Overcoming lifes limitations

Starting on Wednesday Nov 3rd, 2021, at 8am, Noon and 7 p.m., we will begin a community Bible study of the book of James. This will be a line-by-line examination of the book of James in an informal setting. The length of this study will be determined by the speed with which we proceed, but typically it has been 16 weeks or longer.

Things that we will find are emphasized in the book of James are the Word of God; Prayer; Faith and Works; as well as separation from the world. He does this by examining many of the challenges that Christians face involving; suffering, works; controlling their tongue; illness and resisting worldly influences.

Youth Program

On Friday Oct. 29th, 2021, at 7 p.m. the youth 12+ are invited to join Pastor Gerry at the church for an initial meet and greet. This will be the beginning of a regular Friday night program where youth will explore their Faith. We will look at issues of faith that are typical for today’s youth, questions about God and faith, as well as spend some time learning about the doctrines of the church, the foundational core of Christianity and how to defend our faith when we are challenged.

The last Friday of every month starting in November will be an open question night where Pastor Gerry will answer questions from the youth about God and Faith

Contemporary Service

Finally, beginning on Nov 7th, 2021, at 1 p.m. we will have a Contemporary Worship Service. This service will be a mixture of a traditional service and modern service. The sermon will be identical to the 10:30 a.m. service, however the order of service will be altered, and the music will be more contemporary in fashion.

It is my hope that though offering a later service we can reach those who are seeking God within the community and help them find a church in which they can take part in fellowship and build their relationship with God.

If you should have any comments, concerns or suggestions please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

God Bless,

Pastor Gerry

Call to Worship (Responsive)

Let us worship God, our light and our salvation.

The Lord is the stronghold of our lives. We desire to live in God’s house and to seek God in his holy temple. We have come with shouts of joy, to sing and to make music to the Lord. Let us worship God in spirit and in truth. Teach us your ways and make straight our paths in this hour of worship and always.

Prayer of Invocation

O God, our guide and guardian, you have led us apart from the busy world into the quiet of your house.

Grant us grace to worship you in spirit and in truth, to the comfort of our souls and the upbuilding of every good purpose and holy desire. Enable us to do more perfectly the work to which you have called us,

that we may not fear the coming of night, when we shall surrender into your hands the tasks which you have committed to us. So may we worship you not with our lips only at this hour, but in word and deed all the days of our lives, through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

Opening Hymn:

#25 Immortal, Invisible

Call to Confession

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. We express our longing for God’s leading by our own transparent confession.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation. The old life has gone; a new life has begun.

Know that in Jesus, God embraces you, forgives you, and strengthens you to live a renewed life. Thanks be to God.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.

For Thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,

Forever and ever. Amen.

Responsive Reading

Psalm 34:1–8 ESV

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. 3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Music Ministry

We are yours, Lord

Scripture

Mark 10:46–52 ESV

46 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. 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!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 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.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Children’s Lesson

Have you ever tried to get someone attention and just could not? I am sure we have all been in situation where we wanted to get the attention of our father, mother, brother, or sister and for some reason or another we could not get them to focus on us. Maybe they are distracted by other people, maybe they are distracted by their phone or something on which they are working.

When people do not pay attention to us it can be difficult, we might want to give up and walking away sad. However, in today’s scripture we have an example of a man who would not give up.

Bartimaeus was a blind man who lived in a city just outside Jerusalem. This was long before there were any programs or people who would help the blind. Bartimaeus had a difficult life because of this, he spent all his life begging on the side of the road just to survive. No one looked after him, no one cared for him. Many people every single day would walk right past him as he begged them for anything he could get to simply live to the next day. To the people around him Bartimaeus was nothing, and no one listened to him.

When Jesus passes through his hometown though things change. Jesus is famous at this point; crowds of people are following him and trying to either become on of his disciples, get healed or simply hear him teach. These people considered themselves followers of Christ and when they hear this dirty, smelly, blind, beggar calling out to Jesus they try to tell him to be quiet.

They do not want a man like Bartimaeus disturbing their great teacher, after all what does Bartimaeus have to offer to the messiah. Bartimaeus is nothing and they do not want his filth to dirty their idol. However, Bartimaeus does not listen to those people around him. He stays focused on Jesus, he knows and understands who Jesus is and he calls out to him as ‘Jesus, Son of David!”

