Antioch Fellowship Church | 16 May 2021

no line get off that couch this is the day that the lord has made i said this is the day that the lord has made i said this is the day that the lord has faith and i make a decision that i'm going to rejoice and i will be glad in it i'm going to rejoice do i have any sisters and brothers in the faith today that will join me in rejoicing and lifting up the name of the most high god he doesn't need our praise but he deserves our praise so we lift up our voices to you and we declare that you are great and mighty god come on eddie i've raised your voice to a great big there's nobody greater than that god and father we just come to declare today that you're great and greatly to be praised we magnify you today i need you to put your hands on it with us [Music] savior [Applause] hallelujah [Music] [Music] this morning everybody just how great our god [Music] name is now listen i need your help [Music] today [Music] i praise you [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] for me [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] i have to give you the prayers i praise you [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Music] i will bless the lord in all times no matter what i see [Music] it doesn't matter what i see until you leave [Music] you take 30 seconds [Music] this will be my response to your goodness is [Music] when i don't understand your practice will continue when i didn't get the answer that i wanted your brains will continue [Music] shall living [Music] and i will bless the lord oh my soul [Music] that is [Music] his holy name he has done great [Music] [Music] when i look back over my life he has done great things so this will be my response today [Music] [Music] [Music] he has gone crazy oh come on open up your mouth wherever you are his holy [Music] his holy name his righteous name cause amazingness [Music] don't clap but can you open up your mouth can you open your mouth right there i'm only talking to those who have tasted and seen if he hasn't done anything for you you can sit down and relax and if he hasn't made ways for you you can chill and just but i'm talking to those who have tasted and seen that the lord is good and he's faithful and he's kind and he has been patient and his long suffering towards me has been like no other because you didn't have to do it but you did it would have actually made more sense for you to let the thing fall apart but you held it together for some strange reason and for that i just want to say thank you i got i gotta bless you i gotta give you glory you've been too good man you've been you've just been too good for me to be chill you've made too many ways i know the truth is anybody like me i know the truth i know the behind the scenes story and the fact that i'm still here with hands to lift and a mouth to open it the fact that i'm still in my right mind to everything that i've been to how can i be silent how can i be quiet he's been too good [Music] and you have rescued my life you haven't rescued [Music] you haven't rescued my raggedy life you have rescued [Music] and my response is [Music] hallelujah my response is [Music] oh god you rescued my life [Music] is [Music] [Music] hallelujah [Music] [Music] is [Music] [Music] and [Music] when i was a mess [Music] [Music] anymore [Music] [Music] do i have anybody in the building that he rescued [Music] nobody else can fix this [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] cuz [Applause] [Music] me [Music] that you're not afraid to tell the devil come on [Music] [Music] jesus [Music] i don't have anything else to go back to my grandma would put it like this i have [Music] decided to follow jesus [Music] i have decided [Music] anybody made that decision to follow [Music] jesus [Music] no turning back no turning can you bow your hands right there father we thank you for this moment [Music] father i pray for everybody watching online and those who are in this building sometimes god in this race and this journey with you the enemy can make it so tempting to just go off and do some things that we know that disconnect us from you but god i pray today that we make a conscious decision the lord we're going all the way with you because the reality is the thing that i walked away from almost killed me the last time so why would i go back to the thing that almost made me lose my mind why would i go back to the thing that almost made me want to commit suicide why would i go back to the thing that drove me crazy god we have decided that we are going to follow you for the rest of our lives and whatever we got to walk away from we'll walk away from it whatever whatever we have to let go of we'll let it go because we know that things are not just right when we go with you but things are better when we make a decision to walk with you we have decided to follow you so i pray for every young man for every boy for every girl that's in the valley of decisions i pray that today that they will choose you your way isn't just right your way is better your way isn't just right your way is better and we have decided to follow you thank you for this moment we pray that today will be the day that everything changes in our lives i pray for the sick i pray that today that an encounter with you we don't want religion we don't want church we want an encounter with a real god we might as well go fishing if ain't nothing going to change we we might as well go get on the golf course if ain't nothing going to change but since we're here come by here good lord come if you don't stay long but just have your way let us all leave better from being in your presence let those who are watching online encounter you and and that cancer would have to dry up today the depression would have to leave today in the name of jesus make us better today in your presence because we need you hallelujah and it ain't my behavior that's going gonna make you do it it's because you're good that's why you're gonna do it because you're a good good father so we bless you we thank you thank you for the word of god that's gonna come forth with power and demonstration today oh breath of god breathe on us and we promise to give you all the praise honor and glory it's in jesus name we pray somebody lift those hands and say hey man