WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.560 Okay, we're going to turn back to Mark's Gospel chapter 10, the last section of that 00:00:06.560 --> 00:00:11.200 chapter from verse 46, this healing story. 00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:15.400 Now I think it's fair to say that we're not very good at drama in the free church. 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:21.320 We're not great at doing drama in our worship services. 00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:26.920 But Mark the writer here inspired under God to write this Gospel account of the beginning 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:27.920 of the Gospel. 00:00:27.920 --> 00:00:32.920 There's no doubt he wants us to feel drama here in this story. 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:36.120 Absolutely. 00:00:36.120 --> 00:00:42.200 If you've ever watched, and I doubt unless you've watched some Netflix series, you'll 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:49.200 have 10 or maybe 12 episodes of some amazing story in Netflix. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:54.760 And you'll notice that at the end of every program, the end of every episode, it kind 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:58.079 of comes to a crescendo. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:00.920 And it's all very exciting. 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:04.640 And they leave you just hanging. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:09.759 And then the count comes up 30 seconds to the next episode. 00:01:09.759 --> 00:01:12.560 And of course you're baited. 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:14.159 They've got you by then, haven't they? 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.159 Because it's exciting. 00:01:15.159 --> 00:01:18.640 And you say, ah, just one more. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:21.599 And then 12 later, ah, just one more. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:23.159 Four in the morning. 00:01:23.159 --> 00:01:25.280 Ah, because that's how they do it, isn't it? 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:27.799 That's how they keep you in. 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:31.159 And you keep watching the next episode because it's exciting. 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:33.239 That's exactly what's happening here. 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:37.879 Mark had it way before Netflix had any idea of what they were doing in terms of grabbing 00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:39.039 an audience. 00:01:39.039 --> 00:01:42.120 Because from the middle of it, and we've seen that over the last number of weeks, from the 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:50.039 middle of chapter eight through to this section, to the end of chapter 10, it's like an episode 00:01:50.039 --> 00:01:52.319 because Mark is split into episodes. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:58.079 And Jesus is the central character, obviously, throughout the gospel of Mark. 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.000 And he's been revealing who he is. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:01.679 Mark's been revealing who he is. 00:02:01.679 --> 00:02:06.519 And in this section, as we've seen over the last number of weeks, it's been talking about 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:09.199 discipleship, what it means to follow Jesus. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:14.280 And Jesus all the time has been dripping in three very significant times, dripping in 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:19.599 the prophecy of the crucifixion and the resurrection each time and the suffering of Jesus. 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:23.199 And he's been bringing that into this episode very powerfully. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:27.280 And it's critical to see that. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.799 And it's critical to recognize that. 00:02:29.799 --> 00:02:36.599 And it's critical that we see the gospel in every single section of this great gospel 00:02:36.599 --> 00:02:42.719 that is given to us by Mark because whether you're just maybe investigating Christianity, 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:45.479 if you are, it's brilliant to see you today. 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.120 But if not, and you've been a Christian for a long time. 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:51.719 The gospel message remains absolutely critical and central. 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:56.080 And the gospel story needs to be the heart of our lives, not just, as we've said very 00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:58.840 often, not just at the beginning of our lives. 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:04.039 And so what is being said here is hugely significant because this is no Netflix show. 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:05.960 This is no wee story. 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:10.159 This is no mere historical biography. 00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.800 This is the message that comes from the living God. 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:18.920 It's the most important truth that you will ever have to wrestle with in your life and 00:03:18.920 --> 00:03:20.360 me in mind. 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:26.200 As a follower or a not yet follower of Jesus, if you're not sure about following Christ, 00:03:26.200 --> 00:03:29.840 what is being spoken of here and what we've been looking at in the last number of weeks 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:32.320 is critically important. 00:03:32.320 --> 00:03:35.840 So I'm just going to do a bit of drama. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:41.040 I'm just going to retell the story to begin with because it's so important and it's so 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:46.679 good and it's so dramatic because Jesus here is on His way. 00:03:46.679 --> 00:03:50.239 Now, I'll say a little bit more about that later. 