DON'T JUST SURVIVE...THRIVE!
Mark 10:46-52
A young man, who had worked for years on the railroad, wanted a job as a signalman for the railroad. For his interview, he was told to meet the inspector at the signal box. The inspector asked him, "What would you do if you realized that two trains were heading toward each other on the same track?" The young man said, "That's easy. I would switch the points for one of the trains." "The inspector then asked, "What if the lever broke?" The young man said, "Then I'd jump down out of the signal box and I'd use the manual lever over there." Next, the inspector said, "What if the lever had been struck by lightning?" The young man said, "Then, I would run to the signal box and phone the next signal box to let them know what was happening." The inspector continued on, "What if the phone was busy?" The young man said, "Well, in that case, I would rush down out of the signal box and use the public emergency phone at the crossing up there." Then, the inspector said, "What would you do if the public emergency phone had been vandalized?" The young man said, "Oh, well, then I would run into town and get my uncle." That answer puzzled the inspector. So, he asked, "Why would you go get your uncle?" The young man answered, "That's simple. Because he's never seen a train crash before."
Too many people today feel that their life is headed toward a crash. Their life feels like two trains headed directly toward each other and there is really nothing they can do to stop it from happening. For them, a crash seems inevitable. The crash may be a personality crash in a marriage or at work. The crash may be a financial crash or an employment crash. Whatever it is, for them, life seems to have come unglued and untracked. They feel as if they are "partly on track" and "partly off track." The final decision of where they will end up is yet to be decided.
Could that be how you feel today? Maybe you feel as if you have gotten off track. Maybe you feel that something is missing in your life and you just don't know what it is. Maybe you feel like you are about to crash. Let me ask you, is there a way out? Is there any hope? Are there any answers? Is there any way to stop the crash before it happens?
I want you to listen to me very carefully at this point. If you don't hear anything else that I say today, please hear this. By all means, there is hope! Let me say that again. There is hope. There is an answer. There is a way out. A crash in your life does not have to happen.
Where do we find that answer? Where do we turn? How do we stop the crash? Now, while there is an answer, we will not discover the hope or answer by reading our horoscope. We will not find the answer by calling a psychic hotline. You know, I always thought that if those people were really psychics, wouldn't they know that I needed help and wouldn't they call me instead of me having to call them? We will not find our hope by consulting a fortune cookie or by picking up a self-help book at the bookstore.
So, if the answers are not found in those places, where are the answers to be found? Simple. The answers to life's questions are found in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that Jesus came to earth, sent by God our Heavenly Father, so that we might experience true life. Jesus came so that we could know true happiness, true peace, true joy, and true fulfillment. Jesus came so that we could genuinely know God and have a personal relationship with Him.
Now, unfortunately, rather than turning to God, rather than giving their life to Jesus Christ, too many people find themselves wondering helplessly through life. They are lost, confused, and they are going through a maze of discouragement and doubt. Again, it could be that is where you find yourself today. Maybe you feel as if you are headed toward disaster and you do not see a way out.
In Mark 10:46-52, Jesus gave us an example of a man who must have felt the same way as many of us, but who had his life turned around by the power of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Jesus showed us how one man's life was miraculously changed when he encountered Jesus. By giving us this story, Jesus showed us how our life can be turned around if we come to Jesus Christ. Now remember, coming to Jesus is the beginning point, both in these verses and in our daily life.
The man in the story was named Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus was a man, by any account, who had very little going for him. Mark tells us that Bartimaeus was stranded on the outskirts of Jericho. He may have even lived on the streets. There did not seem to be any changes on the way in his life. There did not seem to be any way for him to break the cycle. He really did seem to be destined to remain on life's disabled list for all of his life.
Let's notice what caused Bartimaeus' problems. First of all, Mark told us that Bartimaeus was blind. I cannot begin to fathom being blind. I can't imagine being unable to see a picturesque sunset...a starlit night...or the smiling face of a child. Mark leads us to believe that Bartimaeus had been blind for some time. We also know that Bartimaeus was poor. Because he was blind, he could not work, he had to depend on others. All Bartimaeus could do was to sit along the roadside, begging, hoping kindhearted travelers would spare him a few coins.