When Jesus pays attention to Bartimaeus, do you notice how the attitude of those people around Jesus changes. They tell him to take heart, they tell him that Jesus is calling out to him. Just moments earlier they were ignoring him or telling him to leave Jesus alone and now suddenly they are wanting to help him, because Jesus is paying attention to him.

Bartimaeus, leaves behind his cloak and runs out to Jesus. He asks Jesus for his sight to be returned and when Jesus does so, he immediately begins to follow Jesus.

How can we be like Bartimaeus? I think many of us here; adults especially, middle school and high school students highly likely and younger children might even have been told by people to quit calling out to Jesus. They have been told that their faith is foolish or silly or fake. Maybe even they have been told to quit calling out about their faith. Maybe there are problems we are having that seem just impossible for us to overcome and it does not seem like Jesus hears us.

The truth is that the world sometimes makes us feel like Bartimaeus. So, like him we need to be persistent in our calling out to Jesus. We need to ignore the crowds around us that make fun of us, maybe get angry at us, or threaten us. We need to stay focused on Jesus and know that he does hear us and calls out for us to follow him.

Homework this week is simple. Everyday spend 5 minutes praying to Jesus. It can be about anything you want to talk to Jesus about, just try to ensure you do it every day.

Let us Pray,

Our Lord Jesus, you promise to see us and to hear us always. We are grateful that we can talk to you and ask you anything at all. We would love to share your closeness and love with others we know and meet. Jesus teach us to be like Bartimaeus, confident to call out to you no matter what is happening in our lives. Amen.

Hymn Before Sermon

Green #513 Oh, How He loves you and me

Prayer for illumination

Lord, our God, in the reading and proclamation of your Word, we pray you will illumine our minds and hearts so that we may hear and understand your Word, know and live according to your Word, and become living letters of your Word, equipped to follow Jesus in every part of our lives, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through Christ, our Lord, the living Word. Amen.

Sermon

Recently I heard about an experiment done by psychologist and professor of Ethical Leadership Jonathan Haidt. He came up with a fascinating hypothetical exercise to test people and how they would respond if they were given the chance to be an influence on the lives of those around them.

Each participant was handed a summary of a person’s life. They were asked to read it over and think about all of the events that will encompass the totality of the persons life. Next, they were told to picture that this life they had just read about was going to be the life of their future child. The life they had read about was going to be the unalterable life that their child would have, even if they have not been born yet, with all of the success and challenges.

He then told them that they had five minutes to edit the story, just five minutes to make changes that would forever impact the lives of their future child. However, there was one limitation, they could only erase events, they could not add or alter anything else, simply erase things. So, with an eraser in hand, they could eliminate whatever they wanted out of her life. The real question presented to the participants was: What do you erase first?

Most would instinctively and frantically begin to erase the learning disability, or perhaps the car accident, or how about all the financial challenges, perhaps even some relationships we did not approve of in their life. Each of us would have our own personal reasons for starting to erase where we did, maybe because of something we experienced. Afterall, we all love our children, and every parent would do almost anything in their power to remove hurts, setbacks, disappointments, and failures from their lives. In fact, I know that everyone here has parents who feel the same, your parents wish that they could have taken on the burden of some of the hurt, setbacks and failures that you had in your lives.

And herein lies the dilemma; Is that really what’s best?

Does a life without any challenges, suffering or failure really make someone happy? What if the one thing you erased from their life because of the hurt you though they would experience, is the one that would have brought them to God in Prayer? What if the car accident you erased because you could imagine the suffering of living with a lifelong impediment was in fact the one that taught them to find joy in living for the Lord in spite of the difficulty of the circumstances in which they live? What if the broken relationship you erase because of the depression and sorrow was the one that caused them to cry out to God and find solace in placing him first in their lives. Think about that eraser in your hand, ready to remove all of the problems from someone’s life not knowing if that trouble might actually be the things which brings them to God and his purpose for their life.

The truth of the world is that the number one contributor to spiritual growth is not actually Bible studies, although I wish it was. It’s not the small groups that you are involved in, or even the fellowship events that take place with the whole congregation. Even the sermon that is given week over week, lovingly prepared and taught, is not the number one contributor to the spiritual growth of people.

