CHRIST, THE ANSWER IS CLOSE BY YOU – PART TWO

We are back, friends, to conclude the message we started last time: Christ, the Answer is close by You, from Saint Marks Gospel Chapter 10 – the story of the blind Bartimaeus.

In Mark 10 (to refresh our memory or in the interest of those who were not with us last time) it says,

Mark 10:46-52

⁴⁶ Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. 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 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁹ So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called.

Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.”

⁵⁰ And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.

⁵¹ So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

⁵² Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the [way].

PRAYER

Breathe upon Your Word now, dear Father, that it may give life to my friends in radioland; that it may also give healing and health even to their physical bodies…in Jesus Name. Amen!

Christ, the Answer is close by you

Last time, we started with so many questions: “why” questions. Why this, why that; why do good people suffer; why do bad things happen to good people? And we said, bad things don’t happen to good people – because there are no good people anywhere. Why me, Lord, and not my neighbor? Why do we have so much man’s inhumanity to man? Why do we have so much suffering in a nation such as Nigeria with abundance of human and natural resources? Why? Why can’t the state governments pay salaries, and owe workers for months, causing them to suffer, and their families. Why?

And we said that, because of these problems, some people have come to the conclusion that God does not exist. Some say, yeah! God exists, but God is not loving. Still some say, yes God exists, God is loving, but He is not all powerful – otherwise he should have ended all these things.

And the point I made last time was that these things are not to be traced back to God; they are traced back to sin, which came into the world. And with the sin that came into the world, there came suffering and pain. So this relationship between suffering and pain has been the lot of man since the Garden of Eden when man fell. But God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world, not to condemn the world, not to add to the suffering, but to solve the problem. And that’s why we say that, Christ is the answer.

Christ is the answer to the problems that we have in the world. He is the answer to the questions we have in this life. How God anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all, who were oppressed by the Devil – for God was with Him. Acts 10:38.

And we said that, this account we read of blind Bartinaeus is an illustration of the fact that Christ is the answer to our problems.

The problems of the blind man analyzed.

We saw that time, and then,

The Providence of the blind man actualized.

How were his problems solved?

The problems of the blind man analysed, we said:

• He had no sight – the precious gift that God has given to men. He has lost his sight.
• He had no formal identity. He had no name to himself. He’s just addressed as the son of Timaeus. But his own name we don’t know.
• He had no help. Life had also reduced him to begging for a living.

And by way of application we observed that sin causes spiritual blindness – brings about spiritual blindness. And when men are spiritually blind, when women are spiritually blind, they cannot see the ugliness of sin. If we would see the ugliness of sin we would run from sin.

And they cannot see God as God. They see Him as a man; and they address Him as a man. They relate to Him as a man. That’s why they sin boldly because they feel that if they can do it in the dark behind closed doors God is not seeing them, because God, to them, is like a man.

They see people as things – and I said things that are marketable. They market women today. They market young girls for pleasure; and they use them, and they discard them – because they see people as things, and not as those made in the image of God.

And that is why also you can pay somebody just a few thousands of naira, and he will eliminate anybody you want him to eliminate.

Sin has so blinded men and women that they do not know where they are heading – they are heading to hell. Sin has also robbed many people of their dignity and a name. They don’t have a name with God. Sin has rendered many people helpless, beggarly and wretched.

You may think you are somebody important. “Do you know who you are talking to?” You are a wretched man; you are a wretched woman – if you do not have Christ: if you are still living in sin.

Let me go now to the Providence of the blind man actualized.

The Providence of the blind man actualized.

And that is from verse 47 to the end where we read. Jesus Christ the Answer showed up. And that is providence number one. He showed up, not accidentally, but providentially – He showed up according to the plans of God.

All the steps that Jesus ever took when He was here on earth were ordered by the heavenly Father. Any time He got up to go somewhere it is with a purpose. And somebody has observed that when you read the Gospels you find that Jesus is either going to someplace to bless somebody, to heal somebody, to forgive somebody’s sins; or He’s coming from having done so.

Every step He took was of the Father – ordained by the Father. He was not like us. We get up and we do whatever we want to do any time we want to do it – not so Jesus; for when the sisters of Lazarus came to Him and said, our brother Lazarus, the one you love is sick. Come please, that He might be healed. The bible said, Jesus did not get up and follow the person whom they sent. But He stayed back there two more days. And by the time he got there it was four days, and Lazarus was dead, and in the grave decaying. But when He came, He came when the Father said go. And when He got there, even though it was an impossible situation from human standpoint, Lazarus came back from the grave.

Jesus, the answer is by you, friend!

Secondly, in terms of –

1. The Providence of the Blind man Actualized: Bartimaeus had the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. The bible says in Mark 10:47a, that he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. He heard! And what he heard ministered faith to his heart. And that’s why Romans 10:17 says that, faith comes by hearing; and hearing by [in the Greek by] a Word of Christ. A Word of Christ.

One word about Christ! That was what ministered faith to the heart of this blind man. He had the opportunity to hear about Christ.

III. Bartimaeus seized the opportunity against all odds. It was not easy for him to get to Christ. Multitudes were with him. And in fact, his obstacles were human and material. First of all, so many people were shouting him down. They said, “Keep quiet!” but he shouted even the more – raised his voice higher until Jesus heard him.

Friends, humans, people can rob you of the opportunity you have to be blessed of God. They can talk you out of it. Refuse like Bartimaeus refused.

1. Another obstacle he had was his garment. In verse 50, and throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to him. His garment was going to prevent him from running fast to Jesus. He threw it off. Blind man? That was the only garment I suppose – I think he had. But he was ready to throw it away – provided he would get to Christ.

Friend, what are the material things that are keeping you from getting to the Lord Jesus Christ? Throw them aside; because He is going to give you something far more precious than those.

Some of you have not come to Jesus because of money. Some have not come to Jesus because they’re enjoying pleasures of sin.

Somebody was talking to a woman about Christ, and she said: “I understand what you are saying, but I cannot come to Jesus now – because I love sex so much.” Illicit sex was keeping [him] from coming to Jesus!

Bartimaeus identified his problem accurately. When he came to Jesus, Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?

A blind man. He needed money! But it was not money that was his problem. He knew that if he would get his sight back he would be able to make money.

And he said, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”

Friend, can you identify your problem before the Lord Jesus Christ? Your greatest is sin.

Bartimaeus showed the sense of gratitude and the sense of responsibility when he received his sight. Just by a word that Jesus spoke he showed gratitude. He followed Jesus. And I think he followed Him for the rest of the journey, and beyond.

Jesus proved to be the answer to blind Bartimaeus.

Jesus Christ is the answer to your problems, friend. Do not let Him pass you by. You have heard about Him. I have told you. Resist every obstacle, human or material, and run to Jesus Christ. And when you get to Jesus, when you give your life to Jesus follow Him all the way – follow Him for the rest of your life.

“The great Physician now is near,” a songwriter says,

The sympathizing Jesus;

He speaks the drooping heart to cheer,

Oh, hear the voice of Jesus.

Friend, will you hear the voice of Jesus?

Let us pray.

PRAYER

Father, the voice of a man has ceased. I trust that the voice of the Holy Spirit will continue to speak to the hearts of my friends in radioland. As many of them as are giving themselves over to You today, You would forgive their sins; You would heal them, You would deliver them, You would give them back their Spiritual sight. And may they follow You for the rest of their lives…in Jesus Name. Amen!