respond Amen.
Our prayer is the prayer of those whose eyes were clouded over
who did not look at things that didn’t interest us
who saw only what was right in front of us
who focussed on a few things to the exclusion of everything else
who saw ourselves as the centre of our world
And now, standing before Jesus,
our prayer is the prayer of those who want to see again.
We want to see our relationships in new ways.
Jesus asks: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
We pray with those who answer…
… let me trust
…let me be honest
… let me grieve
… let me cope
… let me be strong
… let me be safe
… let me love.
Our prayer is the prayer of those who want to see again.
We want to see our lives transformed.
Jesus asks: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
We pray with those who answer…
… let me be healed
… let me rest
… let me be free
… let me forgive
… let me be forgiven
… let me stop
… let me have peace
Our prayer is the prayer of those who want to see again.
We want to see the world as it really is.
Jesus asks: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
We pray with those who answer…
… let me change
… let me speak out
… let me stand firm
… let me be honest
Our prayer is the prayer of those who want to see again.
We want to see as you see..
Jesus asks: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
We pray with those who answer…
… let me believe
… let me hope
… let me do your will
Our prayers are offered to you. May your holy spirit transform us. May we see again. Amen.
The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’
Almost time to go and claim what you have asked of Jesus. We hope that you have seen your life through new eyes.
Almost time to go and in this encounter with Jesus we hope that you have seen the world through new eyes.
Almost time to go and begin life anew, but if you still have something you need to pray through some of our group will be available to pray with you.
Be blessed with sight to see the world as it is, to see the work of the Spirit, the footsteps of Jesus, and the love of God whose face shines upon you. This day, and all days. Amen.
They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Bible is closed and carried from the venue.
Our thanks to everyone who came and participates and the warm comments we received afterwards. We would love to see some comments from you here. Please feel free to use and adapt in your own setting – again we would like comments about how you were able to use this.
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