Hi, my name is Richard Walton. 00:00:29.86\00:00:31.81 I'm originally from California, 00:00:31.82\00:00:33.26 but I'm currently living in Arlington, Virginia. 00:00:33.27\00:00:36.38 I'm a second year law student 00:00:36.39\00:00:37.82 at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington DC. 00:00:37.83\00:00:43.18 Let's open the word today. 00:00:43.19\00:00:44.73 Mark Chapter 10 verse 46. 00:00:44.74\00:00:49.41 Before we begin to read 00:00:49.42\00:00:50.82 let's pause for just a quick word of prayer. 00:00:50.83\00:00:54.91 Dear Lord, thank you 00:00:54.92\00:00:56.10 for all the blessings you bestow on us. 00:00:56.11\00:00:59.36 Bless us now bless us as we read Your word, 00:00:59.37\00:01:02.16 open our hearts and our minds we pray in Jesus name, amen. 00:01:02.17\00:01:07.84 Mark Chapter 10 and verse 46. 00:01:07.85\00:01:14.30 "Now they came to Jericho. 00:01:14.31\00:01:15.96 And as He went out with a great multitude, 00:01:15.97\00:01:20.07 blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, 00:01:20.08\00:01:22.51 sat by the road begging. 00:01:22.52\00:01:24.95 And when he heard that it was Jesus 00:01:24.96\00:01:27.01 he began to cry out, 00:01:27.02\00:01:28.61 "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 00:01:28.62\00:01:34.98 In the closing moments of His ministry here on earth, 00:01:36.08\00:01:39.15 Jesus was headed 00:01:39.16\00:01:40.24 for a faithful appointment called Calvary. 00:01:40.25\00:01:44.49 He had been hiding in a wilderness town 00:01:44.50\00:01:46.72 called Ephraim, driven there 00:01:46.73\00:01:48.38 because after raising Lazarus from the dead, 00:01:48.39\00:01:51.82 He was so hated by the Pharisees 00:01:51.83\00:01:53.92 that they were plotting His death. 00:01:53.93\00:01:57.89 But Jesus life and death would move 00:01:57.90\00:02:00.50 on God's timetable not man's 00:02:00.51\00:02:03.05 and so He had fled 14 miles 00:02:03.06\00:02:05.78 northeast of Jerusalem across the mountains 00:02:05.79\00:02:09.07 to what is the present day city of that Tayeeba. 00:02:09.08\00:02:13.30 And it is the perfect place for a fugitive. 00:02:13.31\00:02:18.00 It stands on a high hill commanding a wide panorama 00:02:18.01\00:02:22.01 of the plains of Jericho and the Dead Sea. 00:02:22.02\00:02:24.55 And so anybody approaching will be seen from miles. 00:02:24.56\00:02:30.56 And there Jesus and His friends had safely hidden. 00:02:30.57\00:02:35.97 But finally the time had come, time for Calvary 00:02:35.98\00:02:42.00 and so the little group wound their way 00:02:42.01\00:02:44.11 across the mountains, but strangely on this trip 00:02:44.12\00:02:50.84 the Lord seems to have gotten lost. 00:02:50.85\00:02:54.70 Because Jesus and His small group of disciples 00:02:54.71\00:02:57.73 did not go directly toward Jerusalem 00:02:57.74\00:03:00.62 but detoured southeastward towards Jericho 00:03:00.63\00:03:03.84 taking two sides of a triangle 00:03:03.85\00:03:06.10 and making a brutal 2800 foot climb 00:03:06.11\00:03:09.59 and descent in the process, 00:03:09.60\00:03:12.81 Why? Why the detour and the extra work, 00:03:16.09\00:03:20.89 because at Jericho, 00:03:20.90\00:03:24.13 Jesus had an appointment with a blind man. 00:03:24.14\00:03:29.35 Mark Chapter 10 verse 46. 00:03:29.36\00:03:32.84 "Now they came to Jericho. 00:03:32.85\00:03:34.47 And as He went out with the great multitude, 00:03:34.48\00:03:36.70 blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, 00:03:36.71\00:03:38.97 sat by the road begging. 