bartimaeus

'The Ministry of Jesus' Sermon Series

Thank you for joining us today on this podcast platform as we explore the spiritual understanding through the biblical interpretation of spiritual blindness, reading from the Gospel of Mark chapter 10 verse 46-52, the blind man Bartimus when he called out to Jesus, then Jesus Christ said to him "What can i do for you".

Blind Bartimaeus. 
Bible reference: Luke 18:35-43.

Jesus' healing of blind Bartimaeus demonstrates how faith is open to everyone, especially those who are marginalised and excluded by polite society. It also demonstrates how we are all blind to our own prejudices and our own need for Jesus.

Matthew 20:29-34

Two blind men cry out for mercy from Jesus. The crowds try to quiet them down, but they won't be quieted. Jesus stops and heals them. Andrew and Edwin discuss how these two men present a foil for the rich man's seeking of self-righteousness. They wanted Jesus and had nothing to offer Him. They simply begged for mercy. We have a choice. We can either approach Jesus like the ruler or like these blind men. How will you approach Jesus?

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If you were to meet Jesus, what would you ask him? Your answer reveals a lot about you. In this sermon, Pastor Josh takes us on a remarkable journey through the Exodus story, a prophecy in Isaiah, and a king's adultery in II Samuel and how they all culminate in a miraculous interaction Jesus has with a blind man in Jericho. And in so doing, we see the 5 most important words anyone could say to Jesus.

Thanks for listening!
visit www.gracecitychurch.com for more content.

Over the past year, we have had to isolate and curb our activities because of the COVID pandemic. We had to shut the church doors for several months, then slowly take steps to reopen as the rate of infection started to decline. We used caution tape to block every other pew so families could be safely separated, and the entrance and exit of attendees were very controlled. Thanks to these protective measures and the availability of the COVID vaccine, we have been able to relax many of the pandemic protocols. Each time we add a new element of worship to the service or restore a ministry that had been shut down because of the pandemic, I see several people express joy and excitement.

This week we will reflect on the joy and excitement of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, who received new vision from Jesus. As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus was sitting on the side of the road, asking for assistance. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out for mercy, and Jesus stopped to talk to Bartimaeus. When Jesus asked him what he wanted, Bartimaeus replied he wanted to have his vision restored. Jesus granted his request, and Bartimaeus chose to use his restored vision to follow Jesus. Likewise, let’s consider how we will use our restored vision of ministry to follow Jesus in these new and exciting times.

We hear this Sunday the story of Jesus healing the blind man Bartimaeus. On the surface this seems to be just an extraordinary story that attests to the divinity of Christ.  But the Bible gives us so many stories of Jesus opening the eyes of those who are blind, there must be more – and there is.  To see the deeper meaning of this Gospel will require us to have our eyes opened in a whole new way.  What does that look like?  Check it out…

John continues to explore what God was up to with Jesus. One way of answering that is that Jesus is like God and God is like Jesus – what does that do to your thinking about the life of faith. 

Job invites us to hold lightly all that we think we know about God and to find comfort in the uncertainty. And then to live in hope.

Reminds me of Mark 1:15 – let your mind be blown

Bartimaeus comes at end of central section turns the story towards Jerusalem and highlights disciples’ blindness

Their minds have not been blown yet, they have not been re-oriented by Jesus and are still trying to use their old formulas to understand what is going on

On contrast Bartimaeus not only has his physical sight restored, but acts as true disciple, leaving all he had of any worth to follow Jesus up to Jerusalem and the cross

-         What do these stories offer us in these uncertain and troubling times?

-         In what ways are we like the disciples, or even Job’s unhelpful friends, locked into old ways of thinking and unable to see what Jesus is on about?

-         What does it mean for us to be like Bartimaeus, true disciples, today?

-         What are we being invited to leave behind, 

-         and where might we follow Jesus to?

The notes for this sermon can be found here.

Today's podcast is with Simon Pinchbeck and Reverend Ben Cooper. #Christian Straight Talk. The discussion that they are looking at, and the word in that they bring to the table is, "we need you."

We need you, Jesus, the brokenness of humanity. Also looking at blind Bartimaeus, how His coat was taken off of his back, as he stood up at the instruction of the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance. Deliverance freedom. Looking at the mercy of God. Psalm 133 I cried out to the Lord.

Today, Simon Pinchbeck has been discussing, very clearly, Christian. Straight Talk with Reverend Ben Cooper.

A sermon from Mark 10 in our Seeing Jesus series given by Todd Stewman.

Jesus asks this question on two different occasions to different people and receives two strikingly different answers. How would you answer such a question? 

This evening we bring our Liturgical Year to a close as we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King.  But this feast day is really more about kinship than it is about kingship. Just look at the Gospels we have been given this past year. For Jesus was always eating with wrong people, at the wrong time, on the wrong day with non-Jews, and sinners, and ignoring all the purity codes that his religion required at that time. So if we are to follow Christ the King how do we practice kinship over kingship?  Perhaps actor Mandy Patinkin sharing his favorite line from his 1987 classic movie, The Princess Bride, can shed some light on how we can best be like Christ the King.  Check it out….

Luke 19:1-10