wherever you're watching from [Music] i can't praise you enough [Music] so good oh [Music] even when i wasn't so good somebody throw those [Music] [Applause] [Music] real quick come on lift up your voice [Music] [Music] come on somebody tell him you've been so good [Music] even if i tried [Music] one more [Music] oh and it's all because [Music] yourself [Music] god [Music] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] tell to me [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] no music [Music] go back to around last year this time when everybody was panicking we didn't quite understand what was going on and we didn't know how we were gonna make it but look at us right now we're still here we're still here we're still here we're still here we're still here and it's not because of me it's because of him it's because of his goodness because of his grace because of his mercy [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] so [Music] is better than good to me you've been better you've been better you've been better my mama would say you've been better to me you'll be better [Music] i feel the glory of the lord rising in this place [Music] you know this is a good opportunity to respond appropriately to the goodness of our god so this is your opportunity to respond appropriately to the goodness of our god what does an appropriate response look like to a god that's been as good to you as our god has been to you above what i could ask for above what i deserve he still did come on somebody ought to take a minute and thank god for not just being good to you but for being better to you than you [Music] deserved [Music] [Music] father we just want to say thank you for being good better than we deserve been good may we never get so familiar with your favor that we forget we don't deserve it may we never become so familiar with your goodness that we think we're entitled to it god help us to always remember you're not good to us because you have to be a holy god who could have chosen to remain separate from and silent toward his sinful creation chose because of great love and grace to show kindness to those who were enemies of his we were your enemies according to colossians separated from our own wicked because of our own wicked works yet you reconciled us because you've been good [Music] in fact your word declares that you showed your love for us and that while we were yet sinners christ died you didn't wait for us to get it together to be good to us but at our worst you extended this goodness to us and our response will forever and always be hallelujah to the king of kings thank you for your goodness oh lord would you speak to us we want to hear from you now [Music] lord it is i pray that you would hide me beyond your cross that i might not be seen or heard now lord use your word to bring a life strength and hope to your people we stand in need of a word from you now thank you for the power of your word you sent your word into nothing and created everything you wrap your word in flesh he might dwell among us and give us a way back to you your word is powerful your word carries a great promise it will not return unto you void it will accomplish what is set out to do the promises of it are yes and amen now we submit to it knowing that in it we can find everything we need for life and godliness to use your word to speak to us in jesus mighty name we pray amen to join me in mark chapter 10. mark chapter 10 beginning in verse number 46 mark chapter 10 beginning in verse number 46. and there you will find these words now they came to jericho as he went out of jericho his disciples in a great multitude blind bartimaeus the son of timaeus set by the road begging when he heard it was jesus of nazareth he began to cry out and say jesus son of david have mercy on me then many warmed him to be quiet when he cried out all the more son of david have mercy on me so jesus stood still and commanded him to be called then they called the blind man saying to him be a good cheer rise he is calling you and throwing aside his garment he rose and came to jesus jesus answered and said to him what do you want me to do for you the blind man said rabbit night that i may receive my sight then jesus said to him go your way your faith has made you hope well and immediately he received his sight and followed jesus on the road the next few minutes that hours to share together i want to share with you from this thought lessons on sight from a blind man grasp with us the flower face the word of our god shall stand forever lessons on sight from a blind man the ministry of jesus is quickly approaching its glorious conclusion following the healing of the blind man who needed a second touch from jesus and the declaration of simon peter that jesus is the christ things take a sudden and drastic turn following the moment it seemed like the disciples finally learned to see jesus for who he was he had to then instruct them about what was soon to take place there in mark chapter 8 verse number 31 following these miraculous moments the bible says and he being jesus began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and after three days rise again he spoke this word openly j.r edwards theologian comments here mark's story of jesus reaches a climax in chapter eight the center of which stands peter's declaration of jesus as the messiah peter's declaration accessory of philippi stands at roughly the midpoint of the gospel and like a continental divide separates the gospel into two major watersheds in the first half of the gospel of mark jesus christ crosses the sea of galilee without apparent purpose but after peter's confession he is staunchly on the way to jerusalem prior to caesarea philippi jesus directs his teaching at the masses of galilee but after peter's confession he leaves galilee and deliberately instruct instructs only his disciples on the journey to jerusalem his didactic resolution is signified by the fact that only once in the first half of the gospel does jesus preface a teaching with the solemn formula i tell you the truth whereas in the second half of the gospel formula the formula occurs over a dozen times the first half jesus forbids people from announcing his identity and messianic purpose and he is frequently in combat with demon