What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”

Delivered 2/12/17

​
Luke 18:35-43

35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all
the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be
brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do
for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your
faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising
God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
In this message we are going to examine an encounter with a blind man who felt a lot
better after He met Jesus. An encounter, which…not only, changed the mans illness, but
also changed his life forever.

As you can see, no name was mentioned about this blind man. But if you do a cross
reference on this same story, and look at the book of Mark, you will see that the blind
mans name is Bartimaeus. ( Mark 10:46)
Bartimaeus can teach us a great deal of how we can relate to God. Like Bartimaeus, your
problem may not be physical blindness, it may be a spiritual blindness, still living a life
lost. Or maybe there are certain spiritual things that just does not make any sense to you.
Maybe it something in your life, a struggle in the flesh, a storm, an illness. “What Do
You Want ME ( Jesus ) To Do For You?”
Maybe we can all approach Jesus in the same matter… “Son of David, have mercy on
me!” Bartimaeus was in need, and cried out to the only One who can help him. Let us
look into his life and see if we can relate in the same way.
Faith is hearing and believing, even if you cannot see. Remember “doubting” Thomas.
John 20:29
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The difference between Thomas, Bartimaeus was Thomas was not blind, and has been
with Jesus for three years. And yet, he still doubt! Another description of spiritual
blindness.
Bartimaeus was not only blind, he was a beggar. Most blind people today still lead
productive lives, with all the technology that we have to be of some aid to them. But in
Jesus’ time, blind people couldn’t work. No technology, no such thing as a “Disability
Act”, so blindness was a terrible handicap. Everyday Bartimaeus sat beside the road
holding out his hand asking for money. In a way, we can all relate.

• 2
  We…each have our hands out to God, wanting for something, in need of something.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  In Jesus time, beggars were at the bottom of the social ladder, only slightly more
  important than dogs. Bartimaeus could not see, but as with many blind people, he
  probably had a keen sense of hearing. On the day described in our text, he could tell from
  the sounds of the crowd something unusual was happening.
  Luke 18:35-38
  35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
  36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
  “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
  me!”
  He turned and asked someone, “What was happening?” Over the loud noise of the
  crowd, he heard, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” No doubt… Bartimaeus had heard of
  Jesus. Perhaps he heard about how Jesus healed people, even restored sight to the blind!
  Even though Bartimaeus couldn’t see Jesus, based on what he had heard, in that moment,
  he believed. He didn’t just believe Jesus was in his city… he believed Jesus had the
  power to change his life. So…as you can see on verse 38, ”He called out, “Jesus, Son of
  David, have mercy on me!” “HAVE MERCY ON ME!!!”
  The term “Son of David” was one reserved for the coming Messiah, the King. It was a
  title of Divine power. Bartimaeus was confessing Jesus was more than a mere teacher…
  He was the King! You know Jesus, you have heard of Our King, you live by faith and not
  by sight…so what blinds you till now.
  Faith is the first step you must take to receive mercy from God. Faith is not just believing
  God exists, it is acting on that belief. “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Like Bartimaeus, none of us has ever seen Jesus with our physical eyes. But we’ve heard
  about Jesus, and we believe in Him. Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus, it is
  trusting Him with your life. I don’t just believe He was born in Bethlehem and died on a
  cross 33 years later, I believe He has changed my life. And I am sure Jesus has changed
  your life. ( If that is true to you? ) I don’t just believe in the fact of the resurrection, I
  believe Jesus is alive and living in me! Is Jesus alive in you?
  Like Bartimaeus, we are blind until we come to Jesus. There is someone who wants to
  keep you blind to the truth about God. The Bible calls him the god of this age, which is
  another title for the devil…
  2 Corinthians 4:4
  4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the
  light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• 3
  There’s a saying, “There is none so blind as he who will not see.” Satan wants to keep
  you from seeing the truth about Jesus. It’s not easy to believe without seeing, but that’s
  what faith is. Perhaps you are like millions of other people who would believe if they
  could see some reliable proof. Their motto is, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Doubting
  Thomas syndrome…sadly many Christians today are still being blinded by enemy on
  what our God can do! Don’t allow him.