00:03:38.98\00:03:40.92 And when he heard that it was Jesus, 00:03:40.93\00:03:42.63 he began to cry out, 00:03:42.64\00:03:44.56 "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy!" 00:03:44.57\00:03:48.59 Many warned him to be quiet, but he cried out all the more, 00:03:48.60\00:03:53.02 "Son of David, have mercy!" 00:03:53.03\00:03:56.41 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. 00:03:56.42\00:04:03.32 Then they called the blind man, 00:04:03.33\00:04:06.14 "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you." 00:04:06.15\00:04:12.63 And throwing aside his garment, 00:04:14.47\00:04:16.07 he rose and came to Jesus. 00:04:16.08\00:04:19.43 And Jesus said, 00:04:19.44\00:04:20.47 "What do you want Me to do for you?" 00:04:20.48\00:04:24.00 And the blind man said to Him, 00:04:24.01\00:04:25.53 "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight." 00:04:25.54\00:04:30.51 Then Jesus said to him, 00:04:30.52\00:04:32.96 "Go your way, your faith has made you well." 00:04:32.97\00:04:39.97 A beggar with a problem and the dream 00:04:42.60\00:04:47.08 somewhere, somehow he gained his sight 00:04:47.09\00:04:49.70 and he'd see the depth and color and detail 00:04:49.71\00:04:54.44 of the pictures he had made in his mind. 00:04:54.45\00:04:59.85 Ironically we don't even know his name, 00:04:59.86\00:05:02.83 sure we know he was Bartimaeus 00:05:02.84\00:05:05.31 but that tells us nothing 00:05:05.32\00:05:06.68 because in Hebrew Bar means son of, 00:05:06.69\00:05:09.49 so Bartimaeus simply means 00:05:09.50\00:05:12.04 that this guys was Timaeus boy. 00:05:12.05\00:05:15.52 And now two men, a blind guy 00:05:15.53\00:05:17.71 and the Lord of creation found themselves 00:05:17.72\00:05:20.41 on a collision course that would illustrate 00:05:20.42\00:05:22.99 the entire thesis of the Bible. 00:05:23.00\00:05:28.42 Well, what is the real point of the word of God? 00:05:28.43\00:05:32.60 66 books, 1,500 years worth of literature. 00:05:32.61\00:05:36.84 Some of it written almost literally in blood. 00:05:36.85\00:05:39.66 What does it all mean? 00:05:39.67\00:05:43.89 What is the final point of this book? 00:05:43.90\00:05:49.85 Sure, it tells of sin and salvation 00:05:49.86\00:05:53.19 of life and death. 00:05:53.20\00:05:55.19 It even talks about such practices help for living. 00:05:55.20\00:05:58.59 And by the way folks, you know, since 1863, 00:05:58.60\00:06:03.45 we have known some very simple dietary guidelines 00:06:03.46\00:06:10.40 which can add epidemiologically, 00:06:10.41\00:06:12.62 we have shown up to eight more 00:06:12.63\00:06:15.97 happy healthy years to your life. 00:06:15.98\00:06:22.13 But all of that is only a picture frame 00:06:22.14\00:06:28.17 for the real issue. 00:06:28.18\00:06:29.26 Mean even the devil knows all of that. 00:06:29.27\00:06:33.10 So what is the real issue of the Bible? 00:06:33.11\00:06:36.37 I've got a law of professor at Georgetown 00:06:36.38\00:06:38.27 that tells me you know Rich, 00:06:38.28\00:06:39.89 if you can frame the issue 00:06:39.90\00:06:41.15 you can solve anything and it's very true. 00:06:41.16\00:06:44.18 So let's frame the issue today. 00:06:44.19\00:06:49.87 And might I suggest to you the issue 00:06:49.88\00:06:52.77 this book posses is a question. 00:06:52.78\00:06:58.12 Do you really trust the Lord? 00:06:58.13\00:07:05.26 Six simple words and every thing 00:07:05.27\00:07:07.95 in the Bible revolves around them. 00:07:07.96\00:07:11.42 For a moment leave Bartimaeus 00:07:11.43\00:07:13.13 and go back to the morning of human history. 