We all know that when we sit and listen to people give their testimony, that the biggest contributor to spiritual growth is not related to what would be considered church-based activities. Instead, it is the difficult circumstances that people face in their lives which causes the biggest leaps in our relationship with God.

I can say this with absolute confidence because that is where I have seen my own greatest leaps in faith. When my son, Daniel, was born he was very sick. And I need to apologize in advance because even my wife is going to be hearing this for the first time today, but in those really dark moments when we thought we might lose him, I prayed. I prayed a lot. I started to talk to God constantly in my head, on the bus, while I was having lunch, even having a coffee on a break. I talked to him about all the challenges in my life, I talked to him about all the success in my life. I begged for his mercy on my son and came before him humbled, knowing that I was just a human who could do nothing without him. I think that was the start to where I am today, that moment when I became like a child knowing I had nothing I could offer, I just had to pray and rely on his grace and mercy.

I am still doing that today, praying to him constantly, humbling myself before Him and seeking his guidance in my life. I would not change a thing in my life, not the good or the bad, because without all of the ups and downs, I might not be here today to share God’s word with you.

Since that day I have constantly looked back on my life and seen God’s hand at work, even when I was not walking with Him, he was always walking with me, guiding me to where I am today. This is the type of testimony you hear from many people when they share about how they came to faith, it not typically when they were at the peak of their lives, but instead when they were in a time of darkness and His light pierced that darkness to reach them.

To date on His journey to Jerusalem, we have seen Jesus teach on the meaning of marriage and divorce. We have seen him speak on faith and children. He has explained the challenges we all face in giving up of our own desires and idols, like the rich man and he has also taught about the greatness achieved by serving others. Finally, he has tried to explain to the disciples three times about his death upon the cross, yet they still do not seem to understand what he is saying about faith and following him. Today’s scripture introduces us to Bartimaeus, a beggar who was living his life in darkness until the light of the Lord opened his eyes and he becomes a trye follower of Christ.

Mark 10:46 ESV

46 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.

The scripture begins by having Jesus leaving the city of Jericho. Which may seem insignificant, but this does have some bearing on the story. The deeper meaning behind scripture is often hidden in the smaller details; like the meaning of the word Gehenna, we spoke about a few weeks ago or the different form of the word used for dog when Jesus spoke to the Syrophoenician woman.

Jericho is a prominent place in scripture, not because it was loved but because it was cursed.

Joshua 6:26 ESV

26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates.”

Jericho was a place the Jews avoided, yet Jesus often went into places that the society in general avoided. Jesus went places that the people who were adhering to their own interpretation of God’s law would not go and this is a the first given to us today; to go and bring the message of God to the places where others do not go.

Jesus while on his way to the cross passes through a city that was cursed, and it is there that he meets this blind beggar named Bartimaeus. It should not come as a surprise to us that a blind beggar is living in the city that people consider cursed. I think if you head downtown in almost any major city there is an area that is avoided by the locals perhaps, almost as if it were cursed, and this is usually where you find the homeless and others who are in need to help. Jesus would be found in these places if he were walking the Earth today, so this is where we should be found.

It is here in a place that many consider cursed, dirty, or unsafe where Bartimaeus is begging. To Bartimaeus life must have seemed unfair. He was living in a cursed city, suffering from a physical limitation, and reduced to begging to survive. The reality is that Bartimaeus has every reason to be angry at God, much in the same way that Job did when plagued his life.

The truth of the matter is that life is unfair. Many people suffer, in fact we are told often in scripture that all Christians will suffer. Being Christian means that you have chosen to live a lifestyle that is unfair in worldly terms; you will be limited in what you can say and do because of placing God first in your life and because you obey the morals and ethics we are taught in the scripture.

Life is even unfair in terms of our spiritual gifts. Every person’s spiritual gift will be different. Some people will be blessed with one gift and others not. Thankfully, we have Morna here who is blessed with a gift for music, one gift I was definitely not given. God has made each of us unique and gifted us each with different talents and abilities. He has also limited us and placed difficulties in our lives to help us recognize our limitations and to teach us how we need God in our lives.

Life is not fair, especially for Christians, and we need to learn to be ‘ok’ with that fact. We are going to miss opportunities to gain in this world, whether its wealth, power, fame, or position. We are going to see instances where those who do less than us become more successful, or those who do evil benefit while those who do good suffer.

