Bible Passage
Bartimaeus Can See! (Mark 10:46-52)

Today is the 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost.  During Pentecost, we grow closer to God and closer to one another. There are 4 Sundays left in the season of Pentecost.

 

Today, Jesus is traveling with his disciples and there is a man named a Bartimaeus who is unable to see sitting by the side of the road.  Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is coming and yells out to him and says, “Jesus, help me!”  Can you guess what happens next?

Watch the video to find out:

https://youtu.be/WPTuoZaFPQI

 

The crowd tells Bartimaeus to be quiet.  They don’t want him to bother Jesus.  Bartimaeus isn’t quiet, in fact, he yells louder.  He says, “Jesus, have mercy on me!”  Jesus stops.  He tells his followers to send Bartimaeus to him.  They tell Bartimaeus, “Jesus wants to talk to you!”  Bartimaeus jumps up and leaves his coat behind.  Jesus asks him a very simple question.  Jesus asks him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

 

Bartimaeus said, “Jesus, let me see.”  Jesus said, “Bartimaeus, go, because of your faith, your eyes are healed and you can now see again.”  Immediately, Bartimaeus could see!  He was so excited and so happy!  He didn’t go, though.  He decided that he would stay and follow Jesus.

 

Bartimaeus asked Jesus for what he wanted…he wanted to see…and Jesus healed his eyes and he was able to see.  Sometimes we want things as badly as Bartimaeus did and we ask Jesus and we don’t get them immediately or we get something different (sometimes something even better than what we asked for).  But like Bartimaeus, Jesus says to us, “What do you want me to do for you?”  We can tell Jesus what we need.  Jesus cares for us and loves us.  Jesus understands.  We should never stop asking Jesus.  And it’s important for us to remember that Jesus invites us to serve others in his name.  Because of our faith, we can point others to Jesus so that they can know that Jesus cares and loves them, too.

 

Discuss

• When was a time you needed Jesus’ help?
• Tell about a time when you told others that Jesus loved them.
• When did someone show you that Jesus loves you?

 

Song

This Little Light of Mine.  Listener Kids.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKkbIZtqhyQ

Activity

People who are unable to see sometimes learn to read using their fingers by feeling a series of raised dots that create an alphabet called braille.  The first download shows the pattern of dots for each letter of the alphabet in braille.  The second download is a blank worksheet that you can use to spell using the braille alphabet.  Why not write “Jesus loves” and then write your name?  You can write whatever you would like.

 

Activity

Sometimes people who are unable to see or who have other special needs use service dogs who help them.  Watch this Sesame Street video and learn more about service dogs.  Go to: https://youtu.be/aXTX88WKHaE

 

Closing Prayer

Jesus, we thank you for listening to us when we talk to you.  We thank you that you care for us and that your love for us never ends.  Amen.

 

Pastor Dan Fugate, Assistant to the Bishop for Discipleship in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA, put this lesson together for Sunday School @ Home.  There will be a new one for each Sunday as we continue through this COVID wilderness.  Contact him at [email protected].