possession but after chapter 9 verse 29 there are no further commands to silence and no further mention of demons in the first half the gospel the disciples failed completely in their understanding of jesus they're blind whereas after caesarea philippi their fledgling understanding is expressed in their confession of his messiahship although they will struggle with the fact of a suffering messiah rather than a royal messiah first after the gospel takes jesus outside of israel to gentle gentile areas but the second half brings him directly to jerusalem the heart of israel first half of mark is a journey outward in which jesus cast broadly second half is a journey inward to the source to jerusalem to this temple and both halves conclude with christological confessions associated with roman gentiles it is peter's confession at the roman stronghold of caesarea philippi that jesus is the christ and the second is the full confession of the roman centurion at the cross that jesus is the son of god both confessions teach that jesus's true identity is revealed only through suffering and that those who are called to follow jesus must be prepared to participate in that suffering mark seeking to prove to us after these miraculous moments of mark chapter 8 that jesus is now heading with great speed and intentionality to jerusalem without delay to be the suffering servant that came to deliver us yet on the road to purpose with some 20 miles yet to travel after a large crowd has gathered something of note takes place the text says that a man named bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road that will carry jesus to jerusalem we don't know much about this man in fact the other gospels that record this story matthew and luke matthew in chapter 20 luke in chapter 18 don't even call him by his name he's simply referred to as a beggar sitting by the side of the road begging interestingly mark's gospel gives us his name his name is bartimaeus the prefix bar meaning son of timaeus the name to maus in the greek means honor his name means son of honor yet he is sitting on the side of the road in disgrace living beneath who he was named to be but in one moment after being made aware that jesus was passing by everything changed you see the impact of the mere presence of jesus for this blind man just in awareness that jesus was near sparked the hope that caused him to shout the key themes this entire sermon series are displayed in these few verses one spiritual blindness is a birth defect that causes us all to live beneath our promise here is bartimaeus meant to be a son of honor but living in disgrace because of his blindness in the same way we live beneath who we were born to be because of our lack of spiritual sight two the opportunity for sight is only made available to those who would recognize their blindness and thus their need for sight the religious leaders of the day thought they could see clearly so they didn't think they would need to ask for sight so they decided in mark 8 to ask for a sign bartimaeus on the other hand didn't need a sign he knew he was blind and that blindness had created a great need and lesson number three of the series only jesus can open our blinded eyes religion cannot do it but relationship with jesus can knowledge cannot do it but revelation from jesus can works cannot do it but faith in jesus can bartimaeus heard that jesus was passing by and because he knew that jesus was able it stirred a hope in him that caused him to believe that this could be the opportunity to receive the sight he so desperately desired isn't it interesting that one of jesus's final miracles in this miracle that the recipient would be a blind man who in a few verses while being blind displays more sight than those who have been a part of the crowd surrounding jesus for some time perhaps the simple message of this text in this mess sermon today is that there's a lot we can learn from this blind man about vision one writer says what bartimaeus lacked in eyesight he made up for an insight and unfortunately one of the great ales of the church of jesus christ is that for all we see we can't see a thing but there are lessons here from bartimaeus first verse 47 displays his recognition he says jesus son of david this term is a messianic affirmation first introduced after the promise of god via nathan to david in second samuel chapter 7 in which god promises to establish the throne of david's kingdom forever this actually introduces us to the prophetic promise that the messiah will be a son of david interestingly enough in mark chapter 12 following um a debate with the religious leaders about a myriad of topics jesus has a brief discourse about this title and the religious leaders couldn't understand it they couldn't see him if you rewind to mark chapter 8 jesus takes his disciples accessory of philippi and asks them a series of questions the first being who do people say that i am their response is they they say a lot about you jesus they say you're john the baptist you are a leader with a political uh call to call the nation to repentance or or you're elijah you are you are a prophet full of of miracle working ability or or you're jeremiah or one of the prophets who carried great preaching ability but in all they're seeing what jesus did they still couldn't see who he really was but a blind man on the side of the road says you are jesus son of david essentially saying you are jesus the messiah you are jesus the one who came to bring salvation and wholeness this understanding of who jesus is is the first step to receiving sight friends we live in a world full of people that got a lot to say about jesus he's the white man's savior that he's merely a person that teaches good principles but not somebody to submit your life to it is no wonder why the world is in the state that it's in because though we have more access to information we have no access to revelation we can see all that jesus came to do and miss who he is but a blind man says you are the messiah bartimaeus recognize who jesus was before he asked for anything this recognition births a request have mercy on me note his original request was not sight but mercy this plea acknowledges that not only did bartimaeus recognize who jesus is the the messiah but this plea recognizes who