When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 7)

Conclusion:

May you be a person whose faith endures and never quits. Why? Jesus will stop for faith that will not.

• Jesus will stop for faith that will not be silent.
• It will not be silent about any lack but will admit it.
• It will not be silent about the Lord but will worship Him.
• Bartimaeus called Jesus “Son of David.”
• Bartimaeus called Jesus “Rabboni.”
• Jesus will stop for faith that will not be satisfied.
• It will not be satisfied with yesterday's experience.
• It will not be satisfied with another's experience.
• It will not be satisfied with cessationist excuses.
• Jesus will stop for faith that will not be sidetracked.
• Faith that will not stop will not be sidetracked by the magnitude of the need.
• Bartimaeus was blind; he had no sight, therefore he groped around and tripped up often.
• Bartimaeus was a beggar: he had no livelihood, therefore he begged in order to eke out an existence.
• Bartimaeus was a bother: he had no direction, therefore, wherever he went he had to be led. Not only that, but he wouldn't be quiet when he was told to be.
• Faith that will not stop will not be sidetracked by any insensitivity from the crowd.
• Isn't it telling that it was religious people who told the man with the most urgent need to be quiet?
• Faith that will not stop will not be sidetracked by the allure of worldly comfort.
• Bartimaeus left his cloak behind.

Chorus: “Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by.

              You'll find He's not too busy to hear your heart's cry.

              He's passing by this moment, your need to supply.

              Reach out and touch the Lord as He goes by.”

Your faith had a starting point, but is your faith still in motion? Are you still following Jesus? Has inertia gotten the best of your early, quick start? It is never too late to end faith's coffee break and get back to the privileged work of following. Jesus stops for a faith that will not.

Wherever you are, make an altar.  Bend before the Lord. By putting your body in motion, you are declaring that you are putting your faith in motion too.

• Come, believing that Jesus will notice your audacious, persistent faith.
• Come, believing that Jesus will not pass you by.
• Come, having something specific you will ask Jesus to do for you.

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 6)

7. FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP ISN'T SATISFIED BY A MIRACLE. “Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.” (Mk. 10:52).

After Bartimaeus received his sight, he _____?  He “began following [Jesus] on the road.” The miracle was only a beginning, not an end.

It wasn't that Bartimaeus was ungrateful for the miracle. He determined, though, that he wouldn't settle for being a miracle chaser or a benefit seeker. His goal was to follow Jesus.

What is the reason you come to Jesus?

• Is it to get a blessing or receive a healing?
• Is it to improve the quality of your life?
• Is it to get fired-up so you can endure what will come at you during the next week?

While Jesus is a gracious Giver of good gifts, and being in His presence certainly is beneficial, He is most delighted when people become followers and not stationary recipients. 

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 5)

6. FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP ASKS FOR THE THING THAT MANY PEOPLE CONSIDER

IMPROBABLE. “ . . . Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” (Mk. 10:51).

Bartimaeus swung for the grandstands, didn't he? Evidently, there was a time when he could see.

• We're not told how he lost his sight.
• We're not told when he lost his sight.
• We're not told how long he lived with his blindness.
• We're not told how he heard that Jesus can heal.
• We're not told how faith became activated in his spirit.
• We're only told what it is that he wanted Jesus to do more than anything else.

What is it that you want Jesus to do more than anything else? Don't devise an answer that you and Jesus both know isn't true. Be audacious! Think big! We serve a mighty God! Don't settle for less than the best Jesus is capable of and willing to give you.

“Well, Pastor, God is sovereign. What if I ask and that's not what He wants to do?” How is it that you play the “sovereignty of God” card negatively, in order not to be disappointed, but won't play that card positively in order to receive what you need most from Him?

• Jesus is not toying with you! How interested He is in you!
• Jesus is not out to devastate or crush you! How tender He will be with you!

As Pentecostals, we have been around the block a few times when it comes to discussions about divine healing. We would never suggest something inappropriate such as, “That's impossible!” Why? Because we know better! Some of you are rehearsing the verses right now.

• Mt. 17:20 > “ . . .if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”
• Mt. 19:26 > “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
• Mk. 10:27 > “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”
• Lu. 1:37 > “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
• Lu. 18:27 > “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”
• Mk. 9:23 > “All things are possible to him who believes.”
• Jer. 32:17 > “Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You . . .”
• Jer. 32:27 > “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (obvious answer: no)

The problem isn't that we believe something is impossible; the problem is that we think something is improbable.  We allow that it can happen; we just don't allow that it will happen. We allow that it can happen to someone else, some place else; we just don't allow that it can happen to us, right here, right now. Are we playing the odds instead of standing on the promises? Since when have we become such expert gamblers, placing bets on what God will or will not do?

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 4)

4. FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP LEAVES BEHIND THAT WHICH IS NO LONGER

NECESSARY. “Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.” (Mk. 10:50).

Since this point was covered in last week's sermon (posts 6/27/16 - 7/2/16), I won't go into detail.  I will only mention Phil. 3:7-8, 14. Faith always goes forward, never backward.

5. FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP HAS A DEFINITE ANSWER FOR A POINTED QUESTION. “And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him,“Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” (Mk. 10:51).

Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” I wonder how many blind men would have answered, “Can I have ten bucks”? Did Bartimaeus want money or a miracle, a handout or a healing, a sandwich or his sight? He responded enthusiastically to Jesus' question, taking full advantage of it. How would you respond if Jesus asked you that question right now?

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 3)

3. FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP DEFIES THE PREFERENCE OF THE RELIGIOUS. “Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more . . .” (Mk. 10:48).

Religious people prefer things compact, quiet, predictable and appropriate. They have little patience for anything that seems off script. The best friends of the religious are an agenda and a clock.

The religious crowd – the “many” – reasoned this way:

• “Jesus would've stopped already, had He wanted to minister to you. He's not interested. What part of that don't you get?”
• “Jesus is teaching right now; He's not doing miracles. Don't be disruptive!”
• “Don't you know Jesus doesn't have time for this right now? He's on His way to Jerusalem, where we will publicly recognize and welcome Him as Messiah.”

Bartimaeus didn't listen; and it is good for him (and a good example for us) that he didn't. A person who wants mercy from Jesus cannot be at the mercy of the crowd. Seizing your moment with Jesus must rank higher than satisfying a placid crowd.

You must not only act wisely around the religious preferences of others, but you must also act wisely concerning your own religious preferences. Very rarely will God ask you to do what is comfortable, convenient, popular or without cost. For example, verse 52 will tell us that Bartimaeus “began following [Jesus] on the road.” This infamous road from Jericho to Jerusalem would be a 15-mile ascent with sporadic places for rest. Forget 60 laps around a flat track.

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 2)

1.  FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP KNOWS WHEN JESUS IS NEARBY AND GETS EXCITED. “When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out . . .” (Mk. 10:47).

Bartimaeus must have thought, “Jesus is nearby. I've heard that He is compassionate, kind and powerful. This is my opportunity!”

Did you sense the presence of Jesus in the sanctuary Sunday? Do you sense His presencr right where you are?  You should be getting excited! Anything can happen when Jesus is present! This could be your moment of breakthrough, deliverance or healing.

2.  FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP CRIES OUT TO JESUS FOR MERCY. “ . . . he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mk. 10:47).

Don't confuse mercy with grace.

• Grace means 'getting what you do not deserve.'
• Mercy means 'not getting what you do deserve.'

Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, do not give me what I deserve!” What is it that Bartimaeus did deserve? He deserved to have Jesus walk away! While that sounds cruel, remember that no person deserves to have Jesus stop and extend mercy.

• Mercy is not earned.
• Mercy is not deserved.
• Mercy is not automatic.

Thank God, mercy is not withheld from those who ask for it! “Do not pass me by! Notice me!”

Hymn: “Trusting only in Thy merit,

            Would I seek Thy face;

            Heal my wounded, broken spirit,

            Save me by Thy grace.”¹

In God's House today, or right where you are now, I wonder if anyone needs mercy? If you cry out to Jesus, you will find that His mercy will rewrite your life.

1Crosby, Fanny J. “Pass Me Not.” Hymns of Glorious Praise. Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 1969. Hymn # 230. Verse 3.

When Jesus Stopped (Mk. 10:46-52) (Part 1)

Introduction:

Read Mark 10:46-52.

There are four gospels.  Let's name them in order: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  The first three are known as the  “synoptic gospels.” By “synoptic” we mean that there is a good amount of overlapping or supplementary material. (John is not a synoptic because the language, purpose, style and themes are different.)  All three synoptic gospels mention that Jesus stopped. That fact is the basis for the title of yesterday's message: “When Jesus Stopped”.

In the New American Standard Bible, verse 49 reads, “Jesus stopped.” In the King James Version it reads, “Jesus stood still.” It was not so much that Jesus slowed down and eventually stopped walking as it was that something caught His attention, something that caused Him to say to Himself, “I've got to stop right now!”

Jesus was a Man on a mission, on His way to Jerusalem, where He would fulfill Mk. 10:45. Three times He described to His disciples what this would look like (Mk. 8:31; 9:12; 10:33- 34). Leaving Jericho, Jesus started the 15-mile ascent to Jerusalem and taught the crowd as He and His disciples walked.  Not long after Jesus started walking, His attention was arrested. He stopped moving to allow His body to catch up with His spirit. Something had stirred Him! He had to stop and check it out.

What was it that captivated Him?

• Was it that Bartimaeus asked for mercy?
• Was it that Bartimaeus kept on asking, getting more intense each time he asked?
• Was it that Jesus, knowing who had called and what was needed, couldn't wait to show compassion and deliver healing to Bartimaeus?
• Was it that Bartimaeus called Jesus “Son of David” (Messiah) instead of “Jesus of Nazareth” or “son of Joseph”?

All of those were significant, but they were not the cause. Jesus' heart was captivated by Bartimaeus' faith.  “Your faith has made you well” (Mk. 10:52). Jesus recognized something in Bartimaeus' cry and demeanor, something that indicated relentless faith.

I want to teach on this subject: faith that will not stop. More specifically, I will identify 7 MARKS OF 'FAITH THAT WILL NOT STOP'.  As you interact with the Holy Spirit, evaluate whether you have this faith.