  To believe in God because you saw something, is not faith…its called sight!
  2 Corinthians 5:7
  For we live by faith, not by sight.
  By faith, Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for help. Even though you’ve never seen Him,
  when you hear and believe, you’ll call out for mercy, too.
  We must learn to resist certain people in our lives who can hinder our spiritual progress.
  The truth is, the enemy will use anyone around you, to keep you in the state of blindness.
  Here…let us look at the life of Bartimaeus.
  When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, the people surrounding him didn’t say, “Good for
  you, Bartimaeus! Jesus can help you. Call out louder… Instead of helping him, they
  rebuked him and told him to be quiet!
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  You’ll find when you are bold enough to cry out to Jesus, not everyone is going to be
  excited for you. In fact, there will be some people who will rebuke you and discourage
  you. When you start getting serious about seeking Jesus, the voice of the crowd will
  “boo” you down, and discourage you. They want you to stay blind to the Truth. They
  want to keep you as their own.
  Stand firm…even in your weakness, cry out! “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  The world will try its best to keep you blind. Cry out!!! When you diligently seek to
  follow Jesus, you’ll face opposition and criticism. The question is…are you diligently
  following Jesus? “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?” Sometimes those who
  oppose your spiritual progress are members of your family, friends or even those
  claiming to be Christians.
  From a devotion I read, writer Mike Yaconelli wrote: ( Add To Powerpoint )
  “Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked
  to quiet down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in a pew, and you will be asked to
  leave; talk about your faith with passion and you will get expressions of concern about
  the inappropriateness of your emotions.” Mike Yaconelli.
• 4
  When these people try to hinder you, do what Bartimaeus did…resist them. Don’t let
  them intimidate you into silence. When they told Bartimaeus to be quiet, he wouldn’t be
  silenced. Here again…
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  “he shouted all the more!” when temptations come…“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  When your in the storms…shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” when you’re in
  doubt, in fear…shout. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Don’t let the world keep you
  in silence…keep you in blindness, when it comes to your Christ! Bartimaeus did not
  listen to the crowd. He needed help, and the only One that can help him was passing by.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Our Lord, is never too busy to pause, and give help. When you cry out, He will hear.
  Whenever you’re in prayer…He hears each and every word. Here…let me show you
  how Jesus stopped, when He heard Bartimaeus cry out…
  Luke 18:40-42
  40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus
  asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he
  replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
  Faith is the means, by which the gift is received. At this point, Jesus was headed for
  Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. Within the next few days He would face
  betrayal, arrest, torture and crucifixion. He was a man on a Mission, yet He paused to
  answer the cry of one blind beggar.
  Surely there were hundreds of voices in the crowd that day calling out to Jesus, but He
  was able to distinguish Bartimaeus’ cry for mercy… from the roar of the crowd. Jesus is
  still listening for the one voice among the shouting of the crowd. When you call out for
  Him, He will stop and respond to you as well. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  On another occasion, Jesus was on the way to Jairus’ house because his daughter was
  sick and dying. As they were passing through a crowd, a single desperate woman reached
  out and touched the hem of his robe. She had suffered with a blood disorder for many
  years, and she believed Jesus could help her. Even though Jesus was being pressed by the
  crowd, He noticed that single touch of faith. He stopped and said, “Who touched me?”
  The disciples said, Lord, EVERYBODY is touching you.” Jesus said, “No, I felt power
  gone out of me–somebody reached out in faith.” He stopped and spoke to the woman and
  she was healed. ( Mark 5:27-34 )
  Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus…Jesus stopped for this woman…Jesus will stop for you.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”


• 1
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Luke 18:35-43
  35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
  36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
  “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
  me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all
  the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be
  brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do
  for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your
  faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising
  God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
  In this message we are going to examine an encounter with a blind man who felt a lot
  better after He met Jesus. An encounter, which…not only, changed the mans illness, but
  also changed his life forever.
