Overcoming Your Handicaps

OVERCOMING YOUR HANDICAPS
MARK 10:46-52

As we finish up our series on trusting, I thought that we’d look at a man who gives us a good example of how to trust God… I believe that many of us can identify with this man in our text… He is an example of many of us in the church who have had to trust and depend on God… Everybody has some type of obstacle... Some type of disadvantage... Some type of hindrance that stands in their way (Physical & Spiritual)… It is also a fact that God does not always remove the handicap, whether spiritual or physical, but He does however give us the ability to overcome them... He gives us the ability to Overcome Our Handicaps...!

Now, to fully appreciate this text, we must understand the context in which it sets... I’ve learn that you’ve got to understand the past to appreciate the present... First of all, we’ve got to understand that this episode takes place during the last days of Jesus’ ministry... He’s been teaching on marriage and divorce… He blesses little children and tells us that our faith must be like them…

He counsels a rich young ruler and tells him that to inherit eternal life, he must sell all his possessions and follow Him… He teaches that “with God all things are possible…” He predicts for the third time, His death and resurrection… He teaches us that there is greatness in serving… And now we find Him journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem, and on the way, He stops through Jericho. This is the place where He encounters Zacchaeus, the tax collector.... (tell the story) (v46) Our text informs us that as He was leaving Jericho, there was a man named Bartimaeus...

Not only have I learned to understand the past, but I’ve also learned that when you trace the etymology, or the history of a word, especially when dealing with scripture, it gives you a better picture of the whole account... The etymology of the word Jericho means curse... It became known as the accursed place because when Joshua captured it over in Joshua 6:26, he cursed it...!

The text says Jesus went to a city that was cursed... He went to the accursed place...! Jesus had a habit of going to places that other people avoid...! (I’m glad…) He went to the accursed place...! And as He was leaving, he met a man that lived there...!

Can you imagine living in a place that was accursed...? It’s one thing to just pass through and spend the night, but imagine if you had to live there...! Jesus went to the accursed place...! And as He was leaving, he met a man that lived there (v46) The man that lived in this accursed place was named Bartimaeus... If you continue your word study, you’ll find out that ‘Bar,’ is a Greek prefix that means ‘son of...’ So he was the ‘son of’ Timaeus... Therefore we can conclude that Bartimaeus was not his name...! It simply identifies him with his family...

Timaeus is his father’s name... The word ‘Timaeus’ means polluted, nasty, dirty, corrupt, filthy (you get the picture)... So Bartimaeus means "the son of the nasty man..." The son of the filthy man... The son of the corrupt man... The son of the messed-up man...! And he lived in the accursed place...! (You talkin’ about a handicap)

The place that he lived was cursed... His people were nasty... And he was blind...! His home was cursed... He couldn’t see... And his whole family was messed up...! And to top it all off and add insult to injury, the text says that he was begging...! He was a beggar…
He was dependent... Living on the generosity of others...! Tell somebody, “He had a handicap...!” I’m sure some of us can identify with Bartimaeus here, in the fact that we too have some handicaps… We too have some problems… We too have some difficulties…

But the real tragedy here is that we also have the proclivity (tendency) to major in our handicaps… To major in our problems... To major in our difficulties… But I want to serve notice to you today… That you can Overcome Your Handicaps...! You can Defeat Your Difficulties...! You can Master Your Misfortune...! I believe there are three issues in this text that we need to strongly consider… If we are to be successful in Overcoming Our Handicaps...!


I. CONCENTRATE ON YOUR ASSETS (v47)

The reason we can’t overcome our handicaps is because we get so focused in on our deficiencies, that we ignore our assets…! (v 47) "And when he heard that it was Jesus…" Tell somebody, "He heard…!" He was blind, but he was not deaf…!

Most of us would spend our time complaining about being blind, and ignore the fact that we could hear…! "And when he heard…!" So many people want to have a pity party, and moan and groan about what they don’t have, but you better thank God for what you do have…! Tell somebody, "Concentrate On Your Assets…!"

It’s a scientific fact that when nature takes away one sense, the others will become stronger to maintain the balance… He was blind… But his hearing was quickened and heightened…!

In other words, whatever is messed up in your life, look around… Because God will compensate for the mess up in your life by balancing you out in other areas…! Tell somebody, "I can’t see, but I CAN hear…!"

