Category: Salvation

Clothed

Doug

Mark 10:46-52 The Message (MSG)

46-48 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!”Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

49-50 Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.”

They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.

51 Jesus said, “What can I do for you?”

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.”

In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

3 things you can SEE in the presence of Jesus

  1. SEE your DEFICIENCY
  1. Bartimaeus was physically blind (46…a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus);
    1. As stated in Deuteronomy 28, widely believed sickness was a result of either your own sins or your parents’ sins.
  2. Bartimaeuswas spiritually blind from His unbelief (52 “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has savedand healed you)

 

  • He was deficient physically (blind, begging for mercy, and wearing a coat)
  • He was deficient spiritually (blind, begging for mercy, wearing a coat of sin)

 

I’ve been spiritually blind too.

Driving to FL at Christmas, Jodie challenged me to follow the speed limit.  And I did faithfully and immediately felt the relief of not having to constantly check my speed and rear view mirror, but felt the frustration of getting there later.

 God since has showed me that in the past:

    • I knowingly broke the law and rationalized that everyone was speeding.
    • And I continued increasing my speed to the point that the speed limit became a minimum.

 

Sin can become so rooted in our lifestyle or belief system that we become blinded to it. clothed

1 John 2:15MSG

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

  1. SEE your DELIVERER

 

46When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, “Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!” Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, “Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!”

49-50Jesus stopped in his tracks. “Call him over.” They called him. “It’s your lucky day! Get up! He’s calling you to come!” Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.  51Jesus said, “What can I do for you?” The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.

 

  1. Bartimaeus believed that because Jesus was from the ancestry of King David (Son of David) he was bringing God’s kingdom to the poor, maimed, lame and blind and could heal him physically

Beginning of Jesus’ ministry:

Luke 4:18-21 The Message (MSG)

18-21 He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written, God’s Spirit is on me; he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and  recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free,  to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

  1. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus was the messiah and could heal him spiritually

52 “On your way,” said Jesus. “Your faith has saved and healed you.”

  • He was desperate both physically and spiritually
  • Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus louder and louder
  • Bartimaeus humbled himself
  • Bartimaeus threw off his coat
  • Bartimaeus went to Jesus
  • Bartimaeus said, “Rabbi, I want to see

 

  1. SEE your DEVOTION
  1. Bartimaeus believed that Jesus healed and saved him
  2. Bartimaeus believed following Jesus was his only option

52…In that very instant he recovered his sight and followed Jesus down the road.

  • His new life was devoted to following Jesus. His world was turned upside down. 
  • From being blind to being both saved and healed
  • From being desperate for money to being desperate for more of Jesus
  • From sitting down to getting up
  • From being clothed with sin to being clothed with Joy

  

Psalm 30:8-12 NLT (David)

8 I cried out to you, O Lord.   I begged the Lord for mercy, saying, 9 “What will you gain if I die,
if I sink into the grave? Can my dust praise you?  Can it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me. Help me, O Lord.” 11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.   You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

 

Are you willing to let him reveal areas of spiritual blindness?

Are you willing to throw off any coat of sin, cry out and come to him?

Are you willing to put on the coat of Joy he has for you and follow him?