Going to Death with Jesus
Luke 18:31-43
March 2, 2025 anno Domini
(Read vs. 32-33) It doesn’t get any clearer than that. Jesus will be betrayed, mocked, spit upon, flogged, killed, and three days later He will rise from the dead. A three-year-old child raised in the faith is going to know that and confess it.
But the twelve understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. To the 12 it is as if Jesus is speaking another parable, except He isn’t.
Why do they not understand? Let’s think about the previous two Gesima Sundays and what they taught us. Two weeks ago, we heard the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The owner hired guys all day long, up until the 11th hour. Why were there still men standing around at 5 pm, claiming no one hired them? They were lazy. They still lived in their mom’s basement, played video games, drank too much beer, rolled out at noon, and finally stumbled down to the unemployment office just as it closed. Darn? Just missed it. Let’s pick up some more beer and go play the new Call of Duty. Fortunately for them the owner of the vineyard was still looking for workers.
Last Sunday we followed the Sower around as He sowed the seed. Scattering it all over the path, the rocks, the thorny ground, and the soil. How much of it took root and produced a good crop? Only about 1/4 of what He planted. Statistically that bears out. Why doesn’t the seed of God’s Word always take hold – because of hard hearts, shallow ears, and all the cares and pleasures of the world that our sinful flesh craves.
What gets in the way of understanding the clear Word of God? Your sinful, lazy, proud, self-righteous, self-centered flesh.
The text begins with Jesus telling the 12, “See, we’re going up to Jerusalem.” That word “see” is often translated “behold.” That’s the word that means wake up, quit daydreaming, Jesus has something important to tell you. Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem. Jesus is bringing the twelve with Him. He is bringing the whole world with Him. He is the Lamb of God and He is carrying all your sins, all my sins, all everyone’s sins. Jesus is taking you with Him to the cross. In His incarnation He assumed all of humanity into His Divinity. You are in Christ according to God’s Word. He is carrying your dead, sinful flesh with Him to the cross. You don’t do anything, but you are there with Him. In His flesh He dies for your flesh. In hell He endures God’s judgment and anger against you. It is your grave in which He lays.
Jesus is going to Jerusalem to die and He’s taking you with Him, because death is the only cure for sin. German Lutheran Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” That’s what Jesus is saying to the 12, “Let’s go to Jerusalem and die.”
Is that what you want? If you follow Jesus what happened to Him will happen to you. The world will hate you, but what does flesh want? It wants to be loved and cuddled. You’re going to have to crucify your sinful desires but what does your flesh want? Pleasure and happiness. You’re going to have to speak the pointed truth of God’s Word, but what does your flesh want? Peace, especially with family and friends. Your flesh wants you to keep quiet about the troubling truths of God’s Word. Your eyes don’t want to see your sin. Your lips don’t want to confess the truth. Your heart doesn’t want to die to your selfish desires.
But the only way to live is to die to yourself and follow Jesus. That’s what we learn from the blind beggar. He could not see. His ability to make a living had been taken away from him. He was entirely dependent. All he could do was stand outside the Jericho Taco Bell and beg. He couldn’t even make a sign. Blind vet. Homeless. Anything helps. God bless. No, all he could do was call out as people went to Costco to buy things in bulk. Have mercy. Have mercy. Please help me.
His eyes were blind. His hands were helpless to earn a living. All he could do was receive the gifts of others, but his ears worked well. And among the poor and blind and lame and lepers there was word — word of a man who claimed to be God. Word of the Messiah, the promised Son of David, who would sit on David’s throne forever. Word of that One who would preach good news to the poor, give sight the blind, cause the deaf to hear, make the lame walk, and raise the dead.
Do you know what is interesting? There is no record of any blind person being given sight in the Old Testament. Healing the blind was a something only the Messiah would do. This blind man, we know his name to be Bartimaeus, which means son of Timm- maeus, believed that this Old Testament promise was being fulfilled in this guy named Jesus of Nazareth. The Word was going around. People were talking. And blind Bartimaeus was hearing.
Then he heard something even better. He heard the commotion on the street. Traffic was backing up. People were getting excited. Something was going on. And it wasn’t because they still hadn’t figured how to time the lights on Division. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” Then his beggarly faith cried out, with boldness. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” Do you know the only thing worse than a beggar? An obnoxious, noisy beggar. It’s kind of like noisy kids. Actually, earlier in this chapter people were bringing children to Jesus to have Him touch them. Do you remember what the disciples did? Rebuked the parents. “Get those kids out of here. Jesus is busy. We want our worship services quiet.” Jesus rebuked the disciples. He loves little children. They are sinners too. They also need a Savior. People rebuked the blind man. Maybe that was also the 12. “Jesus is going to Jerusalem. He doesn’t have time for you.” Oh, but He does, because He’s going to Jerusalem with you and for you. Besides that, if you’re not a beggar, you don’t need Jesus. If you don’t see your sin, you won’t see Jesus as Your Savior.
Jesus stops for the beggar, as He would stop for you, no matter what the world thinks of you or how the crowds shout at you. The blind man was brought near, because he couldn’t see the way to Jesus. Just like you were brought near in baptism, or when someone invited you to church, or someone forgave your sins. Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” Lord, that’s the Name of God in the Old Testament. Yahweh in Hebrew. Kyrious in Greek. Kryie, Eleison – Lord, have mercy. Those are beggar’s words, but they are also words of great faith. Lord, do for me what You came to do. Restore me to my Father, heal me of my afflictions, forgive me my sin. There’s nothing Jesus likes to hear more than for us to call Him who is His and then ask Him to do what only He can do. Son of David, have mercy on me. Lord, restore me. What does Jesus do for such faith? Whatever it asks. Recover your sight, your faith has made you well. Your sins are forgiven. Your death will be overtaken by life. Your body will rise. Your faith has made you well, not because of your faith, but in the name of Jesus. Amen.