He'll Stop

Greeting

In the wake of another mass shooting, we want to keep the affected communities in prayer. It is often, during the darkest, lowest, tragic moments of one’s life when the question is asked,

Where is God?

That’s what we’ll be talking about tonight. (Pray)

The scar on my knee.

I'm not a gambling man, but if I were I would bet a hefty amount that at some point in your life you pretended to be a superhero.

Superman, Spider-Man, Batman... but real life teaches us that in most cases Superheroes don’t have to be aliens with extraordinary abilities, radioactive orphans or rich people with expensive tool belts.

In real life,

The world just needs people who are willing to pause long enough to help someone who cannot help themselves.

And if the supernatural ever is necessary then we’ll leave that for a supernatural source. I don’t know, maybe there’s someone somewhere out there who can create an entire galaxy or two with just the sound of his voice.

But I’m not picky. I’d even settle for a guy who predicted his own death and resurrection and then pulled it off. If you are ever in need of someone who fits that description, a few of us in here know a guy.

In fact, if you have a few minutes, I’d like to read to you

A real life account from a real life person about a real life moment in the life of Jesus

...His disciples, and a host of other witnesses. It’s recorded in the book of Mark.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever altered your plans, changed your schedule or stopped what you were doing in order to help someone else, but this is a story about a man who stopped for a total stranger and how this stranger became a friend.

Mark 10:46

Mark 10:46 NIV

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging.

Blind man (general) vs. Bartimaeus (specific)

Like Mark, many of us know people who could benefit from an encounter with Jesus.

Mark 10:47

Mark 10:47 NIV

47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Ever been there? I have. And people who know me, know that I have been there. I bet people who know you know you’ve been there too. And I hope they know that you are no longer there because when Jesus walked down your street, he didn’t leave you there.

I believe Bartimaeus knew who Jesus was, not because of a personal encounter, because you cannot have an encounter with Jesus and not be changed. But Bartimaeus must have heard about Jesus and what he can do from someone who saw, heard, or even experienced Jesus for themselves. So he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

In case you don’t know, that was a loaded statement. To the crowd, to the disciples, and even to Jesus himself, Bartimaeus just publicly acknowledge Jesus as not just a prophet, or a miracle worker, but as The Messiah that was spoken of by Moses in Deut. 18:15

This would have made the Pharisees pretty upset because they didn’t believe even after 3 1/2 years of Jesus’s public ministry, even after every healing, every miracle and every resurrection that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah.

Mark 10:48

Mark 10:48 NIV

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

I want to stop here so bad but for context let’s keep reading.

Mark 10:49

Mark 10:49 NIV

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”

Ladies and gents, that’s great news. When Jesus calls your name, you can expect something great to happen. If you’re sick, cheer up. Jesus is calling you. If you’re down to your last dime, cheer up. Jesus is calling you…!

Do you remember the story of the rich young ruler? That guy had everything but couldn’t let it go to follow Jesus. But this man is poor, blind, and begging on the roadside and when Jesus calls him watch what he does.

Mark 10:50

Mark 10:50 NIV

50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

Maybe he heard that there is nothing you can give up for Jesus and not get back or better. Maybe he knew that Jesus was on his way somewhere and maybe this was his only opportunity to get close.

If he was wrong, it would cost him nothing. But if he’s right about Jesus, his life was about to change forever.

So throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. But when he gets there, the strangest thing happens.

He’s blind and poor and Jesus asked him this!

Mark 10:51

Mark 10:51 NIV

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

Oh, now it makes sense. At this moment, Bartimaeus’ faith is being tested. He could have asked for a new coat. He could have asked for cash. He could have asked for a good fish catch like Jesus did for the other guys, but his faith is bigger than that.

His goals are greater that that. He was blind, but he had vision. He understood that if he could see, he could learn to fish. If he could see, he could make his own money. If he could see, he could make his own coats.

“The poorest man in the world is not the man without a nickel. It’s the man without a dream.” Jesse Duplantis

Somebody in here needs to dream again. You don’t need money. You need a vision. You don’t need a mentor. You need a dream. When you can’t see, I know a man who can open your eyes. If your dream has died, I know a man who has resurrection power.

What are you desperate enough to believing God for? What are you bold enough to ask him to do in your life? In your finances, in your marriage?

Touch your neighbor and ask them, “what do you want Jesus to do for you?”

Mark 10:52

Mark 10:52 NIV

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

You missed it. The last time Jesus healed a man he went back to the beginning. You see, when God created Adam he molded him from the dirt of the Earth. When Jesus healed a blind man once, he spit on some dirt, put mud on a man’s face and basically made him a fresh new pair of eyes.

But this time, Jesus doesn’t use the dirt. He doesn’t use his spit. He doesn’t even touch the man. He just reveals to Bartimaeus what he should’ve known but didn’t.

He simply says, “Go, your faith has healed you.”

You still didn’t get it. So let me call Paul as a witness.

2 Co 5:7

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

Heb 11:1-6

Hebrews 11:1–6 NIV

1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Heb 12:1-2

Hebrews 12:1–2 NIV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So let me close with this.

Eph 2:6-10

Ephesians 2:6–10 NIV

6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Listen, in this life there will be many things that will try and keep you from your rightful place. That place I’m talking about is right next to Jesus, in heavenly places. But tonight, we will make a declaration to every devil that tries, every demon that tempts and every problem that pressures us.

Somebody say with me, “Devil, we are seated with Christ and we will not come down!”

We will not come down!

Keep your alcohol, keep your nicotine, keep your pornography, keep your luxuries, your strip clubs, your positions and your popularity.

We are Champions seated in heavenly places and we will not come down!

As we began tonight’s conversation we asked, “During the darkest, lowest, and most tragic moments in life, where is God?” and the answer to that question is, “It doesn’t matter because, where ever he is, if you call out to him,

He will stop for you!

Lift your head, son. Cheer up daughter. Jesus heard your cry. The Master is calling you!