Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters -BARTIMAEUS-“WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,”?
Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters -BARTIMAEUS- “WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD,”?
Summary:
Life is a journey that we all must
travel. It is filled with lessons, hardships, heartaches, joys,
celebrations and special moments that will ultimately lead us to our
destination and cause us to fulfill our purpose in life. However,
along the way we will. Bartimaeus a man who took steps to
change his life that we can use to change our lives.
Series: Building Biblical Character Through Knowing Bible Characters
Date: 18, October 2015
Scripture Reading:
Mark 10:42-52
INTRODUCTION
Verse
46b:- “blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the
highway side begging.”
WATCH
THIS:
His condition caused him to sit by the side of the road, but his
name was Bartimaeus, he is the son of Timaeus. In Hebrew the “Bar”
means sons of. In Matthew
16:17 when
Jesus said to Peter “Blessed
art thou Simon Barjona”
he was saying blessed art thou Simon son of Jona. Timaeus was his
father and the name Timaeus means value and honor. Therefore
Bartimaeus is the son of value and honor.
Have
you ever been traveling down the road in your car moving along just
fine, enjoying life, the traffic is moving at a good pace, the day
is bright and you are listening to your favorite songs on the radio
with your head just bobbin when all of the sudden your engine light
comes on, you hear a bunch of clanging and clattering coming from
your car, steam begins to rise from the hood, and you begin to slow
down rapidly. You manage to pull over to the side of the road, get
out of the car open up the hood when steam bellows out the top. You
notice water and oil is running from beneath. Your automobile is now
out of commission, you climb back in your automobile and now you
find yourself sitting in your car on the side of the road. Just
because you are sitting on the side of the road does not stop life
from moving forward cars are passing your by –zoom zoom zoom and
you are sitting there on the side of the road. Every time a truck
passes you by it shacks your cars but you are still sitting there on
the side of the road. While you are sitting there on the side of the
road frustration begins to build because life is going on yet you
are sitting here on the side of the road. Time is passing by and you
are sitting here on the side of the road. Discouragement and
disappointment show up while you are sitting there on the side of
the road. Hopelessness and despair soon follow while you are sitting
there on the side of the road.
You
were doing everything right being the good wife or the good husband
when all of the sudden your marriage falls apart and you find
yourself sitting there on the side of the road.
You
exercised daily, ate the proper food, took all the vitamins you
could and go to the doctor for a routine check up only to receive a
bad report now you find yourself sitting on the side of the road of
life frustrated, disappointed, and hopeless.
You
had plans to travel and see the world when you go into work they
tell you that the company is closing and your retirement is lost now
you find yourself sitting on the side of the road.
You
have the vision God has given you when all off the sudden everyone
leaves the church except a very few. You know what God has showed
you and promised to you yet you find yourself sitting on the side of
the road.
QUESTION:-
What are you going to do when you find yourself sitting by the side
of the road. The
question becomes and is the subject of this message “WHAT
DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD”?
Bartimaeus
a man who took steps to change his life that we can use to change
our lives.
SCRIPTURE READING
Mark
10:42-52
[42] Jesus called the apostles and said, "You know that the acknowledged rulers of nations have absolute power over people and their officials have absolute authority over people.
[43] But that’s not the way it’s going to be among you. Whoever wants to become great among you will be your servant.[44] Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone.[45] It’s the same way with the Son of Man. He didn’t come so that others could serve him. He came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many people."[46] Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus, his disciples, and many people were leaving Jericho, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.[47] When he heard that Jesus from Nazareth {was passing by}, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"[48] The people told him to be quiet. But he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"[49] Jesus stopped and said, "Call him!" They called the blind man and told him, "Cheer up! Get up! He’s calling you."[50] The blind man threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.[51] Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Teacher, I want to see again."[52] Jesus told him, "Go, your faith has made you well." At once he could see again, and he followed Jesus on the road.
This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. May the sweet Holy Spirit add His manifold blessings to our text this morning... in our hearing. Amen! You may be seated in God's Presence.
