Sunday, March 1, 2009 
Scripture reading: Mark 10:46-52
The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus
46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 49Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher,* let me see again.’ 52Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Sermon Title: "WHEN YOU WANT IT ENOUGH" Sunday, March 1, 2009
what do you want from God so badly that you're willing to
be a pain in order to get it? I know we all want
things in life. It just kind of goes with the
territory. There are some of us who are so content
with life we probably wouldn't even buy new socks if
our spouse didn't make us do it. Others just can't
wait for that next thing. That's not what I'm talking
about.
I'm talking about a very spiritual image related
to our walk and our relationship with God. What do
you want so badly from God you're willing to be a
downright nuisance in order to achieve it? Think
about that for just a moment.
Today's scripture reading is the story of a blind
man name Bartimaeus who desperately needed answers.
The day came when Jesus paid a visit to his community.
People were thronging themselves at Christ because at
that point He was well known for healing people.
When Bartimaeus attempted to visit Christ, he
discovered a huge crowd. The blind man began to
loudly cry out, Jesus, have mercy upon me, over and
over until Jesus stopped the entire parade to respond
to that kind of tenaciousness.
In this text Jesus is explaining what it means to
seek and knock. It is a very tenacious and persistent
process. You have to continuously seek and keep on
seeking, knock and keep on knocking, pray and keep on
praying, and the response is going to come.
Christ makes it extremely clear God is eager to
do good things in the lives of individuals that call
his name, but there is a part of our spiritual growth
that wrestles with the fundamental question of how
badly do you want God's touch?
There is the story of Elijah journeying down the
road, and he heard from God his time was short. He
turned to his apprentice and said, hey, I'm getting
ready to go on a trip and you can't come, but let me
know what it is you would really like to have from me
before I'm gone. It was Elijah's way of saying what
is it you want so badly you're willing to be a pain, a
nuisance in order to get it.
The apprentice didn't have to think twice. He
said I want a double portion of your spirit to rest
upon me. Elijah said if you see me when I leave, God
will honor that. So the apprentice simply glued
himself to Elijah 24/7 and said I'm going with you no
matter where you go until it is time for you to go.
He wanted it bad enough to say I am going to be the
biggest nuisance you've ever experienced until that
time comes.
Years ago I met this wonderful girl, Marilyn, and
I've got to tell you, I fell deeply, soul shatteringly
in love with her. In the aftermath of that
experience, I became a huge nuisance to almost
everybody around me. I remember my mom telling me
we've got a $450 phone bill this month from my talking
with Marilyn long distance. I wanted that girl so
badly I figured it was worth it. She was twice the
price.
Can you imagine being that way towards God? What
do you want from God so badly that you'd be willing to
be a nuisance to get it? Let's come to the altar of
the Lord this morning with that question and the
understanding we have to continuously seek and pray
until we know the answer. In the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.