1 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:11,080 Today I want to speak to you about one of the most inspiring 2 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:15,880 testimonies in the gospel. I want to speak to you about the 3 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,520 story of a man named Bartimaeus. And this story that is found in 4 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,760 three out of the four gospel accounts is one that is filled 5 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:32,800 with so much suspense, a roller coaster of emotion, so much 6 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,240 comfort, yet at the same time in that comfort, conviction and 7 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:39,960 challenge. But more importantly, this story 8 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,160 that's going to be declared is no fable. 9 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,480 It is not a parable. It is a true event that took 10 00:00:47,480 --> 00:00:51,440 place in the life of a real man, and one that has been preserved 11 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:58,560 for us because it is absolutely loaded with soul saving heart, 12 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:03,080 sanctifying truth For those who have been in the church long 13 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,320 enough that name Bartimaeus rings a bell, You've probably 14 00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:08,240 even heard about him in Sunday. School. 15 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,600 Like I got to tell you though, I've known the name Bartimaeus 16 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,960 for a long, long time. It wasn't until studying it in 17 00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:18,560 depth where I fell in love with this man. 18 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:24,040 I do have a personal list of people that I really want to 19 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:27,520 meet and have lengthy conversations with in heaven, 20 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,960 and after this week, Bartimaeus made the list. 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:39,640 This man is indeed inspiring, as you're about to discover, and I 22 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:44,520 invite you to turn with me to mark chapter 10, beginning in 23 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:50,680 verse 46, to read of this man's testimony and after reading it 24 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:55,680 to get a complete picture of it. I want us to look at six 25 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:02,280 observations, 6 specific observations that makes this 26 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:10,520 story so inspiring. And from here, perhaps the 27 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,480 testimony of Bartimaeus may cause a testimony in your life. 28 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:17,320 We have some. Visitors here today? 29 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,120 So glad to see visitors here today. 30 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,400 I don't know where you're at with your walk with Christ, but 31 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:25,080 if you don't know Christ, you come to the right place for the 32 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:28,800 right Sunday afternoon. And for those who know Christ 33 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:32,200 and have walked with Christ, Bartimaeus still has something 34 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,320 to offer you in your walk with the Lord. 35 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:36,840 Let's read together beginning in verse 46. 36 00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:43,440 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho 37 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:49,280 with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind 38 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:54,560 beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 39 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,080 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to 40 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:05,480 cry out and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 41 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,400 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. 42 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:17,560 But he cried out all the more. Son of David, have mercy on me. 43 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:24,280 And Jesus stopped and said, call him, and they called the blind 44 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:29,160 man, saying to him, take heart, get up, he's calling you and 45 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:34,360 throwing off his cloak. He sprang up and came to Jesus, 46 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,480 and Jesus said to him, what do you want me to do for you? 47 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,680 And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight. 48 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:47,200 And Jesus said to him, Go your way. 49 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,800 Your faith has made you well, and immediately he recovered his 50 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,920 sight and followed him on the way. 51 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,320 Lord by thine eternal Spirit, dwell in our hearts. 52 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,200 Reign in our hearts. Empower our hearts. 53 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:12,440 We want to know you, we want to love you more, and we want to be 54 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,680 like you. May this message today help us 55 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:19,279 achieve that in Jesus name. Amen. 56 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,320 I told you that we're going to look at six things from this 57 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,840 inspiring story and hopefully these things will help you 58 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:28,880 remember these points very. Simple. 59 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,600 Try my best to have them all start with the same letter. 60 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,840 The first thing that I want you to observe with me in this story 61 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,760 is the place. The place of this miracle, we're 62 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,920 told in verse 46. And they came to Jericho. 63 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,760 They came to Jericho. Different gospel accounts are 64 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,840 more specific about where in Jericho, but the consensus is 65 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:56,040 there. It was in the area of Jericho. 66 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,240 Now Jericho, like the name Bartimaeus, is very familiar to 67 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:03,720 most Christians. It is the city that was first 68 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,560 conquered by Joshua and the Israelites upon their entrance 69 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:11,480 into the Promised Land. It was a type of first fruits of 70 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:16,160 the reward, and the promise that God gave to that generation of 71 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:22,400 Israelites and Jericho was achieved by way of a very unique 72 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:27,960 miracle, one that demanded strange but faith nonetheless. 73 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,280 The strange method, but it was one that would cause them to 74 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:34,960 trust in the ways of the Lord encircling this place several 75 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:38,400 times until the walls would come down and they would have the 76 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:43,160 hearts of these people in fear, causing them to lose this 77 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,440 battle. But what many people who in 78 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,480 understanding the general history of Jericho failed to 79 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:54,360 remember is that this very same city that is a demonstration of 80 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:59,240 what faith can do is also a city that has been cursed. 81 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:06,040 Jericho was a city that had a curse attached to it, and the 82 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,560 reference to that is in Joshua 626, and you don't have to turn 83 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,120 there. But let me read to you what this 84 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:15,080 leader of this people, Israel, said concerning Jericho. 85 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:20,120 He had said, cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and 86 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:23,600 rebuilds this city. Jericho, at the cost of his 87 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,920 first born shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of 88 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,640 his youngest son shall he set up its gates. 89 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,080 Here was the curse, a divine curse. 90 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:36,080 Anybody who would try to resurrect the city would 91 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,280 experience a curse, and this curse was fulfilled. 92 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:44,480 This prophecy was made known in the days of King Ahab, where a 93 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:49,160 man named Hyal of Bethel rebuilt the city Jericho at the cost of 94 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,720 the life of his first son of Byram and at the cost of the 95 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:57,960 life of his youngest son Segob. And the reason why I'm bringing 96 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,680 this to your attention is because in a place that has been 97 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:06,040 associated and identified with God's displeasure, you have He, 98 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:11,120 He who is greater than Joshua, coming through to do what, 99 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:15,920 reverse some curses? That's what we're going to do 100 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,120 with Bartimaeus, right? Here's this man, Bartimaeus, who 101 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:24,600 is one who is suffering with one of the outcomes of the fall 102 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,320 sickness and disease, and here he is with a lifelong here, 103 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:29,960 blindness. It's permanent. 104 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,480 It's real. It's dark. 105 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,840 It's affected his way of life. And now Jesus is going to come 106 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,040 on the scene in this place called Jericho, and he is going 107 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,640 to deliver this man from the ramifications of what our first 108 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,360 parents had done. What about Zacchaeus? 