Now, in all honesty, we would have to say that Bartimaeus' future looked gloomy, wouldn't we? None of us would deny the fact that Bartimaeus was a pitiful soul. His life seemed hopeless. Bartimaeus was a man who simply survived. No enjoyment. No happiness. No success. No peace. No joy. Bartimaeus' major concern in life was simple survival. That is, until the day a special passerby, Jesus, came along. Jesus gave Bartimaeus something money could not buy...a gift that would change his life forever.
Now, what can we learn from Bartimaeus? What can we learn from him that will help us get plugged in to the plan that God has for our life? How can we move beyond merely surviving and start thriving? I want to share with you three ways.
First of all, to move from surviving to thriving, we must learn to CAPITALIZE ON THE OPPORTUNITIES GOD PROVIDES FOR US. Bartimaeus did just that. Look back at the scriptures. Once Bartimaeus discovered that Jesus was close to him, he shouted out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Now, what do you think triggered that request? Was he simply begging as he had always done? How did he know of Jesus' miraculous powers? How did he know that Jesus was coming? I don't know for sure, but however he knew about Jesus, Bartimaeus sensed that he had an opportunity to get help and he acted upon the opportunity. Bartimaeus pleaded with Jesus. Little did he know that this request would turn out to be his best request ever! Bartimaeus capitalized on the opportunity placed before him by God.
In Mark 10:17-31, Jesus told us about another man who was looking for an opportunity. In those verses, Jesus told us about a Rich Young Ruler. A Rich Young Ruler came to Jesus with several questions about life. Jesus presented him with an opportunity just as he did Bartimaeus. Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler to "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me."
Here was the opportunity: Jesus told him to sell what he had and then to follow Jesus. Now, notice what happened to the Rich Young Ruler. Tragically, the young man went away sad. He refused Jesus' offer. Why? Why would a person do such a thing? Why would a person turn from Jesus' offer? The answer is painfully simple: to the Rich Young Ruler, temporary wealth meant more than eternal life. He wanted to keep what he had, what he owned, rather than follow Jesus.
Do you recognize the name Levi Strauss? Probably so. Levi Strauss really has become a household name today. However, his name is not known the way Mr. Strauss wanted it to be known. Like many other men in the 1840s and 50s, Levi Strauss went to California in hopes of making his fortune. He went to California to look for gold. Now, he did make a fortune, but not the way he had planned.
Strauss left his home with a load of heavy canvas fabric. Strauss planned to sell his fabric for tents and wagon covers. When Strauss set up his place of business, the first miner who came in said, "You should have brought pants." Strauss, who had been in California for only a few days, had no idea what the miner meant. So, the miner explained to Strauss that there weren't any pants strong enough to endure the arduous conditions of mining. What did Levi Strauss do? He immediately took the heavy canvas fabric that he had brought with him and made the miner a pair of work pants. Within days, Levi Strauss struck gold. Not the bright, shiny gold found in the ground or rivers, but the gold of opportunity.
There's an important truth that we must understand at this point. Opportunities only become opportunities when we embrace them as opportunities. God may offer and offer something to us; however, if we refuse to accept it, the opportunity will be missed. An opportunity must be seized, grabbed, accepted, taken. Bartimaeus accepted the opportunity that was presented by Jesus. The Rich Young Ruler did not accept the opportunity.
Today, before everyone of us is a door of opportunity. Today, God could be calling you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Today, God could be calling you to recommit yourself to a walk with Him. Today, there may be a place of service in the church that God wants you to fill. Maybe God is calling you to a teaching position in our church. Maybe God is calling you to get involved in a ministry in our community. Maybe you know a lost person who needs Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and is now open to the Gospel.
Listen to me. If you feel the nudging of the Holy Spirit, if God is placing an opportunity before you, you have two choices. If we follow the example of Bartimaeus, we will seize the moment! We will grab the opportunity! We will follow Him! However, if we follow the example of the Rich Young Ruler, we will allow other things to hinder the opportunity. Beloved, thriving means capitalizing on our God-given opportunities.
Then, secondly, to move from thriving to striving, we must learn to MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE VOICES THAT CLATTER AROUND US. Now, notice the crowd's reaction when Bartimaeus cried out for help. Mark said, "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet." You see, the crowd had Bartimaeus stereotyped. In their eyes, he would never be anything more than a blind beggar. In their eyes, he would never be anything but poor. The crowd thought that their question was fair: Why would this Rabbi want to waste His time with such an outcast?
