From Blind To Ablaze
Message Moments & Highlights
What Does It Mean To Have Bold Faith?
How Do We Seize Divine Moments?
What Happens When We Follow The Greater Path?
How Do We Move Past Shame and Limitations?
From Blind To Ablaze
The transformative journey of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, illustrates the power of bold faith and divine transformation. Despite crowds attempting to silence him, Bartimaeus persistently called out to Jesus, demonstrating that authentic faith persists regardless of opposition or others' opinions. His immediate response to Jesus - throwing off his cloak, jumping up, and approaching Christ - teaches us about seizing divine moments without hesitation or excuse. Bartimaeus's transformation extended far beyond physical healing. By casting aside his beggar's cloak, he symbolically shed his old identity, limitations, and shame. His decision to follow Jesus afterward shows that true transformation involves embracing a complete spiritual renewal and stepping into God's broader purpose. This journey from spiritual blindness to being ablaze with purpose demonstrates how we can move past cultural expectations, personal failures, and feelings of inadequacy to embrace our new identity in Christ.
Key Insights From The Message
Related Bible Verses
Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road.
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.” So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!”
Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
For we live by believing and not by seeing.
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.
And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
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From Blind to Ablaze: Finding Bold Faith Through Life's Struggles
The story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, teaches us powerful lessons about faith, transformation, and seizing divine moments. While many focus solely on the healing miracle, there are deeper truths about how we can move from spiritual blindness to being ablaze with purpose for God.
What Does It Mean to Have Bold Faith?
Bold faith means crying out to God regardless of what others think or say. When Bartimaeus heard Jesus was nearby, he shouted "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Despite crowds trying to silence him, he only cried louder. This teaches us that true faith:
Persists despite opposition
Isn't concerned with others' opinions
Recognizes Jesus for who He truly is
Cries out with urgency and desperation
How Do We Seize Divine Moments?
When Jesus called Bartimaeus, he immediately:
Threw off his cloak (representing his old life)
Jumped up without hesitation
Came to Jesus
This teaches us to respond swiftly when God calls, without procrastination or excuse. The cloak represented Bartimaeus' identity as a beggar - his shame, limitations, and dependency. By casting it aside, he demonstrated willingness to step into a new identity in Christ.
What Happens When We Follow the Greater Path?
Bartimaeus didn't just receive physical healing - he began following Jesus down the road. True transformation means:
Looking beyond immediate needs to God's broader purpose
Embracing complete spiritual transformation
Following Jesus wherever He leads
Using your healing/testimony to help others
How Do We Move Past Shame and Limitations?
Many people carry shame from:
Family background
Cultural expectations
Personal failures
Feeling inadequate
But shame represents disconnection from Christ. Like Bartimaeus, we must:
Be authentic in approaching Jesus
Trust His power to transform
Let go of old identities
Embrace our new purpose in Him
Life Application
This week, consider:
What "cloak" of shame or limitation do you need to throw off?
Where is God calling you to step out in bold faith?
What divine moments might you be missing through hesitation?
How can you use your testimony to help others?
Challenge: Choose one area where you've been holding back and take a bold step of faith this week. Whether it's sharing your testimony, serving others, or stepping into ministry - seize the moment God presents without delay.
Remember: You are not crushed, not driven to despair, never abandoned, and never destroyed. God has a unique calling for your life that requires bold faith and willingness to seize divine moments for His glory.
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A discussion guide for the sermon can be found here.
Sermon Transcript
He's ready for the word. Have I missed anything else, Pastor Alex? No. This word's been stirring me up. It is a well known story and most of you would know it.
The story of the blind beggar, right? Powerful moment of healing, right? We know that, right?
And in first glance, you're automatically directed to the power of healing. But when you dig a bit deeper, there's actually some key truths within that story. An amazing thing. It comes from the blind beggar. So here we go.
You ready? Mark 10:46, 52, reading from the New Living. And it says this. Then they reached Jericho. And as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him.
A blind beggar named Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting beside the road. When Timaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Be quiet. Many of the people yelled at him, but he only shouted louder. Son of David, have mercy on me.
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, tell him to come here. So they called the blind man. Cheer up. They said, come on, he's calling you. Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up and came to Jesus.
What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked my rabbi. The blind man said, I want to see. Jesus said to him, go, for your faith has healed you instantly. The man could see and he followed Jesus down the road.