109 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,200 You know Zacchaeus, right? You sang some songs about 110 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,200 Zacchaeus as a younger child. You probably memorized those 111 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:51,800 songs. Did you forget that Zacchaeus 112 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:55,080 was a man, a little man who climbed the tree? 113 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:58,200 Where was that tree? It was in Jericho. 114 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,440 We're told that Zacchaeus and Luke's gospel account met Jesus 115 00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,200 around the same time as Bartimaeus meeting Jesus. 116 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,600 It was on that same trip. And so you have Zacchaeus, who 117 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,000 also was delivered, but in a different way from the grip of 118 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,840 greed and pride. And this man would experience 119 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:22,080 salvation in his home because of he who is greater than Joshua 120 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:28,000 Jesus as the Great reversal. He's the great deliverer of any 121 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,640 curse. He defeated the curse of death. 122 00:08:32,799 --> 00:08:36,320 He defeated the curse of sin. And Christ has the power not 123 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,440 only then, but even today, to deal with and to heal and to 124 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,840 restore us from the consequences of sin. 125 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,039 The ones that you and I observe and maybe experience every 126 00:08:44,039 --> 00:08:47,440 single day. This is the place where Jesus is 127 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:51,240 going to perform this remarkable, inspiring act of 128 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,240 grace and mercy. It's the place. 129 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:56,200 But then we have to go from the place now to the second 130 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:57,760 observation. And that's the person. 131 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,040 And the person I'm referring to is the person. 132 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,720 Bartimaeus. He's not named by Luke, who's 133 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,840 not named by Matthew. He's named here by Mark. 134 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,000 And it could be that because Mark's readers might have been 135 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,760 familiar with Bartimaeus, Bartimaeus might have been a 136 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:15,360 disciple to Mark's audience that they would have known and Mark 137 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,120 here And telling us about Bartimaeus goes even further 138 00:09:18,680 --> 00:09:20,920 because Matthew tells us of the same miracle. 139 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:25,120 But Matthew highlights 2 blind men who call out to Jesus for 140 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,520 mercy. Do we have a contradiction here 141 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:28,960 between Matthew's account and Mark's? 142 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:30,840 No. We just have a strategy. 143 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:33,880 All Mark is doing is highlighting one of the two, 144 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:36,960 perhaps the leader of the two, perhaps the more vocal 1 145 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,480 Bartimaeus. And so he wants us to keep our 146 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:41,400 attention on this one particular man. 147 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,720 It doesn't negate the fact that Jesus healed two of them, but 148 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,440 Mark was even beyond giving us the identification of this man. 149 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:50,880 He tells us of the occupation of this man. 150 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,960 Read again with me in verse 46. And they came to Jericho. 151 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,920 And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great 152 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:02,320 crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind, not just a blind man, a blind 153 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:07,560 beggar. And so this man had two 154 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:11,480 unfortunate realities that he had to endure and manage. 155 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,440 So he was blind, that's one thing. 156 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,040 But he wasn't from an affluent family. 157 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:19,600 He wasn't being taken care of. His situation brought him to the 158 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:23,640 point where all he could do to survive another day was succumb 159 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,720 to being on the side of the road and hoping that people would 160 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:38,200 dispense crumbs of mercy. No security, no safety, no 161 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:43,200 immediate sense of love, no sight on top of it. 162 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,080 This is a man who ranks high in the category of misery. 163 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:50,840 This is a man who is suffering in ways that perhaps you and I 164 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,520 cannot even fathom or imagine. And your hearts may pity for 165 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:56,320 Bartimaeus as you're hearing about him. 166 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,320 And they should. We should feel compassion 167 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,760 towards this man, but let our hearts feel compassion for 168 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:06,640 another group of people even more than Bartimaeus. 169 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,880 The type of people who are defined by the word of God in 170 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,600 the same way as Bartimaeus, but don't even realize it. 171 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:23,600 Blind and bankrupt, spiritually blind and poor in the soul. 172 00:11:24,680 --> 00:11:26,800 The Bible describes people as such. 173 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,240 They are plagued by this. In fact, this is anybody who is 174 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,960 outside of Christ Bartimaeus here, although he suffered 175 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,360 physically in this way, although he was destitute. 176 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:38,880 And his vision was impaired, and his pockets were only filled 177 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,120 with Lent. This man, what he was 178 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:43,320 physically, he was not spiritually. 179 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,040 You're going to discover that though he was blind, he could 180 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:50,480 see better than most people. And so if your heart wrenches 181 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:53,280 for anybody, let it wrench for those who may have their eyes 182 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,480 and who may have a full covered and may have a comfortable bank 183 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:01,320 account but cannot see and do not know the riches that Christ 184 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:06,600 provides, They're everywhere. We might have some here today, 185 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,320 and they were there. Even in the days of Jesus there 186 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:13,080 was a group of them who are known as Pharisees. 187 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,360 These men, though they had so much going on for them, were in 188 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,720 fact blind. Blind in the way that you don't 189 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,720 want to be blind, blind and the most important part of your 190 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,240 existence, bankrupt where it matters the most. 191 00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:29,560 And Jesus actually calls him out on that. 192 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:32,080 And I want you to turn it with me in John Chapter 9, after 193 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:36,160 Jesus healed another man who was blind born blind on top of it. 194 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,160 He takes that understanding of blindness and he uses it as a 195 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:43,080 metaphor for spiritual blindness. 196 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:47,040 And he tells the Pharisees this who are obviously near. 197 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:55,880 In John 9, verse 39, Jesus said for judgment. 198 00:12:55,880 --> 00:13:00,720 I came into this world that those who do not see may see and 199 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:05,960 those who see may become blind. Some of the Pharisees near him 200 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,480 heard these things and said to him, are we also blind? 201 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,200 I have a feeling they didn't say that with humility. 202 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:16,520 Are you calling us out again, Jesus? 203 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,800 Are you saying we're blind? And look what the Lord says in 204 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,600 verse 41. Jesus said to them If you were 205 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,680 blind, you would have no guilt. Read slowly, Read your Bible 206 00:13:27,680 --> 00:13:30,560 slowly. If you were blind, you would 207 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:32,600 have no guilt. But now that. 208 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,000 You say. We see. 209 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,760 Your guilt remains. That's profound, so let's 210 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,520 understand it more carefully. What Jesus is saying here is if 211 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,880 you were blind, you would actually be free from guilt 212 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:47,640 implying. What? 213 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,880 What he's saying is this. If you were to be among those 214 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,600 who admit to their blindness, to their lack of insight and 215 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:57,560 understanding of true spirituality, if you were to 216 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:01,520 come to that place and humbly confess you don't see as you 217 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,080 ought to see, then you would have no guilt. 