Mark 10:46-52
The medical profession has made great progress in sustaining life over the last century. The average age for an American is fast approaching 80. The development of antibiotics has reduced deadly disease to simple treatable sicknesses.
It is believed that George Washington died of a severe case of StrepThroat. Today Strep Throat is treated with an antibiotic and a few days of rest.
When we read about leprosy in the Bible it was treated as a death sentence. Today leprosy is almost wiped out except for a few remote places that do not have access to modern drugs.
Child Birth, up until the middle part of the last century, had been the number 1 killer of women and children. Now Doctors can perform Caesarean Sections without much risk to Mother or Child reducing the number of deaths due to childbirth.
The medical profession can now take vital organs that are damaged and replace them with a healthy organ from a donor. This technology in medical science has given many people a healthier, productive and longer physical life.
I am afraid, however, that as great leaps and bounds are being made in the healing of the physical body the spiritual body is being neglected.
We need to realize that just has we take care of our physical body we have to take care of our spiritual body. If we would only realize that physical health alone does not bring happiness, personal fulfillment and satisfaction. Most of the problems in this world cannot be solved through research and modern technology. These problems can only be solved through a spiritual healing process through faith in Jesus Christ.
It is true that most people are living longer and are being more productive in their senior years. However, I believe that a lot of people, though they are living longer, are not living healthy spiritually.
I want us to look at some Steps that we all can take to heal our spiritual sickness. I believe we through looking at the story of Blind Bartimaeus can discover some Steps Toward Healing the spiritual sickness in our lives.
The First Step is:
I. There has to be A Cry from a Blind Beggar v.46-48
A. It is a cry from one who knows their destiny
1. Blind Bartimaues’ destiny
2. Our Destiny
a. We have to realize that we are lost
b. We will not spend eternity in heaven but in Hell-Absence of God
B. It is a cry from one who has a desire
1. Blind Bartimaues’ desire-He cried out
2. Our desire
a. We must have a desire to me healed
b. We must have a desire to be saved
c. We must see the need to be healed
C. It is a cry from one who is determined
1. The determination of Blind Bartimaeus-He did not care what others said or thought
2. Our determination
a. It should not matter what people think or say about your decision to accept Jesus as your Savior
b. Your parents, friends and co-workers are not going to give an account for you, you and only you will stand before God one day
c. You have to have the attitude of-I am going to do what God wants me to do and what I know I need to do regardless of what anyone says
Steps Toward Healing
First Step-A Cry from a Blind Beggar
Second Step-There has to be Concern from a Gracious Savor—This step is guaranteed
II. There has to be a Concern from a Gracious Savior v.49
A. We can see Jesus’ Concern through his Patience
1. He stopped and waited
2. Jesus took the time for someone who was of no importance to anyone
3. Everyone is important and is someone of worth to Jesus. Regardless of what disability they might have
4. He could have passed by and nobody would have thought less of him. But he could not. It is not in his nature. Jesus nature is to Love and to take time to reach out to people where they are
B. We can see Jesus’ concern through his Command
1. He called Blind Bartimaeus to Him
2. Jesus was not ashamed to be associated with a blind beggar
3. Jesus was concerned about his condition and he is concerned about your condition and he is not ashamed to be associated with you regardless of what spiritual condition you are in
4. Are we ashamed of others
5. Our unwillingness to be associated with those that we consider less fortunate or unclean is hindering Christ’s ability to heal individuals from their spiritual blindness
C. We can see Jesus concern through his Approach
1. He used others to bring Blind Bartimaeus to him
2. Jesus is still using other today
3. I am thankful for the people that he has used in my life—Ana Lee Lawing, Millard Hall, Steve and Virginia Beam, Bill Queen, Dr. Jack Partain, and many others
4. He is using people right now in your life. Are you going to allow them to take you by the hand and introduce you to a Savior who has the ability to heal you from your Spiritual Blindness or are you going to neglect the greatest need in your life
D. We can see Jesus’ Concern through his Death
1. Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he met Bartimaeus to pay the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
2. He was so concerned for all of mankind that he paid the ultimate sacrifice-His physical life for our spiritual healing
3. I did not see the Passion of Christ—I knew I could not emotionally handle it. He was so concerned about us that he was led as a sheep to the slaughter. He was wounded for our transgression and by his strips we can be healed spiritually.
Steps Toward Healing
There has to be a Cry from a Blind Beggar
There has to be a Concern from a Gracious Savior
There also has to be a Cost for a Wonderful Miracle
III. There has to be a Cost for a Wonderful Miracle v.50
Salvation is free but not cheap. Our salvation cost Jesus his life and for us to experience salvation it will cost us . . .
A. A repentant heart-or a turning away from our old material life
1. Blind Bartimaeus left his old life and the material possession that weighted him down and came to Jesus
2. We have to have a willingness to forsake anything that is weighting us down from our material life. We have to repent of our sins and turn away from anything that will keep us from accepting Jesus as our personal Savior
3. We have to say to Jesus that you are the most important person in my life and I know that you are the only person that can heal my spiritual life. You are the only one that can save me from myself and from the spiritual demons that are fighting within my soul.
B. Some serious effort
1. Jesus called Blind Bartimaues and he responded
2. Jesus calls us and we have to respond
3. We can either answer yes or no
4. Jesus is a perfect gentleman-he is not going to make you do anything you do not want to do
5. Jesus has never and will never break down the door to your heart—you have to first put forth the effort to open the door—once you open the door Jesus will gladly come in and save you from your sin and begin the spiritual healing
Steps Toward Healing
There has to be a Cry from a Blind Beggar
There has to be a Concern from a Gracious Savior
There has to be a Cost for a Wonderful Miracle
There also has to be a Cure for a Serious Condition
IV. There has to be a Cure for a Serious Condition
A. 1st-Realize that Jesus is the only one that can help you with your problem
1. Blind Bartimaeus and his problem
2. Us and our problem-Spiritual Blindness
B. 2nd-Know what you want him to do for you
1. Blind Bartimeus knew what he wanted Jesus to do for him
2. Know what you want Jesus to do for you—heal you from you spiritual blindness
3. Example; My last Sermon at Catawba Falls
C. 3rd-Put your faith in Him
1. Blind Bartimaeus’ faith caused him to physically see
2. Our faith in Jesus believing that he is God in the flesh, that he came and died on the cross for our sins will heal us from our spiritual blindness
3. If we truly believe with our utmost being that Jesus came, died and arose then we will be saved. It is a simple as that
4. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast Eph 2:8-9
Every one of us would probably go to the doctor if we were deathly sick. We would probably do all that we could to sustain our physical life. I just wish we took our spiritual life as seriously as we take our physical life. After all it is the spiritual part of us that is going to live for eternity not our physical.
Will you today just as Blind Bartimaeus did 2000 years ago come and let Jesus heal your spiritual blindness. Will you come and let Jesus not only give you quantity of life but quality of life by healing you spiritually.
Will you:
Cry out as one who knows they have a problem
Will you accept the Concern from a gracious savior that died for you?
Are you willing to accept the cost of repentance and put forth the effort require to step out and
Put your faith in Jesus
If so the altar is open. You need to come Just As You Are. Not waiting to clean up your life but coming to let Jesus help you clean up your life and begin the healing process.