Raise your hands if you heard that story. Love it, eh? Powerful story. Jesus is passing through him and the team disciples. According to the team Dream team, they're walking through, they're on their way to the Passover.
The final moments. Stops. Sees a blind beggar. Amazing thing. He stops.
Jesus doesn't just see a blind man, because a blind man wasn't just blind. He was broken. He was judged by society. He was looked down at. He was pressed, pressed.
He was looked at. You don't look like me. You don't belong to us. People passing him by, ignoring him, ignoring. He exists and his struggles and limitations and where the crowds are silencing him.
Be quiet. Have you ever felt like that church? Have you felt like God is trying to do something in you? And it's like all these struggles and the pain and the brokenness and the situations you go through, they're just coming from everywhere, trying to silence you. And you just got you just trying to breathe like Bartimaeus.
We all have our struggles, our limitations. We're the physical, emotional, financial and relational. These struggles do their best to hammer us and keep us down. Silencing us can I say this church, there is power in your struggles. Do you believe that?
There is power in your struggles, right? There is a fire that's stirring up in your heart through your challenges. Do you believe that? Church? Bartimaeus is an example of that.
An example of someone who takes hold of a moment, of an opportunity and appreciates that moment. So this morning, church, I've titled my message from Blind to Ablaze. Like that one bit of fire in there. A little bit of fire from a blaze being fired up for God. Amen.
Now, the next, I'm going to tell you guys a little story, right? Be a shock to you all. They're laughing already. Pastor Four used to play cricket back in the days. Yeah, that's right.
Let it go. Let it go. All right? Told my wife this story, and she starts laughing and she goes, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just don't see it.
Church. Maybe she doesn't see it because God never gave her a cricket player. Gave her a man of God. Amen. That can cook.
Hey, hey, hey. Anyway, back to the cricket. I used to play cricket, me and my mate, right? We're two Polynesian boys, bored on a Saturday morning. Needed something to do.
That was us, right? Couldn't think of anything else. So we signed up for the school cricket team. Don't like cricket. Don't know how the games played.
Didn't have any equipment. We had our bags for our snacks, though. Two things we loved about it. Two things we loved about it. Me and my mate is having fun and having lunch.
That's it. That's it. That's our Saturday mornings. Got to the point where the coach goes, Four, you're up. Goes up.
Took me 20 minutes to try and see where this equipment goes. Knee pads, shin pads. Putting it here, over here. Nat goes down there learning the game. Jump up.
Now, my favorite position and part in the cricket game is the better, right? As the person just hits the ball, doesn't do the running, just hits the ball. I'm that guy. So I'm playing along, I'm playing, having a bit of fun, maybe just having, you know, having a bit of fun. And then I can hear.
I can hear the other team. I can hear the crowd, and they're yelling out some hateful things, some hurtful things. Oh, my. Hurts. And they're yelling it out, you see?
Big for the game. You can't run. It was a lot worse in that church, but I can't, you know. You get that drift? You get the drift.
What they yelling at? Hey, you can't hit the ball. You're too slow. And it keeps coming, it keeps coming. First thing that came to mind in the past, the four, was how far can I throw this cricket bat?
That's the first thing that came to mind. Then I dug a bit deeper. I'm not gonna react. I'm gonna respond. So you know what I did?
Teed it up. Focused, laser focused, smashed it. Four sixes out of the boundaries. No one's running, it's a six. No one's running.
It's a 14, 12, whatever you want to call it.
That's how I responded.
As much as I wanted to react to those hurtful comments, I didn't. Instead, I played harder, fixed and focused on that very moment. Nothing else mattered. Not the hurtful comments, not the judgments, not the racism. None of that mattered, but that very moment and how I would respond.
Just like Bartimaeus, he faced struggles all around him, crowds silencing him. Be quiet.
But it didn't phase him. Fixed and focused, locked in on that present moment in our lives. Church. We can go through many things, many struggles that take our attention, that drift our focus from Jesus to a problem, from Jesus to anxiety, from Jesus to depression, from Jesus to I'm not good enough to Jesus to I'm not loved.
All these things hinder us from being a follower of Christ. And I believe in this room right now, there is something stirring even in this present moment, that there is a fire inside you to be faithful followers of Christ. You believe that. Church. So we're going to look at the life and the story of Bartimaeus and what he did to become a mighty follower of Christ.
