Mark 10:46-52
Stubborn Faith
Stubbornness is not normally considered a good quality; but when you are stubborn
about godly things, it is. The Bible terms for it is STEADFAST. Christians, we
see that we need to be stubborn about some things for God.
I. The Wise Blind Man
A. Here was a man with a great need, but he also had great wisdom.
1. Bartimaeus had wisdom to know who Jesus was. The fact that the he
asked what he did from Jesus indicates that he knew that Jesus was
the Messiah.
2. He had wisdom to ask Jesus.
James 4:2 …"ye have not because ye ask not."
3. And he had wisdom not to let the world stop him from doing what he
knew he ought to do.
a. This is the emphasis of this miraculous account.
b. This man was stubborn when it came to his faith in Christ and
his resistance to the world.
B. Typically, when we see a blind man in the Bible, we associate him with
the lost, but I think this man represents the saved man with great
needs.
1. We normally think of lost people because blindness is a picture of
them stumbling in the darkness of sin trying to find the things
they need.
2. But saved people have needs too.
3. The difference is that saved people have a Savior to which they can
bring their needs.
4. They just have to be wise enough to seek Him.
C. This wisdom of this man can be seen in his prayer.
1. The streets were crowed and Jesus was a moving target. This man did
not have time for a long, formal prayer. He had to get as much
out of his mouth as quickly as possible.
2. Notice how he did it.
a. He calls out Jesus’ name.
(1) He wanted to get Jesus’ attention.
(2) Many were in the crowd but there was only one that could
help him!
b. He calls out one of Jesus’ titles.
(1) The one that he uses demonstrates his faith.
(2) He calls Jesus the son of David.
(3) That is a title that demonstrates he believes Jesus to be
the PROMISED SON OF DAVID, better know as the Messiah!
(4) This man showed faith when most others had none!
(a) Some did not even believe that Jesus was a legitimate
child, let alone the Son of God.
(b) But this man did.
(c) \\#52\\ Jesus will say to him that his FAITH made
him whole.
c. He calls out a request.
(1) This man wants mercy!
(2) Notice that he did not start out asking for sight. He
knew that he was unworthy of Jesus’ help. Even more, he
knew that blindness and any other malady was his just
dessert for being a sinner.
(3) Likewise, we are all wicked and deserve whatever condition
sin may bring upon us.
(4) As Bartimaeus cries out for mercy, Jesus stopped. I
wonder if he would have if Bartimaeus had asked first for
his sight.
d. He did all of this in just nine words!
II. The Compassionate Savior
A. Consider Jesus’ load.
1. Jesus is on His way to the cross.
Mr 10:32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before
them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took
again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,
(a) I know that Jesus is God but we also know that Jesus has a
spirit that can get heavy.
Mr 14:33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore
amazed, and to be very heavy;
(b) I am not saying that Jesus would allow His emotions to dictate
what He does.
(c) However, Jesus does have some things on His mind and the cross
that lay at Jerusalem would certainly be one of them.
2. Then there were the hundreds, if not thousands, that were around
Jesus, everyone wanting something.
(a) I don’t know, but I would suppose that with Jesus being as
close to Jerusalem as He was (Jericho), that many would have
heard of His healing power and would want to be healed.
(b) And those with sight would no doubt be more "in your face"
than this blind could be.
B. In the midst of all of that, Jesus stops and has this man brought to
Him.
1. There is no one that Jesus will not stop to help if they will
simply call upon Him.
Ac 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the
Lord shall be saved.
Ro 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same
Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2. Just call upon Him with a believing and repentant heart and Jesus
will come to where you are to save and help you.
3. Mercy is what this man asked for and mercy is what he received.
III. The Hindering World
A. Those around the man began to hush and hinder him.
1. I wonder why. Why is the world so opposed to a Christian’s walk
with Christ?
a. What was it to them that this man cried for Jesus’ attention?
b. It did not cost them anything. It did not hurt them in any
way.
c. He was asking his God for a needed miracle by faith, but that
bothered the world.
d. Perhaps they did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah and
were offended at this man’s faith.
e. The text does not tell us.
2. However, as the world wanted to hinder him so the world will want
to hinder you.
a. Things will be pretty much the same.
b. Your faith does not hurt them, but it bothers them.
c. Maybe it convicts them. Maybe they are just god-haters.
3. For whatever the reason, they will want to silence you.
a. They will want to silence you from publically sharing Christ.
b. They will even want to silence you from privately seeking
Christ.
B. Here is the thing.
1. This is Jesus’ last time through Jericho.
a. Jesus is actually on His way to the cross, and knows it.
b. But of course Jesus has always know that was His destiny.
2. If those around Bartimaeus had stopped him, he would have been
blind the remainder of his life.
3. Friend, giving into the world steals the blessings of life and
eternity.
a. Lost person, if you continue to listen to the world, you will
lose your soul.
(1) Your drinking buddies
(2) Your drug buddies
(3) Your party buddies
(4) Your money-making buddies
(5) Your play buddies
(6) These will cost you eternity!
b. But I believe Bartimaeus is a picture of the saved. yet the
world hinders us from seeking our Lord as well.
(1) Instead of worship, they call us to worldliness.
(2) Instead of service, they call us to selfishness.
(3) Instead of prayer, they call us to party.
4. Christian and lost person alike, you need to remember every
opportunity has a limit. Jesus passed by Jericho for the last
time as recorded in Mark 10.
C. \\#49\\ But notice the flip-flopping nature of the world.
1. As much as that crowd around him hindered the blind man, now they
want to pretend they were for him all the time.
a. Once Jesus takes note of the blind man, the Bible says they
COMFORTED him.
b. It appears that they want to HELP him now.
(1) "Arise," they say.
(2) "He’s calling you," they encourage.
2. Here they offer fake comfort and unneeded help.
a. Once Jesus stopped, the man didn’t need these characters.
b. Where were they went he was unnoticed, hid from Jesus’ sight,
drowned out by the noise of the crowd, in need of a guide or
a voice to make himself known? They were hushing and
hindering him!
c. But as soon as Jesus takes note of the man, that crowd wants to
share in the glory!
3. Here is how the world makes you think it is your friend.
a. It stand about doing nothing but hindering and giving you bad
advice.
(1) If for whatever reason, things do not get any better, the
world says, "I told you that religious stuff was just
junk."
(2) But if God blesses you, then it jumps up and says, "I
told you everything was going to be all right! Come on.
Let’s go!"
b. The world plays both sides and really doesn’t care what
happens.
(1) It is going to claim it had your best interests in mind
either way!
(2) The world never has your best interests in mind. It
always seeks its own interests.
4. But foolish Christians take the hook—line and sinker!
IV. Notice what this man received. We might call this the new man.
A. \\#52\\ He received his sight.
B. \\#52\\ "Go thy way" - He received a new direction
1. Here is man who had no place to go and nothing to do just a few
minutes ago, but now he has a "way."
2. Suddenly, he now has direction, purpose, opportunity.
3. Jesus did not just give him sight but a whole new life!
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