November 7, 2010 – Time Change Sunday
Sheepfold Ministries – Pastor Phil Roland
Time to Make a Change
MARK 10:46-52
Blind Bartimaeus Challenges Us to Change Several Ways
I. HE SHOWS US HOW TO DESIRE CHANGE – V. 51
“So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
A. Bartimaeus lived in darkness,” no color or beauty
1. No sunrise. . .No sunset. . .No Spring flowers
2. Never gazed at his mother’s face
B. Jesus asked him what he wanted, he replied, “I want to see.”
C. Desired relief from the burden of physical blindness
1. What about your Spiritual Blindness?
2. Helen Keller Quote when asked, “Isn’t it terrible to be Blind?”
“Better to be blind and see with your heart than to have two good eyes and see nothing.”
3. The God of this age has blinded eyes so they cannot see the dangers of sin
“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded,” 2 Corinthians 4:3,4
4. You become blind to the brevity of life
5. You become blind to the reality of God’s Judgment and Hell
D. Bartimaeus was blind, but desired not to stay that way: He wanted to see
E. Amazingly, not everyone desires change
1. Live like Oscar the Grouch in the garbage can of sin and misery
2. Enjoy living like a pig, wallowing in the mud and muck of sin
3. Change goes against their grain, like fingernails on a blackboard
4. Change is frightening and scary
F. Before some will change they have to reach life’s bottom
1. Is Jesus your only Hope?
2. Are desperate enough to turn your life over to Him?
G. Changing Point: Do what Bartimaeus did!
“Know Jesus, Know peace”. . .”No Jesus, No peace”
II. BARTIMAEUS URGES US TO STOP PROCRASTINATING – Mk 10:46
“Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great
multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.”
A. Market Day – Many people, animals, curious smells, camels’ hooves, haggling prices
B. People shout and run, “Jesus is passing by!”
1. Bartimaeus’ heart begins to pound
2. He begins to tremble as though he has a chill
3. He is frozen in place by his roadside begging station
4. He could have procrastinated: he's insignificant: a blind begger
5. God is too busy for him, He’s too holy
6. Bartimaeus could have missed Jesus, on his way to the cross
TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE, cont., p.2
C. Had he had put off his opportunity to approach Jesus, he would have missed the boat
1. In our humanity we are all procrastinators
2. We can always put off doing something we need to do
3. Unknown poet writes,
“I spent a fortune on a trampoline,
A stationary bike and a rowing machine
Complete with gadgets to read my pulse,
And gadgets to prove my progress results,
And others to show the miles I’ve charted---
But they left off the gadget to get me started!”
4. Excuses, excuses, excuses. . .
"I can’t start my diet today because I’m going to Friday’s Black Sheep Luncheon”
“I can’t start exercising today because my treadmill is broken”
“I can’t accept Jesus as my Savior until I clean up my act.”
5. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2,
“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”
D. Stop procrastinating and cry out to Jesus! Today is the day of salvation!
III. HE SAYS, STOP WORRYING ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE SAY / THINK
“And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he
cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:47-48
A. Bartimaeus didn’t care what people would think
B. Many people warned him to be quiet
1. Greek text implies a continued threat, “You better be quiet or else!”
2. The more they threatened, he kept shouting,
“Son of David, have mercy on me.”
C. He didn’t care what people thought of him
1. People couldn’t shame him into silence
2. He would not be quieted with intimidation
D. Elephants can be shackled by a simple stake and a chain
1. Classical conditioning is done when they are small
2. Never forget when they reach maturity and are confined by an easily broken chain
E. People become like that: shackled by Peer Pressure
1. Harsh words of darkness from family and friends
2. Hard judgmental stares of others limit them
3. Concerned about their words of criticism
IV. HE TEACHES US TO CRY OUT TO JESUS IN FAITH - Mark 10:47-48
"And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
A. Bartimaeus had no eyesight, but he had keen insight
"Son of David, have mercy on me!"
TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE, cont., p.3
B. The prophet Nathan's Prophetic Vision for David - 2 Samuel 7:12-16
"When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your
seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his
kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of
his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. . And your
house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne
shall be established forever."
1. Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was: God's promised Messiah
2. Israelites waited for centuries for a Davidic descendant as Messiah
C. Hear Bartimaeus' anguished cry of faith, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
1. He knew that NOW was the time! It was now or never!
2. His opportunity wouldn't present itself again
D. Have you ever cried out to Jesus in Faith like Bartimaeus?
1. No one else can do it for you
2. You have to rise up, give voice to your need: CRY OUT!
E. Notice what happened when Jesus heard Bartimaeus' cry - Mark 10:49
"So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the
blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
1. Jesus had a mission in Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world
2. Jesus was focused and busy
3. He had time to hear the heart-felt cry of a blind beggar
4. The cry of faith stopped Jesus in His tracks
F. Notice Bartimaeus' response, He throws aside his garment - Mark 10:50
"And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus."
1. He probably caught the few coins tossed to him in the garment
2. He was self-abandoned, no longer needing resources from others
G. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could heal him with life-changing power
"So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?"
The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus
said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he
received his sight." Mark 10:51-52
1. Jesus treated him with dignity and asked,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
2. Bartimaeus was man and not an "it," a blind beggar
H. Call on Jesus - Romans 10:13
“For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
I. SUMMARY: Desire change, stop procrastinating, don’t worry about what
people will say, and cry out to Jesus in faith and He will save you
"Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And
immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road." - Mk. 10:52
V. BARTIMAEUS SHOWED US TO KEEP FOLLOWING JESUS
A. Bartimaeus immediately left all and followed the One who gave him sight
1. Assume he became a life-long follower of Jesus (Disciple)
2. Didn't just get his sight and walk away
B. Discipleship is following Jesus wherever He leads
1. Jesus is the Lord and Savior
2. Is He your Lord and Savior?
Time to Make a Change
Mark 10:46-52
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
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