The Road To Recovery 11-23-08
Series: Road Trip Mark 10:46-52
Intro. If you envisioned your life as one long road, then the chances are pretty good that there would be certain areas along that road that you’d classify as broken, fragmented, messy and maybe even washed out. Those are the areas you wish you could redo, relive or at least put them in the past. But for some reason or another that broken part of your life’s road never seems to get fixed, it’s always in disrepair. And you know what? It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living or how “together” you life looks from the outside…we all live with “broken roads”. That means we all need some repair work done in our lives. When we talk about fixing our messy lives we often associate it with the term “recovery”. Now for most of us “recovery” is something that other people have to deal with. After all, recovery is for those people who have severe problems with drugs, drinking or sex. And it’s true that there are some great recovery programs designed for those specific problems. But this morning I want us to think about recovery from a different perspective. Perhaps you’re one of those who need to recover from a broken heart, a failed marriage, a financial disaster, a family heartache, an emotional meltdown, or a full-blown spiritual collapse. What I want you to hear is the fact that there’s HOPE for your broken life. Do you know why? Because Jesus specializes in recovery. The bible says (2 Cor. 5:17), when someone becomes a “Christian they become a new person, they are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone and a new life has begun.” Now that’s not only recovery…that’s transformation!
There’s a familiar story found in 3 of the gospel accounts. It’s the story of a man named Bartimaeus and how he traveled down the road to recovery. As we read through his story I want you to see if you can pick out the things he did that will give us a framework for experiencing recovery in our own lives today. Read Mark 10:46-52
Now before we get to the specifics of what Bartimaeus did, I want to set the context for the story we’ve just read. Jesus and his disciples were making their way through the city of Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. When they finally reach Jerusalem Jesus will enjoy His triumphal entry, where the crowds hail Him as their Messiah. But within a week’s time, that same crowd will turn on him and call for his crucifixion. Jesus knows what awaits him – the shame, humiliation, agony and ultimately his death. Yet with all of that weighing on him, Jesus takes the time to stop on that dirty, broken road and minister to a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. Now let me state the obvious – if Jesus has the time, the inclination and compassion to deal with somebody like Bartimaeus then rest assured he’s ready to do whatever it takes to bring healing and restoration to your life too. As I watch Bartimaeus encounter Jesus I see him doing 5 things that lead to his recovery. Write them down, they’re steps that will help you successfully navigate your own road to recovery.
1. Seize the moment.
I wonder how often Bartimaeus had camped out on this specific spot by the roadside? Probably hundreds of times during his life. But today – everything was different because Jesus was passing by. The first thing we’re told is that Bartimaeus was sitting by the road. The chances are pretty good that he was simply calling out to the people passing by with this familiar cliché “alms for the poor”. But in v.47 everything changes – when Bartimaeus hears that Jesus is in the crowd that’s passing by, then he begins to shout with real passion and intensity. Bartimaeus suddenly realizes that this is the chance of a lifetime and so he seizes the moment. He wants to make sure that Jesus doesn’t pass him by.
When you think of people who live life to the fullest, who live the kind of life that Jesus described as “abundant” what is it about their life that’s so different from our life? There’s probably a long list of things, but I’m convinced at the head of that list is a particular attitude. It’s their willingness to do something about their circumstances, to take the initiative, to finally and fully seize the moment.
Do you know what’s sad about this story? There were probably hundreds of people in that crowd that needed some kind of personal healing and recovery, but only one of them recognized this as a divine opportunity. And the implication is pretty clear - Jesus would have passed him by if Bartimaeus hadn’t shouted at him. When’s the last time you shouted at Jesus and let him know that you really needed? When’s the last time you seized the moment when you felt God’s Spirit speaking to your heart while you were worshiping here at Fellowship? I wonder how many divine moments have come and gone because we’ve been so preoccupied with ourselves that we let Jesus pass us by? Bartimaeus may have been blind, but he wasn’t dumb. He recognized a divine moment and he jumped on it.
If seizing the moment is so important, then why don’t more of us do it? I’ve got an answer for that. I think it’s because we’ve grown so accustomed to sitting on the sidelines that we’ve become afraid to get out on the field and play. It’s easier and a lot less risky to sit in the stands and watch life as it goes by. But who ever said that life is supposed to be easy and risk free? That’s not life…that’s existence. The abundant life that Jesus promised us is full of risks and rewards, but the only way you can experience any of these things is by seizing the moment. Bartimaeus could have let the moment pass him by. He could have said, “I’m not worthy for Jesus to heal. Jesus is too busy to mess with somebody like me. Or there are others more deserving than me.” There are a million excuses he could have offered, but he didn’t. Bartimaeus seized the moment and it changed his life. Some of you here this morning need to seize your divine moment. God is speaking to your heart and he wants you to respond today, maybe even right now. Seizing the moment is going to be risky, it’s going to be hard and some of you won’t make the trip. But let me tell you, for those who seize the moment, your life will never be the same.