00:07:13.14\00:07:15.56 Take a look at Genesis 12:1, 00:07:15.57\00:07:19.67 Genesis Chapter 12 and verse one. 00:07:19.68\00:07:22.76 "Now the Lord had said to Abram, 00:07:22.77\00:07:25.13 Get out of your country, from your family 00:07:25.14\00:07:27.21 and from your father's house, 00:07:27.22\00:07:28.71 to a land that I will show you." 00:07:28.72\00:07:32.09 Where is Abraham living at this point? 00:07:32.10\00:07:33.99 He is living in Ur of the Chaldees, 00:07:34.00\00:07:36.51 a city of incredible wealth and culture. 00:07:36.52\00:07:39.33 The famous royal cemetery is dating from around 2500 BC 00:07:39.34\00:07:43.80 have yielded jewelry and art treasures 00:07:43.81\00:07:46.45 of unimaginable beauty 00:07:46.46\00:07:48.57 particularly gorgeous head attire, 00:07:48.58\00:07:51.10 several musical instruments 00:07:51.11\00:07:52.56 and other beautifully crafted objects, 00:07:52.57\00:07:54.61 many of them in gold demonstrates that this city 00:07:54.62\00:07:57.59 had achieved a high level of civilization 00:07:57.60\00:08:00.64 500 years before Abraham arrived on the scene. 00:08:00.65\00:08:06.52 Now Abraham is wealthy, 00:08:06.53\00:08:08.16 he's probably a successful merchant 00:08:08.17\00:08:09.99 in cattle bearing in Ur. 00:08:10.00\00:08:14.40 And suddenly out of nowhere comes this the effect command, 00:08:14.41\00:08:19.38 leave this place and head west across 00:08:19.39\00:08:21.94 the desert out into the unknown. 00:08:21.95\00:08:24.85 Now does that make any sense at all from human perspective? 00:08:24.86\00:08:29.39 None, why would you leave a good life, 00:08:29.40\00:08:33.96 a good ministry and ought to go out into the desert. 00:08:33.97\00:08:37.02 I mean, Abraham setup, he's got a good business, 00:08:37.03\00:08:39.72 he's got a book ministry, he goes out every Sabbath, 00:08:39.73\00:08:42.38 passes out literature, he's got a good life. 00:08:42.39\00:08:44.98 And suddenly God says, leave it all behind 00:08:44.99\00:08:49.23 and go out into the unknown just because I said so. 00:08:49.24\00:08:54.74 Have you ever noticed that God's directions 00:08:54.75\00:08:56.85 often don't make any sense? 00:08:56.86\00:08:59.02 For instance He says, if you want to loose your-- 00:08:59.03\00:09:01.58 to keep your life you should loose it. 00:09:01.59\00:09:05.79 Take a look at Second Chronicles 00:09:05.80\00:09:08.40 in the time of King Jehoshaphat 00:09:08.41\00:09:11.02 massive invading armies 00:09:11.03\00:09:12.72 had swept out of the deserts of Syria towards Judah 00:09:12.73\00:09:15.88 like a swarm of red ants. 00:09:15.89\00:09:19.78 The king and the people had retreated 00:09:19.79\00:09:21.59 into the wall fortress of Jerusalem 00:09:21.60\00:09:24.61 where they hoped they could outlast the Syrian army. 00:09:24.62\00:09:27.76 You see warfare in those days 00:09:27.77\00:09:29.84 depended on as it does now 00:09:29.85\00:09:31.64 on having a good strategic position. 00:09:31.65\00:09:34.68 Jehoshaphat had a smaller less well trained, 00:09:34.69\00:09:38.50 less well equipped army than did the King of Syria. 00:09:38.51\00:09:42.10 So he retreats into the wall fortress of Jerusalem 00:09:42.11\00:09:45.45 where as archers have cover behind crenellated walls 00:09:45.46\00:09:48.44 and his army can rain down destruction on any person 00:09:48.45\00:09:53.96 that tries to approach. 00:09:53.97\00:09:55.45 It's the only he maybe able to survive 00:09:55.46\00:09:58.53 and even that will be brutal. 00:09:58.54\00:10:00.59 In those days invading armies seldom try to take a city 00:10:00.60\00:10:04.96 as strong as Jerusalem by direct attack. 00:10:04.97\00:10:07.14 They might try once at most, and then they would encircle 00:10:07.15\00:10:10.52 the city and settle back 00:10:10.53\00:10:11.78 to what was called the siege warfare. 