he is in view of who jesus is i recognize that you are a holy god the promised messiah and because i know who i am and i see who you are you are not required to stop on behalf of a pitiful man the only plea he has for the savior of the world knowing who he is is mercy bartimaeus recognized that the greatest need of humanity to uh in the face of a holy god is mercy jesus did not owe it to him to stop or to give him sight his only request is that god would look upon him with mercy bartimaeus didn't make the mistake of coming to jesus thinking that god owed him for his years of blindness he didn't make the mistake of coming to jesus with excuses about his condition he simply asked that god would be merciful to him in in the initial moments of his speaking bartimaeus teaches us much about prayer may we never forget as we approach god that we stand in need of his divine mercy god owes you nothing needy people request mercy entitled people demand justice this request leads to resistance in the text there's this man is shouting for jesus the crowd around him full of people that will call themselves his followers were given an incredible opportunity they could have stepped into the role of intercessors and based on their proximity to jesus let jesus know that the man was calling him an attempt to aid bartimaeus's desire for a response instead the crowd didn't attempt to get jesus attention the crowd attempted to tell bartimaeus to be silent the disciples didn't attempt to bring bartimaeus to jesus they attempted to push him further away instead of doing all they could to stand in the gap they attempted to build a wall may those of us who claim to follow jesus never be guilty of silencing the crowd the cries of those in need for the sake of the comfort of our own experience what did it benefit them to stop bartimaeus other than to get him to stop yelling so their experience could be peaceful and unfortunately we have built the church culture on peaceful experiences versus transformative encounters here's here's what i love about bartimaeus i love his resolve because verse 48 says he cried all the more bartimaeus heard their instructions to be silent yet the opposition did not deter him nor did it distract him but the text would suggest that it deepened and strengthened his resolve to get jesus's attention can i pause here and say that the text does not tell us how bartimaeus felt it only tells us what bartimaeus did text does not say whether or not bartimaeus was saddened by the rejection the text does not say whether or not bartimaeus felt felt let down by people the response of bartimaeus may have been internal sadness but his emotions did not negatively impact his actions he may have been sad but it didn't stop him from shouting he may have been confused but it didn't stop him from crying out jesus i need you more than i need to listen to them jesus i'm calling you because they do not have the ability or the authority to stop my desire to get to you jesus because they do not matter in the grand scheme of things jesus can i tell you what i love about bartimaeus's resolve he never yells at the people [Applause] not once does bartimaeus acknowledge or respond to the detractors he keeps yelling for jesus and maybe the mistake that we make is we too much spend too much time acknowledging and and talking back to the people trying to push us away you spending all your time on social media talking about your haters in every tax conversation it's about the people that don't like you instead bartimaeus teaches us in spite of what they do you can keep crying out to jesus can i tell you that perhaps bartimaeus's resolve was strengthened because he figured if the crowd could hear him maybe he was just this close to getting jesus to hear him i came to help somebody the presence of opposition is actually proof that you are closer to jesus than you think because if they can hear you you can trust that jesus can hear you if they can tell you to be quiet it means you might be one cry away from getting god's attention don't let the detractors stop you from calling out [Applause] [Music] jesus texas he cried all the more the more you talk the louder i'll call him the more you criticize the louder i'll call him the more you scandalize the louder i'll call him the more you gossip the louder i'll scream jesus [Applause] deliver me from a church full of people easily distracted by haters it's time for us to deepen our resolve here's what i like about the text his resolve gets a reaction out of jesus look what the text says verse 49 says jesus stood still i told you that jesus was moving with a purpose he was trying to get to jerusalem to get to the cross and instead of hastening his pace because he didn't want to be slowed down the text says he stopped lord have mercy jesus suddenly stops this blesses me because it suggests one that jesus heard him i got good news for somebody that's been praying and praying and praying and feeling like god's not listening can i tell you that when you cry out to god he hears you he will incline his ear and the text makes it clear that it does not matter what is on his agenda if he can stop long enough to deal with bartimaeus on his way to the cross what makes you fake he won't stop long enough to give it you what it is you've been praying for him stopping suggested he heard bartimaeus number one but number two it suggests that he is as merciful as bartimaeus hoped he would be jesus son of david have mercy on me i don't deserve your time but be merciful and grant me son and the text says in response to this crypt of mercy jesus stops suggesting that not only can he hear you but he's full of mercy he he was a holy god who would be merciful to a broken man but y'all i got to tell you it's the next part of the command or the the reaction or the response that gets me because the text says jesus stops but he doesn't call for bartimaeus jesus stops and commands for bartimaeus to be called this is different than what will happen in the next chapter and the next story when there's a man who can climb the tree to get jesus attention bible says that jesus looks up to him looks up to los angeles and says zacchaeus come down jesus talks to him directly but in this text he doesn't speak to bartimaeus directly the text says he commands