  
  As you can see, no name was mentioned about this blind man. But if you do a cross
  reference on this same story, and look at the book of Mark, you will see that the blind
  mans name is Bartimaeus. ( Mark 10:46)
  Bartimaeus can teach us a great deal of how we can relate to God. Like Bartimaeus, your
  problem may not be physical blindness, it may be a spiritual blindness, still living a life
  lost. Or maybe there are certain spiritual things that just does not make any sense to you.
  Maybe it something in your life, a struggle in the flesh, a storm, an illness. “What Do
  You Want ME ( Jesus ) To Do For You?”
  Maybe we can all approach Jesus in the same matter… “Son of David, have mercy on
  me!” Bartimaeus was in need, and cried out to the only One who can help him. Let us
  look into his life and see if we can relate in the same way.
  Faith is hearing and believing, even if you cannot see. Remember “doubting” Thomas.
  John 20:29
  29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are
  those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
  The difference between Thomas, Bartimaeus was Thomas was not blind, and has been
  with Jesus for three years. And yet, he still doubt! Another description of spiritual
  blindness.
  Bartimaeus was not only blind, he was a beggar. Most blind people today still lead
  productive lives, with all the technology that we have to be of some aid to them. But in
  Jesus’ time, blind people couldn’t work. No technology, no such thing as a “Disability
  Act”, so blindness was a terrible handicap. Everyday Bartimaeus sat beside the road
  holding out his hand asking for money. In a way, we can all relate.
• 2
  We…each have our hands out to God, wanting for something, in need of something.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  In Jesus time, beggars were at the bottom of the social ladder, only slightly more
  important than dogs. Bartimaeus could not see, but as with many blind people, he
  probably had a keen sense of hearing. On the day described in our text, he could tell from
  the sounds of the crowd something unusual was happening.
  Luke 18:35-38
  35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
  36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
  “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
  me!”
  He turned and asked someone, “What was happening?” Over the loud noise of the
  crowd, he heard, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” No doubt… Bartimaeus had heard of
  Jesus. Perhaps he heard about how Jesus healed people, even restored sight to the blind!
  Even though Bartimaeus couldn’t see Jesus, based on what he had heard, in that moment,
  he believed. He didn’t just believe Jesus was in his city… he believed Jesus had the
  power to change his life. So…as you can see on verse 38, ”He called out, “Jesus, Son of
  David, have mercy on me!” “HAVE MERCY ON ME!!!”
  The term “Son of David” was one reserved for the coming Messiah, the King. It was a
  title of Divine power. Bartimaeus was confessing Jesus was more than a mere teacher…
  He was the King! You know Jesus, you have heard of Our King, you live by faith and not
  by sight…so what blinds you till now.
  Faith is the first step you must take to receive mercy from God. Faith is not just believing
  God exists, it is acting on that belief. “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Like Bartimaeus, none of us has ever seen Jesus with our physical eyes. But we’ve heard
  about Jesus, and we believe in Him. Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus, it is
  trusting Him with your life. I don’t just believe He was born in Bethlehem and died on a
  cross 33 years later, I believe He has changed my life. And I am sure Jesus has changed
  your life. ( If that is true to you? ) I don’t just believe in the fact of the resurrection, I
  believe Jesus is alive and living in me! Is Jesus alive in you?
  Like Bartimaeus, we are blind until we come to Jesus. There is someone who wants to
  keep you blind to the truth about God. The Bible calls him the god of this age, which is
  another title for the devil…
  2 Corinthians 4:4
  4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the
  light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• 3
  There’s a saying, “There is none so blind as he who will not see.” Satan wants to keep
  you from seeing the truth about Jesus. It’s not easy to believe without seeing, but that’s
  what faith is. Perhaps you are like millions of other people who would believe if they
  could see some reliable proof. Their motto is, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Doubting
  Thomas syndrome…sadly many Christians today are still being blinded by enemy on
  what our God can do! Don’t allow him.