00:10:11.79\00:10:14.36 They would cut off all supplies into the city, 00:10:14.37\00:10:16.57 all food and water and literally starve 00:10:16.58\00:10:19.71 the inhabitance into submission. 00:10:19.72\00:10:21.92 By the end of a ancient siege people would be eating 00:10:21.93\00:10:25.51 their own children and selling small portion 00:10:25.52\00:10:28.52 of pigeon dung for ridiculous amounts of money, 00:10:28.53\00:10:30.97 because people were starving to death 00:10:30.98\00:10:33.13 there was nothing left to eat. 00:10:33.14\00:10:36.96 Even so it was the only hope that King Jehoshaphat 00:10:36.97\00:10:40.54 had and so he took his pitifully small army 00:10:40.55\00:10:42.80 retreats into Jerusalem and holds a prayer meeting 00:10:42.81\00:10:46.17 asking the Lord for guidance. 00:10:46.18\00:10:49.32 And in the middle of that meeting 00:10:49.33\00:10:51.41 a man of God stands up. 00:10:51.42\00:10:54.52 We don't know much about him. 00:10:54.53\00:10:55.66 He only appears in two very short verses of scripture 00:10:55.67\00:10:59.67 and he gives advice that militarily was suicidal. 00:10:59.68\00:11:03.88 Leave this fortified city the only defensible position 00:11:03.89\00:11:07.11 you've got and expose yourself out in the open to an invader 00:11:07.12\00:11:12.19 so powerful they're like the sands of the sea. 00:11:12.20\00:11:18.21 Militarily the advice did not make any sense. 00:11:18.22\00:11:23.17 You never leave a strongly defended 00:11:23.18\00:11:25.21 position to face the superior army in the open. 00:11:25.22\00:11:30.22 It would have been a slaughter 00:11:30.23\00:11:31.57 by any conventional standards, but that was God's advice. 00:11:31.58\00:11:38.02 And what did king Jehoshaphat say, 00:11:38.03\00:11:40.12 Second Chronicles 20:20. 00:11:40.13\00:11:43.52 "So they rose early in the morning and went out 00:11:43.53\00:11:46.32 into the wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went out, 00:11:46.33\00:11:51.44 Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah 00:11:51.45\00:11:54.40 and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord 00:11:54.41\00:11:58.47 your God, and you shall be established, 00:11:58.48\00:12:03.74 believe His prophets, 00:12:03.75\00:12:06.87 and you will prosper." 00:12:06.88\00:12:13.04 Believe His prophets so shall you prosper. 00:12:13.05\00:12:16.83 That statement ought to be framed and hanging 00:12:16.84\00:12:18.51 and hanging on the wall 00:12:18.52\00:12:19.51 of every denominational committee room in the world. 00:12:19.52\00:12:23.72 And our church leaders 00:12:23.73\00:12:26.18 and men of God often face difficult decisions 00:12:26.19\00:12:28.80 where the choices seem equally bad. 00:12:28.81\00:12:33.21 And when they do, the Bible records 00:12:33.22\00:12:39.16 a simple answer Jehoshaphat spills into history 00:12:39.17\00:12:41.82 this simple statement of faith "Believe His prophets, 00:12:41.83\00:12:46.31 so shall you prosper." 00:12:46.32\00:12:51.18 The Bible records that after following a prophet's advice, 00:12:51.19\00:12:54.36 Judah's triumph was so complete, 00:12:54.37\00:12:58.11 it took them three days 00:12:58.12\00:12:59.70 to hold off the spoils of victory. 00:12:59.71\00:13:03.01 That's what happens when you do things God's way. 00:13:03.02\00:13:07.98 And of course the obvious converse 00:13:07.99\00:13:11.00 to that is when you don't do things His way, 00:13:11.01\00:13:13.81 problem start occurring 00:13:13.82\00:13:15.13 and the things go terribly, terribly wrong. 