Sermon:
Here
in our text we find Jesus is on a journey out of Jericho and he is
headed to Jerusalem to ultimately complete the journey for which he
came and that is the cross. As he leaves Jericho he encounters a man
that is traveling through life literally sitting on the side of the
road.
Sometimes on the journey of life you find yourself sitting on
the side of the road.
In
this scripture, we see a demonstration of the steps one man took to
change his life. We find here the basic steps we need to change our
lives –Seven basic steps to get out of hopelessness WHEN
YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD”.
Jesus had been preaching and teaching in the area around the Sea of
Galilee. It was on his way to Jerusalem, he passed through Jericho
and there he encounters a blind man named Bartimaeus. What steps do
we find here to help us?
1 – YOU NEED TO Assume responsibility For Your Life!
“When
Bartimaeus heard that Jesus from Nazareth was nearby, he began to
shout out.”
Bartimaeus
heard a sound, what he heard cause him to ask what was going on. If
you want the world to inquire what is going on in that church, make
some noise. When you make some noise the people will become to come
why because inquiring minds want to know. One needs to own up
to your responsibility. Many people talk about their problems and
they say that it’s always someone else’s fault? So we have
teenagers who place blame on their parents. We have parents who place
the blame on their children. We have workers who place the blame on
their co-workers or their boss. There are things that will happen to
you that you cannot control, but you can be in command of your
reaction. Let’s repeat that. There are things that will happen to
you that you cannot control, but you can be in command of your
reaction. Have you not heard people say “He
makes me so mad” or “She makes me so mad”? Who has
control over you to make you mad? The person who can make you mad is
the one you see in the mirror. True people do things that upset you,
things you do not like, things that hurt you. You make the decision
how to respond.
When
Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out,
and say,
WATCH
THIS:-
cry out means to scream or shout aloud. It is a sound that is made
with your mouth. We have it messed up and think that to shout is to
dance, that’s not it. To shout or cry out is to make a sound with
your mouth. Your mouth contains your lips, the Bible says in Hebrews
13:15 “By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his
name”.
Look
at what Bartimaeus did. He didn't blame someone else. He didn't think that God or anyone else owed him something. He went go to
Jesus. He knew his help was in a power higher than himself. He cried
out to Jesus for help. He humbled himself and sought help and
deliverance. He was not the one who made himself blind but instead of
blaming others he cried out for help from the One who made sight.
Bartimaeus
began to say Jesus, [thou] Son of David, have mercy on me.
WATCH
THIS:-
This is a divine complete request or cry. The number 9 in the Bible
means divine completeness Bartimaeus cried out 9 words Jesus,
[thou] Son of David, have mercy on me.
This is literally blind faith, because Bartimaeus never saw a miracle
that Jesus had done. He didn't see the water turned to wine, he didn't see a withered hand made straight, he did see Jesus walk on
the water but he had faith that came the Bible way. He had heard of
the miracles of Jesus. Romans
10:17 says
“So
then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.
Because he heard that Jesus was passing by his faith quickened
something down on the inside of him and caused him to cry out, he
realized that this was his opportunity to receive what he need from
the Lord and he began to cry out Jesus,
[thou] Son of David, have mercy on me.
2 – YOU NEED TO Believe that You Can CHANGE:
“The
blind man said, "Teacher, I want to see again." WATCH
THIS:-
Bartimaeus said 7 words, 7 is the number of perfection. This was a
perfect praise! He believed that Jesus would do
something so he wouldn't walk away the same. He believed that he’d
be DIFFERENT. Why
is it that some pray, “God, if you’ll just change my employer";
“if you’ll just change my husband or my wife or my children?”
“If you’ll just change my friend, my relative, or where I have to
live.” God does not say that he will change your situation.
What He does promise is that He will change you. He is able to change
your attitude, your viewpoint, your outlook. Then you can change your
attitude toward your situation. Bart knew that Jesus could
change him and that is what he wanted. What have you asked Jesus for
lately?
