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Sermon, Sunday February 14, 2021 – Take Heart!

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Mark 10:46-52

In 2021 the world is under the weight of an epidemic that is far more wide-spread than COVID-19. Considering all that is happening, there is an epidemic of anxiety and depression caused by fear, sickness, death, financial crisis, loneliness, conflict, hate, confusion, division and so much more that causes people to lose heart.

This all leads to trauma, and an outbreak of anxiety and depression on the inside of us. In a recent study, it was found that one in ten people suffer from depression. Truth is, we could all use a little cheering up, couldn’t we?

I am not talking about a temporary laugh or comedy show that only gives fleeting relief. Rather I want us to focus on real hope, hope that leads to joy found in Jesus Christ.

Maybe some of you already walk in this freedom and peace. Maybe some of you believed it at some time in your life, but circumstances have caused you doubt. Maybe some of you don’t really know who Jesus really is and what he is offering.

In chapter 10 of Mark’s Gospel, we read about a man who found hope and joy in Jesus Christ. The man was Bartimaeus and he was a blind beggar outside of Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

He heard “Jesus of Nazareth” was close by, and when he senses Jesus is within hearing distance, he begins to call out to him.

The blind man knew Jesus was special and would have the ability to do something for him that would change his circumstances. The people around him didn’t like what the blind man was doing and told him to be quiet.

We don’t know why they told him to be quiet. I am sure the blind beggar felt like his chances of getting Jesus’ attention were close to zero. But he keeps on shouting in desperation, calling out the name of Jesus.

What happens next surprises the crowd. Jesus stops and ask his disciples to bring the blind man to him. In verse 49 we read this: “And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” The NIV translation says, “cheer up…he is calling you”

Have you ever been in a situation where you were desperate, and you didn’t think anyone was ever going to come to your rescue? Who knows how many years Bartimaeus sat along the side of the road, hoping someone would pay attention to him?  What would you do? Bartimaeus doesn’t hesitate but jumps up and comes to Jesus. Mark 10:50

Then Jesus asks him this question: “What do you want me to do for you?” Mark 10:51a

Why would Jesus ask him this question? The man’s need is obvious. As in many other instances, Jesus wants Bartimaeus to actually say it aloud as a demonstration of his faith. This is a key for us; when we pray for something, we need to be specific – “what do you want” – pray with faith in the all-powerful God.

Bartimaeus believes in his heart that Jesus can pull it off, so he asks in faith, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” Mark 10:51b. The blind man wants his greatest desire to be met. After all the years of blindness, could he be healed?

Jesus said: “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.” Mark 10:52

The man was not only healed from his physical blindness but from his spiritual blindness as well. Immediately after receiving his sight, he begins to follow Jesus and witnesses the triumphal entrance into Jerusalem in Mark 11 and the crucifixion and resurrection a week later.

His first move with his 20/20 vision? He followed Jesus along the road. He had only been healed for a week and yet he got to see the greatest event in all human history.

As we look at the practical application of this text, there is something in light of Mark’s Gospel that we need to keep in mind. Jesus doesn’t give us everything we ask for. In the previous chapter we see Jesus denying the disciples request to be seated at his side in his kingdom (Mark 10:36).

Jesus didn’t grant them this request because he knew they didn’t understand (see James 4:3).

Thank God Jesus doesn’t answer all our prayers with our exact request. The world would be in chaos. But not only that, we would miss out on so much growth and maturity in our Christian walk.

I am also sure there were other beggars on the road who didn’t get healed that day. Maybe they didn’t cry out like Bartimaeus did, maybe they did. Jesus always answers our prayers, but not always exactly like we ask because he has a bigger plan in mind. The purpose of Jesus is always to give glory to God the father.

Jesus may remove your circumstance that is causing your pain, or he may give you the strength to see you through your circumstances. But Jesus will never leave you alone in your pain.

Jesus always says “yes” to our spiritual healing, and sometimes he does it through our physical sufferings.

In 2 Samuel 24, we read the account of how God brought about a deadly plague, to bring the nation back to holiness.

Blindness, poverty, injustice, and illness are very painful things, but they are temporal conditions. Our biggest need is to overcome death and enter into an eternal relationship with God where these things can never harm us again. Our Heavenly Father is always more concerned for your eternal destination than He is about your temporal comfort.

What is the burden of your heart?

Are you willing to call out to him – “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”?

Be prepared. When you get to him, he is going to ask you this question: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Bring your burden to the Lord and believe that he has the power to set you free.

Wherever you are, right now pray that prayer.