  To believe in God because you saw something, is not faith…its called sight!
  2 Corinthians 5:7
  For we live by faith, not by sight.
  By faith, Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for help. Even though you’ve never seen Him,
  when you hear and believe, you’ll call out for mercy, too.
  We must learn to resist certain people in our lives who can hinder our spiritual progress.
  The truth is, the enemy will use anyone around you, to keep you in the state of blindness.
  Here…let us look at the life of Bartimaeus.
  When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, the people surrounding him didn’t say, “Good for
  you, Bartimaeus! Jesus can help you. Call out louder… Instead of helping him, they
  rebuked him and told him to be quiet!
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  You’ll find when you are bold enough to cry out to Jesus, not everyone is going to be
  excited for you. In fact, there will be some people who will rebuke you and discourage
  you. When you start getting serious about seeking Jesus, the voice of the crowd will
  “boo” you down, and discourage you. They want you to stay blind to the Truth. They
  want to keep you as their own.
  Stand firm…even in your weakness, cry out! “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  The world will try its best to keep you blind. Cry out!!! When you diligently seek to
  follow Jesus, you’ll face opposition and criticism. The question is…are you diligently
  following Jesus? “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?” Sometimes those who
  oppose your spiritual progress are members of your family, friends or even those
  claiming to be Christians.
  From a devotion I read, writer Mike Yaconelli wrote: ( Add To Powerpoint )
  “Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked
  to quiet down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in a pew, and you will be asked to
  leave; talk about your faith with passion and you will get expressions of concern about
  the inappropriateness of your emotions.” Mike Yaconelli.
• 4
  When these people try to hinder you, do what Bartimaeus did…resist them. Don’t let
  them intimidate you into silence. When they told Bartimaeus to be quiet, he wouldn’t be
  silenced. Here again…
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  “he shouted all the more!” when temptations come…“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  When your in the storms…shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” when you’re in
  doubt, in fear…shout. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Don’t let the world keep you
  in silence…keep you in blindness, when it comes to your Christ! Bartimaeus did not
  listen to the crowd. He needed help, and the only One that can help him was passing by.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Our Lord, is never too busy to pause, and give help. When you cry out, He will hear.
  Whenever you’re in prayer…He hears each and every word. Here…let me show you
  how Jesus stopped, when He heard Bartimaeus cry out…
  Luke 18:40-42
  40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus
  asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he
  replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
  Faith is the means, by which the gift is received. At this point, Jesus was headed for
  Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. Within the next few days He would face
  betrayal, arrest, torture and crucifixion. He was a man on a Mission, yet He paused to
  answer the cry of one blind beggar.
  Surely there were hundreds of voices in the crowd that day calling out to Jesus, but He
  was able to distinguish Bartimaeus’ cry for mercy… from the roar of the crowd. Jesus is
  still listening for the one voice among the shouting of the crowd. When you call out for
  Him, He will stop and respond to you as well. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  On another occasion, Jesus was on the way to Jairus’ house because his daughter was
  sick and dying. As they were passing through a crowd, a single desperate woman reached
  out and touched the hem of his robe. She had suffered with a blood disorder for many
  years, and she believed Jesus could help her. Even though Jesus was being pressed by the
  crowd, He noticed that single touch of faith. He stopped and said, “Who touched me?”
  The disciples said, Lord, EVERYBODY is touching you.” Jesus said, “No, I felt power
  gone out of me–somebody reached out in faith.” He stopped and spoke to the woman and
  she was healed. ( Mark 5:27-34 )
  Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus…Jesus stopped for this woman…Jesus will stop for you.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”

• 1
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Luke 18:35-43
  35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
  36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
  “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
  me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all
  the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be
  brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do
  for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your
  faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising
  God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
  In this message we are going to examine an encounter with a blind man who felt a lot
  better after He met Jesus. An encounter, which…not only, changed the mans illness, but
  also changed his life forever.