00:13:15.14\00:13:20.03 So God's advice often challenges 00:13:20.04\00:13:22.36 our ideas of what the right thing is to do. 00:13:22.37\00:13:25.80 And around 2000 BC man named Abraham got instructions 00:13:25.81\00:13:30.84 that defy human logic. 00:13:30.85\00:13:33.62 But like King Jehoshaphat he had faith. 00:13:33.63\00:13:38.42 And you can read his response in Genesis 12:5. 00:13:38.43\00:13:43.13 "Then Abram took Sarai his wife 00:13:43.14\00:13:45.41 and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions 00:13:45.42\00:13:49.18 and they departed to go to the land of Canaan." 00:13:49.19\00:13:53.12 In other words, Abraham launched into the unknown, 00:13:53.13\00:13:57.24 out into the emptiness of the desert 00:13:57.25\00:13:59.16 just because God said so. 00:13:59.17\00:14:05.80 So Abraham is great hero of faith. 00:14:05.81\00:14:11.09 Acts on a command of God and we could end the story there. 00:14:11.10\00:14:14.61 But if we did, we'd be getting only half the lesson 00:14:14.62\00:14:19.22 the story of Abraham has to teach us for lurking 00:14:19.23\00:14:23.41 with in his soul was a trait 00:14:23.42\00:14:25.35 that even he didn't know he possessed. 00:14:25.36\00:14:29.12 Take a look at Genesis 12:11. 00:14:29.13\00:14:32.05 "And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, 00:14:32.06\00:14:35.18 that he said to Sarai his wife, 00:14:35.19\00:14:37.45 you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 00:14:37.46\00:14:41.51 When the Egyptians see you, 00:14:41.52\00:14:43.24 they will surely kill me, 00:14:43.25\00:14:47.38 Please say you are my sister," 00:14:47.39\00:14:51.66 In other words Sarai, for me you love me, honey, 00:14:51.67\00:14:56.64 tell them a little white lie. 00:14:56.65\00:15:00.25 But what Abraham really saying. 00:15:00.26\00:15:05.41 The God of Israel, the man who-the deity 00:15:05.42\00:15:09.84 who led us out here can't protect us anymore. 00:15:09.85\00:15:16.39 You see there was a hole in Abraham's faith, 00:15:16.40\00:15:18.86 huge and potentially lethal 00:15:18.87\00:15:21.03 for a special messenger of God. 00:15:21.04\00:15:25.22 You see, when God calls you to do a special work, 00:15:25.23\00:15:29.84 when you're acting in His name, 00:15:29.85\00:15:31.17 when you're carrying the battle flag, 00:15:31.18\00:15:33.67 don't let it drag in the dirt. 00:15:33.68\00:15:35.74 Your faith if you're going to witness to others about God 00:15:35.75\00:15:39.78 has to be a 100 percent solid. 00:15:39.79\00:15:44.81 And when God raises up special people 00:15:44.82\00:15:46.75 with a special mission, it is dangerous, very dangerous 00:15:46.76\00:15:51.70 to have defects like that. 00:15:51.71\00:15:53.74 You'll fail God, you'll fail Him so completely 00:15:53.75\00:15:57.32 that even the heathen will rebuke you. 00:15:57.33\00:16:01.40 It happened to Abraham. 00:16:01.41\00:16:02.97 Pharaoh rebuked him and later on when Abraham 00:16:02.98\00:16:06.59 made the very same mistake 00:16:06.60\00:16:10.01 what the native king named Abimelech 00:16:10.02\00:16:12.12 he got a much deserved rebuke. 00:16:12.13\00:16:15.50 Genesis 20:9 And Abimelech 00:16:15.51\00:16:18.36 called Abraham and said to him, 00:16:18.37\00:16:20.44 "What have you done to us? 00:16:20.45\00:16:23.54 You have brought on me 00:16:23.55\00:16:24.88 and on my kingdom a great sin? 00:16:24.89\00:16:31.68 Here is a heathen monarch lecturing 00:16:31.69\00:16:34.00 God's special messenger on sin. 00:16:34.01\00:16:40.65 As I said when you carry God's flag, 00:16:40.66\00:16:44.05 don't let it drag in the dirt. 00:16:44.06\00:16:49.79 So Abraham had a defect of character lurking 00:16:49.80\00:16:54.96 within this great man of God was a problem unknown even 00:16:54.97\00:16:59.08 to himself until a circumstance 00:16:59.09\00:17:03.08 brought it to notice. 