Live on Mission

Mel and Mary Jo - we’re going to keep doing this until we physically can’t. Would you write down can’t versus won’t?

Our precious mission involves six types of people who might be seeking Jesus

Luke 18:35–43 ESV

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42 And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” 43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

Jesus and the disciples are making their way to Jerusalem for passover, but they took a detour to Jericho. New Testament Jericho is different than Old Testament Jericho that was conquered and destroyed. This Jericho is about 15 miles from Jerusalem and would take about 6 hours travel time.

Mark 10 identifies this blind man as Bartimaeus. I imagine if Mark thought it was important to identify him, is it possible that he was a well-known member of the early church. Otherwise, why mention a person that people were not familiar with?

People who require mercy are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 35-38. Do you know the difference between mercy and grace? Mercy is not receiving a consequence that you deserve. Grace is receiving anything that you don’t deserve.

For Bartimaeus to request mercy would lean into the Jewish belief that his blindness was a result of sin. If we looked at John 9, we would see not every blind person had been judged. He’s authentically looking for a human that will be kind and gracious to him. Bartimaeus legitimately wanted to see Jesus and was willing to say anything necessary to get some attention from him.

It’s not a secret that I’m pretty good at Math, but that wasn’t always true. In 9th grade, I struggled through my class. There was one test toward the end of the school that made me nervous. If I didn’t pass that test, I was going to fail the class. The test was sitting on my desk and I scared to pick up my pencil. I looked around and said this quiet prayer, “God - If you let me pass this test, I will do anything you want with my life.” In that moment, I did not know that I would battle becoming a math teacher or entering vocational ministry a few years later

When a person is desperate for mercy, everything spiritual becomes an option to explore. In 2012, Ed Stetzer wrote that 86% of millennials are interested in having a conversation about Christianity, if given the opportunity. They are equally interested in having conversations about any other faith system.

Bartimaeus was desperate for mercy and turned to the correct spiritual answer, but many in our community turn to a spiritual answer that is based on works or emotions.

People discounted by others are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 39-40. Bartimaeus cried out for mercy and the people who led the parade rebuked his request and told him to be quiet. The NASB says they sternly told him to be silent. Bartimaeus, don’t interrupt our parade. Don’t bother Jesus. You’re just a blind beggar and that’s all you will ever be. Jesus has more important people to visit. You’re voice doesn’t matter. You’re not heard. Stop speaking.

Bartimaeus didn’t give up and cried out to Jesus a little louder. I love verse 40. In all the noise, Jesus stopped, spent time with him and had a real, personal conversation.

Do you know people that are not interested in becoming a Christian because they know you are one? How we treat people draws them to Jesus or gives them a reason to run in the other direction.

People with physical needs and lost hope are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 40-43.

Blindness was common in Israel and Jesus used it on occasion to illustrate spiritual ignorance. Blind people had no value other than begging. They were despised by their community because their condition was considered to be God’s judgment on their sin or their parent’s sin.

Mark 10 tells us that he needed a little encouragement from the people around him. “Have courage. Get up, he’s calling you.” When the two men were a little closer to each other, Jesus asked, “How can I help you?” Bartimaeus had his need met and glorified God. His testimony caused others to praise the Lord.

He needed a little help to get there. There will always be perceived physical and emotional barriers from people who need Jesus, especially if they had a traditional church experience. Do I dress the right way? Is my hair the right length or color? Will my tattoos be an issue? Will people judge me for smoking in the parking lot? Will people talk about me when I’m not around? How will church help my self-esteem? How will going to church increase my anxiety? How will I be encouraged by other people? Will I be loved? Will I have more hope in my life? Will church help my depression? Will church help me feel better?

Jesus healed Bartimaeus instantly and totally for the praise and glory of the Father.

Luke 19:1–10 ESV

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

People who seem to have everything are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 1-4. Being a tax collector was not a crime. The average tax rate throughout the Old Testament was about 23%. Jesus instructed people to pay their taxes as he paid his own taxes. Earlier in Luke, repentant tax collectors asked John the Baptist for advice about their careers. He told them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to” because tax collectors were known to overtax people and keep some for themselves. It is how many tax collectors gained wealth. The sin associated with tax collecting shouldn’t be confused with the necessary career of tax collection.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector. He was a regional manager. He was at the top of the pyramid and every tax collector below him was required to pay a percentage that went straight to Zacchaeus. It’s how he became wealthy. We should look at Zacchaeus as more than an unethical tax collector. It is likely he had a legitimate source of income, but earlier in his career he probably cheated those he could as often as he could.

He had accumulated enough wealth that he could give 50% to the poor and and have enough to repay 4x the amount of any fraud in his career. Even with all that wealth, there was something missing in his life. Money can’t explain Jesus and bring us close to him. Zacchaeus had to seek out Jesus and so do the people around us that seem to have everything they need.

People with unfavorable reputations are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 5-7. Jesus arrived at the tree Zacchaeus had climbed and told him to come down. I’m going to be your guest. I’m going to stay overnight at YOUR house. We’re going to spend time together and I’ll answer your questions. Zacchaeus was overjoyed. The people around him were not. Verse 7 says, “they grumbled.” This was an obvious form of disapproval. Booing the ref or umpire at a sporting event. Jesus is staying with THAT guy. We should warn him about Zacchaeus, maybe he doesn’t know. No self-respecting Jew would ever be a guest in somebody’s home that worked for the Romans. They bantered. They murmured. They spoke under their breath. Jesus and Zacchaeus became the conversation at the well.

Every person who knows Jesus has a “before Jesus” story. The fact that Romans 3:10 says - “There is none righteous, not even one” means we have a “before Jesus” story that maybe included an unfavorable reputation. I’m so thankful that Jesus calls people by name and extends an invitation to spend time with him. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

The same dinner conversation that Jesus had with Zacchaeus is the same dinner conversation he had with you and me and continues to have with people that live within 20 miles of our church building.

People who are ready for a different life are seeking Jesus

Look at verses 8-9. The rest of the story is that Zacchaeus had a different because he met Jesus. He went from being selfish to unselfish, from a taker to a giver, from stingy to generous, from an ethnic son of Abraham to a spiritual son of Abraham. Salvation had come into his home.

There are people in our community who are looking for a different. Dissatisfaction has many faces, many shapes and sizes. There are people around, maybe in this room, that would like a life that went from SOMETHING to SOMETHING DIFFERENT. In most cases, people are ready for a different life because their circumstances have imploded.

Romans 10:14 says, “How are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” All of us have work to do so those who are blindly seeking Jesus can hear the knock of Jesus on their life.

How did Jesus respond?

He stopped.

He had a conversation and listened.

He met a need when appropriate.

He talked about faith and salvation.

Look at verse 10 and underline it - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Our response to this message simply is 1 John 2:6, “whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” If Jesus’ mission was to seek and save the lost, then our mission is to walk in the same mission.

Who are you regularly inviting to church? Are you cultivating conversations about faith and salvation?