THEME

Jesus and Blind Bartimaeus

BIBLE REFERENCE

Mark 10:46-52



INTRODUCTION

Your favourite pop star is coming to give a concert at the local venue. You've admired him for as long as you can remember and you have his posters all over your room as well as lots of souvenirs. You once had a fantastic video of him performing, but the tape snapped. That was sad and you don't know how you're going to get another one. If only you could replace it. If only you knew the star personally.

Since you heard that your hero was coming to town, you haven't been able to stop thinking about it. On the evening of the concert, you hurry off to the place where it's being held. Perhaps you'll see him! What if he could get you another tape? Lots of people you know are there already. They know what you want, but they think you're a bit stupid for wanting it. You can hear them thinking you're a real no-hoper.

Excitement mounts as the great white limousine glides into view - and stops just in front of you! And you're shouting and shouting his name, waving your autograph book and calling him to come over to you so loudly that the people around you are giving you funny looks. Then, unbelievably, he does come over. You are petrified. As he signs your book he asks you about yourself and you find the courage to tell him about the lost video. He smiles and moves on, but not before whispering to one of his helpers, who asks you for your address.

Imagine your surprise next day, when a duplicate tape arrives...

It was a story rather like this that Ben told the children in Storykeepers. In this story, a man named Bartimaeus, who was blind, had an unexpectedly close encounter with Jesus.


KEY VIDEO CLIP

Episode 4b: Ready, Aim, Fire!


PRAYER

Let's think quietly about times when we want to say something and can't. It might be a time when we are too frightened, or when we think that nobody could be interested in us. Or maybe we don't even know what we want to say.

Let's pray for the courage to see what we want to say and to be able to say it. Lord, teach us how to ask for help. Give us the courage to have faith in your love even when things seem against us and people laugh at us. Help us to be like Bartimaeus, ready to receive your blessings every day.

MUSIC

'God Knows Me' No.15 in The Complete Come and Praise
BBC, 1990 ISBN 0 563 345810

NOTES


In Storykeepers, this incident is told by Ben (i.e. as found in Mark's gospel) in the context of an imminent attack from the Romans. The episode explores ideas about courage and the stories of Jesus blessing the children and the healing of the man with the paralysed hand are also included as a way of showing Jesus' power to help people that recognize and trust him.


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Storykeepers Come with Marcus