The interaction between Jesus and Bartimaeus in Mark 10 is beautiful, because it shows Jesus as a thoughtful healer. Isn’t it obvious what a blind man would want a healer to do for him? But Jesus still takes the time to consider his desire. As we more and more invite Jesus to be our catalyst in life—a life of good deeds and grace—let us always consider the person before we consider the good deed we want to do. What real need can you meet for someone today? How will you find out what that need is? This lesson will challenge your students to consider real-world answers to those real-life questions.
Lesson Objectives
- WHAT: Jesus has no problem asking crazy questions, but he asks them for a greater reason and a deeper purpose than just discovering information.
- WHY: This Christian life is not all about the things we must do for Jesus; it is also about the things we want and need him to do for us.
- HOW: Your students will be encouraged to consider how Jesus’ interaction with Bartimaeus can impact the way they treat others around them—including how they might respond to other people’s needs.
Primary Scripture: Mark 10:46-52
Secondary Scriptures: James 1:17
Let’s spend a few minutes exploring this crazy question that Jesus asked.
1. Jesus wants to hear from us
Imagine that you’ve been invited to a 30-minute, face-to-face conversation with Jesus—and you get to decide what you’re going to talk about for the entire time. What topic(s) would you pick, and why?
How would you re-create this passage from Mark 10 in a movie scene? What would it look like?
Why would the crowd tell the blind man to be quiet? Wouldn’t they want to witness a healing? Explain your perspective.
Have you ever experienced a time when it seemed like people didn’t “get” you? What did that feel like?
What was most interesting about Jesus’ response to the crowd?
Sometimes in life we feel like nobody hears us. Maybe the noise around us is too loud, or maybe we just have a hard time communicating. Either way, Jesus wants to hear from us. He wants to stop everything and have a conversation.
2. Jesus has no problem asking crazy questions
Tell us the most recent crazy question you asked—or someone asked you.
What is so crazy about the question Jesus asked Bartimaeus?
What does this question tell you about Jesus? What was Jesus really attempting to communicate here?
Why is it so risky for most of us to respond honestly to the question Jesus asked Bartimaeus?
Jesus’ questions sometimes are more about us than about him. It was completely possible for Jesus to provide healing without Bartimaeus explaining what he wanted and needed. But this interaction shows us just how much Jesus wants to meet our needs. Jesus is the gift-giver in this story—he made sure he gave Bartimaeus exactly the right gift, and he made sure Bartimaeus declared the specific need in his life.
3. Faith in Jesus produces miracles
As Jesus talked with Bartimaeus, it became apparent to everyone that this man wanted to be healed from his blindness. Blindness wasn’t just a physical condition for Bartimaeus; it was also his identity. Jesus said it was his faith that made him see, but it wasn’t a faith in seeing that healed him—rather it was Bartimaeus’ faith in Jesus as the healer that made him well. He traded his view of who he was for Jesus’ view of who he could be.
Ask students to form groups of two or three for these questions.
Talk about a specific experience in your life that has helped you develop a deeper trust and faith in Jesus’ ability to meet your needs.
How does this passage of Scripture change or challenge your view of Jesus as a healer?
How might this passage change the way we treat others around us—including how we might respond to other people’s needs?
BGroup Questions
- How has today’s conversation shaped or impacted your view of Jesus?
- We all want or need something—if Jesus were standing in front of you right now asking you what you want him to do for you, what would you say?
- We encounter people like Bartimaeus every day—people that are needy and hurting. Based on this interaction with Bartimaeus, what’s one way you could leave a lasting, Jesus-centered impact on their lives?
TAKE ACTION: Memorize this Scripture this week! “ ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked” (Mark 10:51).
**Leaders, leave 3-5 minutes for prayer at the end of your group time.
Youth Small Group Series
Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked questions? Didn’t he know “all things” anyway? Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus asking hundreds of questions—everything from “What is your name?” to “Who do you say that I am?” What if Jesus wasn’t asking questions just to get an answer? What if there was something greater at work?
This small group series for youth will engage in conversations about some of the questions Jesus asked. Teenagers will encounter Jesus’ desire to engage them on a truly relational level—a relationship based on dialogue and conversations.
