Strength for when the road gets hard...

Intro: 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The New King James Version. (1982). (2 Co 5:17). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.All Things New. If you didn’t know the reason why we worship, if you didn’t know why we serve, why we give our tithes, offerings, time, work, why we bleed, sweat, and cry for the church, for the gospel, its because despite who we were.... shoot, despite who we ARE, Jesus died for our sins. “Behold, all things have become new.” The season of spring was what truly inspired this series. Year after year we see trees and plants die, and come to life again. The transitory seasons of winter and spring are the closest natural parallels to our life on earth that we can find. Some of you have been in a winter season all of your life, something, someone, someplace, sometime has caused you to die inside, and you even thought twice about coming to church today, but God says “I brought you here, and there’s a purpose for it: Behold all things are made new. God is telling you, I know the road has been rough, but today, Im giving you Strength For When The Road Gets Hard.

All Things New. If you didn’t know the reason why we worship, if you didn’t know why we serve, why we give our tithes, offerings, time, work, why we bleed, sweat, and cry for the church, for the gospel, its because despite who we were.... shoot, despite who we ARE, Jesus died for our sins. “Behold, all things have become new.” The season of spring was what truly inspired this series. Year after year we see trees and plants die, and come to life again. The transitory seasons of winter and spring are the closest natural parallels to our life on earth that we can find. Some of you have been in a winter season all of your life, something, someone, someplace, sometime has caused you to die inside, and you even thought twice about coming to church today, but God says “I brought you here, and there’s a purpose for it: Behold all things are made new. God is telling you, I know the road has been rough, but today, Im giving you Strength For When The Road Gets Hard.

The New King James Version Chapter 5

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

The New King James Version Chapter 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.

I. This is it.

A. Cmon, you’ve had this thought. There’s nothing more for me. This is what God put me here for, to work, and struggle. Paycheck to paycheck. Not knowing where the next meal was coming from. You don’t have the best paying job. This. Is. It. Then we read this scripture. Many people assume that Bartimaeus was begging because he was poor. They make the assumption that because of his disability, he was worthless. However, historically, in those days, in order to be a beggar you had to be certified and issued a cloak that let people know that you were for real begging. It was seen as a profession.

a. Bartimaeus didn’t beg because he was poor, he begged because he was made to believe that this was the only thing for him. His eyes blinded his body, but his circumstance blinded his soul.

b. Many of you view your profession as proof of your value. There is something inherently wrong with that because what you can do isn’t whats given you value. What you do for a living is only another lesson from God to help you accomplish HIS purpose in your life.

B.

II. You have heard, but do you believe?

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!”

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

A. How did Bartimaeus know how to address Jesus? God always has a purpose. There was a reason Bartimaeus was blind. It sharpened his sense of hearing. Here’s what you have to understand about God. If He allows the enemy to attack you in one direction, its because He has something planned to give you the victory. When the devil took Bartimaeus’ sight I imagine God saying “ go for it.” Why? Why would God be so cruel? Because we “walk by faith not by sight.” Now as if that weren’t enough, scripture teaches us that faith comes by HEARING and HEARING the word. Day after day he would hear people speak, and that was his news program. He heard about this Jesus, and what He had been doing, and faith started building in Him.

B. When he HEARD that Jesus was near, he cried out. He had so much faith built up in him from hearing about Jesus, that he knew this was his chance. He didn’t care what was going on, He was desperate for a change. How desperate are you for a change? How much do you believe?

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!”

He had so much faith built up in him from hearing about Jesus, that he knew this was his chance. He didn’t care what was going on, He was desperate for a change. How desperate are you for a change? How much do you believe?

C.

C.

48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

How desperate are you for the change? Here’s the thing, many of don’t find the change, because we allow the people around us to keep us down. We allow the people around us to keep us broke. Do you want change bad enough that you would shake off everything that is keeping you where you are? Don’t be that person that compromises. That person that says I want to be successful and when you see what it takes you start throwing things out, oh well I really don’t need to do this, oh I don’t need to do that. There are certain things that we compromise, and one of those things is the company we keep. If you want to elevate your walk you better elevate your company. Bartimaeus was tired of letting those around him keep him from getting the change he needed. So he shouted louder.

D. Here’s what’s so powerful about what Bartimaeus did… it made Jesus stop dead in his tracks.

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.”

If Gabriella wants something bad enough, she will do whatever it takes to get our attention. In the same way, often times we don’t get what we ask God for because we don’t want it bad enough.

III.

III. No sacrifice, No change.

A. 50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

Hold on a second. Jesus hadn’t done anything yet. Why did he throw his cloak aside? That was his way of earning money, that was the way that he was able to eat. How did he know that Jesus would heal him? He had been hearing of Jesus for so long, and so much faith had built up inside of him that he threw off his profession, because he was so desperate for a change, and knew that this was his moment.

B.

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.”

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. Its important that you know what to ask for. Sometimes we ask for things that don’t free us, and the devil is okay with that, because we stay in our beggars mentality. I heard a preacher say something that is so true, “The devil has no problem with you begging for anything, just not jesus.” Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants Jesus to do for him. Jesus was testing his heart. Was this about real change, or were you just going to satisfy the need? Bartimaeus could’ve asked for anything.... but he was desperate for one thing: his sight. He knew that everything else could come to him as long as he could see. That was the key, the root.

Its important that you know what to ask for. Sometimes we ask for things that don’t free us, and the devil is okay with that, because we stay in our beggars mentality. I heard a preacher say something that is so true, “The devil has no problem with you begging for anything, just not jesus.” Jesus asks Bartimaeus what he wants Jesus to do for him. Jesus was testing his heart. Was this about real change, or were you just going to satisfy the need? Bartimaeus could’ve asked for anything.... but he was desperate for one thing: his sight. He knew that everything else could come to him as long as he could see. That was the key, the root.

Conclusion: How long did Bartimaeus beg? How long had he been there? Certainly the road had been hard. However, it was for a reason. Know this, God knows exactly why He has you where you are. He know’s its been hard, but He has conditioned you for this. He has given you the strength to endure, because there is a purpose. He wants to change your life. He wants to give you what you are so desperate for. Here’s the last thing you have to know about Bartimaeus… after Jesus healed him… he didn’t go back. He didn’t go back to being a beggar.

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.

You can’t get what you need from Jesus and go back to the way you used to be. It negates what God did. You love to blame God for having you where you are, yet you refuse to leave that place. You gotta know today that God desires to change your life, however you have to be so desperate for that change that you are will to leave everything behind to follow Him. Youve been begging a long time, youve been blind, but today God wants to heal you, He wants to change your life! He’s not done with you yet. Leave it all behind, follow Him, and watch what He does through you!