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Philippians – Paul’s letter of Joy – Philippians 4:10-13 – Sermon April 07, 2019

Philippians 4:10-13

 How are you doing?

This is a question each of us ask or are asked many times everyday and the response in our culture is a simple, “I am good”.

As you look back on your life, have you found being financially blessed or being in want to be more challenging? Most would say being without is more challenging, but the Bible warns us against the comfort and real challenges of prosperity (see Proverbs 70:7-9).

Looking at your spiritual life, did you grow more in your faith when you experienced hardships or when everything was going well?

Paul was in prison, and he was reflecting on his life and journey as a Christian. He had been through some tough times, beaten, left for dead, shipwrecked, abandoned and imprisoned, but in spite of it all, he was rejoicing.

In Philippians 4:10, Paul was thanking the Philippian church for a financial gift, he was deeply appreciative of the people in the church that he had planted ten years before.

The word “providence” comes from two Latin words: pro, meaning “before,” and video, meaning “to see.” God’s providence simply means that God sees to it beforehand. It does not simply mean that God knows beforehand. It is the working of God in advance to arrange circumstances and situations for the fulfilling of His purposes in providing for our needs.

Trusting God for financial blessing makes no sense in the natural realm. In our modern day thinking, we don’t hear much about the providence of God, rather we hear a lot about man’s ingenuity and ability to create wealth.

We have God in a box, that we turn to on Sunday’s or when we have a need, but the rest of the week we work with all our effort to figure out ways to provide for our needs and wants. This is practical atheism, we claim to worship God, but when we have a practical need, we ignore the providence of God.

This does not mean we sit back and do nothing, rather our starting point is different.

We begin by presenting our needs before our heavenly father and ask Him for the provision.

Then wait on the Lord and asking Him for what we must do, following His direction.

Initially the Philippian church did not have the opportunity to send Paul support, but now they could, and it was the perfect timing as Paul was in prison and had a desperate need. Paul thanked them and showed that even though he was in need, he was still content (Philippians 4:11-12)

What Paul described his secret of contentment.

Paul had learnt from what the Lord has taken him through.

V11: for I have learned – to be content

V12: I know how to be brought low – how to live in poverty

V12: I know how to abound – live with riches.

V12: I have learned the secret…

This is knowledge he has gained because of walking with God in obedience to the call of God on his life. James 1:4 calls this, “lacking in nothing”. Lacking in nothing is the outcome of the faith produced by the trials of life. The original Greek says, “wanting for nothing”.

When you grow in your faith, you may go through seasons of need, and seasons of abundance, but you will never want for anything (Philippians 4:19).

But we focus so much on the discomfort of being in need we sometimes miss the challenge of abounding, which means to have more than enough. Read the warning in Revelation 3:17 as Jesus writes the letter to the church in Laodicea. In the light of eternity, prosperity is far more dangerous than poverty. We must guard against the false sense of security that comes with financial gain, that takes our eyes off the source of all our provision.

This passage is so well known for verse 13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”.

This verse has been used by sportsmen and women all over the world. But you cannot take this verse out of the context of scripture and use it like a magic bullet, expecting God to bless everything we decide to do. The key to this verse is “through Christ”, and the verse must be seen in light of the previous text.

Everything in nature relies on hidden resources to grow and flourish. The most important part of a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system. The most important part of the Christian’s life is the presence of the Holy Spirit, where we get our life sustaining power to live the Christian life.

Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life.

Paul was declaring that through the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit, he could do anything that God called him to do. The Greek wording for this verse says, “all things I can do in the one empowering me.”

Paul states that to be a Christian, is to be “IN CHRIST”, this is the very essence of what it means to be a Christian (Acts 17:28, Job 12:10).

Some quote this verse as, “I can do whatever I dream up, because Christ is with me.” This is not claiming the promise of God’s Word, this is the very definition of witchcraft. Rather the follower of Jesus who has submitted to his lordship says, “I can do all that he asks me to do because I am in him.” Jesus teaches this same lesson in John 15. He is the Vine; we are the branches, the branch does not bear fruit through its own self-effort, but by drawing on the life of the Vine (John 15:5).

A common mistake Christians make is trying to do things for Jesus, out of gratitude or guilt we somehow try to pay for our salvation. But that is not what the Bible says at all. We are called to abide in Jesus and allow the presence of the Holy spirit to transform us and then being IN CHRIST, he works through us, leading us to do what he calls us to do.

What is God calling you to do, that only God can do, that is the essential message of Philippians 4:13. What have you been trying to do in your own strength, that Christ never intended for you to do?