SERIES: THE POWER OF SAVING FAITH

TITLE: A DIFFERENT KIND OF SEEING

INTRO

THE REASON FOR THIS SERIES:

Encourage us in our walks - to believe that with God all things are possible!!!

Encourage us in the midst of a pandemic

Teach us what makes Jesus move on our behalf

I. HE CAME TO JESUS DESPITE OF HIS DIFFICULTIES

Mark 10:46 ESV

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.

WHAT WERE HIS CIRCUMSTANCES? BLIND AND A BEGGAR

SO WE WILL CALL HIM B.B. FOR SHORT

That Mark names him suggests that this man must have been known in this community. - EVERYONE KNEW HIS CIRCUMSTANCES

BUT JESUS IS AMAZING HERE: HE WILL LET YOUR CIRCUMSATNCES BE KNOWN SO THAT WHEN YOU COME TO HIM BY FAQITH HE WILL MAKE HIS POWER KNOWN

Faith does not allow circumstances to dictate the power of God to deliver, heal and change

Don’t let your circumstances dictate how you see Jesus:

A. Not your HISTORY - the PAST the reminds you of failure

B. Not your HURTS - the PRESENT that rides you with fear

C. Not your HATERS - the PEOPLE who ridicule your future

Mark 10:48 (ESV)

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent....

II. HE CRIED OUT FOR MERCY

Mark 10:47 ESV

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!”

SON OF DAVID (MESSIANIC TITLE) BB KNEW SOMETHING

FAITH SEES WHEN THE NATURAL EYE CAN’T

A. The CRY for MERCY expressed the following:

1. His HUMILITY

a. THE INABILITY OF HIM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT HIS SITUATION

b. THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN HIM THAT WARRANTS GOD’S POWER

BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATION - LUKE 18:9-14:

Luke 18:9 ESV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

Luke 18:10 ESV

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luke 18:11 ESV

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.

Luke 18:12 ESV

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

Luke 18:13 ESV

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

Luke 18:14 ESV

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

HIS CRY FOR MERCY ALSO EXPRESSED:

2. HIS DESPERATION

He longed for what he wanted and needed

WE SEE THIS IS THE FACT THAT HE WOULD NOT STOP CRYING FOR MERCY

Mark 10:47 ESV

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!”

BUT THE HATERS SHOWED UP AND TRIED TO STOPE HIS MOVE - HIS DESPERATE MOVE TOWARDS JESUS

Mark 10:48 (ESV)

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

THE MAN WHO EVERYONE KNEW AS A BEGGAR IS NOW THE MAN WHO JESUS SEES BEGGING FOR HIM

- the challenge with many of us is that we are not desperate enough.

- WE WANT TO SEE GOD WORK BUT WE WANT THE LORD TO DO SOMETHING FOR US BEYOND OUR DESPERATION FOR HIM.

Psalm 63:1 ESV

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

III. HE DEFINED HIS MERCY

Mark 10:49 ESV

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”

Mark 10:50 ESV

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

Mark 10:51 ESV

And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

JESUS ASKED THIS MAN: WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?

THIS MAN HAD JESUS’S ATTENTION AND JESUS GAVE HIM THE OPPORTUNITY OF HIS SPIRITUAL LIFE: TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT

PRINCIPLE: FAITH gets Jesus’ ATTENTION and when you have His attention don’t WASTE time

JESUS IS LITERALLY TELLING THE MAN:

NAME Your MERCY

ILLUSTRATION:

SEE WHEN YOU’RE GOING OUT TO A NICE PLACE, LADIES, YOU DONT JUST PUT ON ANY OLE’ THING

NO YOU GO INTO YOUR CLOSET AND YOU PONDER: THERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CHOOSE FROM SO YOU TAKE YOUR TIME BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AFFIAR.

YOU DON’T JUST PUT ON ANY DRESS, YOU PUT ON THE RED DRESS

THEN YOU GO TO YOUR SHOES - IF YOU’RE LIKE MY WIFE: IT TAKES US THE MAJORITY OF THE CLOSET; BUT YOU DON’T PUT ON ANY SHOES

YOU LOOK FOR THE HIGH HEELS

AAND WHEN YOUY ARE DRESSED AND ALMOST READY, YOU REACH FOR THE FRAGRANCE: BUT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE, BECAUSE THIS MOMENT IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME

SO YOU REACH FOR THAT SWEET PERFUME - BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT SMELLS GOOD ON YOU

SEE, JESUS SHOWS US A CLOSET

CLOSET IS FULL OF MERCIES: PICK ONE - THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING

WHAT DO YOU NEED TODAY? - BY FAITH NAME IT

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR YOUR FAMILY - BY FAITH, NAME IT

WHAT DOE YOU NEED FOR YOUR HEALTH? BY FAITH, NAME IT

POWER: THIS MAN REGAINED HIS SIGHT

He could see when he couldn’t see because his soul saw Jesus

But now he can truly see