Stuck Or Seeking?

Stuck or Seeking? Mark 10:46-52

INTRODUCTION:

Pastor Steve Heartsill shares a story of 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."

Many folks today feel trapped or "stuck" they have tired everything that they know to do yet they still feel hopeless that anything will ever change. Often many of us become like the young signalman in the story I just shared. We doing everything we know to do to prevent the disaster but we finally just sit back and watch it happen before our eyes. We may not like it, but we feel "stuck" in our situation. Some feel "stuck" in a marriage or "stuck" in a job, or even in our "stuck" in our spiritual lives. When we are "stuck" often we stop seeking ways to improve our problems and just sit back and do nothing to make them better.

+ For those here who are married, we may need to say, "I am sorry" more and then show that we mean it. I know I do. What have you done lately to SHOW you love your spouse?

+ If you feel stuck in your job. Change your perspective. First, be thankful to have a job and to have the ability to work (Deut. 8:18). Work as unto the Lord and not for man. Keep seeking God through it all and He may even provide a new better job for you.

+ What about spiritual stagnation? Have you grown much spiritually? Have you become satisfied with your spiritual walk with the Lord? What ministries for the Lord are you currently doing?

We are not stuck if we have the Lord. God has a plan for you, for this church, for this country and this world. To illustrate Let us picture our life as a car traveling down life’s road. We notice many people have gotten stuck in a ditch. Then before we know it we are stuck in a ditch? What do you do?

+ Abandon your car and buy a new one? (although you may want to most would not just leave it)

+ Try to get it out yourself?

+ Get help? Others to help push, a tow truck, etc.

The Lord is our help. In our scripture today a blind man named Bartimaeus knew Jesus was his answer and sought him. Most would consider Bartimaeus - ¡§stuck¡¨ he was a blind beggar. Basically we might call him a hopeless cause. Yet, Bartimaeus was a seeker, he could not see with his eyes but he was not without hope. He never stopped seeking. (Read Mark 10:46-52)

I) Seekers Call on Jesus (v.46-48)

Bartimaeus was begging outside of Jericho (note: there is a similar story in Matt 20:29-34 - but it has 2 blind beggars in it and does not give the names of the beggars).

A) Stay put and call on Jesus first.

1) Don¡¦t wander on your own trying to find him - call him first (get directions)

2) "if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Matt 15:14

B) Let Him know your heart’s desire - "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (v.47)

1) He needed God’s mercy. We do also.

2) ASK? What is your heart’s desire? Honestly let the Holy Spirit examine your heart. Are you seeking Jesus first? If not, let Him change that today.

Seekers call on Jesus with our heart’s desire.