The Person in Front of You

Sep 21, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: A Blind Man’s Cry in a Crowded Road

A dusty roadside. A beggar’s voice rises above the noise of pilgrims heading to Passover. Bartimaeus, ignored by the crowd, refuses to be silenced. His cry—“Son of David, have mercy!”—cuts through distractions, revealing a faith that sees Jesus’ true identity when others miss it. This moment challenges us: do we prioritize efficiency over empathy, or pause for the marginalized? The crowd’s rebuke mirrors our tendency to dismiss “interruptions,” but Jesus stops. His pause reorders priorities. [37:58]

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:46-47, NIV)

Reflection: What “noise” in your life currently drowns out the cries of those needing mercy? How might persistent faith, like Bartimaeus’, refocus your attention on Christ’s presence today?

Day 2: From Rebuke to Invitation: The Crowd’s Changed Tune

The crowd shifts from silencing Bartimaeus to urging him toward Jesus. Their reversal exposes a sobering truth: proximity to Jesus doesn’t guarantee Christlike compassion. Walking near Him isn’t enough; we must become like Him. When Jesus redirects their energy, they pivot from gatekeepers to guides. This mirrors our call—not to curate access to grace but to clear paths for seekers. [49:29]

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” (Mark 10:48-49, NIV)

Reflection: When have you unintentionally made it harder for someone to approach Jesus? What practical step could you take this week to “call them forward” instead?

Day 3: Interruptions as Divine Appointments

Jesus halts His march toward the cross for one man’s cry. The God of eternity pauses, modeling that kingdom work isn’t about speed but surrender to the Father’s timing. Our schedules often treat people as obstacles, but Christ redefines interruptions as holy invitations. Bartimaeus’ healing began when the Savior stopped—a reminder that love thrives in unhurried attention. [51:44]

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” (Mark 10:50-51, NIV)

Reflection: Where does your routine feel too rigid to accommodate divine interruptions? How might “throwing your cloak aside” (releasing control) prepare you to respond to unexpected needs?

Day 4: Faith That Moves Beyond Words to Action

Jesus asks Bartimaeus to name his desire, dignifying him through dialogue. True compassion listens before solving. James 2:15-16 warns against empty platitudes; faith without works dies. We’re called not to fix every problem but to engage authentically—whether through prayer, presence, or practical help. Even small responses can be sacred when offered in Christ’s name. [01:02:08]

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:15-17, NIV)

Reflection: When have you defaulted to passive sympathy instead of active love? What unmet need around you requires more than words this week?

Day 5: From Beggar to Follower: Sight Beyond the Roadside

Bartimaeus’ healing ends with him joining the road to Jerusalem—the same road leading to the cross. Physical sight was a gift; spiritual sight compelled discipleship. His journey mirrors ours: Christ meets our deepest need not to make us comfortable but to commission us. True healing always redirects our path toward His purposes. [01:03:49]

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. (Mark 10:52, NIV)

Reflection: How has Christ’s work in your life equipped you to “follow Him along the road” toward others’ needs? What step of obedience does your healed heart now sense Him inviting?

Sermon Summary

Jesus’ call to make disciples begins with a people who are growing as disciples themselves. The Great Commission calls the church to share the gospel, teach obedience, and make disciples who make disciples. Paul and Silas showed that caring for people in the middle of a hard day can open a door for the gospel, and Mark 10 takes that truth a step further through Bartimaeus.

Mark places Bartimaeus near the end of Jesus’ road to Jerusalem, as crowds pour toward Passover and Jesus sets His face toward the cross. Bartimaeus sits beside the road, blind and begging, but he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by. Bartimaeus cries, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me,” using a title that points to the promised Messiah. Bartimaeus cannot see Jesus physically, yet he sees something that all the seeing people miss: Jesus is the One who can be called on for mercy.

The crowd tries to hush Bartimaeus and push him back to the fringes. The crowd walks right beside Jesus while making it harder for a needy man to get to Jesus. Jesus stops. Jesus sees the person everybody else sees as an interruption, and Jesus tells the crowd, “Call to him.” The crowd then changes its tune from “Be quiet” to “Cheer up. On your feet. He’s calling you.”