for bartimaeus to be called [Music] jesus tells the same people who told him to shut up to tell him to draw near jesus uses the same voices that were trying to build a wall to actually serve as a door because when god is in it he has a way of turning the very people who tried to silence you into the very people that gotta give you access to get to jesus lord have mercy i don't know who i'm talking to but it's it's it's the same folk that'll try to silence your shout that god will use to draw you closer because when he's in it he has a way of using opposition to actually birth opportunity for new proximity that's why instead of responding to them you better keep crying out to him because he'll use them to draw you closer do i have anybody in the room that can say the same ones that afflicted me actually ended up being the only reason i'm as close to jesus today as i am because if they wouldn't have told me to shut up i would have stopped shouting but because i kept shouting it was them that puts me closer to him and you ain't as close to jesus as you are because of all the bible scriptures that you done studied to memorize but god uses opposition to propel us into his presence that's why you worship like you do the bible says lord have mercy then jesus said y'all go get him and the same folk that said shut up had to say be of good cheer we tried to break you a versico but now we got to build you we tried to hurt you a vertical but now we got to help you we told you to shut up a versatile but now we're telling you you ought to smile it'd be crazy how god used the same people that tried to break you to encourage you because god turned that thing around before the chapter ends god to turn that thing around in the very next verse can i encourage somebody to keep reading keep walking through your story baby i know verse 48 says one thing but verse 49 says another and god used the detractors in verse 48 to be delivery agents in verse 49. man turn around and say hey be of good cheer because he's calling you [Music] be a good cheer get up we know we told you to be quiet and stay down but his word trumps ours we said shut up and stay down he said be of good cheer and get up i know what we said but his word is more important so hey blind fella today's your day today's your day put a smile on your face and get up because he's calling you when he hears that jesus has called for him the text records that this blind man takes off his coat gets up and goes to jesus the text says that at the word of jesus a blind man gets up takes off his coat and goes to jeep there's a miracle in the miracle the text says that at the word of jesus a blind man gets up takes off the cloak and in the middle of a large crowd finds his way to jesus i can't believe y'all still don't get it right back over here the text says that a blind man didn't need guidance or help to get up because when jesus calls you your state does not dictate your obedience when jesus calls you you can get up no matter what you've been down by when jesus calls you you can find your way to him even if you got to work your way through a crowd y'all don't believe me come here lazarus the text says in john chapter 11 that lazarus is dead real dead a few days dead but jesus called his name and when jesus calls his name he wakes up but the problem is he's bound hand and foot and his face is covered but even being bound and being dead didn't stop lazarus from showing up to jesus when jesus called him here it is that bartimaeus is blind but when jesus says come here he'll give you the strength to get up when jesus says come here he'll give you the ability to work your way through the crowd when jesus says come here if you will obey you have everything you need to get to jesus without excuse without delay bartimaeus shows up in spite of the obstacles of blindness and crowdedness he gets in jesus face lord have mercy and when he gets in jesus face he gets a reward jesus says what do you want me to do for you bartimaeus since you kept screaming when they told you to shut up since you came when i called since you didn't make excuse i got a reward for you and the reward is in the form of an open heaven what do you want jesus shows us how he responds to prayer knock and keep knocking and the door might sham seek and keep seeking and you shall find ask and keep asking and whatever you ask in my name i don't know who i'm talking to but i just stopped by to encourage somebody i know you've been praying for a long time i know you've been waiting for a long time i know you've been struggling for a long time but i came with good news god gets no joy out of making you suffer for change but he is honored when we show him that we'll contend for what he wants to do for us because he understands that anything that doesn't cost you something you won't value but if it costs ridicule you'll appreciate it when he does it if it costs you being shamed you'll appreciate it more when he does it and so sometimes you got to keep asking because god is trying to build value in what he's about to do for you bartimaeus because all you've been through what do you want it is you want bartimaeus in the presence of the same people that told you to shut up i'ma do for you because he prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies no enemies no table that's why you ought to stop praying and asking god to get rid of your haters because without them there's no table he prepares the table before you in the presence of the ones that told you to shut up in the presence of the ones who told you you weren't going to be nothing in the very presence of the people that told them shut up jesus said so what do you want because they've been following me but they don't get this access now now you would think that jesus didn't need to ask bartimaeus what he wanted it was clear to everybody that the blind man would want sight you you would think that this didn't even deserve an exchange but it's in bartimaeus's answer that actually proves the reason for the question jesus doesn't simply ask the question for bartimaeus to articulate his natural desire but he also gives bartimaeus an opportunity to articulate the intention of his heart look at what the text says bartimaeus says rob and i i want to see he doesn't just say i want to see