Being healed, living a breakthrough for God, ablaze for God. Amen. Here is the first thing, bit of a breather after that one.
Have bold faith. Have bold faith.
Not just the faith that goes, ah, yeah, I have faith, but these guys are telling me to do this and I'm going out and I'm going to be back to the morning, okay, I'm coming. Oh, but I need to be loved. I need my friends to love me and all that. So I'll just. Whatever they say, I'm gonna go.
That's not bold faith. Bold faith is doing everything opposite to what the world wants you to be. Taking risks. Stepping out in faith is a risk taker. Not worrying about what's going to happen, what's going to happen tomorrow, what's going to happen the next day.
Who cares? What cares about is this present moment.
We must boldly declare who Jesus is. Regardless of how the world responds. Verse 47. When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Be quiet.
Right. The crowds be quiet. Which is an interesting one, right? The crowds reacting and responding that way. To Bartimaeus, it would have been long before Jesus came as well.
You get that picture. He would have been hammered by all areas. Be quiet. Many people yelled at him, but he only shouted louder. Son of David, have mercy on me.
New King James version says he began to cry out. Began to cry out. The more Bartimaeus was told to be quiet, the louder he shouted.
Not the quieter he got. Not the, I'm gonna go back to my isolation. Not that. Oh, he hammered me. Oh, I'm gonna go back here.
Not there. He shouted louder. He cried out louder. He got to a point in his life having a bold faith meant more to him than anything else. So the Lord will know that he's there.
So the Lord will know that there is a faithful servant underneath all of this. And so often we allow fear of rejection or judgment to keep us from fully expressing our needs before God.
We suppress it. Different cultures suppress us a different way. Too cool to raise our hands, don't have the big words. Don't have the big words. So I'm just going to stay quiet.
That is not a bold faith. A bold faith is each and every one of us. We live in unity through prayer. Doesn't matter where we're from. We can communicate through prayer, intercede for others, love on one another.
We all understand that church. But having a bold faith is like you're not worried about anything or anyone else other than going, father, here I am. Here are my needs. I'm giving them to you. No longer will I carry this burden.
No longer will I carry these things. I'm placing it at your feet. You're living out that bold faith.
Oh, man, I'm spitting all over this iPad. Eh, the tissues are not for here now. They're actually for. Give me a sec. Give me a sec.
We too must ignore the distractions and doubts that seek to silence our faith. It's through their persistent faith, their bold faith, we see a moment that could have passed by stop and impact our lives. Two Corinthians. You know this one. For we walk by faith, not by sight.
He's blind. Bold faith cries out, shouts out louder Determined, fearless.
Even though he was blind, he knew he was talking to. He knew he was talking to. Bartimaeus calls Jesus, son of David. Why not Jesus? Why not just Jesus.
Why not King of Kings? Why not Lord of Lords? Why not my Savior? Why Son of David? A Messianic title that acknowledges Jesus as the promised Savior of Israel.
By calling Jesus the son of David, Bartimaeus was acknowledging Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic promise. Seeing Jesus for who he truly is, even in his blindness, how powerful that is.
He knew he knew him. He knew who he was. Didn't have to look at him, didn't have to see him, didn't have to join in one and have a little peek in there. He knew him, son of David, and is crying out. Bartimaeus cries out.
Cried for mercy. Exemplifies a persistent faith that refuses to be silent. The Greek word, a Greek phrase, grazo, meaning to cry out, reflects a loud, urgent cry, a desperate need. Not a casual plea, not a, hey, Jesus. It's like Jesus, son of David, here I am.
Have mercy on me. That urgent plea, determined to call for help. We see the story of Hannah in the Book of Samuel. What does she do? She goes to the temple, sees Eli, and before Eli, she just lays it all out, crying tears, pouring her heart out.
Barren, wanted a child, needed a child to go even further. Dedicating the child. Dedicating the child. And she's so passionate and she's real and raw, and she's just very bold and courageous that Eli thought she was drunk. Why would you come here drunk?
I'm not drunk. She says I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. There's something magical about pouring your hearts out to the Lord, isn't it, church? And each of your moments in there, not even in the services, in your own time, pouring out your hearts. Psalm 34:17.
