THE WAY
[p. 478] THE WAY
Mark 10:17 - 22; Mark 10:46 - 52; Mark 11: 1 - 7
What one has noticed is that some lay hold of the gospel in a light, unrepentant manner, corresponding with this one who, as we are told ran into the way, but did not stay in it. There are many under this heading and, as having been into the way and left it, their case is serious indeed. They are unaffected as having come into the way, and having left it are on the high road to apostasy. The gospel is not intended to affect us lightly, it is intended to affect us solemnly. In order that it should come to us the Lord Jesus had to enter on this way, and He tells us it was at Jerusalem He should suffer. He had to undergo the judgment of God, in all that it meant as perfectly known to Him. It was a solemn way, but He had entered it definitely, not to leave it. It led Him to Gethsemane where, as we read in this gospel, He was “amazed and oppressed”. Think of Him being oppressed as facing the awful consequences of having entered on this way, and compare that with the lightness with which we sometimes listen to the gospel, and perhaps turn away without being affected by it. He was about to face the wrath of God. Elihu spoke to Job of how the breadth of the waters is straitened by the frost, Job 37: 10. The Lord was about to enter into these waters, the waters that were straitened by the awful blast of divine wrath. It was actual death. He was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He knows what death is as having tasted it — it was death in its awfulness. The pangs of death are spoken of in regard to Christ; the waters were straitened by the frost of God, so that He was held in them. He was among the dead. He died as the Victim who offered Himself without spot to God.
The man here ran into the way, and presently left it; he had no understanding of what that way meant. Christ was on the way to make atonement for this man, and for every other man. The folly of the man asking what he [p. 479] should do to inherit eternal life is manifested. He says, “Good Master”; He is religiously respectful. It is one thing to be religiously respectful, but another thing to be spiritually respectful as I hope to show the blind man was. The Lord says, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God”. Did this man know God? If he had to do with God he would not run into the way in this fashion. You can do nothing to obtain everlasting life. There is none good but God. The man was religiously respectful, but nothing counts if God is left out. The Lord takes the man up on his own ground, and if he is on the line of doing, there is plenty to do; he chose his riches in preference to Christ. Wherever you find lightness with regard to the things of God, there is self at the bottom of it. Think of a man turning his back on Christ. This man was not absolutely indifferent, but such interest is not enough. Some may say with a measure of regret, “I know christians have advantages”, but why go away sorrowful, why not go in for them, seeing they are obtainable. The gospel proposes everything to you on the ground of simple faith. This man was not wholly indifferent, and one cannot but be drawn to young people who are in some respects interested. They turn away because of something which detains the heart. What really stands in the way? He would encourage us in the passage, He looked on the man and loved him, but he went away sorrowful. He had something that he regarded as of more value than Christ.
Bartimaeus did not run into the way, he sat by it. He was there for other reasons, he was blind and he knew it; he was in poverty and he knew it, but in the government of God he was by the wayside, and had no possessions. He had nothing to commend him in the world, he would find no place in society, he was but a blind beggar, and was by the wayside. Well for him! I take him to represent a young man or woman who is in touch with the light under the government of God. The government of God is one of the most wonderful things, for there is not a creature on the earth, a tree, or a blade of grass that was not taken into account in the government of God. It would force all into [p. 480] the position of obtaining the blessing. Think of what a God is ours; before we know Him, He has blessing for us. Everyone of us can testify that the government of God has been on our side, not against us, it is not against you now, but it will be by and by. He commandeth. He retires, as it were, into His right to command all men everywhere to repent. He is exercising His right as Creator. Not only is the government of God valuable at the present time for each one, but generations preceding you have come under notice, with you in view. It is the one great interest of God at the present time to employ anything in His hand to force men directly or indirectly to receive the blessings of the gospel. When you look back on your own life you will verify what I am saying. Bartimaeus being by the wayside on this day may appear to be an accident, but there are no accidents with God. He saw to it that Bartimaeus was on the wayside that day when Jesus passed. How he would look back on this day! What a day in his history! He would not stop at that day, he would go back further, and would thank God for his blindness; so it is with most of us, we can thank God for what we have passed through, and that we are now found in the way of peace. It is a wonderful thing to come into contact with the Lord Jesus. Were we to know all about Timaeus, we would know that God had had to do with him — something that bore on his blessing. So it is with many of you. God knows your fathers’ and your mothers’ names, not only for their account, but for yours, and it may be you are here because of your parents. Well for you then that you have believing parents! You are in the very precincts of the light of the blessings of the gospel. It was not his father who spoke for him here. It is a good thing for young people to know that their parents have been speaking to God about them since they were born, but the time comes when they have got to speak for themselves. He enquired who was passing by: do you? The Lord is here in the gospel tonight; do you enquire about him? “Jesus of Nazareth passeth by”, Luke 18: 37. Is he going to pass by you, it is now your turn to speak. The blind man spoke, he did not say “Jesus of Nazareth”; he was spiritual.