this word that he uses to address jesus is actually deeper than the word rabbi that simply means teacher this word actually means um my master or my lord the use of this word suggests that the heart of bartimaeus's desire to see is rooted in a desire of submission to the lord he wants jesus to be his lord and he wants to see at the beginning of the text bartimaeus has an acknowledgment that causes him to make a request he acknowledges jesus as the savior of the world the messiah of the world this son of david is a general acknowledgement and because of that the request acknowledged to the general or the the request connected to the general acknowledgement is mercy a general in his second request he says uh i want you not to just be savior of the world i want you to be my lord and i want to see he acknowledges who he wants jesus to be to him it's as if bartimaeus takes the heart of the psalmist in psalm 119 18 when he says open my eyes that i may behold wondrous things from your law essentially bartimaeus is saying i want to see but only if that means i get to see you in 1895 two years before her death clara scott music teacher at the ladies seminary in lions iowa wrote one of her last hymns that summarized the request of this blind man and should be the heart of our request to god she wrote open my eyes that i may see glimpses of truth thou has for me place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free silently now i wait for thee ready my god thy will to see open my eyes ears and heart spirit divine because of this request and the heart of the request look at the remedy in the text jesus says go your way your faith has made you well you don't need me to lay hands on you you don't need me to spit on your eyes your faith has unlocked the thing you've been praying for because he had faith in who jesus is in what jesus could do and what jesus was willing to be for him bartimaeus got what he requested from god because he had faith to believe beyond his current condition and the jeering of the crowd he received it was there by faith he received his sight faith in the face of opposition in the face of obstacles is always rewarded when you believe rightly about jesus you are rewarded when you cry out to him in the face of opposition you are rewarded when you want to make him lord of your life you will be rewarded verse 52 says your faith has made you whole but then it says immediately he received this site y'all y'all okay i don't think you know why this gets me um this is in stark contrast to the last blind man we see in mark's gospel the last blind man we see in mark's gospel was brought to jesus by friends in mark chapter 8 and uh jesus spits on his eyes and says um so what do you see and uh jesus waits for the man to look up and when he looks up he says i see men walking around but they look like trees jesus touches him again but after he touches him again it's something that happens in verse 25 of mark chapter 8 that if you read too fast you will miss in mark chapter 8 verse number 25 the bible says that after jesus touches this blind man again he was made to look up meaning he was forced to look up to take a second look suggesting that he may have had his sight long before he looked up fast forward to mark chapter 10. jesus tells bartimaeus your faith has made you well and the text says immediately he received his sight suggesting that the speed in which the miracle took place was based on what the blind men were looking at the immediately for bartimaeus was connected to the fact that his eyes were open ready to see and he didn't need somebody to tell him to look again y'all making me work in here immediate sight only comes to people who are looking for the miracle they've been praying for and maybe the reason you ain't seen it yet is cause you're praying for it but you ain't looking for it [Applause] god almighty may we never be like the blind man in mark 8 who was healed but wouldn't know it because he wouldn't look up all right the remedy is his faith in this moment he has lord have mercy in this moment he has a he has revelation receives his sight i'm done when i talk about what happens next the bible says that at the beginning of this story bartimaeus is sitting on the side of the road when the text ends the text says he's on the role when the story opens he's on the side of the road as a a blind beggar sitting on the side of the road but when the story ends he has sight and he's on the road now uh you missed the shout out if you miss what jesus invites him to do with his new site jesus says go your way your faith has made you well go your way jesus says with this wellness you can do what you please you can go back to sitting where you were when i found you you can go off of whatever road you want to go off of to go back to your house you can take any of these directions to go wherever you want to go with your life but as the text draws to a conclusion the bible says that he's on the road following jesus uh y'all still not hearing me come on t let's see if i can i can explain it the text says that that that this man is on the side of the road and jesus says you can take whatever road you want to take but the bible says that this man decides to get up and get on the road and follow jesus thank you todd i believe it was blind bartimaeus who started to sing that day i have decided to follow jesus no turning back no turning back but the mayor said i don't care about following him with the same people who told me to shut up i have decided to follow jesus because bartimaeus understood that when the lord sets you free there is only one reasonable and logical response i said when the lord y'all still looking at me has set you free there is only one logical response and that is to follow jesus i'm out of here y'all but i gotta close with a story there's a story of a man who is from england who came over in the days of the slave trade and he showed up to a slave auction in the south one day and he decided to participate and bought a slave and after he purchases this slave the slave hears his british accent and knows that the slave trade has already been outlawed in england and as he tries to buck up to the man who had simply who had just just purchased him the new slave owner said no sir you need to calm down you don't