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The righteous cry out. I can tell you now, if you're here right now and you're going, man, I want to cry out. I want to just let it out. I want to just let loose, and I want to just pour it in my heart.
But I'm so nervous, I'm embarrassed. I don't want people to look at me and think that I'm acting silly.
But can I say this? You do it. You do it here, you do it at home, you do it in the car, you do it at the park. Wherever you are, you cry out to the Lord. You cry out to the Lord the same way the blind beggar did.
Here I am. Here I am, son of David. Jesus, have mercy on me. Let that be your cry. Church, are you allowing distractions and doubts in your life to quiet your voice before Jesus.
What is preventing you from crying out with determined faith in the times of need?
What areas in your life do you need bold faith in?
Can I encourage you? Church. The thing about bold faith is you get past the whole. I'm here to impress anyone. You get past the whole thing of my outward expression is not for the world, but it's to give God glory.
You start to be the real and vulnerable you. I stand before you here many times over, and you see me weep. That's why my wife throws me tissues, right? You see me weep. I make jokes.
I like to laugh, right? Because I'm free in my soul. I know who I am in Christ, and I know that the Christ that I'm serving is Jesus Christ, son of David. And I will cry out each and every time. Church.
That is the first thing we see in Bartimaeus. He steps up, cries out, bold faith. The second thing we see here, seize the moment.
He doesn't just verbally reach out or step up. It's action time. Action time for the brother. Barmes. When God calls us to a path, we must not hesitate to seize the moment.
Hey, too many times we're doing these ones. Church. Come on, God's calling you. Goes, oh, yeah, just wait till tomorrow. Answer him.
Tomorrow. Oh, God's moving in my life. Because now. Wait till next year. Wait till next year.
You know, Pastor Adrian. Pastor Adrian, every single thing he's given me, from responsibility to oversight in different areas, you know what I've said to him? Yep, let's do it. Not once did I tell him, I'm gonna go out and pray about it. Give me two months and then maybe I'll get back to you.
And next year, whenever it is, no hesitation. Why would I hesitate? Why would you hesitate?
If God is centered in your life, why would you hesitate? If your trust is in the Father, why would you hesitate? Procrastination often causes us to miss divine moments. Bartimaeus teaches us the importance of swift obedience. Stepping up without delay, seizing the moment that God has presented.
Verse 49 says, as Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, tell him to come here. So they called the blind man. Cheer up. They said, come on, he's calling you. And here's the action part.
Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, came to Jesus.
There's something powerful in his actions of throwing off his coat and jumping up.
He responds without hesitation, without delay. He didn't say, I'll come when I'm ready. He didn't say, I'll come next month, next time. The moment Jesus called, Bartimaeus threw off his coat, jumped up, here I am. Other versions are say garments.
NIV version says cloak.
And there's something powerful by throwing off the cloak.
Back in the days, a cloak was used for collecting arms, a L M S, which means food, resources, money. Collect them all as beggars. Place them in here, put them in here. We'll just put everything in here. Gather it, sit back down, gather whatever we can.
In that coat and in that cloak, what it symbolizes is a life. Is a life not worthy, is a life you're living in shame. You're looked at, you're a beggar. You're beneath my level, right? So it's interesting to know when he's wearing this cloak, that the cloak didn't actually affect his actions, his cloak, over the years, it didn't.
Everything that he was carrying, his shame, his depression, his hurt, everything in that very cloak didn't stop him from stepping up and seizing that moment.
The cloak represents his old life, a life defined by dependency, suffering, blindness, and throwing it away. He symbolizes willingness to step into a new identity, one of faith and transformation. Transformation. This fellow is not. He didn't just get up and go, I'm here.
He didn't do none of that. He got up, ripped it off, and go, here I am, here I am. I'm not living that life anymore. I'm not living there anymore. I know many of you here, many of you got baptisms coming up.
Seize that moment. If you've got that stirring in your heart, seize it. Don't let another day go by. Don't need another month, another year, and then you're straight back to where you were. That's not a transformation.
Step up, make it clear that I follow Jesus. I see that in each and every one of you. Church, do you believe that? Oh, I'm getting fired up. Church, stepping up without delay.
That shows that you're willing to let go and grab onto what God has for you in that moment.
There will be moments when God is speaking to you, maybe even now, and your response should be one of immediate action. Here I am, I'm going for it, going through. I'm not going to worry what anyone says. I'm not going to worry how people treat me or what they do. I'm not going to worry what the world throws at me.
