Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Special Services

New Years 1999

Intro: What is your New Years resolution? Have you made any? Many this year will resolve to loose weight, begin to work out, or spend more time with your children. But, there are a great number of people in the world who can't decide what to resolve for the new year. How do I know? AOL has a new feature.. 'Resolve O Matic' Instant resolutions for those who can't think of any. I suppose some people have lives so perfect they can't think of anything to change.

       Speaking about perfection, some Believers are so comfortable with the way things are in their spiritual life that they don't see a need for change in the New Year. But many Christians will make New Years resolutions like: I will read my Bible more this year. Or I will begin to attend Sunday School or I'll get up 30 mins earlier each day and spend it with the Lord.

       Maybe your resolution will have something to do with an area of your life that you are struggling with God for control... perhaps it's a recreational activity, your career, or even a particular sin. You find yourself struggling and struggling, making promise after promise and the spiritual rut you are in seems more like a grave and you feel there's no way out. You're not alone.

EXP: Resolutions, whether of a secular or spiritual nature are good if they are seen thru. The problem is that statistically over 80% of all New Years resolutions are never kept. 50% are never even started. Why?  People like it in the rut. It's familiar, and it's not as demanding as change. But the problem with living in a rut is that eventually the ends cave in and you have a grave... and the grave is for the dead.

       Of course, I'm not speaking of physical death or even spiritual death but of a loss of LIFE. The abundant life Jesus died and rose again  so that you, I could have. I don't know about you but I want LIFE and LIFE ABUNDANT as Jesus promises. And to have it  you've got to get out and stay out of ruts. You have to be constantly looking for areas in your life you can give over to Jesus so that He can bring about the change necessary for you growth and growth is LIFE!

Trans:  That's what today's message is about. Getting out of the rut before it becomes your grave.

I. How to get out of a rut. Mark 10:46-52

       We find Bartimaeus sitting by the side of the road, begging. You see, he was blind and his blindness disrupted his whole life and it forced him to beg for a living. He was desperate for change. No pun intended. Bartimaeus made a resolution  to regain his sight. So he stayed in town and hung out with the other beggars hoping Jesus would stop by and visit with him and the guys. No! He took responsibility for his life. He believed Jesus was his only chance to have his sight restored. So if he wanted to change, if he wanted his need met, if he wanted to get out of his rut, he had to go where Jesus was.

App: You all are bright, you know where I am going.  If there's something in your life you know needs to be changed, take the responsibility and go where Jesus can be found. Isa. 55:6 says 'Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while he is near'. Jesus is as near as your own heart if you will only open it up to Him. Go to that quiet place in your heart where you fellowship with Jesus face to face. He will meet with you and care for your needs. He is also here. Over 300 times Scripture tells us to praise the Lord, many of those times it's the congregation, the Body of Christ who are directed to Praise Him. Why? Because God inhabits the praise of His people. We are the Body of Christ. Where the Body is,  Jesus is. Come here among God's people and meet Jesus.

Trans:  You get out of a rut when you first assume responsibility for your own life.

    B. Vs. 47
       He heard the people saying Jesus was coming. His chest hurt as his heart pounded heavily against it. Hope swelled up like it never had before in his life. He had heard Jesus was the Messiah and believed it to be true. He was hanging all his hopes on Jesus to change his life , to get him out of his rut. Bartimaeus was blind. He couldn't see Jesus coming. He could only hear what the crowd was saying. Perhaps he was thinking  'Is he here? When should I say something? Is now the right time?, Oh no. What if Jesus already passed by What do I do?' He was about to burst. So he cried out hoping it was the right time and Jesus would hear him. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!!!!

App: Oh, the intensity of that moment! Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever cried out to Jesus with all your heart?
Unfortunately not many have.  We are too busy to deal with it this week. We are on vacation next week. The kids have their school musical after that... on and on it goes.  Your need goes unmet as Jesus passes you by. We wait and wait for the perfect time to cry out to God for help, but it rarely comes.