Verse
51 a)
And
Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do
unto thee?
WATCH
THIS:
Jesus said 9 words AND remember 9 means divine completeness. Specific
prayers get specific answers. Jesus already knew what the man needed.
Jesus wanted the man to say it. How
often do we play communication games with others? Such as wife will
say, “He doesn't meet my needs.” “Does he know what you
need”? “If he loves me, he ought to know!” He ought to
know, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he really knows. You have
to tell him what your needs are. I
like to help my wife but there are times she needs to say will you do
me a favor? Will you wash the dishes? Will you take out the trash?
Will you rub my back? There are times when I will do these things
without being asked but occasionally I need to be told. What about a
spouse that will say, “I’m so mad at him”. He has no clue that
you are mad at him for he is slow to catch on. I at times need to
know that I have upset my wife and she needs to let me know.
If this happens as an example why do we assume that since God
knows everything, we don’t have to tell him? He wants us to tell
him what we need, exactly what we need. Jesus meets your needs when
you tell him what your needs are and I have found that many a time He
goes beyond what I have asked for. Could it be that He sometimes
doesn’t meet our needs because we never tell Him what we really
want. Notice Bartimaeus’ cry – “Have
mercy on me”. He was beggar just as we are in need of God’s
mercy and grace. He didn’t cry out for food, or clothing, or money
or housing which were needs I am sure he had. He received his sight
that day. He was clear in what he needed and Jesus responded. Because
he was clear in what he asked for he was healed that day. What is
your need for today? Have your clearly asked for it?
4
– YOU NEED TO be not bothered about What Other People Will Say:
“The
people told him to be quiet. They were telling him, “Nobody wants
to hear what you have to say! Be quiet.”
WATCH
THIS:- This isn't the right place.
This isn't the right time. Nobody’s ever done it that way before.
You shouldn't do that. We find ourselves in difficulty when we
worry about what other people think or will think. Would you believe
that here everyone else was wrong. Everyone else told him he shouldn't do it that way. He didn't care what the practice was.
He didn't care if all the people agreed that you just don’t
approach Jesus that way. Church folk told him to keep quite.
It is amazing to me how when you are sitting by the side of the road
and life is passing you by that church folk will always try to give
you advice that seems to benefit them not realizing what you are
going through. Oh you know what they say “If
it had been me I would of left a long time ago” “If I were you I wouldn't go back to that church again” “I don’t understand
why they just don’t go on and close the doors of the church” “If
I were the pastor I would just turn in the keys and say I am done”.
That’s why you aren't the pastor because God knew if he had
chosen you that you would have quit. That’s why they are still
single because they left instead of standing and holding on to God’s
unchanging hand. That’s why they find themselves running from
church to church never becoming stable and steadfast because the
moment they find themselves sitting by the side of the road they give
up.
I am reminded of a commercial on T.V. that says you have come to the point in life were you don’t let things bother you. The man is driving down a muddy dirt road in a truck with a trailer on the back, the truck gets stuck in the mud, and instead of the man getting upset throwing a fit and panicking leaving the truck stuck in the mud. He gets out of the truck walks to the back of the trailer and pulls out 2 horses, he hooks the horses up to the truck, climbs back in the truck, puts it in drive and says getty-up. The horses pull the truck out of the mud, then he puts the horses back in the trailer and drives on down the road.
There
are some things you have to do when you find yourself sitting by the
side of the road. He knew he needed help and
he refused to be denied. Have you prayed for something and God hasn't answered you yet? Keep on calling out to God. Is there a need God hasn't met it yet. Keep on calling out to God. Are you hurting and
don’t have an answer? Keep on crying out to God. Are people telling
you to give up? Are people telling you to quit. Are people telling
you that God doesn't care? Are you worried about what other people
think or what other people will say? Are you concerned about how it
might look? Are you worried that other people will think you foolish?