Here I am. Here is the moment. I'm up, I'm ripping off my coat, here I go.
Interesting theme. Seizing the moment. Many years ago, I took Alex to New Zealand for the first time. Took it for the first time to meet the extended family and meet some of my friends, which I prayed for before introducing her. My friends, you know, when you have some friends, you say, how are we friends?
They're just those annoying types that are always around. So anyone had no choice how to take him. Picked them up, me and Alex, we all went out for dinner one night, went out for dinner at a restaurant. And it was all restaurants everywhere. And it's where I used to work.
Right where I used to work. And as we're walking towards the restaurant, I see a man on the side. He's got a guitar, he's got a microphone, he's got a harmonica. His guitar case is open. You can see some coins in there, some cash in there.
We walk past this man and we went to the restaurant, sat there. And throughout the night, I just. I found myself, like, I'm always. I'm always looking at him, just constantly looking at him. And I had this feeling something was stirring in here.
And I was going, fool, you're just hungry. And I said, yes, that's one thing. But there is another thing, a bigger thing, Spiritual thing, right? And the whole night, like, the whole night, it keeps getting worse, keeps getting worse. And I keep on looking at this man, keep on just looking at this man.
We finish dinner, we head out, and the next thing happens is this. And I have a short video that I want to show you. And I apologize for the quality. My wife was filming.
I went up to him, asked him if I could play a song for him or with him. We had a jam for, like 20, 30 minutes, whatever song he wanted. The guys in the background, they're my friends. I try to edit them out, but it wouldn't work, right? But they bought the energy.
And you don't see it on the video. But a crowd started forming. Crowds started forming. You can hear the sound of dropping coins. And people just started building up.
And we'll just jam. Whatever song the brother wanted me to play, I'm playing it. Whatever he needed.
Handed the guitar back to him.
Glassy eyes tearing up as the man expressed his gratitude.
That's a Caesar moment. But I didn't. I couldn't explain it before. Well, in dinner, didn't know what that really was.
And to see this man, I don't know his situation. I know where he's come from and all that, but to be busking on a Saturday night by yourself.
I pray he's found Jesus Somewhere there are going to come moments, church in your life where you're going to have to leave your comfort to seize the moment. There's going to come a point in your time. We're going to leave the comfort of your cultures that you've been brought up in, right? The cultures you've been brought up in. There's going to be a time when you have to leave that space to seize the moment.
It's going to be a time we're going to leave everything you've ever known. Thing that builds you up to seize a moment that builds someone else up. Isn't that the core to see lives change, to seize a moment. When you seize moments when God is moving, there is an opportunity to see lives changed and impacted. You can make a difference.
And maybe you're here now and you go, well, fu. I can't preach. I can't do this. I can't do that. You're gifted in the areas, you're gifted at.
Church. Do you believe that? You're gifted in the areas you're gifted at? Our cafe team. Gifted in that area.
Our worship team, gifted in that area. Hospitality team. We put on food every single week. Sunday morning, Saturday nights, Sunday nights at Casey. They're gifted in that area.
Get connected. Desk. New Christian says, whatever it may be. Church, you are gifted in the area. Your voice matters.
You matter.
Seize that moment. Church. So let's do a recap. Bold faith. Stepping out, crying out, calling Jesus, son of David, knows who he is.
Have mercy on me. Seize the moment. Seizes the moment, Jumps up, takes off his cloak. No longer am I doing my old life. I have a life in front of me that's worth living, that I'm fired up for.
No longer will I hide everything in my coat. I'm now living in freedom. And here's the third thing we see.
Follow the greater path. There is a greater path for each and every one of you. Church. Do you believe that if I can get Moses up, please, by. In every moment of being bold and seizing, there is a something greater within it, a greater path we call to follow.
We often approach God's interventions with a focus on the immediate benefits that if we seize the moment, I wonder what the Lord would do for me. But if I do this for the Lord, I wonder what he's going to do for me.
But true faith sees beyond the miracle to a larger purpose that God has for our lives. Bartimaeus didn't just receive healing. He was called into a life of following Jesus, seeing a greater path that lies ahead.
And Jesus said to him, go, for your faith has been healed. Go.
He follows Jesus down the road.
Bartimaeus didn't go, I'm healed.
