Sunday Sermon-April 19, 2009

Pastor Frank reminded us of how Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took the bread and the cup, and gave to His disciples. He raised the bar-not for us to measure up to His level of giving and forgiving and so make us failures, but so that we would live without excuse. He has justified us. He does this even if He knows we may betray Him. And we have a hard time getting along with each other. He laid His life down and served the very one who would betray Him.
"Cleanse us of unforgiveness, bitterness, broken emotions, and hurt feelings. Draw us together as a family." Amen.

Mark 10:46-52~
"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. 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!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 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." Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well. " And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road."

Pastor Frank has been encouraging us to go beyond our limitations. "Our greatest victories lie just beyond our greatest hindrances." We set limitations on ourselves because of the things that have happened in life and our perception about ourselves because of those things that make up our life. We limit ourselves because of people's opinions about us. We limit ourselves because we have failed. We have made mistakes and so we hold back so we don't make more.

Consider Blind Bartimaeus.
He lived in Jericho and begged in the outskirts of town. Jericho was known as "The place of the curse." Jesus was passing through. Bartimaeus lived there. (Jesus knows where to find you.)
He was known as 'The Son of Timaeus'. He had never been given his own name.
Timaeus means a thief, robber, a deceiver.
He was laying beside the road, begging.
And, he was blind.
Do you really have it so bad?

Living with limitations, we have to use what we have.
Bartimaeus used a sense that he did have.
He 'heard' that it was Jesus coming.
He operated in his strength-his hearing.

To overcome limitations, we must:

1. Operate in your strengths. You have something God can use. Use it and you will get beyond the limitations you have. You already have things God wants you to use for His kingdom. Use what little you have.

2. ...not listen to other people. There will always be naysayers. "Be quiet. Shut up!" they scolded Bartimaeus. It was selfish of them. They were getting to be with Jesus. Some of them had been healed by them. Bart cried out all the more. Maybe it was good he couldn't see their faces. He didn't allow their looks to intimidate him. This is where we make our mistake. We're worried about people's opinions. Be determined to speak to Jesus and don't listen to the naysayers. Cry out, 'Jesus, help me! My family needs you.' Keep crying out until He sends for you, "Come, get up. What do you want me to do for you?"

3. Realize that Jesus wants to see us. Bart got up and threw off his garment. (I think he had on a beggar's cloak.) His cloak was his protection and security. To shed his cloak he would be exposed. What everyone else thought about him-now they knew.
We try to keep ourselves covered up. We don't want anyone to see our weakness.
What is the purpose of the church, the altar, the table of communion, worship?
It is to provide a place for us to shed our cloaks-to be vulnerable, to seek God's help, to hear other's say, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you," and so convey God's heart towards us.

What have we learned from blind Bartimaeus?
He received a tremendous miracle because He was willing to use his assets (his hearing, his voice and his desperation), cry out to Jesus, ignore the naysayers, and shed his cloak of identity and protection. He used what he had to secure what he lacked.
I love that Jesus asked him "What do you want me to do for you?"
For some reason, Jesus wanted him to be specific about his need.
Blind Bartimaeus was very clear. "I want to see."
"Go your way, your faith has made you well."
Immediately he received his sight and
joined the crowd following Jesus.
He joined the fickle people who told him to 'shut up' and 'get up' all within five minutes.
He didn't consider for a moment to be offended with them and avoid them and therefore not be able to follow Jesus with them.

Blind Bartimaeus was a blind, desperate, and humble man.
Because of who he was and because of Who came his way,
he became a seeing, rejoicing, humble man.

Spiritual Mathematics:
Desperation + faith +the power of God= a miracle. Your miracle.
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April 21-I keep thinking about the garment that Bartimaeus cast off. Perhaps he was casting off his identity as a blind beggar. He knew he'd need never wear that identity again. What cloak of identity do we wrap tightly around us? What garment must we cast aside in order to follow Jesus and receive the abundance of life He has for us? The cloak of success? The cloak of pride? The cloak of sorrow? The cloak of failure? What title of accomplishment or endearment do we hold near? What cloak of excuse do we wear?