Faith and Compassion: The Story of Bartimaeus

1. "We just pray that we as believers would stand in stark contrast, in complete opposition to all that is going wrong in this world, that we would be bright lights here in this world as we have joy in this life, even as we suffer difficulties, Lord, but we are your people. We are different. We are like you. We have your blood coursing through our veins, your DNA. And so, Lord, help us to live differently in this world for your glory, for your sake." [02:59] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "A servant doesn't just serve when it's easy. Have you learned that yet? It's not called service if it's easy. A servant doesn't just serve when he wants to serve. He doesn't just serve when he's happy about serving or he's going to get something out of serving. He doesn't just serve when it's a good time for him. He serves whenever the opportunity arises. He serves even when it's not a good day, when it's a hard day. It's a busy day, when it's a trying day. He serves even when the person can offer him nothing in return. He still serves. That's Jesus." [30:03] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Don't get so caught up with the masses that you miss the one. Don't be so focused on gathering as many people as possible together that you forget to focus on just one person at a time. One person on the phone, one person by text, one person by email, one person visiting in a home, one person at the door after the service today. Talk to one at a time. Pray for one at a time. Share the gospel with one at a time. Feed one at a time. Clothe one at a time. Disciple one at a time. Share generously with one person at a time. There will always be one who needs our help, our love, and our mercy." [52:20] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Cry out to Jesus. Whether it was someone next to him, or he heard his name from someone in the crowd. Passing by, we do not know. But the instant he heard that name, that glorious name, that popular name, that powerful name of Jesus, his heart leapt within him. This is his chance. This was his opportunity. This is his moment. Never had he been so close. Never had he been so ready. He had heard of this miracle man before, perhaps. Maybe even he heard him teach before at a distance. But he had never had a chance to meet him face to face. To put his problem in the hands of Jesus. But today is his day, and he will not let him pass him by." [46:48] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "Bartimaeus sets aside, any remaining dignity he has left, any restraint that would normally have kept him quiet in that moment, and with reckless abandon, places every single eye of every person on that road traveling that day, squarely on him, as he screams at the top of his lungs. Now, I don't recommend this strategy after the service today. If you see someone you want to talk to, please don't go shouting through the church after them at the top of your lungs. Fred, I need to see you. Fred. Don't do that. That's too much noise. But you know who does do that a lot? Babies. Toddlers do that a lot. Little kids do that, right?" [48:53] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "If you're going to come to Jesus, once again, we find you have to come empty-handed. You must come without pride, without self-righteousness, without pretense, falseness, even without possession. Cast everything else aside, cry to Jesus, cast everything aside, and this third thing, just simply come to Jesus. Verse 50 says, Verse 50, So Jesus answered and said to him, Where did we hear that before, by the way? Pastor Nathan, do you know where we heard that before? He preached on it just last week. That's the exact same question he asked James and John as they come to him with this, what do you want me to do for you guys?" [01:01:27] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "Bartimaeus is all of us. We're all blind spiritually until Jesus gives us sight. We are poor, blind beggars until Jesus reaches down to us. He touches us and makes us whole. We bring. We bring nothing but weakness and need to him, and he gives healing and forgiveness and grace. I am so thankful that Jesus stopped and had time for Bartimaeus, aren't you? I'm also so thankful that Jesus stopped and had time for me and has had time for you." [01:05:58] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Ask God to see him. As I said, we're all born spiritually blind. We can't see how glorious and beautiful and valuable God is. Left to ourselves, listen, left to ourselves, we will always go after, we will always prefer something else to Christ. Left to ourselves, we would always choose something else over God. That's who we are. That's our sinful bent. That's why Jesus says things like, seeing you do not see. Why? Because you see. You have eyes. Physically, you can look at stuff, but you don't see the right stuff. Our eyes are always drawn to beautiful things." [01:07:18] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "Ask God to see others, to see their needs. 1 John 3, 16 says, By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought also to lay our lives down for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods and sees, sees his brother in need, and shuts up, closes up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, I love you, I love you, I love you, but in deed and in truth." [01:10:18] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "Ask God to see this world clearly with biblical discernment. Paul prayed, for example, in Ephesians 1, verse 15, Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, so this is a prayer. This is what I'm praying, Paul says, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation and the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, I love that phrase, the eyes of your heart, literally, being enlightened." [01:11:40] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)