Do not worry are the words of Jesus. So don’t quit. Don’t
give up. Just cry out even louder! Perseverance – one of the
greatest attributes a Christian can have is persistence. Jesus told a
parable about the neighbor who comes at midnight and rewarded for his
persistence. When we stand before God He will not ask what others
think but what we believe. What do you believe today, that will make
life, as God wants you to have?
We need a
revival, a renewing, refreshing, and a restoration.
Bartimaeus
cried more a great deal –
my mind goes to the scripture in Matthew
11:12 that
says “And
from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven
suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force”.
Bartimaeus had suffered the violence of sin and people where trying
to hold him down, but he by a force that was burning deep down on the
inside said I got to get what I have need of, for it is this prayer
of earnest that reaches the heart of God, for it comes from deep
within your soul. Psalms
42:7 says
“Deep
calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and
thy billows are gone over me”.
5 – YOU NEED TO Stop Waiting for perfect CONDITIONS:
46
“a great crowd was following.” He was waiting beside the
road. Others were already traveling with Jesus. Others already had
the opportunity.
WATCH
THIS:- Following him were his
disciples and a great number of people. I like to call them church
folk and those that hang around the church. They are the one that are
there just to see what is going on, you know them they are nosey,
they are looking for something and what they can get. They hang
around they church but their purpose is not the church neither the
things of the church. They say I want a husband or I want a wife so
they hang around the church looking think that they can name it and
claim it or they are there to gossip, stir up mess and watch and see
what the true disciples are going to do. Bartimeaus it seems
would have no chance. Did you know that this is the last time Jesus
would come to Jerusalem? If he had missed Jesus, if he had waited for
“more ideal conditions",
he never would have been healed. We have to quit waiting for just the
right time. We have to quit waiting for the right opportunity to come
along. It may not happen. We have
to seize the opportunities God gives us – when He gives them.
I ask you today to seek Jesus while He is here. Life will never give
you a perfect time but I want you to know God’s time is always.
6 – YOU NEED TO Do Something Bold and DRAMATIC:
“The
blind man threw off his coat, jumped up, and went to Jesus.”
WATCH
THIS - LOOK AT WHAT HE DID
- casting away his garment, he had been wrapped up in this mess long
enough, he knew he had to let go of some stuff. He knew what Isaiah
had prophesied in Isaiah
61:3 “to
give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;”.
He didn't just sit there on the side of the road, but he got up,
got rid of some stuff and came to Jesus. The Bible doesn't say
this, but I like to believe that people tried to hold his hand, grab
him by the arm and lead him to Jesus, but Bartimaeus had faith and I
believe he told the people you didn't help me when I was sitting by
the roadside so you don't need to help me now. But I believe
Bartimaeus said Psalms
199:105 “Thy
word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.
And he began to walk by faith until he got to Jesus. Sometimes,
we have to do something different. We can’t do the same old thing.
If you’re going to break out of our rut; if you want life to be
different, you need to do something bold and dramatic. Hebrews
12:1 says; "let
us lay aside every weight, every sin that so easily entangles us.”
It
says to lay aside every burden and every sin. Whatever is that is
keeping you from keeping Jesus first in your life? Whatever is
keeping you from running to Jesus? Whatever is holding you back from
surrendering your life to the LORDSHIP
of
Jesus? Bartimaeus took off his coat and ran to Jesus. He did
something bold, dramatic and different. How many times have you
heard? “When
I get older.” “When I get more time.” “When I get the
chance.” “After I get past this test, or this meeting, or this
problem, or this trouble.” “Just
do it!” James
1:22-25 “Do
what God’s word says. Don’t merely listen to it, or you will fool
yourselves. [23] If someone listens to God’s word but doesn’t do
what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror,
[24] studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he
looks like. [25] However, the person who continues to study God’s
perfect teachings that make people free and who remains committed to
them will be blessed. People like that don’t merely listen and
forget; they actually do what God’s teachings say.“
7 – Follow JESUS:
“Then
he followed Jesus down the road.”
