Cry out
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Let it not be this way with you
Model of a servant leader
The passage we are going to cover today is very short, and it could almost be seen as an insignificant event, but what I believe we see here is a pause before the storm. There is no real way for us to understand how much time has passed from Jesus’ statement in verse 28 and what we read in verse 29, but regardless, Jesus and his disciples are now leaving Jericho as they move closer and closer to Jerusalem. Closer and closer to the cross!
This is Jesus final week before he goes to the cross and we will cover it over the next 8 chapters and 5 months. Today though, we will look at Jesus as he pauses to show compassion to two desperate souls.
Have you ever been desperate in life? What did it drive you to do?
Some enter times of desperation and turn from the Lord because they “don’t see him working” while others turn to the Lord as they realize that He is the only answer to their problems.
Here at the end of chapter 20 of Matthew, we see find Jesus once again gathering a crowd as he travels through Jericho. People must have been talking about who he was and what he was doing because not only did he draw a crowd, but His name caught the attention of these two desperate souls.
Cry Out
Cry Out
29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
For Geography Sake: We see here that Jesus and the disciples have just passed through Jericho as they were moving on to Jerusalem which was about 15 miles from Jericho. This was not the same Jericho as the one destroyed in the book of Joshua as the Israelites were coming into the promise land. This one had been rebuilt by Heil of Bethel as written in 1 Kings 16. This new Jericho was about a mile south of the location of the original city.
The two blind men sitting by the roadside were beggars. In that culture people looked down on those with infirmities and in this case were also beggars. The thing is, once you’ve lost your ability to work you had no way of earning an income. People that had no income were forced to be dependent on their family but if they didn’t have family, they were forced to beg for money. They were typically filthy, dressed in rags and generally seen as unclean to the general public.
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.
In Mark 10:46 it actually names one of the men. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus. The root word for Batimaeus’s dad’s name means, (foul in a religious sense:—defiled, infamous, polluted(-tion), unclean.) Many theologians define Bartimaeus’s name as “Son of Excrement”.
Incidentally, regardless of name meanings, these men are also included in the truth of Matthew 20:28.
28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
They are included in the “many”. They had heard that Jesus was passing by. They couldn’t see him which means people were talking about Him or the men asked and people told them who it was that was passing by.
What is their reaction to Jesus passing by? They cried out. They seized the opportunity to cry out to the Lord in their desperation, but not just desperation. They cried out in faith to the only one that could and would do anything about their situation.
This word for cried out in the greek is (κράζω krázō, krad'-zo; a primary verb; properly, to "croak" (as a raven) or scream, i.e. (genitive case) to call aloud (shriek, exclaim, intreat):—cry (out).)
What did they cry out? “LORD have mercy on us, Son of David!” God have compassion on us! This statement “Son of David” as we’ve looked at before is a Messianic proclamation! They were proclaiming that he is the Messiah! In their desperation they glorified Jesus. They gave Him full honor with this title.
Crying Out In Our Needs and desires!
Crying Out In Our Needs and desires!
Need for healing!
Need for comfort!
Need for our children!
Needs in our marriage!
What are you desperate for? In what do you need to cry out to the Lord for Help, trusting that He is there with you?
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
I find comfort I knowing the Lord is with me.
I find comfort I knowing the Lord is with me.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.
I find comfort knowing that it’s the Lord that fights my battles
I find comfort knowing that it’s the Lord that fights my battles
12 O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”
Crowd Rebukes
Crowd Rebukes
31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Stew Weber -
The crowd rebuked the men, telling them to be quiet, lest they disturb the important holy man. But these were desperate men. No social taboos would rob them of this opportunity for healing.
“When the world and the devil begin to rebuke, in this case, it is a proof that the salvation of God is nigh; therefore, let such cry out a great deal the more.” (Clarke)
What about your times of desperation? Do you sit in pain quietly? OR, do you cry out with everything in your being? We have no idea how the Lord will answer our plea, but we should cry out all the more!
My Time of Crying Out!
My Time of Crying Out!
In my life, the greatest moments where I saw God move and change things in my life, where when I was completely submitted to His will. I didn’t care about what I wanted anymore! I just wanted whatever he wanted for me.
When I got saved.
When I felt called to ministry.
When God called us to FamilyLife.
When God called us to leave FamilyLife.
When God called me to be the pastor of this church.
The moment I heard my dad’s diagnosis.
I’m to the point in my life where I just don’t care any more about what I want. I just want what God wants for me and my marriage and family.
You’ve go to cry out to the Lord, desperate for Him to intervene, no matter your situation, know that he can do for you what you can’t do for yourselves.
“Take the gates of heaven and shake them with thy vehemence, as though thou wouldst pull them up post and bar and all. Stand at Mercy’s door, and take no denial. Knock, and knock, and knock again, as though thou wouldst shake the very spheres, but what thou wouldst obtain an answer to thy cries. ‘The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.’ Cold prayers never win God’s ear. Draw thy bow with thy full strength, if thou wouldst send thy arrow up so high as heaven.” (Spurgeon)
Jesus, hearing their second plea for mercy, stopped. With everything that He had before him on his road to the cross, Jesus stopped out of compassion, and asked them a question. “What do you want me to do for you?” We know from scripture that God knows our prayers before the words ever leave our lips. HE knows our needs, our hurts, our hearts cry out of desperation before we ever utter the words, but he desires for us to come to him as our heavenly father.
Jesus Heals They Follow
Jesus Heals They Follow
33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.
Jesus - He wanted the men to verbalize their faith in him, and they did.
These men stated in faith not only what they wanted in their deepest desires, but they stated it to the only One whom they knew could bring it to pass. The king’s heart compelled him to action on behalf of others. Jesus ministered through touch, demonstrating his lack of fear of the uncleanness or lowly status of these men.
Stuart K. Weber
These men, were immediately healed and immediately got up and followed Jesus!
It is always hard to read stories like this and look at situations in our own lives where healing hasn’t come or didn’t come and caused us to loose loved ones, or remain in pain or infirmity continually, so, how do we wrestle with that and still come out with our faith in tact?
We have to remember that God does not promise a stress free life. He doesn’t promise that all things that cause pain and suffering will be finished this side of eternity!
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The life that we look forward to as believers in Jesus Christ is the day when there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more suffering.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
For now, we will have tribulation and suffering. Romans 8:16-18
16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
What a glorious promise! Even though we suffer, we have the privilege of suffering with Christ, as Christ did, in order that we may also be glorified in Him! And what we suffer now, for the time we have on earth, this side of eternity, doesn’t even compare to the glory that will be revealed to us when we come face to face with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ!
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Cry out to the Lord in your pain! Cry out to Him knowing that he is the only one who can bring your comfort and peace in your time of trial.
Lets pray!