  
  As you can see, no name was mentioned about this blind man. But if you do a cross
  reference on this same story, and look at the book of Mark, you will see that the blind
  mans name is Bartimaeus. ( Mark 10:46)
  Bartimaeus can teach us a great deal of how we can relate to God. Like Bartimaeus, your
  problem may not be physical blindness, it may be a spiritual blindness, still living a life
  lost. Or maybe there are certain spiritual things that just does not make any sense to you.
  Maybe it something in your life, a struggle in the flesh, a storm, an illness. “What Do
  You Want ME ( Jesus ) To Do For You?”
  Maybe we can all approach Jesus in the same matter… “Son of David, have mercy on
  me!” Bartimaeus was in need, and cried out to the only One who can help him. Let us
  look into his life and see if we can relate in the same way.
  Faith is hearing and believing, even if you cannot see. Remember “doubting” Thomas.
  John 20:29
  29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are
  those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
  The difference between Thomas, Bartimaeus was Thomas was not blind, and has been
  with Jesus for three years. And yet, he still doubt! Another description of spiritual
  blindness.
  Bartimaeus was not only blind, he was a beggar. Most blind people today still lead
  productive lives, with all the technology that we have to be of some aid to them. But in
  Jesus’ time, blind people couldn’t work. No technology, no such thing as a “Disability
  Act”, so blindness was a terrible handicap. Everyday Bartimaeus sat beside the road
  holding out his hand asking for money. In a way, we can all relate.
• 2
  We…each have our hands out to God, wanting for something, in need of something.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  In Jesus time, beggars were at the bottom of the social ladder, only slightly more
  important than dogs. Bartimaeus could not see, but as with many blind people, he
  probably had a keen sense of hearing. On the day described in our text, he could tell from
  the sounds of the crowd something unusual was happening.
  Luke 18:35-38
  35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
  36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him,
  “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on
  me!”
  He turned and asked someone, “What was happening?” Over the loud noise of the
  crowd, he heard, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” No doubt… Bartimaeus had heard of
  Jesus. Perhaps he heard about how Jesus healed people, even restored sight to the blind!
  Even though Bartimaeus couldn’t see Jesus, based on what he had heard, in that moment,
  he believed. He didn’t just believe Jesus was in his city… he believed Jesus had the
  power to change his life. So…as you can see on verse 38, ”He called out, “Jesus, Son of
  David, have mercy on me!” “HAVE MERCY ON ME!!!”
  The term “Son of David” was one reserved for the coming Messiah, the King. It was a
  title of Divine power. Bartimaeus was confessing Jesus was more than a mere teacher…
  He was the King! You know Jesus, you have heard of Our King, you live by faith and not
  by sight…so what blinds you till now.
  Faith is the first step you must take to receive mercy from God. Faith is not just believing
  God exists, it is acting on that belief. “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Like Bartimaeus, none of us has ever seen Jesus with our physical eyes. But we’ve heard
  about Jesus, and we believe in Him. Faith is not just believing facts about Jesus, it is
  trusting Him with your life. I don’t just believe He was born in Bethlehem and died on a
  cross 33 years later, I believe He has changed my life. And I am sure Jesus has changed
  your life. ( If that is true to you? ) I don’t just believe in the fact of the resurrection, I
  believe Jesus is alive and living in me! Is Jesus alive in you?
  Like Bartimaeus, we are blind until we come to Jesus. There is someone who wants to
  keep you blind to the truth about God. The Bible calls him the god of this age, which is
  another title for the devil…
  2 Corinthians 4:4
  4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the
  light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
• 3
  There’s a saying, “There is none so blind as he who will not see.” Satan wants to keep
  you from seeing the truth about Jesus. It’s not easy to believe without seeing, but that’s
  what faith is. Perhaps you are like millions of other people who would believe if they
  could see some reliable proof. Their motto is, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Doubting
  Thomas syndrome…sadly many Christians today are still being blinded by enemy on
  what our God can do! Don’t allow him.
