Discussion Questions: Mark 10:46-52

1. What do you love most about the gift of sight?
2. What do you like about not “being bankrupt?”
3. What does being a blind beggar do to a person?
4. When did you first hear about Jesus?  What feelings, emotions, questions did Jesus stir in your mind and heart?
5. What does Bartimaeus do when he hears Jesus of Nazareth is coming?
6. Have you ever cried out loudly for Jesus to have mercy on you?
7. If you have, what led you to the “loud cry?”
8. If you haven’t...why not?
9. When Bartimaeus gets loud the crowd rebukes him.  Have you ever been rebuked before?  How’s it feel?
10. What does rebuke cause you to do usually?  Shut up? Give up?  Apologize?  Or cry out even louder?
11. What does Bartimaeus risk by getting even louder?
12. What might the Lord be leading you to do but it might be difficult because of people rebuking you?
13. (Depending on what ppl say here provide time for prayer support)
14. When Bartimaeus continues to cry out Jesus stops and calls him.  What do you think Bartimaeus thinks and feels as he hears that Jesus is calling him?
15. Bart “throws off his cloak.” He leaves his “place and position” of former life.  He no longer trusts in the cloak he sits on to beg.  He’s now trusting Jesus.  What things and people are you sometimes tempted to trust instead of Jesus?  What makes us slow to “throw off our cloaks.”
16. Jesus asks Bartimaeus...”what do you want me to do for you?” Wow! What a question! What if Jesus asked you this today? How would you answer it?
17. Bartimaeus asks for a “big” supernatural thing. Not five dollars. He wants his sight!  How might this instruct us on what we ask Jesus?
18. Jesus invites Bart to “go his way” but after this transformational encounter with Jesus his way becomes Jesus’ way.  This is indelible grace.  How has “going your way” transformed into going Jesus’ way?