WHAT DO YOU WANT?: “Desperate for God”

Here are the notes from the message yesterday at New Life Community Church.  This was the last in the series WHAT DO YOU WANT? and is entitled “Desperate for God”.  If you desire to listen to this message, you may do so by going to our website at www.newlifesite.com.  God bless.

What Do You Want, Part 5                                                               Sunday, February 16, 2013
 “Desperate for God”
51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?”Mark 10:51 (ESV)
Three Words for the New Year
1.     RELATIONSHIP
2.     RESOURCES
3.     RESTORATION
46 And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.  Mark 10:46-52 (ESV)
“he cried out all the more” – DETERMINATION –
48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more,
Mark 10:48 (ESV)
1.    he was DETERMINEDto get answers
he “threw off his cloak” – TRANSFORMATION  (He changed “clothes”) –
49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.
Mark 10:49-50 (ESV)
Consider for a moment the condition of this man Bartimaeus.  He virtually had no name. 
Why was he blind?
We don’t know.
But we do know that blindness was not uncommon in the days of Jesus.
There was a particularly harsh kind of blindness.       Othelmianianatorum     Neonatal conjunctivitis
It was the result of venereal disease.  Gonorrhea was rampant in those days and if the mother had the disease it could actually infect her child and he would be born blind.  It was called venereal disease of the eyes. 
As a result, the child was ostracized and considered to be unclean from birth.  This was a common occurrence and question.  John 9
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  John 9:1 (N IV)
Threw off his beggar’s coat.
It was pretty ragged.
It was actually a sign and symbol of who he was.
But it was even more.
In all likelihood, it was all  he had.
It was his only possession.
With abandon, he threw everything at the feet of Jesus.
Reckless abandon.
Full faith.
2.    he CHANGED the way he saw himself
Not a play on words.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,  fixing our eyes on Jesus …  Hebrews 12:1-2a (NIV)
Remember, this was BEFORE Jesus healed him.
he knew what he wanted –
And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”  Mark 10:51 (ESV)
Jesus asks him.
This is more than a taunt by Jesus.  Yes, He desired to know what Bartimaeus really wanted.  But let’s go further.  The God of the universe got down on one knee, looked this poor man in the eye and said, “What can I do to serve you.”  This is the servant nature of Jesus. 
He, who created the universe becomes the servant to the beggar.
Amazing.
And He speaks to the deepest need of our heart.  What do you want?
3.    he was CLEARin his request
he was learning about Jesus –
47 … he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48  … But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Mark 10:47-48 (ESV)
4.    he was GROWINGin His knowledge of Jesus
he “followed Jesus on the road” – DISCIPLESHIP –
And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.  Mark 10:52 (ESV)
5.    he took a new DIRECTIONfor his life.

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