218 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:09,320 Because upon that confession I would heal you and I would open 219 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:11,160 your eyes. And in opening your eyes you 220 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,840 would see who I am and seeing who I am, you would see me as 221 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:19,240 the great eraser of your sins. But because you're not blind and 222 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:24,800 confess that blindness, because you actually admit that you see 223 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:29,040 when you don't really see, your guilt remains so in yourself, 224 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,720 confidence, in your confession that you actually perceive 225 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:36,840 things to be true, you're actually condemning yourself and 226 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:41,000 your guilt is still on you. Here's how Jesus, based on this, 227 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:46,160 defines spiritual blindness. It is anybody who claims to 228 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,920 define Christ outside of how he defines himself and who 229 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,000 possesses A worldview that contradicts that of Christ in 230 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,680 his word. Anybody who redefines Christ, or 231 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,040 changes His word, or disagrees with his word concerning what 232 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,760 has been made known, is a person who's spiritually blind. 233 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:06,240 They're impaired in their vision. 234 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,440 So any person outside of Christ, any person who does not have the 235 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,520 testimony, Jesus opened my eyes. Now I know what truth is. 236 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:18,840 Such a person who even claims to see and have answers. 237 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,680 And have a world view that might be popular in order to share. 238 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:27,640 Such a person, according to the Bible, is blind, and that is 239 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,480 something to be heartbroken over because physical blindness may 240 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,560 cause some difficulty in this short life. 241 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:37,480 Spiritual blindness will cause you to be in darkness for 242 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:42,720 eternity. And so we look at this man, and 243 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:44,760 we see that he is blind, that he is a beggar. 244 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,480 We come to the third observation concerning his life, Not just 245 00:15:48,480 --> 00:15:52,720 the place, not just the person, but the perception, the 246 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,520 perception that Bartimaeus had. So now we come here again to 247 00:15:56,520 --> 00:16:00,720 verse 47. And when he heard that it was 248 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:05,600 Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, son of 249 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:13,040 David, have mercy on me. So now, with no eyes to see, he 250 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:15,280 begins to sense something that is unusual. 251 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,800 He's been on that roadside every single day. 252 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,200 He lost count of the days that he has been there begging. 253 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,240 And now he hears A multitude. He hears this parade and he 254 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:26,720 goes, something is going on here. 255 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:30,640 So he inquires and he asks, and somebody had the grace enough to 256 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,520 actually give him insight into what is taking place. 257 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:36,520 But I want you to. See how Luke records it. 258 00:16:36,680 --> 00:16:39,800 Go to Luke and you see this parallel account in Chapter 18. 259 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,800 And verse 36 to 37. I think there's an insight here 260 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,360 about how the people identify what's taking place and then how 261 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:53,560 Barnabeus responds to it. And Luke 18, Verse 36 and 262 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,880 hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 263 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:04,119 They told them Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, Jesus of Nazareth 264 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,440 is passing by. But how did Bartabeus identify? 265 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:09,800 Jesus. He didn't say Jesus of Nazareth 266 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:11,400 have mercy on me. No, he said. 267 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:17,839 Jesus, what son of David? The crowd identified him as 268 00:17:17,839 --> 00:17:20,680 Jesus of Nazareth. That's where he grew up. 269 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,920 That's where he's from. But Bartimaeus saw something 270 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,640 that most people did not see. He's not just from Nazareth. 271 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:30,120 He's a descendant of David. He's not just from Nazareth. 272 00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:33,280 He's the promised Messiah. He's not just from Nazareth. 273 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:35,360 He's the one that we've been. Longing for and waiting for. 274 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:41,920 Jesus, son of David, you know what's so shocking about that? 275 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,400 Bartimaeus never witnessed a miracle that he couldn't have. 276 00:17:48,360 --> 00:17:51,880 Barnabaeus could not witness the sinless. 277 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:57,760 Life of Jesus Barnabaeus simply heard reports and that was 278 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,280 enough for him to believe that this was the Messiah, so limited 279 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,320 in so many ways. And again, we might feel pity 280 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:06,680 for this man. But let me ask you this 281 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:08,160 question. Who deserves more pity? 282 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,040 The one who could see all the miracles of Jesus, the one who 283 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,440 could attest the fact that he has not transgressed in one 284 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,520 single way. The one who sat underneath his 285 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,240 authoritative teaching and preaching, and felt the power of 286 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,240 God searched through their hearts as he expounded to them 287 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,080 the things of God. The one who has experienced all 288 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:31,960 of that and yet still not believe. 289 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:34,800 Or the one who could not even see what was right in front of 290 00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:38,920 his face, who could not even fend for himself and make a 291 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,120 living for himself, and yet could realize that this is the 292 00:18:42,120 --> 00:18:44,640 Son of God. Who do we feel bad for more? 293 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,800 Not Bartimaeus. Definitely not Bartimaeus. 294 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:55,240 Not only did Bartimaeus rightly identify this man, Christ Jesus, 295 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:56,800 he also. Perceived. 296 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:58,160 We're talking about his perception. 297 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,240 He perceived the absolute value of this moment. 298 00:19:03,360 --> 00:19:06,360 What was this man's occupation? He was a beggar. 299 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,480 And if you're going to do well as a beggar, you're going to 300 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:14,320 need people to beg. And so I want you to imagine 301 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:16,600 this. Think slowly about this whole 302 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:18,880 event. Now you have this man who is a 303 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:24,440 beggar, who's a needy pauper, who is again depended upon those 304 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,080 to extend some kind of grace. And though this man could not 305 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,080 see much living on the side of the road, he developed the 306 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:35,080 ability to know when people were coming by, to know when somebody 307 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,440 was passing through. And now, in this particular day, 308 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:41,760 we read that there is what? Look at verse 46 again. 309 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,240 It was not just Jesus with his disciples going through Jericho. 310 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:53,000 A great crowd, a great crowd passing through Bartimaeus's 311 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,720 neighborhood. You know what that means for a 312 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:59,080 beggar, Cha Ching? That's what that means. 313 00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:02,720 More people, more people to beg to. 314 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,840 More people to beg to more opportunity for them to give me 315 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,960 a payday that I haven't seen in a while. 316 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:14,000 That's what you have here for a beggar, A beggar, A beggar who 317 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,920 doesn't know how he's going to make it for tomorrow. 318 00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:19,320 That kind of a beggar. I'm not talking about the 319 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:23,000 poverty that we see here in the West like a real poor person. 320 00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:28,240 That would weep if you extended a Bologna sandwich to them. 321 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,040 This is the kind of beggar that we're seeing before us. 322 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,360 And now we see this, this great procession. 323 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:39,320 He hears it. And what do you think would stir 324 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,120 in his heart in that moment? Oh, perhaps as a beggar. 325 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,680 Please help. Extra shackles, please. 