00:03:50.239 --> 00:03:52.159 But there's tension in the air. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:56.959 He's moving towards Jerusalem where His enemies are and He's spoken about His crucifixion 00:03:56.959 --> 00:04:00.680 and His suffering and His death, but He's on the way towards them. 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:02.319 But there's tension. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:03.879 The disciples are gathered around Him. 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:06.479 They're walking with Him and He's gathered a great crowd. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:09.560 The crowd are interested in Him. 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:13.800 Maybe not because He's going to the cross for sure, but they have some kind of idea 00:04:13.800 --> 00:04:18.959 that He's a special person and that He's possibly a Messiah and they're interested 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:25.000 in Him that He's going to Rome potentially to claim a Roman scalp and to claim the crown 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:29.000 that will set the people of Israel free. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.519 And so there's this crowd, but like what's outside today? 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:37.000 A crowd gathering outside, but there's maybe not a focus of anyone today. 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:43.279 Maybe if Usain Bolt came along, then there would be a big crowd around Him as the athletes 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:44.959 are going out for their run. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:47.879 But there was this crowd around Jesus and they were moving forward together. 00:04:47.879 --> 00:04:51.199 You know what it's like when a great crowd moved together. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:58.000 And then above the noise, above the hubbub of noise of this crowd moving towards Jerusalem, 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:06.879 the blind beggar shouts, the Son of Timmyus, Son of David, have mercy on me. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:09.600 He shouts above the crowd. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:16.000 Now, doubtless, He didn't really understand exactly who Jesus is, but He knew enough to 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.040 cry out for mercy, didn't He? 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:20.399 He knew enough to cry out for mercy. 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:21.399 It's chaotic. 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:23.399 Ah, shut up, you old clown. 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:26.279 I don't know if he was old, sorry, I shouldn't say that. 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:27.959 He doesn't say anything about his age. 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:31.680 Shut up, you young man, blind man, beggar. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.719 Let Jesus get bigger fish to fry. 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:39.040 He's not interested in you, just be quiet, shut up. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:42.080 But He kept shouting, didn't He? 00:05:42.080 --> 00:05:48.920 And then the whole dynamic of the story changes when Jesus stops. 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:53.280 So when the big man stops, when the focus of attention that the crowd are following 00:05:53.280 --> 00:05:58.520 stops, then the crowd stop and listen to what Jesus has to say. 00:05:58.520 --> 00:06:00.720 And Jesus says, call Him. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:04.160 Bring Him here, call Him around. 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.640 And all of a sudden, the crowd who were berating this guy, this beggar, this blind beggar, 00:06:09.640 --> 00:06:11.560 all of a sudden he's the center of attention. 00:06:11.560 --> 00:06:14.320 And he says, hey, cheer up, this is a great day for you. 00:06:14.320 --> 00:06:16.480 The master's calling you. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:17.480 Go up and listen to him. 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:22.000 And of course, the son of Timious is delighting him. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:25.800 Throws away the dirty old rag, I'll no be needing that again. 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:27.840 And he goes up to Jesus. 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:36.239 And Jesus asks him a question now, if you're really sharp, and if you were here last week, 00:06:36.239 --> 00:06:40.560 or maybe the week before because we looked at the, Corrie looked at the last passage 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:48.359 for two weeks, if you're really sharp, you may notice that Jesus asked son of Timious 00:06:48.359 --> 00:06:54.759 exactly the same question that he asked the disciples previously in the story. 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:56.879 Exactly the same question. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:00.920 Verse 36, this is from last week. 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:05.279 And he said to them, what do you want me to do for you? 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:11.879 And then in verse 51, the passage we read today, Jesus said to him, what do you want 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:14.879 me to do for you? 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:17.000 Exactly the same question. 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:19.000 We'll come back to that. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:21.719 Do you want money? 00:07:21.719 --> 00:07:24.879 Do you want a decent house? 00:07:24.879 --> 00:07:27.680 Do you want a friend? 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:32.959 No, he said, I want to see. 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:36.240 I want to see. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:40.279 That's what he asked Jesus, blind Bartimaeus. 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:43.240 Now where's the drama? 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:45.719 The drama is completely gone. 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:55.840 There's no drama because there's no great, amazing work of Jesus revealed here in touch. 00:07:55.840 --> 00:07:57.120 He doesn't touch him. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:07:58.960 There's no thunder. 00:07:58.960 --> 00:08:01.640 There's no spitting in the mud and rubbing his eyes. 00:08:01.640 --> 00:08:07.080 Oh, Jesus say, hugely undramatic, huge anti-Glimax. 00:08:07.080 --> 00:08:10.800 Just says, go your way. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:12.120 Your faith has made you whole. 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:17.560 Jesus is going his way, and he says to the blind man, your faith has made you whole. 00:08:17.560 --> 00:08:18.560 Go your way. 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:21.879 And where does he go? 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:23.720 He follows Jesus. 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:26.399 He goes the same way as Jesus. 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:27.399 Bam! 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:29.399 The credits roll. 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:31.399 59 seconds. 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.799 Are you going to read the next chapter? 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:35.799 Course you are. 00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:40.879 You're going to go home, you're going to fret about making the Sunday lunch, and you're 00:08:40.879 --> 00:08:43.120 going to get into chapter 11. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:49.120 You're going to watch the next, read the next chapter because it's dramatic, and because 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:54.080 Mark by the power of the Holy Spirit is leading us to the great conclusion. 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:56.200 But we're not going to go on to that today. 00:08:56.200 --> 00:09:03.159 What I am going to do is I'm going to ask one huge central question for all of us. 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:11.079 It's the same question that Jesus asked to Bartimaeus and to the disciples. 00:09:11.079 --> 00:09:12.639 What do you want me to do for you? 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:18.199 Jesus says, so ask that question yourself, in your own heart, in your own life. 00:09:18.199 --> 00:09:19.199 Have you ever asked that question? 00:09:19.199 --> 00:09:22.839 Have you ever thought of Jesus asking you that question? 00:09:22.839 --> 00:09:27.879 Have you ever done that? 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:30.559 Do you think of Jesus as someone who comes and says that to you today? 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:31.559 What is it? 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:35.000 What is it that you want me to do for you? 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:41.000 Because there's two significant answers, aren't there, in these two passages. 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:43.759 I'm sorry if you weren't here last week and you didn't read that passage. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:48.119 We maybe should have read it over again because I'm dipping back into last week a little bit 00:09:48.119 --> 00:09:53.199 as well, probably repeating a lot of what Corey said because we were in mid-dread. 00:09:53.199 --> 00:09:58.239 There's only one answer, and the disciples got it wrong, didn't they? 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:06.879 The disciples got entirely wrong because they didn't get the whole story. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.600 They didn't understand what was happening. 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:10.000 What did they ask for? 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:15.480 Grant us to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your glory. 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:19.159 So just let that sink in for a moment. 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:23.440 If you're a Christian today, as I'm a Christian today, we're disciples, we're followers of 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:24.440 Jesus. 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:28.240 And the disciples in this story got it all wrong. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.800 They were asking the wrong questions. 00:10:30.800 --> 00:10:34.440 The privileged followers of Jesus were the blind ones. 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:39.080 Can you not see the contrast that Jesus is, that Mark is wanting to make here? 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:42.200 It's not a physical blindness he's wanting to get across. 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:46.360 It's the fact that the disciples were spiritually blind, and Barton Mays was the one who could 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:49.320 see the disciples. 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:52.440 They still thought of Jesus as a genie and a lamp. 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:56.840 They still think, you know, we want you to do for us whatever we ask. 00:10:56.840 --> 00:11:01.160 Imagine the audacity of that question, the living God. 00:11:01.160 --> 00:11:06.080 Imagine asking, and yet we do all the time in our lives. 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.600 Is that what Jesus is to you? 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:12.160 Is he that genie and a lamp that does whatever I ask? 00:11:12.160 --> 00:11:16.840 Are you wanting His blessings and His privileges and His comfort? 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:19.880 Do we want His love and His belonging and all the material stuff? 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:23.480 Please don't give me the cross. 