What Are You Looking For

What Are You Looking For

Story: There was a good-natured millionaire in the town. Three beggars thought of approaching him for help. The first man went to the millionaire and said: "O Lord! I want five rupees. Please give me." The millionaire was taken aback at this man's request. "What! You demand five rupees from me as though I owe you the money! How dare you? How can I afford to give five rupees to a single beggar? Here, take these two rupees and get away," he said. The man went away with the two rupees. The next beggar went to the millionaire and said: "Oh Lord! I have not taken a square meal for the past ten days. Please help me." "How much do you want?" asked the millionaire. "Whatever you give me, dear sir," replied the beggar. "Here, take this ten rupee note. You can have nice food for at least three days." The beggar walked away with the ten rupee note. The third beggar came. "Oh Lord, I have heard about your noble giving’s. Therefore, I have come to see you. Men of such charitable disposition are verily the manifestations of God on earth," he said.

"Please sit down," said the millionaire. "You appear to be tired. Please take this food," he said, and offered food to the beggar. "Now please tell me what I can do for you." "Oh Lord," replied the beggar; "I merely came to meet such a noble person such as you. You have given me this rich food already. What more do I need from you? You have already shown extraordinary kindness towards me. May God bless you!" But the millionaire, struck by the beggar's spirit, begged of the beggar to remain with him, built a decent house for him in his own compound, and looked after him for the rest of his life. God is like this good millionaire. Three classes of people approach Him, with three different desires and prayers. There is the greedy man full of vanity, full of arrogance, full of desires. He demands the objects of worldly enjoyment from God. The other type of devotee prays to the Lord for relief from the sufferings of the world, but is better than the first one, in as much as he is ready to abide by His Will. To him the Lord grants full relief from suffering, and bestows on him much wealth and property. The third type he merely prays to the Lord: "O Lord, Thou art Greatness-Absolute, Knowledge-Absolute, Bliss-Absolute." What does he want? Nothing. But the Lord is highly pleased with his spirit of desirelessness and of self-surrender. Therefore, He makes him eat His own food, I.e., He grants this man Supreme Devotion to Himself. Over and above this, He makes the devotee to live in His own House and enjoy His provisions forever.

Introduction: Jesus passing through Jericho for the last time, He is confronted with what was a great display of his power and command over the afflictions of this world.

His mission was the cross, but His purpose in that moment was a blind man. Blind Bartimaeus was about to receive a a touch that no other could give him.

WHO THIS BLIND MAN WAS. (Verse 46)

Mark 10:46 NKJV

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.

A. Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus. His linage was just as ours; common.

B. A beggar, stricken to poverty because of his condition

C. The typology of a lost sinner.

Born in sin.

Psalm 51:5 NKJV

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Blind spiritually.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 NKJV

3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

Unable to save himself.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

THE PERSON HE MET. (Verse 47)

Mark 10:47 NKJV

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!”

A. Jesus of Nazareth! B. A cry for mercy. C. See his persistence... D. And Jesus stood still. E. Jesus called for him to come. F. He is still calling sinners.

Matthew 11:28 NKJV

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

WHAT HE DID (Verse 50)

A. Cast away his garment.

Genesis 35:2 NKJV

2 And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.

B. Repentance is necessary.

Luke 13:5 NKJV

5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

C. He rose and came to Jesus.

It’s time we rise up and Go to Jesus!!

WHAT HE RECEIVED. (Verse 51)

Mark 10:51 NKJV

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.”

A. What wilt thou that I should do unto you?

B. Lord, that I might receive my sight.

C. Immediately His blind eyes were opened.

D. He followed Jesus in the way.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

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

Con: Are you in need of sight?!!