After you've followed the six steps above to break out of your rut in
2015, then do what Bartimaeus did, FOLLOW
Jesus!!
Here
are the very people that a moment ago told him to be quite and hold
his peace now they see that Bartimaeus has got the attention of Jesus
and that Jesus has commanded him to come to him. They now know that
Bartimaeus is going to be blessed, he is going to have a one on one
audience with the Lord and they now flip the script. They tell
Bartimaeus be of good comfort for he calleth thee.
It
is amazing how people will put you down, leave you alone, walk out on
you, turn their back on you when things seem to be dark, but when God
starts blessing they want to be right there, they want to hold your
hand, carry your Bible, drive you around, get all close to you, ask
is there anything I can do for you. Tell them YES
GET OUT OF MY WAY I AM GOING TO SEE THE KING OF KINGS.
I
CAN MAKE IT FROM THERE
The
story is told of the little boy that had wondered away from his home,
not paying attention to where he had wondered to as he followed
his dog until he noticed that his surroundings were no longer
familiar to him. His eyes welled up with tears, his little heart
filled with fright. Directly, his emotions were no longer
controllable. He stood on the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. Soon, a
police officer noticed the young boy crying. He approached the little
fellow. "What is the matter, son?" Through his tears and
sobbing, the little boy said, "I’m lost! I had followed my dog
away from home and now I’m lost!" and sobbed even more. The
police officer knelt down beside the little one and gently said,
"Son, not to worry. I’ll help you get home." The little
boy took a step backward. The police officer gently said, "I’ll
not hurt you. My job is to see to it that you get safely home. Please
let me help." After a second or two, the little fellow took the
officer by the hand. "Now, where do you live? What is the name
of the street?" the officer asked. The little one looked around
and said, "I can’t remember the name of my street." His
fear began to return. "O.K." the police officer said. "What
is your telephone number? We can call your Mom or Dad and they can
come get you." "We don’t have a telephone in our house."
"Well, then, can you give me a landmark of some kind?"
"Yes," the little one said and brightened up. "Not too
far from our house is a church with a high steeple with a cross on
top of it. Do you know where that steeple might be?" "Yes,
I do, son." "Well, then, please take me to the foot of that
cross and I can make if from there!" Author
Unknown
INVITATION AND THE FINAL CHALLENGE
WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE
ROAD!!!!!!!
Are
you gonna sit there and die or are you gonna get up from there and
praise the Lord.
Bartimaeus
was sitting there and heard that Jesus was passing by his faith
kicked in and he began to call upon the name of the Lord. WATCH
THIS:- His faith was in him. The Bible says in 2
Timothy 1:6 “Wherefore I put thee in
remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by
the putting on of my hands”. The gift is in you but you have
to stir it up.
When
you are going through a test sometimes it seems like God is not
speaking, but WATCH THIS:- in
school when the teacher gave you a test they didn't talk during the
test because they did all their talking before the test. When the
test came they just watched you take the test because the answer was
inside of you. Well Jesus is the great teacher and the test has you
sitting on the side of the road, but he is watching and waiting to
see what you are going to do because he has already place the answer
inside of you, so sit it up in faith.
Bartimaeus
cried out. We got to praise in our circumstances.
Bartimaeus
got Jesus attention. We must pray earnestly form the depths of our
souls.
Bartimaeus
got up and threw off his garment. We can’t sit here and die, but
get up throw off the past, throw off the junk, throw off the hard
feelings, throw off the ridicule, throw off the garment of heaviness
and begin to walk by faith.
Bartimaeus
gave perfect praise. We need to praise God. Stop complaining and
start praising. For it was praising that brought about a change in
Bartimaeus.
WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DO WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF SITTING BY THE SIDE OF THE
ROAD? I DON”T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I GONNA PRAISE THE LORD.
One
song writer said I - I GOTTA A PRAISE - I GOTTA
A PRAISE AND I GOTTA GET IT OUT.
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