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.240 Don't give me the way of the cross. 00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:27.120 I don't need your mercy. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:31.159 I just want these things. 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:32.159 Is it? 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:37.200 I don't necessarily want really to see my own heart as you see it. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:39.879 I don't want to be exposed as needy. 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:42.200 I want to see your right hand and your left. 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.120 I want to share in your glory. 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:46.200 I want the power. 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:48.759 I still want to be Lord of my life. 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:51.559 Now that's the disciples. 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.759 Don't sit here as a Christian thinking, that must be a message for unbelievers. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:11:56.759 That's for the disciples. 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:01.000 That's for the Christians, the believers. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:02.720 Don't listen for someone else. 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:04.360 Don't think it doesn't apply. 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:11.000 We need to be convicted to our very core by the message of the gospel for us as Christians. 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:16.519 And listen for what God wants us to learn about the danger of being a follower of Jesus 00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:20.319 and not really grasping at all what it means to follow Jesus. 00:12:20.319 --> 00:12:21.319 Because they didn't grasp. 00:12:21.319 --> 00:12:24.199 They had the wrong idea. 00:12:24.199 --> 00:12:30.159 And maybe if you hear Jesus today saying to you, what do you want me to do for you? 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:33.279 You'll have an understanding of what's in your heart. 00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:35.519 I want to understand life. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.919 I want life to be laid out my way. 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:42.199 I want my future to be secure in the way that I think. 00:12:42.199 --> 00:12:44.240 Whatever it might be. 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:47.879 But listen for Bartimaeus. 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:48.879 Listen for what he said. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:53.399 Remember it was the same question, what do you want me to do for you? 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:56.120 The Son of Timmaeus got it right. 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:57.960 I want to see. 00:12:57.960 --> 00:12:58.960 I want to see. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:00.879 Did they understand fully what that meant? 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:01.879 I doubt it. 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:04.759 I doubt he fully understood what he was asking. 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:07.320 Sure he was asking for physical healing. 00:13:07.320 --> 00:13:12.720 But through that, he knew more clearly because the first thing he asked was, Lord, have mercy 00:13:12.720 --> 00:13:14.879 on me. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:22.399 And he knew that this great Messiah was at least physically able to heal him so he was 00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:25.080 from God. 00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:27.720 And he went and followed Him. 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:31.920 And he probably, let's hope so, followed Him all the way to the cross and understood 00:13:31.920 --> 00:13:32.920 more. 00:13:32.920 --> 00:13:36.040 He certainly was urgent in his request. 00:13:36.040 --> 00:13:39.480 He was willing to shout above the crowd who were telling him to shut up and be quiet and 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:40.800 go home. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.599 He needed Christ. 00:13:42.599 --> 00:13:44.479 His life was in a mess. 00:13:44.479 --> 00:13:45.639 He was poverty-stricken. 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:48.959 He was begging on the streets. 00:13:48.959 --> 00:13:54.559 Was he yet in times to come as a follower of Christ to be challenged and surprised? 00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:55.559 Undoubtedly. 00:13:55.559 --> 00:13:57.919 Undoubtedly as we all are. 00:13:57.919 --> 00:13:59.879 But I think the deep spiritual reality is there. 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:01.120 He saw the healer. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:02.120 He saw the Lord. 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:07.599 And his life was turned around and he left the old one behind, symbolized by throwing 00:14:07.599 --> 00:14:09.120 his cloak aside. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.919 That cloak was the old cloak that I used to beg on. 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:15.519 But I'm not going to need that anymore. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:17.679 Now that's the story that we got here. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:24.480 This dramatic story is historically real, undoubtedly, without any shadow of a doubt. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:31.720 However, it also has a deeper spiritual message that Mark intended it to have because of where 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:35.200 it's placed in the gospel. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:40.200 Without doubt, the section that Mark has written here, this episode of Mark's gospel is carefully 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:41.200 crafted. 