Mark 10:46-52 God Alone Receives The Poor

The Text

Mark 10:46-52 (CSB) ⁴⁶ They came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus (the son of Timaeus), a blind beggar, was sitting by the road.

⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁸ Many warned him to keep quiet, but he was crying out all the more, “Have mercy on me, Son of David!”

⁴⁹ Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man and said to him, “Have courage! Get up; he’s calling for you.”

⁵⁰ He threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ Then Jesus answered him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Rabboni,” the blind man said to him, “I want to see.”

⁵² Jesus said to him, “Go, your faith has saved you.” Immediately he could see and began to follow Jesus on the road.

The Devotion

To know God is the know the heart of God for the poor

Ezekiel 16:49 (CSB) Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy.

Psalms 12:1-5 (CSB) Help, LORD, for no faithful one remains; the loyal have disappeared from the human race. 2 They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully. 4 They say, “Through our tongues we have power; our lips are our own — who can be our master? ” 5 “Because of the devastation of the needy and the groaning of the poor, I will now rise up,” says the LORD. “I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”

1 Samuel 2:6-8 (CSB) The LORD brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up. 7 The LORD brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; he has set the world on them.

Isaiah 25:4 (CSB) For you have been a stronghold for the poor person, a stronghold for the needy in his distress, a refuge from storms and a shade from heat. When the breath of the violent is like a storm against a wall,

To know God is to know that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to bring gospel to all of us--we are the poor ones

Isaiah 61:1-3 (CSB) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the LORD to glorify him.

The gospel command is for all. The ones who respond yes are the ones who are poor in spirit because we know we have no where else to go--Christ alone is the Holy One of God who has eternal life.