[p. 481] He was not like the man who ran in the way; he says, “Jesus, thou son of David”. He had a spiritual exercise. Where did this come from, not from his parents. They cannot give the spiritual exercises. You get your spirit from God, and more than that, God is acting by His Spirit. The Spirit links on with your spirit and operates in you; as the Lord says to Nicodemus “Ye must be born again”, John 3: 7. That is the secret of the blind man’s exercises. It may be you have got them and do not know, but what he said to Jesus showed that he had them. If I could hear you speak to Jesus, I could tell whether you are born again. If you are born again, and speak to Jesus, you will soon disclose it. He says, “Son of David”, and the Lord stood still. The Lord stops, He called for him. The people say “Rise; he calleth thee”. He discerns spiritual exercises. The young man who ran into the way was not born again, he had no spiritual exercises, but this man had. He casts away his garment. That indicates a certain unsuitableness — there is that about you which is unfit for His presence, and you know it. It is equivalent to a confession or acknowledgment of your unfitness. The Lord says, “What wilt thou ... ?” Can you tell? God reads our hearts, but He would have us put it into words. With the heart man believes. He knows what you need, but loves to hear the outcome of the work of the Spirit in a soul. With what depth of feeling he said “that I might receive my sight”. What is your trouble, put it into words. The putting into words is equivalent to faith. “Thy faith hath made thee whole”. Faith is God’s gift, but it is your responsibility. It is your own faith, not your father’s faith. There is no salvation without faith in the Lord Jesus.
The colt in chapter 11 is now to be employed by the Lord. The evangelist brings his converts to Jesus. No child of man ever sat on the colt. You have not come under the influence of the world, you are not building up this world. They will quickly take you on, they have no objections to your faith in Christ as long as you join in with their enterprises; all they want is you. The world is bidding for you. This colt was tied where two ways met. This is not the government of God, this is man’s action. Someone who had a right to him had tied him and was near at hand. It is a question of his being employed by Jesus and in such a way as to carry him — a service that was most honourable.
We are all Levites; from the moment you are converted, you belong to Him. The Levites were taken instead of the firstborn. Think of being taken up by God in that way for levitical work, and the highest thing is propounded. It is in advance of Bartimaeus; Jericho is a dangerous place.
You find that the colt is not at Jerusalem but at the Mount of Olives. Think of Jerusalem and Bethany. Think of the memories! It is well for you that you are in such an enclosure.
Think of the Spirit of God at Mount Olivet. You are hedged about by the Spirit; you are now within the range of the Spirit. Then there is Bethany with all the happy memories for Christ; He was loved there. It is well you are tied, for there are two ways, some person who has a claim on you has tied you, and now the Lord sends for you. You cannot have a doubt about it for He sends two. You were held there by those who were responsible for you, and one of your qualifications is that you have not been into the world.
They led him to Jesus. The Lord had need of him, and they allowed him to go. They take off their own clothes and put them on the colt. It is as if the brethren loved you, and would make you a fit servant for the Lord. The Lord would lay upon every young man’s heart that He needs him, and as you recognise His claim over you, the brethren would hasten to help you that you should be fit, that you should be thoroughly furnished unto every good work, a dignified Levite; so I would say to every young person, the Lord has need of you!