00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:44.560 It's not just thrown together haphazardly. 00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:46.160 It's carefully crafted. 00:14:46.160 --> 00:14:52.680 It begins, interestingly, in chapter 8 verse 22, this section, with this healing of a blind 00:14:52.680 --> 00:14:55.480 man. 00:14:55.480 --> 00:15:00.480 And it finishes this section with the healing of a blind man. 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:08.200 Because, and the contrast particularly between the disciples and Bartimaeus is powerful in 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:14.560 that you've got Bartimaeus who is a poor nobody in the eyes of the crowd and the people around 00:15:14.560 --> 00:15:15.800 him, he's a beggar. 00:15:15.800 --> 00:15:21.440 And yet he sees, and the disciples who follow Jesus for all these years, they were blind. 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:22.440 He couldn't see. 00:15:22.440 --> 00:15:23.840 Can you see the contrast? 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:29.200 You see, and Corey was talking about that last week, the incredible counterintuitive nature 00:15:29.200 --> 00:15:30.200 of the gospel. 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:33.040 It always turns our understanding upside down. 00:15:33.040 --> 00:15:38.280 And you can't sit here today and not recognize and see that, whether you agree or disagree 00:15:38.280 --> 00:15:42.000 with the gospel or not. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:45.640 And that's the question that Jesus asks you today. 00:15:45.640 --> 00:15:48.040 What is it you want me to do for you? 00:15:48.040 --> 00:15:49.960 Ask that in your own heart. 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.200 What is the first thing you're asking? 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:54.800 What is the reality that you seek? 00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:57.280 Is it that you see? 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:02.120 You've been a Christian for a long, long time and that's still your request, still my request, 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:04.240 Lord, please. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:06.360 Take away the clouded eyes. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:12.600 Help me to see you more clearly, to see your beauty, to see your power, to see your finished 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:13.600 work. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:16.199 Just to see what my life is in you. 00:16:16.199 --> 00:16:20.439 I belong and I'm part of your family and you have a calling for me. 00:16:20.439 --> 00:16:22.480 Help me to see these things. 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:26.279 What is it that you want Jesus to do for you? 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:29.959 That's a very important question. 00:16:29.959 --> 00:16:34.480 So as we just draw it to a conclusion, what do you and I see in God's Word here? 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:38.759 Because there's that central question and there's one or two other parallel things that 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:40.360 we see in the passage here. 00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:45.240 I think it's important to recognize and see that Jesus is on the way here. 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:47.480 We mentioned that before. 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:49.600 It starts with Him coming to Jericho. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:50.600 He's traveling. 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:54.480 He's traveling down from Jericho and then it's going to be up to Jerusalem. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:59.759 So verse 46 says He came to Jericho and then it finishes with saying immediately, recover 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:02.840 the sight and followed Jesus on the way. 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:03.840 So Jesus on the way. 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:08.000 Now there's seven or eight times in this episode, this chapter from the middle of chapter eight, 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.120 that it speaks about Jesus being on the way. 00:17:10.120 --> 00:17:11.559 It's clearly a journey. 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:14.079 It's clearly significant and important. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:19.400 The phrase is used often or words similar to that phrase because He's on the way to 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:23.759 offer the one thing alone that you need and I need. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:30.079 The one significant thing we all need, He's on the way to deal with that at the cross and 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:31.579 then His resurrection. 00:17:31.579 --> 00:17:34.240 He's on the way to show us His mercy. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:39.680 Remember what Corey was saying last week about the incredible reality of Jesus coming to 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.759 serve and not to be served? 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:43.879 To serve you. 00:17:43.879 --> 00:17:50.400 He's served you in the one significant, most important way in your life to offer you mercy, 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:51.400 His mercy. 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:55.160 To show you His mercy and to give you peace with God. 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:58.840 That great exchange, that's what He's offering. 00:17:58.840 --> 00:18:04.320 He takes our sin and our failing and our inability to meet God's perfect standard of love for 00:18:04.320 --> 00:18:06.519 Him and for one another. 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:15.360 He having reached and lived that standard Himself, takes our sin and dies in our place. 00:18:15.360 --> 00:18:17.720 The great exchange, do you know that great exchange? 