Jesus shows that there is a difference between being around Him and becoming like Him. The crowd has heard His words and seen His works, but their hearts have not yet taken on His concern for people. Christ’s people can become barriers that make it harder for others to come to Him, or they can build bridges and tear down walls. How Christ’s people treat others forms an impression of the Jesus they claim to follow.

Jesus also slows down enough to notice the person in front of Him. Busy schedules, noise, and even good things done for God can keep people from seeing the opportunities God puts right in front of them. Interruptions may be divine appointments. Jesus asks Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” even though He already knows the answer, because Jesus gives him dignity rather than assuming what he needs.

Jesus responds to Bartimaeus’ need, restores his sight, and Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the road. Bartimaeus begins beside the road and ends up following Jesus on the road. Christ’s people cannot meet every need or fix every problem, but they can respond to the need God places in front of them. Jesus, who stopped for sinners and met their deepest need, calls His people to say to others, “Come here. Come to Jesus.”

Key Takeaways

1. Prioritize people like Jesus does Jesus stops for the person the crowd tries to silence. Christ’s people reveal something true about Him when they refuse to measure a person’s worth by status, usefulness, or convenience. A life changed by Jesus should make room for the people others push aside. [43:32]
2. Do not become a barrier The crowd stands near Jesus while making access to Jesus harder for Bartimaeus. Religious activity can still leave a heart impatient, cold, and unwilling to be interrupted. Christ’s people must ask whether their words, attitudes, and actions point people toward Jesus or quietly push them away. [49:29]
3. Slow down and notice people Jesus treats an interruption as a moment worth stopping for. Busyness can become a way of missing the very work God has already put in front of someone. Divine appointments often look ordinary at first: a conversation, a phone call, a card, or a simple act of care. [53:44]
4. Respond before offering easy answers Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants, though Jesus already knows his need. Care gives people dignity by listening instead of assuming, fixing, or rushing toward a solution. Faithfulness does not require meeting every need, but it does require responding when God places a need within reach. [61:34]
5. Follow Jesus on the road Bartimaeus receives his sight and then follows Jesus rather than merely receiving something from Him. Mercy does not simply improve a person’s circumstances; mercy brings a person into the path of discipleship. Christ’s people serve others because Jesus first stopped, saw, and met their own need.

## [63:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[30:07] - The Church’s Mission to Make Disciples
[33:43] - Caring for People Opens Gospel Doors
[35:48] - Jesus Nears Jerusalem and the Cross
[37:38] - Bartimaeus Cries for Mercy
[40:42] - The Blind Man Who Truly Saw
[43:32] - Prioritizing People Like Jesus
[48:47] - From Barriers to Bridges
[51:29] - Slowing Down for the Person in Front
[54:03] - Interruptions and Divine Appointments
[58:17] - Asking What People Actually Need
[61:34] - Responding With Faith in Action
[63:49] - Bartimaeus Follows Jesus on the Road
[65:21] - Come Here, Come to Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Mark 10:46-52
“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” [37:38]

James 2:15-16
“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” [01:02:03]

Mark 10:45
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” [50:53]

Observation questions

What details in Mark 10:46–52 show Bartimaeus’ condition, his location, and his response when he learns Jesus is passing by? [37:38]
How does the crowd respond to Bartimaeus before Jesus stops, and how does its response change after Jesus tells them to call him? [48:47]
What does Bartimaeus call Jesus, and what does that title reveal about what he recognizes about Jesus? [40:42]
What does Jesus do before healing Bartimaeus, and what does Bartimaeus do immediately after receiving his sight? [01:03:49]

Interpretation questions

Bartimaeus is physically blind, yet he recognizes Jesus as the One who can show mercy. What might Mark be showing about spiritual sight through this contrast? [41:20]
The crowd is close to Jesus but initially acts as a barrier to Bartimaeus. What is the difference between being around Jesus and having a heart that is becoming like Jesus? [43:11]
Jesus is traveling toward Jerusalem and the cross, yet He stops for one needy man. What does this reveal about Jesus’ mission to serve rather than to be served? [50:53]
Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants even though He already knows. Why does listening before acting give dignity to a person in need? [58:17]

