<TITLE>10. Par 34-37</TITLE>L-34 That's the same tonight: your faith that makes you whole. Have faith in God. Don't doubt Him. Believe that what He said is the truth. Your faith tonight can touch Him just the same as Bartimaeus' faith touched Him. "Thy faith has saved thee." The Greek word "Sozo" means "physical saved," just the same as spiritually saved. "Thy faith has saved thee."
Then I can see Him turn. He didn't wait to see if he was going to receive his sight; He knew he would receive his sight. And the crowd went on.
And Bartimaeus stands there, looking around, looking for his hand. "He told me that my faith... And I believed that that's the Son of God. He told me my faith would save me."

L-35 I was reading here some time ago an article. It might have been fiction, and it could have been true. It could have come from some of the chronicles. But it said that Bartimaeus was a--a real poor man, but he was a staunch believer in God. And he used to set by the gate with two little turtledoves, that would do little tumbles back and forth to attract the att--tourist's attention. If they didn't have something to attract the attention, they didn't get any coins.
That was made so real to me when I was recently in India. Everyone has to have a something. They have a pipe that they'll play and the cobra will rise up. And I... Or something, or--or a little monkey with a stick to play some tricks, or to--to beat him or something, to do a little something to... then to beg, to earn a coin...

L-36 Well, Bartimaeus, they say, had two little turtledoves that done little tumbles over each other. And the people thought that was cute, so they would give him a coin.
So they said one night... He had a little girl that was about eight years old, and--and a--a wife. So his wife got sick. And Bartimaeus went outside, and after the doctor had left and said there's nothing could be done for her. He knowed she was a good woman. So he went out, felt his way along the side of his house, and looked up with his--towards the skies, and said, "O Jehovah, if You'll just let my wife get well, I promise You, tomorrow I'll sacrifice my turtledoves to You. I'll give my two turtledoves to You for a sacrifice if You'll just let her get well."
And as the legend, or whatever it may be, goes on to say, that his wife was well the next morning. He goes and offers the two little turtledoves.

L-37 And then, a few weeks after that, that his little girl got sick, and also given up by the doctor. So he didn't have anything to offer the Lord but his lamb.
Now, I can't call the name, what they call these dogs that lead the blind: seeing eye dog. Well, in those days, instead of using a dog, they had a lamb that led the blind. And the... Bartimaeus had a lamb, because he lived way around the hills of Judaea. And he... And he had... The lamb had to lead him down to Jericho, was the only means he had of getting there. And he said to the Lord, "If You'll just let my little girl live, then tomorrow, I'll sacrifice my lamb for You." And the next morning, the little girl was well.
And he went on his road up to the temple to sacrifice his lamb. And said the priest walked out and said, "Blind Bartimaeus, where goest thou this morning?"
And he said, "Priest, I'm coming to the temple to sacrifice my lamb, because my little girl was sick and the doctor said she was going to die. So I--I come to sacrifice my lamb as I promised Him."
"Oh," he said, "Bartimaeus, you cannot sacrifice that lamb. I'll give you some money, and you go to the--to the stalls and buy a lamb and sacrifice to the Lord and keep your vow."
"Oh," he said, "but priest, I never promised God a lamb, I promised Him this lamb." That's what we must do. "I promised Him this lamb."
"Oh, but," he said, "Bartimaeus, you cannot offer that lamb. That lamb is your eyes."
He said, "Oh, priest, if I'll keep my promise to God, God will provide a lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes." And on this cold November day, God had provided a Lamb for his blinded eyes.


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