We do the same thing today, we judge people by what we see on the outside. Usually, we do that with children. It could be that we feel that way about today's youths and children. We see them and judge them by what we see on the exterior. The baggy clothes, the unkept appearance, the apparent indifference to authority. To look at them, we would say that they will never amount to anything.
Adults, listen to me. It may have been some time since we were teenagers and children, but times have not really changed. Think back to how your parents felt about the way you dressed, wore your hair, or the friends you kept. Think back to your resistance to authority.
Now kids, I am not going to tell you to resist all authority or rebel against your parents; however, I am going to tell you not to give in to the stereotyping by others. You really do not have to give in to the peer pressure in your school, in your neighborhood, or even in church. Bartimaeus was judged because he was blind, poor, and did not seem to fit into society. He was talked about, rejected, and put down because he was not like the others.
However, I appreciate Bartimaeus' reaction. Did you notice what he did? Bartimaeus persisted. He would not give up. Mark said, "He shouted all the more, Son of David, have mercy on me." Bartimaeus was not going to let a bunch of negative, critical, heckling bystanders rob him of his dream of sight.
There is a similar story to this found in the Old Testament. In 1 Samuel 17, we are told how David overcame the voices of opposition. 1 Samuel tells us that the Israelites and Philistines were getting ready for battle. As they were, David, the future king of Israel, brought food from home for his brothers. When David's oldest brother Eliab saw him, he said, "Why have you come down here..." David also got the same response when he later volunteered to fight Goliath. Saul said, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him, you are only a boy." However, despite their negativity, David would not give up. He insisted that he be given a chance to fight.
Robert Fulton invented the steamboat. When he first presented his new invention, he had plenty of critics crowded on the river bank. The critics yelled, "It'll never start, it'll never start." Fulton proved them wrong. After a lot of clanking and groaning, the steamboat started up and moved down the river. The critics were quiet momentarily. Then they rallied together and started yelling, "It'll never stop, it'll never stop."
Listen to me. We must never try to please those who would criticize us. Why? Simple. We will never be able to do so. Young people, you are going to be criticized often as you grow up. You are going to be criticized by your friends if you don't listen to them. You are going to be criticized by your parents if you do listen to your friends. I can tell you, it is so difficult not to listen to that criticism. But listen to me. As you are criticized, as you face the negative crowd, follow the example of Bartimaeus, David, and Robert Fulton. Use it. Grow from it. Move forward despite it. Don't let it hold you back. Seize the opportunities placed before you by God. Don't be limited by the negative criticism of others.
Now, finally, if we are to move from striving to thriving, we must learn to EXERCISE THE FAITH AVAILABLE TO US. Notice, Bartimaeus' boldness grabbed Jesus' attention. His boldness and enthusiasm were almost impossible to miss. Now, let me quickly add, that we should make no mistake about it, the reason that Jesus healed Bartimaeus was not because of his boldness, but because of his faith. It was Bartimaeus' faith that triggered Jesus' healing power. Jesus said to Bartimaeus, "Go, your faith has healed you."
However, Bartimaeus knew exactly what he wanted. For that reason, he did not hesitate to speak to Jesus about it. But listen. Through prayer, we have this same privilege. The Lord said in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Paul told us in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
But, be careful here. Requesting something of Jesus or speaking to Jesus is not enough. You see, the Rich Young Ruler did that, yet he remained unchanged. Complete faith is obedient faith. Mark tells us that when Bartimaeus received his sight, he "followed Jesus along the road." Can you imagine the testimony that his eyesight must have been as he told others the impact that Jesus had in his life?
A missionary, in a very isolated area of Africa, performed surgery on a poor blind man. The surgery was successful and his sight was restored. Several days after the operation the man disappeared from the hospital. Everyone was quite concerned for his well-being. Then, a few days later, the missionary opened his door and there stood the man who had been operated on. The man was holding a rope. On the other end of the rope were ten more blind people.
Listen. Genuine faith is contagious faith. Genuine faith cannot wait to tell others, to point others to God, to follow Jesus. Beloved, stop settling for less! Stop muddling through life partly on track—partly off track. Don't just survive, thrive! Thrive through Jesus Christ and your faith in Him.
