Steps Toward Healing

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