326 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,800 For a poor blind beggar. Please please. 327 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:56,200 Nothing of the sort. This man does not take advantage 328 00:20:56,200 --> 00:21:00,080 of the opportunity at hand. Instead, upon learning that 329 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:04,160 Jesus was leading this procession, he says, Jesus, son 330 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:08,560 of David, have mercy on me. Have mercy on me. 331 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:13,000 You know what Bartimaeus could see? 332 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,600 What most people can't see when they hear the gospel and they're 333 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:21,160 not saved the opportunity that they have right in front of 334 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,960 them. And you know why? 335 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,880 Most people can't feel the urgency about knowing that Jesus 336 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,720 is before them in the truth and that they can experience Jesus 337 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,080 Because you, like Bartimaeus, perhaps, are occupied by 338 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:38,840 something else, Because you living with this ambition and 339 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,920 this opportunity and this idea of tomorrow and what you're 340 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:45,240 going to build for yourself and what you want to accomplish. 341 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:48,000 And so when you hear Jesus in the crowd, you're more concerned 342 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,520 about the opportunity for yourself than the greatest 343 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:53,720 opportunity that can be given to you in the person of Christ. 344 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,160 You know what's so amazing about Bartimaeus? 345 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,200 Something that you need to hear very carefully, and you're going 346 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,200 to wonder why, perhaps from this pulpit you hear so much urgency. 347 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,640 Bartimaeus, if he did not cry out to Jesus in this way, would 348 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:11,480 never have been healed from his blindness. 349 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:15,440 So what do you mean? I'll tell you why, because 350 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:16,440 where's Jesus headed? To? 351 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,280 Look at Mark 11 in the next chapter. 352 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,600 If you have the ESV, then you'll see 3 words. 353 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,000 This is not divine inspiration. This is just added to our 354 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,520 Bibles, to trying to make sense of context or give us an idea of 355 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,760 what's coming next. The Triumphal entry. 356 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,560 Jesus is now ready to enter into his final week before heading 357 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,960 into the cross to the cross. He's never coming back to 358 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,960 Jericho. He's never going to make his way 359 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,520 back here. This is the final trip before he 360 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,760 goes to Calvary. Bartimaeus. 361 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:49,400 I'm not sure if he understood the events that were about to 362 00:22:49,400 --> 00:22:55,880 unfold, but he didn't need to. He knew that this time could be 363 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,800 the last time, and so I must respond now. 364 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:07,960 Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me and why that moves me 365 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:09,920 again. I'll get to it in a moment, but 366 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,680 it is. This is why Bartimaeus is 367 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:14,360 someone that I. Fallen in love with. 368 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:21,440 Because of years of preaching the gospel and pleading with 369 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,520 people that Jesus is here and he can be received and he can touch 370 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:29,000 your life, I have rarely seen the response that Bartimaeus 371 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:33,800 gives. And for some people, it's 372 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,920 because they're convinced that you can just set a future 373 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,840 appointment, and when it's convenient for you, you will 374 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:45,400 meet with Jesus and he will do what he really wants you to do, 375 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:46,640 right? Like as though you're doing 376 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:50,960 Jesus a favor. But the reality is, whether it's 377 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,440 your first time hearing about Jesus and what he can do in your 378 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,680 life, or the 100th time, you can never determine when the last 379 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,520 time will be. You can never determine that. 380 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,160 And if you are a person who knows that they have not 381 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,520 surrendered to Christ and are comforting yourself by 382 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:09,920 entertaining the idea that you can postpone this. 383 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,960 And if you choose to ignore this because of other things that are 384 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:19,680 preoccupying you, then realize. I like Bartimaeus. 385 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,080 This could be your very last time. 386 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:24,680 That's not manipulation. That's reality. 387 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:27,000 And what manipulation? What is this in for me? 388 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:32,080 This is for your soul. So he didn't just understand the 389 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,560 identity of Christ. He understood the value of this 390 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:37,880 moment. Christ is here that I must call 391 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,400 upon him now, for this could be my last time. 392 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,480 He may never come by this way again. 393 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:45,840 Do people feel that way when we present the gospel to them? 394 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:47,360 Look, I can't control how people. 395 00:24:47,360 --> 00:24:49,960 Feel, but I have. The control of how we deliver 396 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:54,520 that truth, right. So the duty here of a preacher 397 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:57,320 is to make people feel the urgency of the moment, whether 398 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:58,800 they're comfortable with it or not. 399 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,640 The reality is this, It could be your last time. 400 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,720 It could be your last time. I know you're young and you have 401 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,800 strength and you have energy and you have plans, and nothing will 402 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,960 interrupt those plans. You'd be shocked to know how, 403 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,360 over the years, young people who had so much looking forward to 404 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:19,240 could not, because they're six feet under. 405 00:25:19,240 --> 00:25:27,640 As I speak, he perceived not just the person but the moment. 406 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,240 But then we go from the perception to the 4th point, and 407 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:37,200 that's his persistence. This is where Barnamae is is 408 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:41,400 recognized for who he is. He calls out in verse 47. 409 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:47,040 He asked for Jesus, the Son of David, to come, and we read here 410 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:48,920 in verse 48 the response of the crowd. 411 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:51,720 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. 412 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:54,120 But he cried out all the more. Son of David, have mercy on me. 413 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,880 If you're a person here today who will make an opportunity out 414 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:00,360 of this moment and say, you know what, I think I'm going to 415 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:02,920 actually pause on any other opportunity, any other 416 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:06,840 appointment, even if it's flashing before my eyes. 417 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,560 What I perceive from this moment is that Jesus is here. 418 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,160 I'm not right with Jesus. I have to get right with Jesus. 419 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,880 You can expect Jesus to do a work in you, but you can also 420 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:21,880 expect what we see here with Bartimaeus, obstacles, 421 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:26,200 hindrances and in this case it was a. 422 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:27,800 Crowd. And not just a crowd. 423 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:31,440 It was many from that crowd, and many from that crowd were 424 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:37,680 telling him to shut his mouth. They rebuked him, but who knows 425 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,400 what was going on through their minds for them to rebuke this 426 00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:40,840 beggar? What were they thinking for them 427 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:42,960 to say that maybe they thought that Jesus had no time for this 428 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,120 beggar? Maybe they realized that Jesus 429 00:26:45,120 --> 00:26:47,280 was on his way somewhere, and so they didn't want this beggar to 430 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,120 stop this. Maybe they had their own desires 431 00:26:50,120 --> 00:26:53,200 and wants, and they saw that this beggar was going to 432 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,760 interrupt that. We're not told explicitly what 433 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,800 it is, but the reality of this opposition is something that you 434 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,400 can apply universally. When a person decides to call 435 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,600 upon Christ, when a person realizes the need for their soul 436 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:11,040 to be saved, when a person even who is saved but wants to grow 437 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:14,280 in their zeal and their passion for the Lord, you can expect 438 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:19,360 some level of opposition. And that's what this man is 439 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:23,960 experiencing here. His zeal is there, his passion 440 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,680 is there. And you wonder, what is it? 441 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:30,920 What is it that's going through the minds of these people? 