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:19.560 Have you taken that great exchange? 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:26.639 Have you taken Christ who is the one who sets us free, the gift that He offers in His love? 00:18:26.639 --> 00:18:31.159 That's the deepest identity we need to come to terms with in our lives. 00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:36.440 That is why Mark is driving us towards the cross all the time. 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.440 Jesus is there. 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:43.720 So one thing He's come to do, He's set His face firmly for Jerusalem. 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:51.559 So one thing I need as a sinner in my life is what Jesus Christ offers, a great loving 00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:58.360 relationship that transforms every other relationship, not just vertically with God but also horizontally 00:18:58.360 --> 00:18:59.360 with one another. 00:18:59.360 --> 00:19:00.360 At least it should, eh? 00:19:00.360 --> 00:19:01.360 Isn't that right? 00:19:01.360 --> 00:19:04.160 Are we quite happy with the horizontal one? 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.360 But I can't be bothered with the vertical one. 00:19:06.360 --> 00:19:09.360 I can't be bothered with the horizontal one. 00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:12.120 Sorry, I'm not very good at these things. 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:13.839 The horizontal one is much harder, isn't it? 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:17.079 It's easy to love God, sort of, even though we can't see Him. 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:20.799 Oh, but to love one another, that's a challenge. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.799 Can't do it. 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:24.919 Can't do it without His grace. 00:19:24.919 --> 00:19:28.239 We're selfish and bitter and proud and arrogant and ignorant. 00:19:28.239 --> 00:19:30.079 Can't do it. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:32.079 We need His grace in our hearts. 00:19:32.079 --> 00:19:39.119 And we recognize, and when we know that belonging, it begins to... the gospel begins to transform 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:40.199 us. 00:19:40.200 --> 00:19:46.640 Not just once, but when we're 85 and when we're 90 years old and have been a Christian for 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:49.120 all our lives, it's still changing us. 00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:50.120 It must be. 00:19:50.120 --> 00:19:52.759 Otherwise, it's ceased. 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:54.480 We haven't understood it, anyway. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.480 Jesus is on the way. 00:19:55.480 --> 00:19:59.360 Then of course we see the blindness, as we recall it, the blindness of the disciples, 00:19:59.360 --> 00:20:00.360 isn't it? 00:20:00.360 --> 00:20:03.160 The contrast is absolutely crystal clear. 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:11.120 And so the challenge is for us to ask the question, do we think we can see we're actually 00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:16.560 we're blind to our own guilt before God and our lostness and our desperate need for His 00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:17.560 mercy? 00:20:17.560 --> 00:20:22.180 Can I ask today if you've been a Christian for quite a long time, but you're completely 00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:26.279 prayerless, untransformed? 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:31.560 Yeah, I have had no concept of coming here today or reading Scripture when you read Scripture 00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:35.720 of allowing it to transform your heart and life. 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:47.159 If you're dry as an old dry cloth or something, dry bone, something, anything, are you dry? 00:20:47.159 --> 00:20:56.359 There's no vibrancy, no vitality, there's no expectation, you can't wait to get home. 00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:58.440 Just nothing in your life. 00:20:58.440 --> 00:20:59.440 No change. 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:03.960 In fact, there's probably possibly regression. 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:07.600 Is that because we've allowed ourselves to become blind? 00:21:07.600 --> 00:21:13.480 And we've stopped asking Jesus, Lord, I want to see. 00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:17.320 I want to see. 00:21:17.320 --> 00:21:19.960 I know the amazing thing is here. 00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:25.840 The divine Son, remember Mark chapter one, one of the very early episodes of Mark, God 00:21:25.840 --> 00:21:28.400 says, this is my beloved Son, do my well please. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:33.360 The divine Son becomes David's Son here in the story. 00:21:33.360 --> 00:21:38.800 It's the only time that Mark uses this, and he's quoting Bartimaeus, Son of David, have 00:21:38.800 --> 00:21:40.080 mercy on me. 00:21:40.080 --> 00:21:46.480 He comes to save Timmy's, Timmyus's son. 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:49.560 Isn't that interesting that the three sons come together? 00:21:49.560 --> 00:21:55.640 I think that's the reason why, can you think of any other reason why Mark here says, Bartimaeus, 00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.640 the Son of Timmaeus? 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:58.040 Well, why would he say that? 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:00.839 Well, that was obvious if you knew the name Bartimaeus. 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:03.039 It's like MacDonald, the Son of Donald. 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:06.559 Well, Bar is the same in that language. 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:08.359 It's just, it's the Son of. 00:22:08.359 --> 00:22:09.879 And so he's the Son of Timmaeus. 00:22:09.879 --> 00:22:11.359 And I think that's why Mark does it. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:15.279 I think that's why he gives us parenthesis here, because he says, Jesus, the beloved 00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:23.399 Son, Son of the living God, as God Himself who becomes flesh, in whom the Father is well 00:22:23.399 --> 00:22:27.200 please, becomes the King of promise, the greater David. 00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:30.799 He's only mentioned here once as the Son of David. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:36.279 If only the today's Jewish nationals could see that, eh? 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:40.240 And that's not a political comment. 00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:49.200 Only the Son of God who is the Son of David could see this Son of Timmaeus as having any 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.920 worth, because you know that's what Timmaeus means. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:52.920 It means worthy. 00:22:52.920 --> 00:22:54.920 Isn't that interesting? 00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:58.000 It's a blind beggar that no one had any time for. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:03.200 Jesus sees him as the Son of His Father, someone who's worthy, someone who's a family, someone 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:08.120 who's a past, someone who's made in his image, someone who needed rescued, who needed hope 00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:11.960 and who needed a future, someone who was worth dying for. 00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:15.400 Timmaeus, Son of Timmaeus was worth serving. 00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:21.080 Was worth the God of the universe coming to serve Him by going to the cross on His behalf. 00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:28.480 So that the Father would say, the Son of Timmaeus, I'm well pleased with you through the work 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:30.559 of Jesus Christ. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:36.399 And that's a really important truth, maybe for you to hear today more than anything else, 00:23:36.399 --> 00:23:44.759 that Jesus made Himself nothing for you, that He suffered for you to serve your need of 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:46.639 redemption and of life. 00:23:46.639 --> 00:23:47.639 He loves you. 00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:51.039 And in Christ, you're worthy. 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:55.079 He calls you through faith to follow Him. 00:23:55.079 --> 00:23:59.680 And as believers, we need to start living if we're not living in that knowledge of being 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:06.680 precious children of the living God and of loving other Christians in the same light as 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:12.119 that, sons and daughters of the King who are important and significant. 00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:17.680 We're not called to judge others, to despise the poor and the homeless and the disadvantaged 00:24:17.680 --> 00:24:23.279 and the uneducated and the stranger and the immoral and the different. 00:24:23.279 --> 00:24:29.960 And if we do, we're not, we don't see Christ and we don't understand discipleship. 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:36.480 Looking to your heart, as I must look into mine today, are you more naturally with Bartimaeus, 00:24:36.480 --> 00:24:40.120 with the disciples or with the crowd? 00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:43.560 No time. 00:24:43.560 --> 00:24:45.560 No time for Him whatsoever. 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:52.559 Now I'm just going to finish with a sidebar, because there's a question here about faith 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:55.799 and miracles, isn't there? 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:58.559 John's Gospel, maybe you thought of this, I don't know. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:03.399 Maybe your mind was wandering towards these deep theological truths. 00:25:03.399 --> 00:25:08.839 John chapter 14 verse 12, Jesus says, whoever believes in me, and that obviously significant 00:25:08.839 --> 00:25:12.559 because of the story of faith here, will also do the works that I do. 00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:16.639 And greater works than these will He do, because I am going to the Father. 00:25:16.639 --> 00:25:20.519 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so the Father may be glorified in the Son. 00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:22.319 When the earth does that mean? 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.799 Do greater works than Jesus, do you really believe that? 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:26.720 Is that the case? 00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:30.839 This wider issue of faith and miracles, really? 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:34.639 Are we going to be able to raise the dead, which Jesus did, or walk in water or open 00:25:34.639 --> 00:25:37.319 the eyes of the blind like it is here? 00:25:37.319 --> 00:25:43.119 If anyone has faith, you can do anything in his name. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:45.039 I don't think it means that. 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:50.799 I think it's pointing to the reality of physical miracles, I have no problem with the reality 00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:54.039 of physical miracles today. 00:25:54.039 --> 00:26:00.519 But it's pointing to a deeper spiritual reality that we have the privilege of being significantly 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:02.559 involved in in a way that Christ wasn't. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:05.119 Christ opened the way at Pentecost for sure. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:11.000 He intercedes from glory, from His place of ascension, and He sends His Spirit. 