(Check this out…) Not only did he hear, but heard who it was…! (Text) It was impossible for him to see who it was because he was blind but the text says… (You missed it) Not only did he have the ability to hear, but he also had social skills… He was highly socialized…! He knew how to wheel and deal… He knew how to negotiate… He knew how to be a risk taker… How to step out on faith…! He knew how to get people to do things for him… He knew something was happening because he heard noises, so he had to ask somebody what was going on…! One of our biggest problems today is that we’re not risk takers… We don’t negotiate… We don’t step out…! That’s the reason we always stay defeated… Because we lay down too quickly, but you’ve got to Get Up…! If you can’t see, tell somebody, "Hold my hand, lead me…" But you’ve got to Get Up…! Don’t’ lay down Get Up…! Most folks would rather lay down than try…! But you’ve got to Get Up…! Stop making excuses…Stop blaming others… Just Get Up…! Concentrate On Your Assets…!

Not only could he hear… Not only was he highly socialized… But he could also speak…! After he found out what was going on, the text says he cried out and said, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me...!" I can’t see You, but I know that You are around… "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" I live in the accursed place but…"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" My family is all jacked up but… I’m a beggar but…"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!"

(Personal...) I know I’m not worthy to stand before You but… "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" I know I haven’t always done Your Will but… "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" I know I don’t love everybody like I’m suppose to but…"Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" I know I don’t always treat my neighbor right but… "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!"(Some of you need to stop right now and say…)

This statement is used in the imperfect tense, which denotes continuous action in the past…That’s why he kept saying it over and over…! "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!” Remember now, he was blind, and the only thing he could do to get Jesus’ attention was to keep saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!"He has to make enough noise so that wherever Jesus is, He can find him…! He can’t find Jesus, so Jesus must find him… And in order for Jesus to find him, he must continue to cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!""Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!” What I’m trying to say is that whenever you want something from the Lord, you’ve got to learn how to use what you have…! You’ve got to learn how to be persistent…! If you want to attract the attention of Heaven, you’ve got to have the inclination to admit and confess your shortcomings… "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" If you want over your handicaps, the first thing that you have to do is Concentrate On Your Assets…!


II. CONQUER PUBLIC OPINION (v 48-49)

(v48) They told him to shut up…! But if you want to get something from God; you’ve got to learn how to overcome folks…! You’ve got to learn how to turn a deaf ear… How to put on blinders when it comes to public opinion… If you don’t overcome folks, you will never get to your destination… You can’t get stuck at the bar of public opinion. If Bartimaeus had listen to public opinion, he’d still be blind… We’ve got to learn how to Conquer Public Opinion…!

Also notice that the text says, "And many warned him to be quiet…" This suggests to us that some of the people that told him to shut up were the disciples (see v46)… He was making a lot of noise crying out to the Lord… But they told him "Shut Up…!”

Whenever you are trying to move forward in the things of God, there are always folk (even church folk) trying to shut you up… “It don’t take all of that…” (Your praise, your shout, your prayer…) Why is it that the whole church can end up bound and lose their anointing because of two or three people…? Because we haven’t learned how to conquer public opinion…! We’ve got to learn how to Conquer Public Opinion…!

David had to conquer pubic opinion when his authority came into question… Remember when his son Absalom decided he was going to take over…? All of Jerusalem seemed to had turned their back on the king, but he kept his hand in the Master’s Hand… He didn’t get wrapped up in the public opinion, but he held to God’s unchanging Hand…

Likewise, Noah knew something about conquering public opinion… Everybody thought he was a fool but he heeded to the commandment of the Lord… Proverbs 24:16 says, "The righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked man shall fall once and lay down…" Folks may tell you to shut up…

But because you are righteous just keep on getting up…Crying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!” You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do… In order to get through…! When folks tell you to shut up… You’ve got to press forward… Why…? Because you’ve got something to get from God... And in order to get it… Sometimes you’ve got to be persistent…! The only way Bartimaeus could get Jesus’ attention was by crying out… (Point) Sometimes the only way you can get to the Lord is by persistent crying…! You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do… In order to get through…!