00:17:03.09\00:17:04.58 Have you ever had a situation 00:17:04.59\00:17:06.78 like that or you've done something that just totally 00:17:06.79\00:17:09.76 shocked yourself with shame. 00:17:09.77\00:17:12.50 Well folks, I come from Southern California, 00:17:12.51\00:17:16.12 and I get on the four or five in the morning, 00:17:16.13\00:17:19.24 I'm driving along happy as convenience, 00:17:19.25\00:17:21.01 some jerk cuts me off and I discover 00:17:21.02\00:17:23.30 that there are wells with in me 00:17:23.31\00:17:27.64 that I didn't realized I had. 00:17:27.65\00:17:33.05 And when that happens, you know, it's easy to say 00:17:33.06\00:17:36.35 I can't believe that sin was still lurking 00:17:36.36\00:17:39.98 within my own soul. 00:17:39.99\00:17:41.60 And at that point you can either retreat 00:17:41.61\00:17:43.91 into discouragement or you can get encouraged 00:17:43.92\00:17:47.93 and say praise the Lord the Holy Spirit 00:17:47.94\00:17:49.80 had shown me something I didn't know was wrong 00:17:49.81\00:17:52.10 with my character, something I can get rid of. 00:17:52.11\00:17:59.17 And you can thank the Lord for the opportunity 00:17:59.18\00:18:02.92 to be a better person. 00:18:02.93\00:18:05.18 When that happens, when the Holy Spirit reveal 00:18:05.19\00:18:07.82 something brings that out in the open, 00:18:07.83\00:18:10.58 there is a very simple remedy. 00:18:10.59\00:18:12.60 Let me suggest seven simple words 00:18:12.61\00:18:15.31 which can solve that kind of a problem. 00:18:15.32\00:18:17.86 I'd rather have Jesus than that sin. 00:18:17.87\00:18:24.22 So Abraham's weakness exposed 00:18:24.23\00:18:26.77 in the crucible of lives challenges 00:18:26.78\00:18:29.72 led him at last to a mountain called Moriah 00:18:29.73\00:18:33.16 and a great test that showed 00:18:33.17\00:18:34.85 he had at last learned to trust the Lord. 00:18:34.86\00:18:42.20 You've ever faced the Mount Moriah experience. 00:18:42.21\00:18:48.38 When it seem that even God was asking the impossible, 00:18:48.39\00:18:53.40 the prayer that never seem to get answered, 00:18:53.41\00:18:57.34 the job you didn't get, the healing that didn't happen. 00:18:57.35\00:19:03.96 Even Paul went through it three times he prayed 00:19:03.97\00:19:07.01 for something probably for good eyesight 00:19:07.02\00:19:09.34 to do the Lord's work better and his request was denied. 00:19:09.35\00:19:15.45 When we come to those moments, remember that God 00:19:15.46\00:19:19.75 maybe bringing us back again to face an old failure 00:19:19.76\00:19:23.58 and like Abraham to triumph at last. 00:19:23.59\00:19:31.41 Do you really trust the Lord? 00:19:31.42\00:19:36.85 Think about it and everything in scripture 00:19:36.86\00:19:39.64 posses that question. 00:19:39.65\00:19:42.05 Israel at the Jordon, Israel at the Red Sea. 00:19:42.06\00:19:47.73 Job tormented by apparentness fortune, 00:19:47.74\00:19:50.89 unaware at first that the entire cosmos was looking on. 00:19:50.90\00:19:54.79 But even in his pain preaching the message of the Bible 00:19:54.80\00:19:59.32 and one of the most powerful statements 00:19:59.33\00:20:01.32 of faith ever uttered. 00:20:01.33\00:20:03.89 "Though he slay me, 00:20:03.90\00:20:06.21 yet will I trust Him." 00:20:06.22\00:20:12.06 And little by little these great men and women of faith 00:20:12.07\00:20:15.01 found their way into the gallery of giants 00:20:15.02\00:20:17.44 described in Hebrews 11 00:20:17.45\00:20:21.64 By faith Abel offered to God 00:20:21.65\00:20:24.83 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. 