I’m happy to have as my guest today Lacie Phillips…. More about her below: Recently, I heard a sermon that did what every good teaching can do: it made me think deeply. The text for the message was Mark 10, at the end of which we meet Bartimaeus—son of Timaeus—a blind beggar.  As Jesus, his disciples, and a crowd are leaving Jericho, they cross paths with Bartimaeus sitting by the side of the road. When he hears that Jesus is near, Bartimaeus cries out, “Jesus, the son of David, have mercy on me.”  The crowd responds by scolding Bartimaeus and telling him to be quiet; but a second time he shouts out…