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:14.279 But we're the workers. 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:19.519 We're the workers in the harvest field in a way that Christ wasn't when He came on earth 00:26:19.519 --> 00:26:23.000 and the way He isn't now. 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:29.279 And we're called to the greatest work of all, which is to partner with Him in seeing the 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:33.639 spiritually blind, having their eyes opened, the spiritually dead being raised from the 00:26:33.639 --> 00:26:34.639 dead. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:39.040 The coming of His kingdom, the ushering in of the great commission. 00:26:39.040 --> 00:26:41.240 That's what we're called to. 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:47.800 These miracles were great, but I believe primarily they were signs, not exclusively because Christ 00:26:47.800 --> 00:26:53.080 does come to heal, but primarily they were signs because the blind man, Barra Mayes, 00:26:53.080 --> 00:26:57.240 probably still needed glasses when he got older. 00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:02.120 And Lazarus, he died again even though he was raised from the dead. 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:06.159 But the greater miracle was that they were given spiritual life. 00:27:06.159 --> 00:27:08.000 And we have that privilege. 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:14.879 You and I, each one of us as believers, have that greatest of privileges of sharing Jesus 00:27:14.879 --> 00:27:21.119 as His disciples and being used by Him to bring people into the kingdom. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:22.559 That's why we're on mission. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:24.719 That's why we plant churches. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:32.120 That's why we believe in the kingdom coming and not just maintaining a little group of 00:27:32.120 --> 00:27:34.759 believers and saints, who all love each other. 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:36.400 It's more than that. 00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:38.200 It's much more than that. 00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:42.039 We have a much higher calling, much more dignified calling. 00:27:42.039 --> 00:27:48.640 We do greater works than Jesus as we go out in His name and as we believe Him. 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:56.280 So seeing Jesus for who He is changes everything and will change everything in my life and 00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:58.280 in yours. 00:27:58.280 --> 00:28:05.560 Is it time for us to throw aside the cloak of our old life of faithlessness and spiritual 00:28:05.560 --> 00:28:13.480 blindness and pray to God to see. 00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:21.799 To see His beauty, to see His power, to see our need, even as 40 or 50 year old Christians 00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:29.279 of His need for mercy, of our need for mercy, to see His glory and just to follow Him. 00:28:29.279 --> 00:28:33.480 It's a simple message, but it's profoundly challenging. 00:28:33.480 --> 00:28:39.000 Rebirth, repentance, refreshment, renewal. 00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:40.279 We need it all. 00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:45.440 We absolutely need the renewing of the Spirit of God and we pray that through His Word and 00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:51.079 through our lives focused on Him, we will see and know and enjoy that. 00:28:51.079 --> 00:28:52.079 Let's pray. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:55.279 Father God, we thank You for who You are. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:28:59.240 We rejoice in the amazing drama of Scripture. 00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:03.319 Forgive us when we make it a dry and dusty and dull old book. 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:09.720 And we ask and pray that You would enliven us, not with fine words or not with even with 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:14.839 drama as we think of the story, but with the power of the Spirit of God bringing from death 00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:20.000 to life our blindness and enabling us to see. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:23.000 We live in such a dark world. 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:27.640 There's much that is amazing about this world still, much that still reflects Your glory 00:29:27.640 --> 00:29:34.400 and Your goodness and Your common grace to us is remarkable, Your patience. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:36.200 But there is much darkness. 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:44.960 There is so much that causes us to weep and recognize that things are so out of joint, 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:46.120 things are so wrong. 00:29:46.120 --> 00:29:51.920 But maybe not be judgmental, we will not see it as something outside of ourselves. 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:58.680 And maybe we see that that rottenness, that core selfishness is in our hearts and needs 00:29:58.680 --> 00:30:02.759 the redeeming power of Jesus to transform us. 00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:08.440 So we pray for any who are sitting on the edge as it were today of faith, but who have 00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:16.599 not yet committed to Jesus Christ or who are blind and think that being here is just enough. 00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:22.319 And who ask Jesus like the disciples for the power and the glory and for sitting on His 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:27.200 right hand, His left being in His company because they earn or deserve it. 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:33.080 We pray that you would take that from all of us and help us to know and love Your mercy 00:30:33.080 --> 00:30:34.080 today in His name. 00:30:34.079 --> 00:31:00.079 Amen.