00:20:24.84\00:20:28.04 By faith Enoch was translated 00:20:28.05\00:20:30.04 that he should not see death. 00:20:30.05\00:20:32.38 By faith Noah, prepared an ark 00:20:32.39\00:20:34.32 by that which he became heir 00:20:34.33\00:20:35.87 of the righteousness which is by faith. 00:20:35.88\00:20:40.67 By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed. 00:20:40.68\00:20:45.90 These all died in the faith, having confessed 00:20:45.91\00:20:47.96 that they were strangers in pilgrims on the earth. 00:20:47.97\00:20:51.11 And what shall I more say? 00:20:51.12\00:20:52.88 For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon 00:20:52.89\00:20:56.21 and then of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthah, 00:20:56.22\00:20:59.85 of David also and Samuel and of the prophets: 00:20:59.86\00:21:06.88 And today may I add others too. 00:21:06.89\00:21:11.11 Huss and Jerome, Wickliffe, Martin Luther. 00:21:11.12\00:21:18.59 A handful of believers on the morning of October 23, 1844 00:21:18.60\00:21:24.10 who went on trusting when the whole world 00:21:24.11\00:21:27.88 said they were wrong. 00:21:27.89\00:21:29.97 Including a remarkable little lady who told us in 1863, 00:21:29.98\00:21:36.74 how you can live eight more years of life 00:21:36.75\00:21:39.38 and who ended her life at a ripe old age 00:21:39.39\00:21:42.96 with the magnificently simple statement of faith 00:21:42.97\00:21:45.78 "I know in whom 00:21:45.79\00:21:48.52 I have believed". 00:21:48.53\00:21:54.58 A cosmic gallery of giants in the eyes of heaven, 00:21:54.59\00:22:01.30 not because they were big, but because they believed 00:22:01.31\00:22:04.49 implicitly in somebody who was faith, 00:22:04.50\00:22:11.37 the one word that expresses the basic issue in the Bible. 00:22:11.38\00:22:18.26 Do you really trust the Lord? 00:22:18.27\00:22:23.81 Now let's go back and close with the story of a blind man 00:22:23.82\00:22:29.02 who saw more clearly than his sighted brothers. 00:22:29.03\00:22:33.64 On the Jericho wrote that day what the real issues were. 00:22:33.65\00:22:38.63 You know, lot of people relied on their eyesight that day 00:22:38.64\00:22:43.66 and hence were blind, but one man 00:22:43.67\00:22:49.44 living in the blackness saw it all. 00:22:49.45\00:22:52.89 Mark Chapter 10 verse 46. 00:22:54.08\00:22:59.60 "Now they came to Jericho. 00:22:59.61\00:23:01.42 And as He went out, blind Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus, 00:23:01.43\00:23:07.46 sat by the road begging. 00:23:07.47\00:23:11.00 And when he heard that it was Jesus, 00:23:11.01\00:23:13.20 he began to cry out Son of David, have mercy on me!" 00:23:13.21\00:23:19.88 Many warned him to be quiet; 00:23:19.89\00:23:21.77 but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy" 00:23:21.78\00:23:29.46 You know, most of the people on the road that day 00:23:29.47\00:23:32.12 thought Bartimaeus was wrong to ask Jesus for help. 00:23:32.13\00:23:38.74 But nothing was going to stop his quest to see the Lord. 00:23:38.75\00:23:42.81 "So Jesus verse 49, stood still 00:23:42.82\00:23:48.30 and commanded him to be called. 00:23:48.31\00:23:52.60 Then they called the blind man, rise, be of good cheer. 00:23:52.61\00:23:59.57 He is calling.'" And throwing aside his garment, 00:23:59.58\00:24:06.67 he rose and came to Jesus." 