442 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,760 But one thing is for certain. He's a person that's going to 443 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:37,480 get what he's asking for no matter what. 444 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,960 Whether people agree with him or disagree with him, it does not 445 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,000 matter. And I find it fascinating that 446 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:46,080 you can be just about as passionate about anything in 447 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,240 this life and you can be deemed as industrious and passionate 448 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,200 and hard working. But when it comes to spiritual 449 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:56,560 things, we're so quick to say you're a fanatic, you're a 450 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,000 fanatic. You've probably heard that 451 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:01,640 because you go to more than one service a week. 452 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:06,440 Is this really necessary? You've heard this because what? 453 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:09,160 You're so committed to Christ, it's not just an Easter 454 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:10,920 Christmas thing. You live the same people. 455 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:13,240 People don't usually praise you for that. 456 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,480 They tend to condemn you for that. 457 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:19,200 I've seen in my own life, I've seen young people come to 458 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,240 Christ, people who are in bars and clubs till who knows how 459 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,480 late into the mornings. And here they are at church and 460 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,240 they stay laid up and the parents are complaining that 461 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:29,680 they're staying up late at church, but they had no 462 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,240 complaints when they were in the bars and the clubs downtown. 463 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:34,480 Where was Where were your complaints then? 464 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,920 It's just amazing how twisted this mind is. 465 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:43,200 It's amazing that this man is calling upon Jesus for mercy and 466 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,200 you have the crowd saying be quiet. 467 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:51,680 Zip it, Bartimaeus. But look what Bartimaeus does. 468 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,400 You already read it with me. He hears these people. 469 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:57,680 He doesn't even address them. He just amplifies his voice. 470 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,840 So many rebuked him and what does he do? 471 00:29:01,880 --> 00:29:06,640 He cried out all the more. Jesus, son of David, have mercy 472 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:08,600 on me. You know what's so interesting 473 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:11,560 about this? Not only did his enthusiasm 474 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:15,520 remain, but the way he identified Christ was not 475 00:29:15,520 --> 00:29:17,960 altered either. You know, it could be that some 476 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,480 of the people that rebuke Bartimaeus were bothered by the 477 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,480 fact that he was identifying Jesus as what? 478 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,400 Son of David. Maybe they didn't like that 479 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,360 either. Hey, he's Jesus from Nazareth. 480 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,240 Keep your mouth shut. We don't know if he's the son of 481 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,840 David yet, and Bartabaeus doesn't even see. 482 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:35,440 Doesn't even consider it at this point. 483 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,960 He just needs a touch from the Lord and that's all he's 484 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,240 concerned about. So who knows what all these 485 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,320 people are saying? Who knows how they're trying to 486 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:45,840 clam him? Jesus, son of David. 487 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:46,880 You know what that's a picture of? 488 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:50,560 When you believe the truth, expect there to be opposition 489 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:54,720 from the majority. And what Bartimaeus is showing 490 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,120 here is that his theology was not altered by the pressure of 491 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,840 the crowd. Don't call that sin. 492 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,720 Call it something else. You know what the spirit of 493 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:09,280 Bartimaeus would teach us? You stay your ground and you say 494 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,920 it as it is. You can't say that about Jesus 495 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,800 being the only way. Jesus is the only way. 496 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,080 You can't say that about the culture. 497 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:22,360 You can't say that about this particular group of people. 498 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:24,720 You can't say that about this. You can't say it about. 499 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:28,680 And here's Bartimaeus saying it the way he said it before, when 500 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,840 there was an opposition, when there was opposition, he didn't 501 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,560 falter, He didn't bend one bit. I love Bartimaeus. 502 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,160 We can use a few Bartimaeus on the pulpit. 503 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,440 Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 504 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:46,200 Don't say that. Jesus, son of David, have mercy 505 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:48,560 on me. I'm not changing for anybody. 506 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,840 This is true. And that's all I care about. 507 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:55,400 And look what the persistence rewarded. 508 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,160 Bartimaeus. Look at verse 49. 509 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:01,720 Very slowly the 1st 3 words and Jesus stopped. 510 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:06,760 Through all the hustle and bustle, right through all the 511 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:10,200 people crowding around him and all the overwhelming. 512 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,040 Noise. Something pierced through the 513 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,040 atmosphere and stirred the compassion of the Savior Jesus, 514 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:20,840 who was on his way with his face like Flint towards Jerusalem, 515 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:26,560 stopped walking. Imagine the sight people have 516 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,920 gathered their pace and their rhythm, and through all the 517 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:34,480 muffling all you hear in the distance is Jesus, son of David, 518 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:39,480 Jesus son of David. Be quiet, Bartimaeus. 519 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:43,080 Enough, Bart. Jesus son of David, have mercy 520 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,920 on me. And Jesus stops. 521 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:53,160 And when he stops it shows us the reward of what persistence 522 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:58,560 and determination does. It can get Christ's attention. 523 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:04,760 And the Lord here is willing to do something about Bartimaeus's 524 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:09,640 situation. He honors his plea, and we see 525 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,200 here that it wasn't just his determination, but it was the 526 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:14,200 substance of his supplication, right? 527 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:15,640 He? Yes, says Son of David. 528 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,760 He honors him with the accurate understanding of his character, 529 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:23,160 the messianic characteristics. But he also pleads for mercy, 530 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:28,440 Mercy. When a man realizes he needs 531 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:31,400 mercy. How many miracles do you read of 532 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:34,760 in the Bible where somebody asked for Jesus to have mercy 533 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:40,400 and he never denies it? So Bartimaeus did not just have 534 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:42,960 this perception about the identity of Christ. 535 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,200 He didn't just have the discernment for the value of the 536 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,440 moment. He had perception about himself. 537 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:51,760 I'm not worthy of this. I need this. 538 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:53,640 This needs to be given to me by grace. 539 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:58,000 I need mercy. When you come to the Lord like 540 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:03,120 that, and when you understand that you are undeserving of what 541 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,600 he can give you, that's when you attract the heart of Christ. 542 00:33:07,640 --> 00:33:12,200 Not based on demand, not raising your fist to heaven, not trying 543 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,480 to shackle God to do what you want to do. 544 00:33:14,480 --> 00:33:19,680 When you just come on the basis of mercy, you move the master. 