Life Changing Faith

Good morning… such a beautiful sight outside.

I will miss everyone’s smiling faces this week, but at least we can digitally gather, so please leave a message, or prayer request in the comments, and I wouldn’t want the weather to get in the way of your blessings, so don’t hesitate to use our digital giving option this week.

Just a quick note as I begin announcements, the refrigerator downstairs has decided it doesn’t want to refrigerate any longer. I’ve been looking around and talking with Amanda… Walmart has a smaller one on sale for $200, or we can take a chance on a full sized used one.

Blind No More: Calling Out to the Healer

Mark 10:46–52 “46 Then they came to Jericho. And later, as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a beggar who was blind named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the man who was blind, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And replying to him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the man who was blind said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”

Here we see the persistent faith of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, sitting in the dirt, who calls out to Jesus for healing despite the crowd's attempts to silence him. His faith and determination lead to his healing and restoration of sight, illustrating the power of calling out to Christ in our need.

3 different calls here...

1. Persistent Call of Faith

Mark 10:46–48 “46 Then they came to Jericho. And later, as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a beggar who was blind named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””

Bartimaeus's determination in calling out to Jesus despite the crowd's attempts to silence him, is recognized by Jesus.

Can you recognize in your own life, the external pressures that often drown out our calls for help. He faced disdain from those around him but remained steadfast, an act that speaks volumes about faith under pressure. Each time he cried out, he reaffirmed his belief and hope in Jesus.

Sometimes obstacles or voices might discourage us from seeking Jesus, but persistence can lead to transformation.

How often do we allow our surroundings to dictate our prayers?

His story challenges us to rise above societal discouragement to seek the Savior persistently, regardless of how others react.

2. Call of Compassion

Mark 10:49–50 “49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the man who was blind, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”50 And throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.”

How did Jesus' respond to Bartimaeus?

Jesus didn’t just hear him, He stopped!… Then He was drawing Bartimaeus in closer… calls him to come. Close enough to speak to him, close enough to heal, and close enough to change his life, but Jesus is prompting him to make the first move.

Jesus is attentive to our cries and ready to respond, but are you ready to move in closer. Did you see what Bartimaeus did, here? He threw off his cloak… the cloak that was his comfort and warmth, his old life.

3. Call for Transformation

Mark 10:51–52 “51 And replying to him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the man who was blind said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”

As He stops the great healer asks, what might be considered an obvious question… What do you want me to do for you? He’s asking for specifics here…

Now Bartimaeus calls Jesus Rabboni, which not just teacher like Rabbi would be, but something deeper… “master”. “I want to regain my sight”

This was not just a request for help, but a cry for surrender.

And we see that Jesus grants the request, but it’s showing us the importance of our faith, and it’s not just physical sight that is healed here.

It’s life changing restoration… we see our lives with new eyes.

His compassion for those who are marginalized, showing that He has come to restore sight both physically and spiritually for those who seek Him earnestly.

His life has been renewed, and what does he do, but follow Jesus down the road.

This teaches us about the power of clearly and boldly presenting our needs to Christ. Through faith, Jesus brings transformation, and restoration. Encourage listeners to be specific in their prayers, trusting in Jesus' power to heal and restore both physically and spiritually.

That’s what Grace does, it doesn’t just patch us up, it pulls us in, it never leaves us in the same dirt where we once were. Jesus wasn’t waiting for Bartimaeus to clean himself up, or get his life perfect, Jesus stopped because He meant to.

So if you’re calling out to Him, His grace is already at work.

So, what do you want Him to do for you?