2. Ignore negative people.
One of the hardest things to do on your road to recovery is to ignore negative people. You would think that the crowd would feel a little compassion for this blind man and let him through. But the exact opposite happened. They tried to shout him down. V.48 says the crowd told Bartimaeus to be quite, but I’ve got a feeling what they said was a little more graphic than that. Probably there were people in the crowd who were telling Bart to “zip it and shut up”. In their opinion Bartimaeus wasn’t worth stopping for and so they tried to control him with their negativity. I love how Bartimaeus responds to the crowd – “He only shouted louder”. V.48
Let me ask you a question – was it risky for Bartimaeus to ignore these negative people? You bet your life it was! They were his meal ticket; they were the ones who gave him money when he begged day after day. So if he upset them; if he ticked them off and burned his bridges then who would support him next month or next year? On this particular day, something clicked in Bartimaeus’ heart. He somehow knew that his real hope was in Jesus, not the crowd. It’s ironic that most people in the crowd had 20/20 vision but they couldn’t see the power and compassion of Jesus. In their eyes Jesus had more important things to do than stop and heal a beggar. Out of all the people in the crowd that day, the one blind man is the only one who could truly see. If you’re going to make the trip down the road to recovery, you’ve got to learn how to ignore the negative voices you’ll encounter. It’s risky business, but the payoff is worth it!
3. Surrender your old life.
Did you notice what Bartimaeus did when Jesus called him? V.50 says he “threw aside his coat”. Why do you think he did that? Why did Mark include that little tidbit in his gospel? Well, more than likely this coat was the only personal possession this blind man could call his own. He probably sat on it while he begged; he used it to wrap up against the weather and it might have even been his blanket at night. It was a tangible source of security and yet at the same time it was a constant reminder of his blindness.
By throwing his coat aside Bartimaeus was saying, “I’m selling out to Jesus, I’m trusting in His ability to change my circumstances, and I’m turning my back on my old lifestyle.” If we were going to put this action into a theological context then we’d say Bartimaeus was repenting; he was making a 180-degree turn around. Repentance has in it the idea of changing directions. If you’re serious about recovery – whether it’s physical, emotional, financial or spiritual recovery, you must change the way you live. You’ve got to surrender the old way of living and let Jesus give you a new life.
Now here’s the problem with simply going to church. It’s easy to think that just because I’m in close proximity to Jesus then I must be spiritually OK. For instance, many church members never give repentance a second thought. They’ve been duped into believing that because they go to church, hear a sermon and give some money, then that means they must be a child of God. But that simply isn’t the truth. In this very same chapter we see the man we call the Rich Young Ruler coming to Jesus and asking him how to have eternal life. Jesus basically said, “Repent and turn away from the things that keep you from following me.” But the young man couldn’t do it, he couldn’t give up his stuff, he was unwilling to surrender his old lifestyle so he walked away from Jesus.
And what about the crowd that surrounded Bartimaeus? They heard what Jesus said and they saw the blind man’s response, but it didn’t make a difference in their lifestyles. You see, it’s possible to grow up in the church, to be surrounded by great people and hear truth on a regular basis and yet never experience that life-change yourself. Bartimaeus had to do what every believer ultimately has to do – he had to decide to surrender the old lifestyle and follow Jesus.
4. Know what you need.
Don’t you find the question Jesus asked him in v.51 a bit peculiar? “What do you want me to do for you?” I know it sounds crazy, but most people don’t have a clue what they really need. Oh, they have a long list of wants and desires and hope and dreams. But needs…now that’s a different story.
I’m sure Bartimaeus wanted money, security, a family, some friends, a home, a job and a thousand other things. But he KNEW his real need was his sight. And because Bartimaeus understood and appreciated his real need, he was willing to do whatever it took to meet that need. He risked his reputation and maybe even his livelihood to meet Jesus face to face. He was convinced that Jesus was the answer to his needs.
I suppose one of the saddest truths of this story is how it applies to the 21st culture. We’re surrounded by friends and family members are so spiritually blind and beat up by the world that they can’t see their real need of a relationship with Jesus. Many of you have grown so accustomed to a lifestyle of deprivation that you can’t even imagine what abundant and full life would look like. And so you live day by day w/o hope, w/o security and with no real future in sight. If I could get you to see today that your greatest need isn’t a new job, better car, or more money, but it’s a relationship with Jesus, then you’d be on the road to recovery and I would have done my job as your pastor.
Just knowing your needs isn’t really enough. In fact, if you know your needs but you don’t have a clue who can meet those needs, then you’re going to live in a constant state of depression and despair. Apparently Bartimaeus had never called on anybody else to give him sight. He knew they didn’t have what it took to restore his eyes, so he never wasted his time. But on this day, when Jesus passed by, Bartimaeus took the plunge. Look back at v.47 and notice what Bartimaeus shouted out. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The title “Son of David” is a very specific Jewish title. And it was reserved for only one person in all the world…the Messiah. So when Bartimaeus called Jesus the Son of David, the whole crowd knew what he was saying. Bartimaeus was saying “I believe this is the one we’ve all be waiting for, the savior of the world and the deliverer of God’s people.” Bartimaeus was smart enough to know that no one could give him his sight except God Himself. And so he turned to Jesus and he wasn’t disappointed. When you figure out what your needs are, there’s only one person you can turn to…Jesus.
5. Live out your faith.
Do you know what I love about this story? Jesus didn’t just give Bartimaeus what he needed; He gave him so much more. When Jesus said, “your faith has healed you”, the word he used for “healed” is the same word for salvation. You see, Jesus doesn’t just meet your needs; he exceeds your needs. Bartimaeus’ life wasn’t changed just because he had eyes to see, but even more so because he had a faith to follow. Notice the last thing we’re told about Bartimaeus – he followed Jesus down the road.
You need to understand that real faith follows Jesus…wherever he leads. Bartimaeus followed Jesus down the road to recovery and he was never the same. What about you? What area of your life is so broken and fragmented that you’ve lost hope? Whatever that is, the answer is simple – call out to Jesus and he’ll heal your broken road.