understand i did not buy you to shackle you but i bought you so that i could set you free and is there anybody here that's glad that jesus came to pay the price not simply to be your new owner but to set you free not simply to shackle you to anything but to give you an opportunity to do what you want to do i'm grateful for the slave owner in that story who set the man free but can i tell you the part of the story that really blesses me it's the response of the newly freed slave with tears in his eyes and gratitude in his heart he said sir i'll follow you and be your willing servant forever in response to what you've done for me the only thing i know how to do is follow you and give you my life and i wonder if there's anybody here with the same story that says i know the cost that it paid jesus to pay and set me free and since jesus did it for me the only thing that i can do is give him my life since jesus brought my salvation since jesus opened my eyes since jesus gave me new life since jesus gave me a new opportunity the only thing i can do is follow jesus is there anybody here who can say i have decided to follow jesus since it died for me i have decided to follow jesus since he opened up my eyes i have decided to follow jesus i didn't got happy y'all talking about the road because the road that bartimaeus jumped on to follow jesus on is the road that took jesus right into jerusalem it was on that road that bartimaeus followed jesus and saw them crying hosanna hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the lord it was on that road that bartimaeus followed jesus on that jesus took an old rugged cross down that road thought the viet washed it up the via de la rosa they put nails in his hands lord have mercy nails in his feet they put swords on his head it was on that road that jesus marched that cross that paid for bartimaeus to have his sight at the cross at the cross where i first saw the light and the burdens of my heart rode away it was there at the cross it was there at calvary's mountain that i received my sight what are you shouting for because now i'm happy all the day bye y'all have a good evening may the lord bless you real good but it is that two or three people who will allow me to ask a simple question on my way out of here my question is is there anybody here who has sight today and since you've got sight you've got joy since you've got satan you're happy all the day since you got psyched you go follow jesus since you've got psyche you'll give him your life since you got sight you chosen what to do with your freedom and with your freedom you've decided to follow him with your freedom you've decided to put your trust in him with your freedom you've decided to be shackled to him with your freedom you decided to be a born servant with your freedom you decided to give your all to jesus all to jesus i surrender all to him i freely give i will ever love and trust him in his presence daily live tell your neighbor i surrender oh to thee my blessed savior since you gave it all for me i'll give my all to you anybody here go give your life to him anybody here promise him that you would serve him until you die since he gave me what he gave me i owe him what i owed since he gave me what he gave me i owe him what i owe him do you know what you owe do you know what you're oweing can i tell you what you owe it you owe him your life you ought to give it to him and if you've given him your life you owe him i said you owe him you owe him your praise praise the name of jesus praise the name of jesus because he is my rock he is my fortress he is my deliverer in him will i trust i will if you know that you're owen you ought to give him what you know you owe if you know that you owe him you ought to freely give what you know you owe [Music] if you know that you owe him praise i will not let a rock cry out for me in the midst of what i feel i will bless him i will praise him let the redeemed [Music] i'm getting out of here return to a neighbor who might be looking at you kind of strange turn to a neighbor and say hey neighbor hey neighbor hey neighbor hey neighbor the reason why you want to join me it's cause everybody owes him everybody owes him everybody owes him let everything that had breath who let everything that had breath [Music] let everything that had progressed right [Music] y'all still looking go and do a pulse check go and do a boss check matter of fact this crowd participation time go ahead i know you got your mask on but i tell you just breathe in and breathe out breathe in and breathe out if you could participate that means you're included let everything [Music] y'all looking but ain't nobody acting right i said if you can breathe let everything back head breath [Music] praise grace you can't think no thank you rise clap your hands right open your mouth raise feel your days praise take a lap wait but let everything [Music] i ain't coming to play with y'all this morning if you know the head if you know the hell that somebody's been through you ought to know that he's worthy and i didn't need nobody to show up and hide me for it tell your neighbor i brought mine with me i still got stuff i gotta thank him for so i'm gonna fight him with my hands clapping i'm a thinker with my mouth open i'm a baker with my feet loser let everything [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] come on let's give god some praise can we put our hands together come on y'all could do better than that can we put our hands together to god but not only the messenger but more importantly the message amen amen if our ushers and our deacons will come now he will come now we want to give some people some opportunity to receive some sight this morning we want to give some people to receive some sight this morning this time of service we ask that there be no moving we want to open up the doors of the church and extend salvation we're going to extend christ we want to be able um to deliver you right to the master so that he can lead you and guide you in the ways that he has called you to we say to you my brother my sister whether you're online or in the building much like christ said to the man be of good cheer for the master is calling you and regardless of where you're from regardless to what type of blindness you suffer from