And Jesus goes, go. And he goes back to his old life.
Jesus doesn't say go. And he goes back doing the things before the healing.
Jesus doesn't say go. And he goes further along doing his own thing.
He follows Jesus.
Seizing the moment doesn't end with receiving what we need in the present. It's about embracing the transformation Jesus offers, the larger path he sets before us. Healing was not just about gaining sight. It was about following Jesus, embarking on a new path of discipleship. It's about what God wants to do in our lives, moving forward.
Faith just doesn't ask for a miracle. It believes that God's work in us has a broader purpose. Do you believe that God's got a bigger plan for you? Church Maybe some of you here, and you're going, you've walked in here and you've walked in here with your cloaks and in your cloaks, you've got everything packed up in there. And it's hard for you to kind of see that bigger plan for your life, something beautiful about letting go, about letting go and going.
Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go.
Go your way. Jesus says, go, for your faith has healed you. It was faith that was determined to reach Jesus. He cried out more. It was faith that knew who Jesus was, Son of David.
It was faith that comes humbly to Jesus, have mercy on me. It was faith that could tell Jesus what it wanted, that I may receive sight.
He knew that his healing wasn't just a physical restoration, but an opportunity to step in a new life, a new way of living, a new reality, a new vision. This faith is not just about receiving what we need, but seeing beyond the moment to the path God has for us. Church, do you believe in that for yourself?
Isaiah 35, 5. And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. This verse points forward to the coming of the Messiah, who had both physical and spiritual healing. Bartimaeus, in his cry for mercy, aligns himself with this prophecy, recognizing that the Messiah's arrival would bring total restoration, not just a sight, but of soul.
His physical healing becomes the beginning of his spiritual transformation. He moves from being a blind beggar on the roadside to a disciple walking with Jesus through bold faith, seizing the moment, believing in something greater than what we see in front of us. Transformation, helping people, impacting people, stepping out when no one else would. Would you step out if no one else would? Do you have bold faith to step into a situation where no one else would?
Apostle Paul sat on the road to Damascus. He was physically blinded for three days. Three days.
But in those three days, he was spiritually opened up. When his sight returned, it wasn't just his eyes that were opened. It was his heart, his mind and his purpose. He went from being the persecutor to the preacher. Life went from darkness to blazing with the light of Christ.
There's the same transformation for you and I that happens when we go from blind ablaze. A new purpose, a new life, a new way of living.
If you're here for the first time, it's the first time you heard me preach. This is how I am, man.
Can't change this record. It's just gonna keep on playing. Keep on playing.
What is the greater path that God is calling you to walk beyond the immediate answers of your prayers?
How can you see the bigger picture of your spiritual journey? Picture of your spiritual journey, not just your immediate needs.
What will you change? When it comes to seizing moments, what would you let go of?
You know, one of the things in this story that I believe is a common thing that each and every one of us has gone through. Maybe you're going through it right now. I know I've gone through my fair share. It's shame.
It's shame.
Maybe shame in your family. Maybe it's a shame in your cultures, in you as a person.
The thing about shame is hurt, brokenness, not feeling loved. You're not good enough. You shouldn't say this. You shouldn't be who you're called to be.
You know what shame is? It's a disconnection from Christ. That's what it is. Bartimaeus, no doubt. He would have been hammered with shame every single day.
What I love about Barrameus is his authentic realness, way of seeing Jesus.
Not a just give me the healing and I'll be on my way.
Give me something more that I don't see now, but I'll see later.
The crowd silencing him, judging him. The way he looks, the way he speaks. Can't speak English properly, that's all good. Can't spell words, that's all good. If you're just like me.
Your grandma needs a lot of work.
But we are all called for the same thing, church. Regardless of where you're from, whether you've been a Christian right now or you've been in this church for 20 something years, you are all called for something special, a unique position. To live out a life that's bold. To seize every single moment that comes by, to seize something greater that you haven't seen before. Church, Are you believing in that?
I see that in every single one of you.
The weight of shame will keep you and if you let, will have you.
2 Corinthians 4, verses 8 to 10. I believe this really just sums up.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are never destroyed through suffering. Our bodies continue to share the death of Jesus, so the life of Jesus may also be in our bodies.