The other folks could see, they didn’t need anything from God… But if you’ve got a need, you can’t hold your peace…! They told him to shut up… But he cried, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me…!" Beloved, folk may tell you to shut up…But you’ve got to keep on crying… Keep on pressing… Keep on toiling until you get your breakthrough…! You have to learn how to persevere and Conquer Public Opinion…! (Story of two frogs that fell into a vat of cream)

Two frogs fell into a vat of cream
Or, so I’ve heard it told
The sides of the vat were shiny and steep
And the cream was deep and cold
"Oh, what’s the use," cried one frog,
"’Tis fate, no help’s around;
Goodbye, my friend! Goodbye sad world!"
And weeping still, he drowned.
But number two, made of sterner stuff, dog paddled in surprise; And all the while he wiped his face, and dried his creamy eyes. "I’ll swim a while, at least," he said; Or, so I’ve heard he said. It really wouldn’t help the world if one more frog were dead!
An hour or two he kicked and swam; Not once he stopped to mutter. He kicked and swam and swam and kicked;
And finally hopped out of the butter…!

Sometimes you’ve got to kick and swim until your cream turns to butter…! Sometimes you’ve got to kick and swim until your shaky ground becomes solid…! For I heard old folks say, "If you keep on moving, your change will come…!" You’ve got to persevere… Tell somebody, "You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do… In order to get through…" (repeat/ get personal) "I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do… In order to get through…! "If I’ve got to Cry…Shout…Dance…Jump… Wave… I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do… In order to get through…!” Because if you keep on moving… If you keep on pressing… If you keep on persevering… If you learn to Conquer Public Opinion… You’ll be able to get Jesus’ Attention…!

Here was a blind man… From a cursed city…With a messed up family… And he was a beggar… But because he Conquered Public Opinion, and was able to stop Jesus…! When we learn to Conquer Public Opinion, we’ll be able to stop Jesus…!

(v49) Not only that but, Jesus used the same people who told him to shut up, to tell him to "Come here…!" The very people who try to shut you up, will suddenly turn in your favor… If you persist… If you press… If you can Concentrate On Assets… Conquer Public Opinion…


III. CAST OFF YOUR GARMENT (v 50-52)

(v50) Finally, if you want to overcome your handicaps… You’ve got to Cast Off Your Garment…! In ancient times throughout the Middle East and even today, beggars wore what is called a camel’s-tunic… It was a tunic made of camel’s hair and it was used as protection from the elements… When the beggars would sit by the roadside, they would cover themselves with the tunic to keep them cool in the sun and dry in the rain… (Watch this…)

So when they told Bartimaeus in verse 49, "Be of good cheer. Rise. He is calling you…" The first thing he did in verse 50, was throw off his camel’s-tunic…! (You missed it…!) When you take off your outer garment, the real you is exposed… When you take off your outer garment, you’re exposed to a elements and ailments of this world… When you take off your outer garment, everybody can see everything about you… That may seem like a bad thing to some, but its actually good news… You see when you take off your outer garment, that’s when Jesus can reach you… When you take off your outer garment, that’s when Jesus can heal you infirmities…

When you take off your outer garment, that’s when Jesus can help you deal with your handicaps…! You see when most folk have a handicap or an infirmity, they run to the doctor… But if you check the credentials of the doctor… You will discover that he is someone who spent 8 years learning how to practice medicine…!

But when you take off your outer garment, that’s when Jesus can touch you… And you’ll discover that He’s more than a doctor… You’ll discover that He’s a Healer…! You see the doctor can only treat your handicap… But I come to let you know that Jesus can heal you… Not just physically, but spiritually…! There’s Power in the Name of Jesus…!

When most folk run into trouble, they run and get them a lawyer… But if you check out the credentials of the lawyer…You will discover that he is someone that spent at least 4 years in law school learning how to practice law…! But when you take off your outer garment, that’s when Jesus can come in the midst of your situation and move… And you will discover that He is more than a lawyer…

In fact John says that He is the Advocate… He is the Righteous One… That stands in my place…! I don’t know about you, but I’m going to Cast Off My Outer Garment… I’m going to open myself up…So that Jesus can have His way… I’m going to shout “Father I stretch…!” Because when I stretch… I’ll be able to reach Jesus…!

1. Man w/ Leprosy: (Mk 1:40-44) “If you are willing, make me clean…” [Because you trust Me…]

2. Jairus’ Daughter: (Mk 5:36) “Don’t be afraid, only believe…” [IOW, ‘Trust Me…’]

3. Women w/ Issue Of Blood: (Mk 5:25) “If I could just touch…” [She trusted God for her healing… “Your faith has made you whole…”]

Just a touch from Jesus… One day I did like Bartimaeus… I pulled off my outer garment… I discovered that… (Close)