  To believe in God because you saw something, is not faith…its called sight!
  2 Corinthians 5:7
  For we live by faith, not by sight.
  By faith, Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for help. Even though you’ve never seen Him,
  when you hear and believe, you’ll call out for mercy, too.
  We must learn to resist certain people in our lives who can hinder our spiritual progress.
  The truth is, the enemy will use anyone around you, to keep you in the state of blindness.
  Here…let us look at the life of Bartimaeus.
  When Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, the people surrounding him didn’t say, “Good for
  you, Bartimaeus! Jesus can help you. Call out louder… Instead of helping him, they
  rebuked him and told him to be quiet!
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  You’ll find when you are bold enough to cry out to Jesus, not everyone is going to be
  excited for you. In fact, there will be some people who will rebuke you and discourage
  you. When you start getting serious about seeking Jesus, the voice of the crowd will
  “boo” you down, and discourage you. They want you to stay blind to the Truth. They
  want to keep you as their own.
  Stand firm…even in your weakness, cry out! “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  The world will try its best to keep you blind. Cry out!!! When you diligently seek to
  follow Jesus, you’ll face opposition and criticism. The question is…are you diligently
  following Jesus? “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?” Sometimes those who
  oppose your spiritual progress are members of your family, friends or even those
  claiming to be Christians.
  From a devotion I read, writer Mike Yaconelli wrote: ( Add To Powerpoint )
  “Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked
  to quiet down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in a pew, and you will be asked to
  leave; talk about your faith with passion and you will get expressions of concern about
  the inappropriateness of your emotions.” Mike Yaconelli.
• 4
  When these people try to hinder you, do what Bartimaeus did…resist them. Don’t let
  them intimidate you into silence. When they told Bartimaeus to be quiet, he wouldn’t be
  silenced. Here again…
  Luke 18:39
  39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the
  more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  “he shouted all the more!” when temptations come…“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  When your in the storms…shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” when you’re in
  doubt, in fear…shout. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Don’t let the world keep you
  in silence…keep you in blindness, when it comes to your Christ! Bartimaeus did not
  listen to the crowd. He needed help, and the only One that can help him was passing by.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”
  Our Lord, is never too busy to pause, and give help. When you cry out, He will hear.
  Whenever you’re in prayer…He hears each and every word. Here…let me show you
  how Jesus stopped, when He heard Bartimaeus cry out…
  Luke 18:40-42
  40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus
  asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”“Lord, I want to see,” he
  replied.42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”
  Faith is the means, by which the gift is received. At this point, Jesus was headed for
  Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world. Within the next few days He would face
  betrayal, arrest, torture and crucifixion. He was a man on a Mission, yet He paused to
  answer the cry of one blind beggar.
  Surely there were hundreds of voices in the crowd that day calling out to Jesus, but He
  was able to distinguish Bartimaeus’ cry for mercy… from the roar of the crowd. Jesus is
  still listening for the one voice among the shouting of the crowd. When you call out for
  Him, He will stop and respond to you as well. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
  On another occasion, Jesus was on the way to Jairus’ house because his daughter was
  sick and dying. As they were passing through a crowd, a single desperate woman reached
  out and touched the hem of his robe. She had suffered with a blood disorder for many
  years, and she believed Jesus could help her. Even though Jesus was being pressed by the
  crowd, He noticed that single touch of faith. He stopped and said, “Who touched me?”
  The disciples said, Lord, EVERYBODY is touching you.” Jesus said, “No, I felt power
  gone out of me–somebody reached out in faith.” He stopped and spoke to the woman and
  she was healed. ( Mark 5:27-34 )
  Jesus stopped for Bartimaeus…Jesus stopped for this woman…Jesus will stop for you.
  “What Do You Want ME To Do For You?”