Application questions

Who is someone in your life who may feel overlooked, pushed aside, or difficult to approach? What could it look like this week to help that person feel seen rather than ignored? [43:46]
In what ways might a believer’s impatience, assumptions, words, or actions unintentionally make it harder for someone to come to Jesus? Is there a relationship where you need to become more of a bridge than a barrier? [49:55]
What kinds of “interruptions” are hardest for you to welcome—an unexpected phone call, a need for help, a long conversation, or someone else’s crisis? How could you become more open to seeing those moments as possible divine appointments? [53:49]
When someone shares a burden with you, do you tend to offer quick solutions before listening? What questions could help you better understand what that person actually needs? [59:49]
James warns against caring words without caring action. What is one need within your reach right now where you may not be able to fix everything, but you can take a real step to respond? [01:01:34]
Bartimaeus moved from sitting beside the road to following Jesus on the road. How does remembering that Jesus stopped for your own need shape the way you care for others? [01:05:46]

Sermon Clips

27s

#BeLikeJesus

“Notice how Jesus respond. He actually stops and sees the person. We'll get to that in a minute. There's a difference between being around Jesus and being like Jesus. These people had been walking with Jesus. They were in proximity of Jesus. They had seen Jesus' healing and his miracles. They had heard his teachings, but yet they had not become like Jesus and their heart for others.”

42s

#ShareTheEncounter

“We want to encounter, we... As we encounter Jesus in our life, we want to make sure that other people have the opportunity to encounter Jesus. We don't wanna be like the crowd and tell, the... Those people, those interruptions, to be quiet, to get back in your place. I don't have time for you. Jesus doesn't have time for you. We wanna make sure that we pause, notice the person, and respond in a way that we can help. Not because we have it all together, because we don't. Not because we can fix all the problems, because we can't. Not because we have all the answers, because we don't. But because we know the one who does.”

45s

#LoveLikeJesus

“And this is why we treat people with love and show them that they matter. This is why we slow down and take notice. This is why we respond in a way that we can help. Not because kindness is some type of evangelistic strategy just to get people to listen to the gospel, but because of who we truly are in Christ. We care about people because Jesus cares about people. And that Jesus loves every person and wants every person to have the opportunity to hear the gospel, to make a decision to receive Christ. He desires for all men to be saved, and he uses you and I.”

59s

#InterruptionsAsOpportunities

“That's what we do with our time. That's what we do with life. And so we get so busy even doing... We're we're so busy doing stuff for God that we oftentimes miss the things that God has for us to do. And there's opportunities all around us that God is intending for us to have, but we're so busy for our things that we wanna do for God or or live in our lives or our our own things that's going on we fail to see what God had for us. It would've been easy for Jesus to see this as an interruption. But what we need to do is see interruptions as opportunities. That interruption may be the very thing that God had for you to do.”

28s

#BeAWitness

“I imagine every single one of us, including myself, I know I've been guilty of this, of the way I live or the way I interact with someone. It's probably not helping someone come to Jesus, but making it harder. And that's why it's important that our lives, our witness, is pointing people to Christ rather than away from Christ. We're gonna be a witness one way or the other, either for Christ or against him.”

25s

#RespondToTheNeed

“But there might be something we can do. Right? I imagine that Bartimaeus didn't just make his way to Jesus on his own. He probably had to have someone guide him. You know? There may... Maybe, you know, maybe he could use some other help. But here's the thing. Don't just notice, this is on your sheet, respond to the need in front of you. I didn't say meet the need. I said respond.”

26s

#MakeTimeForPeople

“Most of most of us, we don't we don't write in our schedule. Okay. I need some time to love people today, to care for people. We don't schedule that in. The idea is as we're going and god gives us opportunities and those interruptions that we love people, that we stop and we see the person. We miss people because we're too busy.”

62s

#DivineAppointments

“There's a thing, you may have heard this before, but a divine appointment. Has anyone ever heard of that? A divine appointment. I remember in faith evangelism training, that was something that we were taught about and we were to pray for, divine appointments. This meant that God had already ordained this moment for us to meet this person and to have a gospel conversation with them. And and I would say this, it may not necessarily be a full gospel conversation, but something that will help that person move closer to receiving Christ or to be encouraged in their faith or to help them with something that they've been praying for. Remember, when we pray for God to help us, sometimes he sends people. He sends the church. And and so so you never know how that that interruption may be exactly what God intended for you to do, and it wasn't an interruption at all.”

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