that the god of your salvation is calling your name and all you have to do whether you're online or in this sanctuary is he to his voice as our choir as our worship team comes and sings a song it sings a worship song i'm asking you my brother my sister to consider hearing the master this morning and responding to his voice we have individuals in every aisle that will take you to our decision road that will lead you to christ considering social distancing and making sure that you are safe as possible and if you're online just write in the chat lord i want to see and someone on our online audience will be able to connect with you and lead you to christ [Music] my i just [Music] my friends [Music] [Music] amen amen we're going to make one more call if you want to join this church if you need special prayer and if you're ready to give your life to christ now it's your time whether you're in the sanctuary or you're online now would be the time for you to give your life to christ while people are still making their decisions can we give god praise for those who've already made their decisions master we're so grateful and thankful for your grace y'all i want to do one more thing um i want to do one more thing before we get out of here if y'all don't mind if everybody could if you're in the house if you could stand to your feet for just a second if you're in the house and you're able you would please rest on your feet so often in church we come we hear word it moves us in whatever way it moves us and then we leave church and we take with us whatever we have taken i think we do that 52 sundays out of a year and in our context for the pastor's birthday uh for church anniversary and if the pastor has some type of significant emotional event in their life we kind of stop what we do and pray for the pastor i want to do something different today because it's not church anniversary it's not his birthday and no significant event has happened but i do think it's appropriate if we would just take a moment in the house as well as online and we would just offer god some prayer for our pastor y'all don't mind that do you just do me a favor it doesn't have to be long i want you to pray exactly what the lord laid on your heart but if you would for the next 60 seconds can we pray for our pastor for the next 60 seconds you don't need me to start praying you start praying if you're online this is your this is your signal start now pray for the pastor pray for his heart pray for his mind pray for his life pray that god will continue to use him pray that god would move upon his heart pray that god would bless him pray that god will strengthen him pray that god will continue um to make his direction clear in our pastor's life i just want you to pray for the pastor come on [Music] master we bring our pastor before you we ask you now in the name of jesus that you would bless him god we ask now in jesus name that you would keep him god we ask now in jesus name that you would continue to give him divine direction i pray god for clarity i pray god for wisdom i pray god for boldness i pray now in the name of jesus that you're removing people who shouldn't be around him and you're bringing people who should be around him i pray god that you are bringing laborers for the harvest but god that you're removing the lazy ones out of his life i pray god that to each and every person who's taking of his life and and speaking about it haphazardly or with malice intent we pray now in the name of jesus that you would use them how you see fit but i pray god in the name of jesus that you would not allow those words by no means to harm him your word says um that the weapons may be formed but they will not prosper and every weapon that's formed against him god i pray to you and you alone that you would protect him that you would provide for him that you would cause his victory to be a result of your hand and none of ours i pray that starting today we will make it a habit to pray for our pastors in jesus name amen amen you may be seated amen amen amen we only have one announcement for you today and that announcement is discipleship is still going on every wednesday um at 7 00 pm as well as noonday bible study is still taking place every wednesday streaming live on all of our social media platforms we have reached the end of our service and before i let you go we will give at the very end of service you may give online and those instructions will be right there in the bottom third of the uh of the stream as well as in the house you may give on your way out but before we do that i got a couple questions that i need to ask just to make sure that we're celebrating together as family any birthdays this week any birthdays this week can you just throw your hand come on let's give god praise happy birthday to you hope you enjoyed it hope you enjoy any anniversaries any anniversaries this week come on come on yes amen come on clapboard whether you single or not amen amen did anybody get to retire this week anybody get to retire amen so we see y'all all at work in the morning amen amen anybody come home anybody in the service come home anybody in the service come home to visit come home for good amen thank you for your service i want to pray for us and then i'm going to turn us over into the hands of our security personnel let's pray father thank you for calling us by name thank you god that your call had nothing to do with our behavior but had all to do with your love and your care for us i pray now god in the name of jesus that you would bless us and our weak god that you would not allow us to be those who try to shun people away from you but you will allow us to be the very people who bring people closer to you i pray god that you would keep us and our church and our world god there's some crazy things going on in our world and we know you know about them but god could you please do something to bring peace to our land god we may not understand all the details but god we serve a god of peace and we ask you now god that you would grant peace to troubled minds troubled homes and trouble between countries in jesus name amen amen you

Channel: Antioch Fellowship Church

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Length: 111min 25sec (6685 seconds)

Published: Sun May 16 2021