545 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:26,720 So persistence with revelation about your need of mercy is the 546 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:32,320 recipe for Jesus, the one who rules and reigns even today, to, 547 00:33:32,320 --> 00:33:34,880 metaphorically speaking, stopping and giving his 548 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:38,160 attention to a creature and to giving him what he needs. 549 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,320 So Bartimaeus, pleased for mercy his perception was right on. 550 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,280 A man who had no sight but could see Christ rightly the value of 551 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:53,280 the moment, and even himself. But it's not just his 552 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:54,560 perception. Here's the fifth point. 553 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:58,920 Now it's his passion. His passion can already be 554 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,400 translated, but it's amplified here in verse 50. 555 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:07,040 We can read from verse 49. And Jesus stopped and said call 556 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:10,040 him and they called the blind man saying to him take heart, 557 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:11,560 get up. And he is calling you. 558 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:13,480 What a different attitude from the crowd, huh? 559 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:18,639 They went from shut up to soothing. 560 00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:23,600 They went from rebuking to reassuring man. 561 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:28,480 People can change so easily, but what's the reason for their 562 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:30,480 change? I'll tell you it's Jesus. 563 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:34,040 When Jesus said call him, they change themselves. 564 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,159 Jesus can change people's attitudes. 565 00:34:36,159 --> 00:34:38,040 It's amazing. Well, this is just my 566 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:40,320 personality. Well, Jesus can save your 567 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:45,800 personality too. Jesus can sanctify your your 568 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:49,120 mouth. So these people rebuking 569 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,239 Bartimaeus Jesus, you know what call? 570 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:52,120 Him. Oh, yes, Jesus. 571 00:34:52,199 --> 00:34:54,080 OK, and they go, hey, this is OK. 572 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:56,239 He's just calling you. That's how much? 573 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,080 Authority Christ has over the heart. 574 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,040 It's amazing what the Lord can do. 575 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,360 He saves the whole man. And so we see here that these 576 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:09,600 people call the blind man saying take hard, get up, he is calling 577 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:11,200 you. Now look at this verse 50 and. 578 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:14,800 Throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 579 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:18,640 Don't you love Barda Mays? I love Barda Mays. 580 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:21,560 The more I'm talking about him, the more I really want to meet 581 00:35:21,560 --> 00:35:25,120 him in heaven, saying, What's so significant about this? 582 00:35:25,120 --> 00:35:28,600 Well, again, we see here that he's throwing off his cloak. 583 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:31,520 That cloak is something that would be heavy enough for you to 584 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:36,240 sleep with and sleep on. And even that when he learned 585 00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,680 that Jesus was calling him, he did not want that to be a 586 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:41,560 hindrance to him to get to Jesus as quickly as he could. 587 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:47,040 He threw that off, he sprang up and he ran to Jesus. 588 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:52,040 What's this response from the knowledge that what the people 589 00:35:52,040 --> 00:35:54,720 saying to him, Jesus is calling you again? 590 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:57,400 Let me go back to what I said earlier. 591 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:01,920 I've lost count. Let's just even think about the 592 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:03,400 past two years in this very building. 593 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,200 How many times have we heard the gospel call? 594 00:36:05,720 --> 00:36:07,480 How many times have we heard the gospel preached? 595 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,040 Now let me ask you this. How many times have you seen a 596 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:14,360 response like Bartimaeus to the invitation Jesus is calling you? 597 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:20,280 Isn't it staggering? Isn't it humbling? 598 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:24,600 Isn't it convicting? That you see, this man who not 599 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:28,840 only dismissed the crowd, who not only ignore this opportunity 600 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:31,240 that could have helped him temporarily, but he realized 601 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:33,160 there's somebody who can help him permanently. 602 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,480 And he says, forget this opportunity, forget this 603 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,880 appointment, forget the surprise invitation. 604 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:41,360 I want Jesus. And now, on top of that, what 605 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:43,920 does he do when he learns that Jesus calm, He's like this 606 00:36:43,920 --> 00:36:47,200 thing's got to go and he throws off this cloak to run to. 607 00:36:47,720 --> 00:36:51,880 Where is that desperation? I don't know where. 608 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:53,400 It is. But God help us, we need 609 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:57,280 revival. This man throws off his cloak. 610 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:00,680 It's a picture of you identifying anything in your 611 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:03,880 life that might be limiting you from coming to Jesus and saying 612 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:08,480 I'm getting rid of this thing. If you're in here and you don't 613 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:10,120 know Christ, can I ask you a question? 614 00:37:10,760 --> 00:37:13,840 What's the one thing that's holding you back from giving 615 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:17,440 your life to Christ? And then once you identify it, 616 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,200 ask yourself, is it worth losing my soul over? 617 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:25,520 Ask that. Is it worth? 618 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:30,800 Denying the invitation to walk with my maker, who paid a price 619 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:34,080 for me to have fellowship with him, not just one day in heaven, 620 00:37:34,080 --> 00:37:38,280 but on this side of heaven. What is the one thing holding 621 00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,920 you back from surrendering everything to Christ? 622 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:46,200 And then ask this question? Is it worth losing my soul over 623 00:37:48,840 --> 00:37:50,840 this man? The moment he knew what was 624 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:54,360 holding him back, he relinquished it, he removed it, 625 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:58,120 and he fled to Christ. Jesus is calling you. 626 00:37:58,240 --> 00:38:00,480 I take the words of these people and I present it to you on this 627 00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:02,440 Sunday afternoon. Jesus is calling you. 628 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:07,720 I've heard this from a couple people throughout my Christian 629 00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:09,600 journey. I've heard some people say, you 630 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,200 know, I know what it means to be Christian. 631 00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:15,400 I've heard this idea of the gospel, but I'm just waiting for 632 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:19,680 Jesus to convict me. If Jesus really wants me to be 633 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:22,800 saved, then he'll he'll reveal himself to me and and he'll tell 634 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:24,760 me that I need to be saved and he'll give me the faith. 635 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:26,520 And once I have the faith, then I'll believe in him. 636 00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:30,120 If you've experienced that, if you've had that conversation, 637 00:38:30,120 --> 00:38:33,120 you have another text to point that poor soul to. 638 00:38:34,680 --> 00:38:36,720 I'm just waiting for Jesus to directly. 639 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:39,440 Well, look, even when Jesus was on earth, how did he call 640 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,080 Bartimaeus? Did Jesus come up to Bartimaeus? 641 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,120 No. He told the people to go and 642 00:38:44,120 --> 00:38:47,440 call him. If Jesus, while on earth, used 643 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:50,760 people to tell others that he was calling them, how much more 644 00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:52,800 now that he's ascended on high, sitting at the right hand of 645 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,080 God. Here's how we make sense of all 646 00:38:56,080 --> 00:38:59,800 this when a person who knows Jesus is telling you by the word 647 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:02,240 of God that Jesus calling you it's Jesus calling you. 648 00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:04,600 That's the point that I'm getting across. 649 00:39:05,080 --> 00:39:07,680 Well, Jesus is just going to have to appear himself to me. 650 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:10,000 Well look, Bartimaeus here was called by Jesus, and he didn't 651 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:14,640 have that line of argumentation. I'm not going to come up unless 652 00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:16,560 Jesus comes up. He leaves that parade and he 653 00:39:16,560 --> 00:39:18,520 comes right to me. No, no, no, no. 654 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:21,960 Messengers of Jesus said Jesus is beckoning you and that was 655 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:24,400 enough for him to spring up and run to Jesus. 656 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:30,200 So this man's passion is so. Obvious. 657 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:33,400 And what you and I have to understand here is that whenever 658 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:36,560 Jesus calls, you know these phones these days tells you who 659 00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:38,000 calls and when you miss the call. 660 00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:40,760 Sometimes I'm so busy I miss a lot of calls. 