The reality is we are all limited in what we are capable of achieving here on Earth. We are limited by the gifts and talents we have been given by God. We are limited by the resources we have in life, whether time or money. We are limited by our relationships with others, some people will help us and be friends and others will hate us for no reason. Finally, we are limited by our days, this is a limitation that many still do not recognize or understand. Death is a fact. Everyone dies and no one controls the when or the how of their death. For those of you who still are on the fence about following Jesus or have not been actively evangelizing friends and family this is a limitation I hope you understand soon. Once someone dies the opportunity to follow is gone.

For many of the people of Jericho the reality of the limitations of their life weighed heavily upon them. Jesus, the Messiah, was passing through their town. Many people who might have gone to see him probably thought,’ the crowd is too big this time, I will go next time he comes through town.’ Only to later learn of his death on the cross. The had an opportunity and they missed it because of their worldly focus.

This is another lesson hidden between the lines in the scripture. Do what God has called you to do every day of your life, regardless of your limitations. Spend time with Jesus every day, in prayer and in scripture. Share your faith with everyone you meet, you never know when a simple conversation where you share your faith could lead you. When we share our faith with others, we are an example of Jesus in this world.

Bartimaeus has faith. Even with all the limitations on his life he calls out to Jesus.

Mark 10:47–48 ESV

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

Bartimaeus had nothing, he was a beggar, living at the bottom of the economic ladder, a blind man with no hope and no prospects. Sitting along the road hoping for someone to drop a coin or scrap of food when he hears the crowd. Instead of lamenting his position in life or being angry at God he calls out to Jesus for his mercy.

Take note that he did not wait for Jesus to come to him, he sought Jesus out. In fact, he called out to Jesus with passion. Blind Bartimaeus, a beggar alongside a road in a cursed city called out to the Lord for mercy. He did not let any of his limitations stand in the way of his calling out to Jesus.

Bartimaeus did not wallow in self pity, or get angry at the world, he did not let envy of what others have interfere with his calling upon God for mercy. Notice that he was told it was Jesus of Nazareth, yet he called out ‘Jesus, Son of David.’ Even though he was physically blind he was not spiritually blind. Bartimaeus took advantage of the immediate, knowing that there was a limitation on his days and reached out to Jesus that moment with all of the energy he could muster.

Yet while Bartimaeus was calling out for Jesus with all he was worth, others were attempting to quiet him. The crowd attempted to silence him. Perhaps they thought he was foolish for calling out, perhaps they thought that Jesus would have no time for a worthless beggar from a cursed city. Bartimaeus would not be quieted however, he had faith in Jesus. He knew that the man passing though Jericho was more than a great teacher or a prophet, Bartimaeus knew that he was the Messiah the Son of David. He did not give in to the pressure of the crown and instead maintained his call for mercy.

We need to be like Bartimaeus in our faith. When we are calling out to Jesus, we need to know that there will be others who try to silence us. There will be those who attempt to persuade us not to call upon Jesus because of how our faith might impact, our friendships, our family relationships, or how society views us. There are people who will attempt to make us feel like we are undeserving of God. That we bring him nothing, we have no worth, we cannot share great resources like some others can. There are those who will attempt to persuade us to just look at Jesus, but not really follow him, because to follow him means we need to live out lives differently.

So, like Bartimaeus we need to ignore the voices that attempt to deter us and stay focused on God alone. To understand that Jesus does not require anything of us but our faith. It is through our faith alone that we receive salvation and begin our long arduous journey to sanctification. Regardless of any limitation we have in our life we need to be calling out to Jesus and know that he will accept us, as long as we are coming to him like children with humility, obedience, trust, and forgiveness.

Also take notice that Bartimaeus sought out the Lord on his own. He did not wait for someone in the crowd to come to his assistance. There were many people in that crowd who could have taken the blind man by the hand and led him to Jesus, but they did not. Bartimaeus could have sat and waited for someone, he could have complained and pleaded with someone to lead him to Christ. He could have demanded that those who could see do something for him because he has a physical limitation. Yet, despite these all being options for him, Bartimaeus chooses to take action himself, and call out directly to Jesus. He was determined to get into the presence of the Lord. He persevered though his own limitations and the crowd that was attempting to deter him.