00:24:06.68\00:24:11.58 Now remember Bartimaeus was a beggar, 00:24:11.59\00:24:14.43 even his food was a daily struggle and the only thing 00:24:14.44\00:24:18.08 he own for certain from day to day were his cloths. 00:24:18.09\00:24:22.61 But when Jesus called what did he do? 00:24:22.62\00:24:25.32 The Bible says throwing aside his garment 00:24:25.33\00:24:29.96 he rose and came to Jesus. 00:24:29.97\00:24:35.25 You see, nothing was going to get between him and the Lord, 00:24:35.26\00:24:39.05 not even pride he came as he was. 00:24:39.06\00:24:43.60 Nothing would impede him hurtling toward a voice 00:24:43.61\00:24:49.75 that called to him out of the blackness. 00:24:49.76\00:24:54.89 You suppose there might be a lesson there for us. 00:24:54.90\00:24:59.31 I mean we speak and pray and sing about faith, 00:24:59.32\00:25:04.53 but do we really exercise it. 00:25:04.54\00:25:07.58 Do we really believe Jesus is coming soon? 00:25:07.59\00:25:12.58 Do we get rid of the things that stand 00:25:12.59\00:25:15.00 between us and salvation? 00:25:15.01\00:25:20.24 The possessions we're so proud of. 00:25:20.25\00:25:24.89 The entertainment that blocks him from our view. 00:25:24.90\00:25:30.98 The pride that makes us unfit for heaven. 00:25:30.99\00:25:37.51 If the answer is no, might that explain 00:25:37.52\00:25:41.19 why we sometimes seem to miss the miracles 00:25:41.20\00:25:44.26 that were so common place in Bible times, think about it. 00:25:44.27\00:25:51.63 When Bartimaeus threw away the last obstacle 00:25:51.64\00:25:54.50 and rush towards Jesus, the Lord of cosmos 00:25:54.51\00:26:00.07 was waiting for him with the question. 00:26:00.08\00:26:05.38 Verse 51 and Jesus said what do you want me to do for you. 00:26:05.39\00:26:12.85 And the blind man said to Him, Rabboni, 00:26:12.86\00:26:15.09 that I may receive my sight. 00:26:15.10\00:26:17.41 And in that one word Bartimaeus 00:26:17.42\00:26:18.96 has spilled into history the fact that Jesus was Lord 00:26:18.97\00:26:21.88 of his life possessive form of Rabbi, Rabboni, my leader, 00:26:21.89\00:26:26.41 and I may receive my sight. 00:26:26.42\00:26:29.10 And Jesus said to him, Go you way; 00:26:29.11\00:26:33.41 your faith has made you well. 00:26:33.42\00:26:36.89 And just like that Bartimaeus 00:26:36.90\00:26:39.49 was looking into the face of God. 00:26:39.50\00:26:44.95 Well, today for just a moment imagine something. 00:26:44.96\00:26:50.98 In front of you stands the glimmering 00:26:50.99\00:26:53.50 and condescend form of the cosmic king, 00:26:53.51\00:26:56.73 hair white as snow, eyes of fire, 00:26:56.74\00:26:59.18 body boiling with energy like motel brass, 00:26:59.19\00:27:02.26 under his control was everything 00:27:02.27\00:27:04.15 in the whole starry universe and looking you squarely 00:27:04.16\00:27:07.82 in the eye, he asks what do you want me to do for you? 00:27:07.83\00:27:14.32 and what is that you want today? 00:27:14.33\00:27:17.30 Healing of body or soul, a son or daughter 00:27:17.31\00:27:20.75 for whom you've prayed perhaps for years, 00:27:20.76\00:27:24.25 victory over in evil temporal and out of control appetite, 00:27:24.26\00:27:28.16 grace to do His work better and the will to turned off 00:27:28.17\00:27:30.82 the TV set get on with God's business. 00:27:30.83\00:27:33.95 What is it you want today? 00:27:33.96\00:27:37.59 Or whatever it is the same Lord who walks so far 00:27:37.60\00:27:40.96 out of His way to encountera blind beggar 00:27:40.97\00:27:44.29 is here looking for you. 00:27:44.30\00:27:48.77 And if you long for something 00:27:48.78\00:27:50.60 today be of good cheer, rise, He is calling you. 00:27:50.61\00:27:57.85