661 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,320 And every time I look at that rut red with a number on, I 662 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:47,520 realize, oh, there's all these calls I missed and it's logged 663 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:50,640 there to remind me. You have calls to respond to. 664 00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:54,280 You know that God has the same thing. 665 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:59,880 Do you know God? Keeps in mind every single time 666 00:39:59,880 --> 00:40:01,600 he calls you and you don't answer. 667 00:40:02,960 --> 00:40:05,840 Every single time saying prove it to me gladly. 668 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:17,840 Isaiah 65, verse 12. Isaiah 65, verse 12. 669 00:40:18,560 --> 00:40:22,040 Here's what God says to His people who are ignoring His 670 00:40:22,040 --> 00:40:26,600 calls. I will destine you to the sword, 671 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:29,680 and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter. 672 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:33,720 Because when I called, you did not answer. 673 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:40,000 When I spoke, you did not listen, but you did what was 674 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:43,040 evil in my eyes and chose what I did not delight in. 675 00:40:43,720 --> 00:40:48,000 There it is. Because when I called, it went 676 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:53,800 straight to voicemail. God remembers every single time 677 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:56,040 He's called. Well, God hasn't called me 678 00:40:56,880 --> 00:41:02,360 newsflash. He's calling you now when this 679 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:05,400 word is open and when it's faithfully declared and when the 680 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:09,200 gospel invitation is laid out, that is God and His Providence, 681 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:13,800 calling you personally to give your life to His Son. 682 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:20,040 And when you ignore that call, he remembers, and in His mercy 683 00:41:20,160 --> 00:41:22,320 he can call you again. But let's learn from Barnabas 684 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,560 and realize that that one call may be the last call. 685 00:41:27,320 --> 00:41:35,330 I may never get a call again. So we see the passion of this 686 00:41:35,330 --> 00:41:37,850 man, and the passion is exemplified even further after 687 00:41:37,850 --> 00:41:40,730 the miracle takes place. Let's just Fast forward to verse 688 00:41:40,730 --> 00:41:44,130 52. Look what the Lord does and 689 00:41:44,130 --> 00:41:50,080 Jesus said to him Go your way. Your faith has made you well, 690 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:54,240 and immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the 691 00:41:54,240 --> 00:41:57,120 way. If the physical blindness here 692 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:00,520 is a consistent picture of our spiritual blindness and a 693 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:04,400 picture of what God does at salvation, then Jesus command in 694 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,760 the response of Bartimaeus can equally be an illustration of 695 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,040 what should happen after Christ opens your eyes. 696 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:13,280 Does that make sense? So Jesus is ready to heal this 697 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:14,840 man's eyes and he gives him instructions. 698 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:19,600 He says go your way, right? Why is that important? 699 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:21,680 Because with these new eyes, there would be no. 700 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:24,360 Need for Bartimaeus to sit on the roadside again and start 701 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,920 begging. These new eyes demanded a new 702 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:31,200 way of life. These new eyes called for 703 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:35,480 Bartimaeus to have a New Hope, a new strength, a new grace, to 704 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:38,480 walk through life in a different way. 705 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:42,000 It would be strange for Bartimaeus to have his eyes open 706 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:44,520 and then for him to return to the sidewalk and to begin where 707 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,480 he left off. And I make the same case today 708 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,040 that every person who's truly had his eyes open, by Christ, 709 00:42:50,040 --> 00:42:52,120 they cannot go back to the way that they were. 710 00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,080 They must go a different way. Now here's what moves me, 711 00:42:57,080 --> 00:42:59,640 because we're still under the category, the fifth point, the 712 00:42:59,640 --> 00:43:01,960 5th observation of Bartimaeus's passion. 713 00:43:02,880 --> 00:43:06,400 Here's this man who threw off his cloak, who runs to Jesus and 714 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:09,520 Jesus heals him and Jesus tells him go your way. 715 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:11,120 That's a very general exhortation. 716 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:13,000 Go your way. Now let me ask you something. 717 00:43:13,000 --> 00:43:17,880 Imagine being blind for years. Imagine not being able to see 718 00:43:17,880 --> 00:43:20,680 anything, not even to make out any silhouette. 719 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:23,800 Nothing. Just pitch black and your eyes 720 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:27,920 were open for the first time. What would you want to do first? 721 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:33,240 What site would you want to see? What family member would you 722 00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:36,320 visit? Whose door will you knock on to 723 00:43:36,320 --> 00:43:39,920 surprise that you can now make out who they Who's the person 724 00:43:39,920 --> 00:43:42,520 that you have imagined to look like something by the sound of 725 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,280 the voice, but now you can't wait to actually see them for 726 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:46,240 who they are. Who? 727 00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:49,320 What place would you go? Who would you? 728 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:51,000 Imagine this. Imagine put yourself in the 729 00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:57,160 situation Where would you run? Jesus says go your way. 730 00:43:58,200 --> 00:44:00,080 You know what's the first thing that Bartimaeus does? 731 00:44:00,680 --> 00:44:03,040 The last part of verse 52? And immediately he recovered his 732 00:44:03,040 --> 00:44:08,400 sight and followed him, followed him on the way. 733 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:14,320 Bartimaeus, with his fresh new eyes, wanted to keep them on 734 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:19,440 Jesus and follow him. He wanted to look at the one who 735 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:23,160 just healed him. He wanted to behold the one who 736 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:26,880 just saved him. He wanted to relish the one who 737 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:29,160 just delivered him. That's where Bartimaeus wanted 738 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:31,840 to go. He could have gone to 100 739 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:34,720 different places. He could have sat with 100 740 00:44:34,720 --> 00:44:37,760 different people. But instead, his instinct, the 741 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:40,840 moment that his eyes were open, is I want to follow this man. 742 00:44:41,480 --> 00:44:43,440 I want to go where the son of David goes. 743 00:44:44,800 --> 00:44:48,920 What a passion this man had. But we have our final point 744 00:44:48,920 --> 00:44:50,800 here. With all our peace. 745 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:55,080 We have the paradigm. The word paradigm simply means 746 00:44:55,080 --> 00:44:59,120 example or model. This is the story of Bartimaeus, 747 00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:00,280 right? But it's a story that's 748 00:45:00,280 --> 00:45:03,200 connected to Christ. And how can we study or read a 749 00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,920 story about Christ and not learn something directly from Christ? 750 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,000 So we come back here to our text and notice again verse 51. 751 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:15,760 Jesus said to him, what do you want me to do for you? 752 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:20,560 In about a week, Jesus is about to be nailed on the cross. 753 00:45:22,040 --> 00:45:26,080 In a few days, Jesus is going to be brutally betrayed, tortured, 754 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:30,160 mocked, scorned. You can imagine what would 755 00:45:30,160 --> 00:45:34,960 occupy a heart, knowing that their fate is just around the 756 00:45:34,960 --> 00:45:37,600 corner. And with all that he is 757 00:45:37,600 --> 00:45:43,400 preparing for with the mission that is before him, this man was 758 00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:47,120 willing to pause and to help a beggar. 759 00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:51,760 This is our example, you're saying? 760 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:54,960 What does this mean? Remember what Jesus finished 761 00:45:54,960 --> 00:45:58,040 teaching his disciples before Bartimaeus's miracle. 762 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:03,480 Look back here again with me and Mark in chapter 10, verse 43. 763 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:06,200 But it shall not be so among you. 764 00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:09,920 But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and 765 00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:12,880 whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 766 00:46:13,880 --> 00:46:19,920 For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and 767 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:21,800 to give his life as a ransom for many. 768 00:46:22,920 --> 00:46:25,160 Yes, he would ultimately give his life as a ransom for many on 769 00:46:25,160 --> 00:46:29,200 the cross, but throughout his life he spilled himself to serve 770 00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:31,920 other people, and now he shows it with Bartimaeus. 771 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:36,320 Do you see that he just finished teaching his disciples? 772 00:46:36,320 --> 00:46:38,400 Serve others? You want to be the greatest? 773 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:41,240 Be a slave? Consider everyone more 774 00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:43,440 significant than yourself, And here's Christ. 775 00:46:43,440 --> 00:46:48,360 Imagine this on his way to the appointment that would save 776 00:46:48,400 --> 00:46:52,800 humanity from their sins. And when this beggar interrupts 777 00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:57,200 him on the way, Jesus, as the servant of servants, stops and 778 00:46:57,200 --> 00:47:02,200 helps him. That's your Christ. 