His determination and perseverance reminds me of a story of two frogs who fall in a vat of cream. They try to hop out but cannot find firm footing because the cream is too deep. They try to climb the sides, but the walls are too smooth.

One frog looks to the other and says, ‘What is the use, we will never escape! What a cruel fate we have been handed. Goodbye my friend.” And with that the frog stops swimming, begins to weep, and slowly sinks beneath the cream and drowns.

The other frog has the will of Bartimaeus, he is not going to give up, so he swims and swims. He tries climbing the walls, he tries hopping out. He kicked and swam, kicked, and swam and finally he hopped out when the cream became butter. This frog persevered though the difficulties.

Bartimaeus preserves, he continues to yell out, even when the crowd around him told him to be quiet. He keeps seeking Jesus himself even though there were others around him who could have led him to the Lord. He was determined that all of his limitations and challenges could be overcome by Jesus.

Mark 10:49 ESV

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

Jesus stops. Think about that for a moment, Jesus stopped when he heard Bartimaeus calling out.

How often do we call out for Jesus in prayer, probably not enough, we are creatures that are full of pride and often we try to solve all our problems ourselves instead of calling out to Jesus? Bartimaeus calls out and Jesus stops and calls for Bartimaeus to be brought into his presence.

Bartimaeus went against the crowd, against the popular opinion of those around him. He did not listen to those who tried to deter him in calling out to Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and because of his faith and perseverance he was heard. I am sure there is a lesson somewhere here for us. We need to be like Bartimaeus, focused on Christ alone in our lives, even when we have a limitation in our life whether its physical, mental, spiritual, or financial. We need to see past the limitation and call out to Christ for his mercy on us in our lives. We need to be willing to go against the crowd, to call out even when the popular opinion of the world around us tells us to be quiet.

Just like Bartimaeus we need to have perseverance in our following Jesus. The world will push back against us, it will persecute us, it will try to persuade us that there is another way. What would happen if we listened to the world? We would miss the opportunity to answer God’s call. You see that is what Bartimaeus has been given, a literal call from God. We need to Keep our focus on Jesus and his word and be ready to answer his call.

Mark 10:50 ESV

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

When Bartimaeus receives the Lord’s call he answers it immediately. He does not hesitate; he tosses aside his beggar’s cloak and rushes to Jesus. That Cloak was probably his most valued possession, yet he tosses it aside like it is nothing to answer the Lord’s call. Bartimaeus is the direct opposite of the rich young man we spoke of a few weeks ago. Instead of holding onto the things of this world he drops all he has to come as soon as he received a call from Christ.

Bartimaeus knew that his life would never be the same once he answered his call and he knew he would not be going back to the life of a beggar. He knew that his life would be forever altered once he became a follower of Christ, so he tossed aside his old ways and prepared himself to take up his new life as a follower of Christ.

Mark 10:51 ESV

51 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 called Bartimaeus into his presence and asks him what he would like to receive.

Bartimaeus could have asked for wealth, he could have asked for power, he could have asked for almost anything at this point but instead he goes to the very root of his problems in life. He asks for his eyesight. Did you ever notice that in the Bible Jesus never hands out money as a solution to people problems, he never gives the simple solution to the immediate problem, instead he always gets down to the root issue and fixes their lives from that point.

When we call upon Jesus are we asking for him to fix the roots problems in our life or are we asking him to make our lives easier by giving us money, power, or stuff that we think will make our life better. The truth is as a follower of Christ we will face challenges, there will be limitations in our life, however, if we call out upon Jesus and place our trust in him, he will remove the root of the problems in our spiritual lives. We all need to remember that our lives here on earth are just a glimpse of the Eternal life we will have in the Kingdom of God.

We need to remember that the limitations we have in our life are from God. They are there to remind us that we are dependent on him for everything we have. Paul understood this better than anyone. Paul was plagued throughout his life by a thorn in the flesh. Scholars debate if it was a disease, or some ailment that affected his vision. It is irrelevant though for the purpose of the scripture, Paul had a limitation, something that was serious enough he called out to God to heal him.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 ESV

7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul accepted his limitation was a gift from God. Something that would keep him humble in his faith. Keeping him like a child dependent upon Christ throughout his ministry. Paul understood that the limitations we have in this life do not matter. God’s grace in this life is all that we need, and with that we are able to glorify and praise God everyday of our lives.