You are not crushed. You are not driven to despair. You will never be abandoned. We are never destroyed in our lives. Church, in your life and every single person here, you have a calling in your life to be an example to the community, to be the light for the community, to be an example, to be someone that knows who Jesus is.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. That's who you are. You know the Father whether you have sight or not. And there is something greater for each and every one of us. For Connect Church, we're not putting on these events just because we have free time.
We put on these events and all these things because we want to see lives change. I will cook. I'll cook another 20 kilos of chicken if I have to. Come on, Church. Amen.
Give him praise. We'll do a lot more for community if we have to, because there is a greater purpose.
If I can get everyone to stand up, ask the team to do this song.
And before we finish up, why don't you just have a moment to yourself?
I see that hand there. Brother, what is it? What is it that you want to let go today? What is it that you want to leave at the Father's feet?
I encourage you in whatever it is and whatever is stopping you. Leave it at the altar, leave it at the Lord's feet and say, here I am, Lord. I too know you, Son of David. I too will seize a moment that comes my way. I too have something greater to look forward to.
I want us to sing this and really declare it. Church, before we finish up. Believe in it for yourself.
Holy, holy are you Lord, O God Almighty Sing it out, Church. Worthy is lamb wor you are holy Holy are you Lord God Almighty for you are holy Holy are you a God Almighty is a man we sing it out, Church. Why don't we lift up our hands, cry out to the Father, Son of David, you are holy.
Holy are you the God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb for you are holy.
Holy are you Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb for you are holy.
Holy are you Lord God Almighty. Worthy isn't him. Worthy is him. Amen.
Father, in this place I ask that you would continue to have your way. That every single day you are passing through, you are coming by your presence is movie. That you would continue to give us courage to step out of bold faith. To take risks. That we would have moments.
Moments to sit in your presence. So we get to know you. So we know you more. So we too call you son of David.
I pray for moments, many moments, many moments that you. That you give us, Lord. Many moments of opportunities that you give us. To give you glory and to see lives change. I pray that you continue to give us that courage you step into.
To seize it, to own it, Father. To give you glory.
And Father, I pray for every single person here. Every single person here. There is a. There is something in fire in this place, Lord. In your people, Father.
I pray, Lord God, that you would have your way. That you would fill their hearts of boldness to seize moments of courage, Lord God, that they will hold strong to your name. That they will live a life fired up for you, Heavenly Father. That you will continue to bring them closer to you in moments of need. Father.
And in this place. Father. I thank you, Lord. Amen. Amen.
I hope and pray we've got some time.
Leave the lights down. We've got some time. The team are going to continue playing. If you want prayer in this very moment, you come forward right now. If you want to leave stuff.
If you want to leave stuff for this feet that also you come now. You come forward. You come forward for prayer.
There you go. S. There you go.
Are holy.
Holy are you Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb for you are holy. Holy, Holy are you a God Almighty? Oh worthy is the lamb. Oh, worthy is the lamb.
Oh, worthy is the lamb. Oh worthy is the lamb for you are holy.
Holy are you the God Almighty? Who worthy is a lamb? Who worthy is a lamb who worthy is a lamb who worthy Worthy is a lamb who worthy is a lamb who worthy is the lamb for you are holy yes, you are holy Are you the God Almighty? Who are the Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb for you are holy.
Holy are you Lord God Almighty. Worthy isn't there Am day And night, night and day. L day and night, night. And David. And David sense to rise day and night, night and day.
That intense to rise day and night, night and day. Come on, let's let our praises arise in this place. Oh, day and night, night and day. That instance arise Day and night, night and day. Let incense arise day and night, night and day.
Let incense arise day and night, night and day. You were worthy of it all.
You are worthy of it all.
Far from you I won't be. And through you I won't sing. You deserve the glory. Come on, let's lift our voice one more time in this place and sing. You were worthy, you were worthy of it all.
Yes you are Lord, you are worthy of all.
So worthy. For from you are all things and to you are all things you deserve the glory.
For from you you are all things. And to our all things you deserve the glory.
For from you are all things and through our faith you deserve the glory. Jes why don't we give the Lord a hand, huh? Why don't we give the Lord a hand? Amen.
And if you're here for the first time and you would like a bible and you're first time Christian, there's a get connected desk out there of new Christians come in the team. We'll look after you, we'll support you. Grab your details, grab a Bible, grab a welcome back. Other than that church, thank you so much. Love you.
We'll see you next week.