Trans:  You get out of a rut when you stop waiting for ideal circumstances.

    C. Vs. 48  Bartimaeus acknowledged his need publicly and the public reacted. 'Don't bother the master', 'keep quiet'. Bartimaeus didn't care what the crowd said, Jesus was there and he had to speak to him.

App:  People in a rut are often told 'Don't air your dirty laundry out in public'. Or 'you made your bed now lie in it'. But people in a rut need to be like Bartimaeus and forget about the crowd. Cry out to God and when the crowd tries to silence you, cry out even louder. Don't let  listening to the crowd cause you to let Jesus pass you by. If you do, you'll stay in the rut with the crowd. Misery loves company.

Trans: You get out of a rut when you stop worrying about what other people say or think.

    D. Vs. 49-50   Jesus heard Bartimaeus' cry for help. Amen! The only thing standing between him and Jesus, between him and the one who could restore his sight was his cloak spread out in front of him so people passing by could put money on it.
Bartimaeus did something both bold and daring. He cast aside his cloak like it was worthless. I believe money and all. You see, had he taken the time to collect his money before he got up, Jesus may have continued on His journey. But his cloak was the only thing he had in life. Would he risk loosing it and his spare change to meet Jesus and talk to Him? You bet. The text tells us that Bartimaeus immediately cast  his cloak aside, jumped up and came to Jesus. Nothing was going to keep him from Jesus.

App:  How few are so eager! How many hang on to that which hinders their fellowship with Jesus. Friend, what do you have  lying in front of you that is a hindrance to  coming to Jesus when He calls? Is it a cloak of pride or  fear perhaps? Nothing is worth keeping you away, nothing is worth staying in the rut when Jesus calls  and says 'come to Me'.

Trans: You get out of a rut when you do something bold and dramatic and you do it now!

    E. Vs. 51  'What do you want me to do?' seems like a strange question to ask a blind man. Don't you agree?  I think it gave Bartimaeus time to consider whether he really believed Jesus could do what he was going to ask Him to do.  It also allowed  time to think about what he really wanted. He believed Jesus was the Messiah, he believed Jesus could restore his sight. So he specifically asked to have his sight restored.

App:  Do you really believe God can make a change in your life or even take away a particular desire to sin? Have you thought about what it is you really need? When you seek after Jesus He will be found and He will ask you 'What do you want me to do?'   What will you tell Him?

Trans: You get out of a rut when you believe Jesus can bring about change in your life and when you clarify for yourself what it is you really need.

   F. Vs. 52  'Go your own way', Jesus told him. And Bartimaeus did just that. His way was now a  life journey with Jesus.

App: As a Believer you have no other way to go but to follow Jesus.  Why?
        -Because you appreciate what He had done in your life.
        -Because He is the author and object of your faith.
        -Because you want to grow and experience more of Jesus' presence in your life.
        -Because you want to show your loyalty.
        -Because He has made you whole.

       When Jesus meets your need, don't put Him on the shelf and forget Him until the next crisis or the next struggle with sin, or the next time you want to change. Make the decision as Bartimaeus did, to follow Jesus, immediately, faithfully and joyfully.

Conclusion
       So, do you have a need that only Jesus can meet? Are you  struggling with God over control of a particular area of your life? Are you in a battle with sin and feel you're loosing? Do you feel like your life is lived going back and forth, back and forth in a rut with no way out? Bartimaeus is our example of :

       Think about something. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, not only to celebrate the Passover with His disciples, but to give His life by dying on the cross. He had a lot to do this last week of His life and I am sure there were many great and important things on His mind.

       Yet, yet He still took the time in the middle of His busy schedule, in the midst of a vast crowd, to stop and meet the need of a poor, blind beggar sitting by the road.

       What availability, what mercy, what love. What's even greater and more amazing is that He will do the same for you.