Tag Archives: Easter

The Two Spectators

 He sat there
 The blind beggar
 Behind the crowd
 Begging for alms
 He heard someone say Jesus was coming
 He heard that Jesus opened blinded eyes
 Could He do it for me?
 Said Bartimaeus
 He started to cry out
 Jesus, thou Son of David
 Have mercy on me
 The crowd tried to quiet him
 But Jesus came closer
 Bartimaeus cried louder
 Louder than the crowd
 Jesus heard him and stopped
 Called him forward
 The crowd helped him up
 Pushed him toward Jesus
 Jesus asked what he wanted
 He asked for his sight
 And his wish was granted
 His eyes were opened
 He praised God
 And followed Jesus
  
 He lay there
 Dead and buried
 Grave clothes encased him
 He’d been sick for days
 They sent for Jesus, his friend
 But Jesus did not come
 It seemed he didn’t car
 Lazarus knew Jesus could heal him
 If He had only come
 Now it was too late
 Now He was dead
 Jesus came after the funeral
 Mary and Martha asked Him where He was
 If he had only come
 Jesus wept in sorrow
 His friend was dead
 But Jesus knew this was not unto death
 He said role the stone away
 He cried Lazarus come forth
 And he did
 Still wrapped in those grave clothes
 Jesus said unwrap him
 They unwrapped him
 He was alive
 And he followed Jesus
  
 The crowd gathered in the city
 Singing Hosannah
 Waving palm branches
 Throwing their cloaks before Him
 As Jesus entered the city
 Meek and lowly
 Riding on a donkey
 They thronged Him
 Lazarus was there
 Bartimaeus was there
 Hailing Him
 Thanking Him
 For His touch
 For His healing
 The Pharisees mocked Him
 Tried to put Him to shame
 He told them the rocks would praise Him if the people did not
 They plotted to kill Him
 They would not let Him steal their crowd
 He overturned the money changers tables
 They were thieves
 In His house of worship
 The scribes sought to kill Him
 That was their money
 Lazarus and Bartimaeus watched
 Thrilled with anticipation
  
 He taught the crowd
 He told them stories
 Parables about life
 About the last days
 About 10 virgins
 About a prodigal son
 About a good Samaritan
 They heard Him rebuke the scribes and Pharisees
 They heard Him say he would come in glory
 Lazarus and Bartimaeus were excited
 Then they heard He had been taken in the night
 The blessed night of the Passover
 They heard He had been betrayed
 He had been denied by His disciples
 He had been condemned to die
 They gathered with the crowd
 The same crowd that cheered Him 4 days before
 The temple leaders told them they must deny Him
 Or be thrown from the temple
 The crowd cried crucify Him
 Crucify Him
 Give us Barabbas instead
 Lazarus and Bartimaeus were in disbelief
 They whipped Him
 Beat Him
 Spit in Him
 Mocked Him
 Put a crown of thorns on His head
 Out His cross on His back
 Made Him carry it down the via Delarosa
 All the way to Golgotha
 Lazarus and Bartimaeus watched as he fell under the weight
 A man named Simon helped Him
 The laid Him in the cross
 Nailed His hands and feet
 Raised up that cross
 Bartimaeus thought “He restored my sight to see this?”
 Lazarus thought “He brought me back to life to see Him die?”
 They were heart-broken
 Yet they followed Him
  
 The skies darkened at mid-day
 He let out a cry
 “Father forgive them. They know not what they do.”
 Then “It is finished”
 He hung His head
 And He died
 Lazarus and Bartimaeus stood side by side
 They wept
 They saw Joseph take the body
 They followed to the garden
 They wept
 And wept
 They did not understand
 Why give me my sight to see this?
 Why raise me up from the dead to see this?
 They went back to the city and stayed there
 They did not want to leave
 They had no reason to leave
  
 Then the sabbath day passed
 They heard someone cry
 He’s alive 
 Jesus is alive
 They ran to the tomb
 Saw the stone rolled away
 Jumping and shouting and praising God
 They rejoiced
 Bartimaeus could see the empty tomb!
 Lazarus knew what it was to raise from the dead
 They knew
 Beyond a shadow of a doubt
 Jesus was alive
 Alive forevermore
 Alive for all to see
 Alive for all to gain life!