7 Barriers To Your Miracle

7 BARRIERS TO YOUR MIRACLE

Mark 10:46-52

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR: Rabid fan & the Priest

1. During a recent World Series game, a diehard Astros fan (Texans, Rockets) amused himself by scaring White Sox fans walking to the game in their obnoxious White Sox shirts. When he saw one, he’d swerve his van toward them as if he was going to hit them but then swerve back at the last minute.

2. Driving along, he saw a priest. He thought he’d do a good deed by giving the priest a ride. “Where are you going, Father?” “To mass at St. Francis Church, about two miles down the road.” “Hop in, I’ll give you a ride.” The priest got in the back seat. Suddenly the driver saw a White Sox fan and swerved as if to hit him. As he swerved back, he heard a loud “THUD,” but he didn’t know where it came from.

3. Remembering he had the priest in his car, he said, “Sorry Father, I almost hit that White Sox fan!” “That’s ok,” replied the priest, “I got him with the door!”

B. TEXT

Mk. 10:46 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. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

C. THESIS

1. Barrier (definition): a. anything built or serving to bar passage, as a railing, fence, or the like; b. a natural obstacle: a mountain barrier; c. anything that restrains or obstructs progress, access, etc.: a trade barrier; d. a limit or boundary.

2. We’re going to look at a blind man who needed a miracle. There were a number of things which stood in his way to receive their miracle, just as there are with us. If he can beat the obstacles, so can we. Let’s see the obstacles and how he overcame them.

3. The title of this message is, “The 7 Barriers to Your Miracle.” [1. See no way out; 2. unworthiness; 3. public ridicule; 4. our pride; 5. resistance; 6. abandon securities; 7. have faith for a miracle.]

I. SEEING NO WAY OUT

Mk. 10:46 - "blind man."

A. PHYSICAL BLINDNESS

1. There are several ways we can be blind: no light, something in the air, something in your eye, or your eye have no ability to see at all. The first 3 can be easily remedied.

2. If there’s no light, we can get some light. If there’s smoke, fog, or dust in the air, and we can wait for it to clear. We may have a sleepie in our eyes and get it out.

3. But the worst condition is if our eye has no ability to see. That can’t be remedied except by a miracle.

B. MENTAL BLINDNESS. There can also be a mental blindness -- “Having their understanding darkened,” Eph. 4:18. “He made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ,” 2 Cor. 4:6.

C. MORAL & SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS –

1. But there’s also spiritual blindness! Someone once said to Helen Keller, "What a pity you have no sight." She answered, "Yes, but what a pity that so many who do have sight cannot see!" How true. Many with eyes are blind.

2. “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light…” John 3:19-21.

3. EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE SPIRITUALLY BLIND?

a. THE PHARISEES. “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” Some Pharisees...asked, “What? Are we blind too?” Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains” John 9:39-41.