Paul, like Bartimaeus, did not let some physical limitation prevent him from following Jesus, instead he moved past it and became one of the greatest missionaries of the Church. This is the grace of God at work, even though we may have a limitation in our life, through God’s grace we are able to move past that limitation and serve Jesus here on Earth, bringing Glory to his name and sharing it with everyone whom we meet so they too can understand the power of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Bartimaeus, this blind beggar, a man whose life had no significance and who lived in a cursed town, did not let all of his limitations in this world stop him from seeking Christ. He sought out the Lord and asked him for his mercy.

What did Bartimaeus do when he received his sight?

Mark 10:52 ESV

52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Did Bartimaeus run off and do what he wanted to do? No Bartimaeus started to follow Christ. He did it immediately, not in a week, not in a day, right that instant he started to follow Christ.

This is another issue we have as modern Christians. We have strong faith, filled with prayer and obedience when there are difficulties in our lives. Yet the moment everything is good, we are off doing our own thing. We only have faith and follow when we have limitations in our life.

We need to learn to seek Jesus constantly in our lives. Regardless of whether we are in good times or in challenging times we should always be calling out to Jesus in prayer. We need to place Jesus first in our lives and see past those things which hinder us in our commitment to being a follower of Christ. We need to see beyond the limitations of this world and into the power of Christ in our lives and the lives of those who live in the world around us.

God has a plan for each and every one of us. He sent His Son to die upon the cross for our sins. When we become faithful servants of Christ, he has wiped our debt free and His Holy Spirit will begin its work in each of us, changing us a little day by day through the act of sanctification until little by little there is less of the sinner we were and more of the Christ follower we are. We are not held back by our limitations, but instead given a chance to know the grace and glory of God.

Let us go forth today with that same perseverance, that same determination that Bartimaeus had and call out to Jesus every day for his mercy and grace to fall upon us whether times are good or difficult. Let us go forth today proclaiming our faith to the Lord in our daily lives and being the salt and light of this world so that others who are seeking Christ can see us as an example of him in the ways we choose to live.

Let us pray,

May Christ Build You Up

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ himself, who is the Son of God, and our everlasting High Priest, build you up in faith and truth, and in all meekness, gentleness, patience, long-suffering, forbearance, and purity; and may he bestow on you a place and portion among his saints, and on us with you, and on all that are under heaven, who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, and in his Father, who raised him from the dead.

Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings, and authorities, and princes, and for those that persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be evident to all, and that you may be perfect in him.

Source: Polycarp

Hymn:

Green #31 Great is the Lord

Invitation to Offering

The willingness to give is a sign of life. The fruit tree gives of its fruit, and we know it is alive. When it no longer gives, we know real life has gone out of it. The heart that hoards the blessings of God is no longer alive with spiritual power. To give is to live.

Offering

Presenting our tithes and offerings is an act of worship. I want to encourage you to write a cheque and drop it in the mail to the church using your envelope, if you have one. (St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, PO Box 161, 1 Drummond St W, Perth, ON K7H 3E3) We also have another option for you for giving and that is you can make an e-Transfer.

This note from our treasurer. E-transfers are now accepted. Please note the new email address for this purpose only. standrewsperthoffering@gmail.com Please include your Offering Envelope # in the message section of the INTERAC transfer page you fill in. If you wish any part of your donation to go to a specific fund (eg Presbyterian Sharing) please mention this in your message.

Offertory Prayer Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. Amen.

Closing Hymn

Green #326 Softly and Tenderly

Pastoral Prayer

From many places, O Lord, we gather today, brought together in this house of worship. We come from different backgrounds and even different countries. Some of us are new to the faith, while some of us have been on this journey for a long time. Yet together we praise you for this place of sanctuary and for a time to praise your holy name. Still, our hearts are heavy this day, Lord. Our world groans with the weight of sin; we cannot comprehend the evils we see around us; and we cry with those who today mourn the dead. May we make a difference in the midst of this sorrow; may your people around the world rise up against evil; may we be brought to our knees as we call upon your name; may your kingdom come quickly, Lord. Amen.

Benediction

The love of God the Father, the faithful creator,

the peace of Christ, the wounded healer, the joy of the challenging Spirit, the hope of the Three in One