Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Neighbor Holler Until You Get It

Jericho



Scripture: Mark 10:46-49

In the book of Mark, Jesus was constantly doing something. The Gospel of Mark emphasized the super human power of Jesus. Christ is presented as God’s Son in action. This book tells more of what Jesus did, like filming a movie Mark rushes from one dynamic scene to the next.

In the first twenty verses of chapter one Jesus is baptized, tempted by the devil, and begins His ministry; teaching, cleansing and healing. The second chapter of Mark is filled with many miracles, for example, in verse 25 he rebuked an unclean spirit. Quoting verse 34,“and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” In chapter 4 Jesus calms a storm. --“And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, Be Still and the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” (Mark 4:39 KJV).In Chapter 5 he healed the Geraseme Demoniac, the woman with an issue of blood and raised Jairus’ daughter. All throughout the book of Mark Jesus teaches in parables and performs marvelous works.

Pastor Collins chose the Mark 10:46-49 to frame his message on Sunday, August 16. “Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” (Mark 10: 46-49 NIV).

The first three gospels of the New Testment gives an accounting of the healing of the blind man on the road leaving Jericho. Bartimaeus, was the blind beggar and son of Timaeus a blind man; which made the case worse, and the cure more wonderful.

Pastor Collins explained Bartimaeus was the son of a blind man going through a generational curse past down by his ancestors. He cried out to the Lord Jesus for mercy; “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David.” Misery is the object of mercy, his own miserable case he recommends to the compassion of the Jesus, Son of David, of whom it was foretold, that, when he should come to save us, “the eyes of the blind should be opened.” (Isa. 35:5) In coming to Christ for help and healing, we should look to him as the promised Messiah, the Trustee of mercy and grace.

Bartimaeus spoke up for himself; this is what happens to Bartimaeus when he speaks out. He is sternly ordered to be quiet. So what does he do? He cries out even more loudly. "Have mercy on me," he tells Jesus. Through his courage the blind beggar was healed. Bartimaeus faith was so strong that it allows him in the presence of Jesus to step outside social boundaries.

As a beggar and a man with a disability, Bartimaeus shows enormous courage. Pastor Collins instructed the church never to allow your shortcoming to keep us dependent on the charity of others. The blind beggar missed Jesus going in to Jericho, but on the way out of the city even in blindness, Bartimaeus’ faith allows him to see what Jesus is and the power he brings.

Faith is an important part of our existence. Bartimaeus could not see but he could hear and speak. As believers we should know how to pray and how to praise. God does not let everything in our lives breakdown. Satan took the eyes but not the tongue. From this scripture reference for the sermon, we are reminded that God is with us even in our most difficult moments--even with the social outcasts, and the beggars on the roadside.

Christian friends, it is not about where you come from, it’s where we are going. "Be of good comfort, rise, he calls thee; and if he calls thee, he will cure thee." Note, the gracious invitations Christ gives us to come to him, are great encouragements to our hope. And if we shall come to him, we shall have what we come for. Let the guilty, the empty, the tempted, the hungry, the naked, be of good comfort, for Jesus calls them to be pardoned. To be supplied, to be filled, to be clothed, to have all that done for them, which their case calls for.
Author: B. Stevenson

No comments:

Post a Comment