779 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:06,560 That is your savior. That is the Lord that you love, 780 00:47:06,720 --> 00:47:10,600 this Jesus, who had every right and excuse to ignore. 781 00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,240 Bartimaeus, Bartimaeus, I have to die for everybody's sins, 782 00:47:13,240 --> 00:47:15,720 including yours. But because he is the perfect 783 00:47:15,720 --> 00:47:19,160 servant, when he hears a need, he stops, no matter how much it 784 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:22,040 might have been an interference, no matter how much it might have 785 00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:25,240 caused, whatever it may be. He stopped and he looked up 786 00:47:25,240 --> 00:47:26,360 Bartimaeus. And he says this. 787 00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:32,000 What can I do for you? Don't you melt at the humility 788 00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:33,040 of Christ. I do. 789 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:40,440 Maybe you're like me and don't handle interruptions too well at 790 00:47:40,440 --> 00:47:44,120 sometimes. But here's Christ willing to be 791 00:47:44,120 --> 00:47:44,920 interrupted. You know why? 792 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:49,040 Because a servant doesn't object to interruptions. 793 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:53,360 A servant serves when the opportunity arises. 794 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:59,240 So we have our example here, whether we have our own 795 00:47:59,240 --> 00:48:01,160 problems, whether we have our own burdens. 796 00:48:01,160 --> 00:48:03,920 A servant looks at others and says, what can I do for you? 797 00:48:03,920 --> 00:48:08,200 And that's Christ. Are you with me? 798 00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:14,680 And seeing the joy that the story of Bartimaeus brings, we 799 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:16,840 have his passion, his persistence. 800 00:48:16,840 --> 00:48:19,720 We have his person. We have his perception, we have 801 00:48:19,720 --> 00:48:25,800 all these things, but we end here on Christ, Christ, Christ. 802 00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:30,240 For the Christians example, you and I again are being reminded 803 00:48:30,240 --> 00:48:32,400 by way of illustration of what it means to serve. 804 00:48:33,240 --> 00:48:36,160 But I can't help There's something in my heart that wants 805 00:48:36,160 --> 00:48:40,360 to end in this way. Once again making a plea for a 806 00:48:40,360 --> 00:48:47,240 person who doesn't know Christ. Jesus Christ died on the cross 807 00:48:47,240 --> 00:48:50,080 for you. Have you surrendered to him? 808 00:48:51,080 --> 00:48:56,840 Have you had your sins forgiven? You have been entertaining the 809 00:48:56,840 --> 00:49:00,560 peripheral. You have been exploring from a 810 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:03,680 distance. Perhaps you have been admiring 811 00:49:03,680 --> 00:49:07,880 and your admiration is growing, but none of that equates to him 812 00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:10,280 touching your eyes and opening them. 813 00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:14,520 I'm inviting you today that the same Jesus that we just read and 814 00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:18,720 heard about is the same Jesus who can cure this blindness. 815 00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:21,560 And all you need to do is do what the Pharisees refuse to do. 816 00:49:21,560 --> 00:49:24,240 And that's to admit I do not see as I should. 817 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:28,640 My standard of truth is not in alignment with this word. 818 00:49:29,480 --> 00:49:33,800 I've actually resisted the claims of Jesus, but now I ask 819 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:37,000 that he would heal me. I want to believe as he calls me 820 00:49:37,000 --> 00:49:39,280 to believe. I want to see as he calls me to 821 00:49:39,280 --> 00:49:41,200 see. I no longer want this guilt. 822 00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:44,280 If this Christ that you proclaim can heal me of my blindness, 823 00:49:44,640 --> 00:49:49,800 then may He heal me. Even as I'm preaching now. 824 00:49:49,800 --> 00:49:53,400 Perhaps the noise of the crowd is muffling my voice. 825 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:56,480 Who cares about the crowd and what they can offer you in this 826 00:49:56,480 --> 00:49:58,440 moment? Who cares what this life throws 827 00:49:58,440 --> 00:50:00,080 at you? It's all temporal. 828 00:50:00,080 --> 00:50:03,840 There is a touch from Christ that will change you forever. 829 00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:08,640 And I plea with I beg you that you today would not ignore this 830 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:14,480 message Jesus is calling you. Throw off the cloak. 831 00:50:15,320 --> 00:50:20,400 Run to him and surrender to him, and he will answer. 832 00:50:21,560 --> 00:50:24,840 If you do today with that faith, no matter what your sin is, no 833 00:50:24,840 --> 00:50:27,800 matter what you've done, no matter the hardness of heart, if 834 00:50:27,800 --> 00:50:31,080 you respond to him, I assure you This is why the story is here. 835 00:50:31,600 --> 00:50:34,840 Jesus Christ, the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe. 836 00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:39,880 He who lives today, He will return at any moment will stop. 837 00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:43,640 Pay attention to you. And regenerate your soul, and 838 00:50:43,640 --> 00:50:46,360 you can walk out of those wooden doors with a new heart. 839 00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:57,800 Lord, we ask you this afternoon that you would do just that. 840 00:50:58,160 --> 00:51:01,840 Son of David, have mercy on us. We pray for the one who doesn't 841 00:51:01,840 --> 00:51:03,760 know you, that they would know you for the one who knows you, 842 00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:08,600 that they would be transformed further by the very mercy you 843 00:51:08,600 --> 00:51:10,440 display. Thank you, Lord, that not just 844 00:51:10,440 --> 00:51:13,160 in salvation, but when we call upon you for mercy in any 845 00:51:13,160 --> 00:51:17,480 situation, you're willing to answer, and all you require from 846 00:51:17,480 --> 00:51:23,040 us is persistence and a revelation of our neediness and 847 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:27,040 miracles can take place there. For any person here who needs a 848 00:51:27,040 --> 00:51:32,400 touch from you, a fresh touch from you, Lord, may we not get 849 00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:37,080 caught up in distractions. May we not get caught up, Lord, 850 00:51:37,840 --> 00:51:39,640 in the fear of what others may say or do. 851 00:51:39,640 --> 00:51:42,360 May we just get consumed like this man was with what Christ 852 00:51:42,360 --> 00:51:46,760 can do and how he's available to me and Lord, to take advantage 853 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:50,040 of this very opportunity. Now with the faith that has been 854 00:51:50,040 --> 00:51:53,080 inspired by this text to now call upon you for a need. 855 00:51:53,680 --> 00:51:55,560 Thank you that you said my house shall be called the House of 856 00:51:55,560 --> 00:51:58,080 prayer. We can pray to you if you want 857 00:51:58,080 --> 00:52:00,200 us to commune with you, to fellowship with you, even in 858 00:52:00,200 --> 00:52:02,840 this place. And so we asked Lord that this 859 00:52:02,840 --> 00:52:06,440 would be the case. Oh Lord, may we, like this man, 860 00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:09,960 realize our great need and trust that you are a great God who can 861 00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:12,120 provide every need in Jesus name. 862 00:52:12,640 --> 00:52:15,440 Amen. My heart is so stirred by 863 00:52:15,440 --> 00:52:17,320 Barnabas. The story really is has been 864 00:52:17,320 --> 00:52:18,720 since I've been studying about him. 865 00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:23,880 It's so hard to preach a message like this and to just resume. 866 00:52:24,440 --> 00:52:26,280 I'm not sure how to resume from here. 867 00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:29,120 I really am not sure I'm going to trust in the work of the Holy 868 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:33,280 Spirit in the hearts that he wants to move in and is moving 869 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,320 in. But I would just, I would just 870 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:39,920 really encourage you in this place if you have a need. 871 00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:43,640 I'm talking to even believe it. Or if you have a need, just like 872 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:47,040 forget about everything else around you, not in a disruptive 873 00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:48,880 way, but just between you and the Lord. 874 00:52:48,880 --> 00:52:55,600 Just ask him to do something. I believe with all my heart that 875 00:52:55,600 --> 00:52:58,800 Jesus can answer prayer. I believe that even in this 876 00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:01,840 moment God can do something spectacular. 877 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:04,000 I believe it. I'm just giving you the 878 00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:07,240 opportunity, even as the songs are saying, not just mindlessly 879 00:53:07,240 --> 00:53:08,800 parrot words, even if you need to stay. 880 00:53:08,800 --> 00:53:13,040 I'm giving you permission if you need it, even stay seated if you 881 00:53:13,040 --> 00:53:15,440 need to, just to commune with the Lord and saying, oh God, 882 00:53:15,440 --> 00:53:18,040 please, I do need mercy in this area of my life. 883 00:53:18,040 --> 00:53:19,920 I need you to intervene. Lord, please. 884 00:53:20,160 --> 00:53:22,520 And if you don't know Christ, I'm going to be sitting on that 885 00:53:22,520 --> 00:53:26,000 Pew and I will stay there until midnight if I need to. 886 00:53:26,880 --> 00:53:31,080 If you do not know Christ, and even if you just have questions 887 00:53:31,080 --> 00:53:34,400 about your salvation about who Jesus is, I will sit here with 888 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:38,480 you as long as possible to help you know greater things about 889 00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:41,720 him and to answer any questions that you may have. 890 00:53:42,800 --> 00:53:45,160 And so, as the music is playing, even if during the music you 891 00:53:45,160 --> 00:53:48,200 want to plot beside me, I'll sit with you and I will answer and I 892 00:53:48,200 --> 00:53:50,920 will pray with you. Pastor Mark is there too. 893 00:53:50,920 --> 00:53:52,520 He's there, sitting there in the 4th row. 894 00:53:52,680 --> 00:53:54,760 He's willing to do that as well. If you came with a believer, I'm 895 00:53:54,760 --> 00:53:56,080 sure they're willing to do that as well. 896 00:53:56,240 --> 00:54:00,160 I want anybody here who doesn't know Christ to at least know 897 00:54:00,160 --> 00:54:02,560 that there was a church that I visited one day that loved me 898 00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:06,040 too much to let me go so easily. That's why we're here. 899 00:54:06,040 --> 00:54:10,440 You can come up, Praise team. If you wanna stay seated, you 900 00:54:10,440 --> 00:54:11,760 can do that. If you wanna stand and sing, you 901 00:54:11,760 --> 00:54:13,800 can do that. Nobody's forced to do anything. 902 00:54:13,800 --> 00:54:16,240 But I wanna give you the chance that if you need to have 903 00:54:16,240 --> 00:54:19,240 questions answered, I'm here for you and I wanna pray with you.