Timestamp

• 00:00 - Livestream starts & Introduction

• 08:16 - Message: Negative people and a blind man’s unique way of dealing with them

• 40:30 - Jack's Story - dealing with an Online Porn Addiction

• 47:12 - Worship: When I survey

• 55:55- What were your takeaways? Who could you serve this week?

• 01:01:36 - Catch Up

• 01:04:18 - Final Thoughts and Close

Where we are up to

Have you ever found yourself in a tricky place? Life has its battles so what you want are people around you that encourage you, that understand what you are going through and can help you, right? But instead, you get the energy vampires. You get negative people around you that think they are helping you but they really aren’t. You feel like they are holding you back. Surely they should understand what you are going through - you don’t understand why they are being so difficult?

Ever been in that situation?

I know I have! And I really didn’t enjoy it. It’s not great - because when no one is on your side you feel like the whole world is against you and it’s a horrible place to be, right?

Well, in today’s Livestream, we are going to look at what happened to a blind man that had that same thing happen to him. Life for him was a struggle and when he tried to do something about it - the folks around him tried to talk him out of it when they should have been helping him. It was a tricky situation, so I am keen to learn how he approached it and understand what he did.

If this is your first time to our Livestream, then firstly - welcome! And secondly, let me give you some context.

We are working our way through the Gospel of Mark - it chronicles the life of Jesus and we’ve come to a part of the story where Jesus and his disciples are going to meet our blind man.

So let’s just picture what is going on here. Our blind man is called Bartimaeus, he was a poor member of society, and worthless. People didn’t like him. They didn’t like the fact that he was there.

Imagine, your whole life had been reduced to sitting by a road, begging all day. We see that today don’t we? We see people say on the edge of crowds, begging for a handout. They are easy to miss, easy to ignore but also easy to feel for.

And that’s Bartimaeus. His life was a lot worse than may of ours that’s for sure.

When I first read this, I have to say, I was intrigued by it. Because when I picture this in my mind, I picture Batimaeus sat there, and Jesus kind of ignores him. It almost feels like Jesus is walking past him. I certainly don’t get the idea that Jesus is walking to him.

Jesus is busy doing whatever He is doing with the crowd. And that fascinates me.

Two things to remember

Bartimaeus has to wrestle with this. And I admire the guy because he didn’t go into playing the victim here. Maybe he didn’t understand why he had some much suffering, but - and this is a really important point - Bartimaeus knew two things:

1. That Jesus could help him. We don’t know how Bartimaeus knew this - my guess is that he had heard a lot of stories about Jesus. He was doing some insane stuff and maybe when Bartimaeus heard about the miracles that Jesus was doing - hope started to rise in him. He knew Jesus could help. But He didn’t seem to be helping just yet.

2. Even though he was blind, Bartimaeus knew that Jesus was close to him. Certainly close enough to hear him - so he began to cry out.

Let me stop right here, and deal with this - because it is important. If you are a Christian and you feel like God is ignoring you, walking past you and not helping you, if you feel like you many thousands of prayers have done nothing but floated away on the wind, take courage from this story. What has happened in the past, is no indication of what will happen today. For Bartimaeus, today would be different. Very different. And it can be for you too. As hard as it is, make it your aim not to be the victim - we want to live our best life.

If you are not a Christian, and one of the questions that you have wrestled with is this very idea that God seems indifferent to the suffering in the world, that He seems to be walking past many folks like Bartimaeus, then again - please be encouraged by this story and what happens. The truth is very much that God is very involved in our suffering.

Jesus is not Thanos

We don’t always see that and we don’t always understand it because we feel like God should be like Thanos, click his fingers and make it all go away. Surely He should do that?

But what does seem to happen seems illogical. God doesn’t click His fingers. On the contrary, we see God takes on the form of man and gets personally and heavily involved in our suffering. The Bible that He takes that upon Himself, He carries it on the cross so that we could all have peace. That’s the truth about God. He is very aware and very involved. And He has done something about it through the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. It’s an amazing rescue story.

And the thing that I love about this story, is that not only did Bartimaeus get to a place where He was convinced Jesus could help him, but he also recognised Jesus was close enough to ask him.

There comes a point in all our lives when we realise these two things for ourselves. God really is interested in us, He really does love us and wants to be part of our lives, and two, that He is close enough for us to ask Him. He is right there, with us.

So Bartimaeus does what he has always done. He begs. Only this time - he cranks up the volume. He turns it right up.

He realises the truth of the idiom - if you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always got. I regularly need to re-learn this lesson!

This I find interesting. The crowds that weren't paying any attention to him before, and now telling him what to do. How many of you have been there? If you are not making any noise, people ignore you - as soon as you make a bit of noise people tell you to shut up.

The crowd has now become a bunch of negative people, a bunch of energy vampires sucking what remaining life Bartimaeus has out of him. It’s incredible really how selfish this crowd has shown themselves to be.

So how did he deal with them? You can already guess what is going to happen in the story, so what does he do to get there? What was this blind man’s unique approach to dealing with negative people?

Before we get into that though, let me ask...

How do you deal with negative people?

The common advice seems to be just to get rid of them. Don’t be around them. Confront them. But the trouble with this advice is that it isn’t real life. These people are around you - possibly close to you, a friend maybe? A partner or spouse? These are people that you cannot easily get rid of.

It just seems to me that this advice is a bit weak-willed. A bit cliche. And very unhelpful. I don’t think this is always a helpful strategy. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are occasions where this is absolutely the right strategy - but not always. And not on this occasion.

Cutting off people is extremely disempowering - because you are saying that they have more control over you than you do. What they are doing or saying is too much for you and as a result, you cannot manage your own emotions and thoughts.

Maybe we should get better at managing our own thoughts and emotions.

Bartimaeus didn’t cut anyone off. He didn’t get rid of people. He couldn't. But neither did he do what they said. He didn’t try once, get told off, give up and sit down. He didn't complain. If it is something that you just complain about, you let them win.

On the contrary - he gets louder. I see him use their negativity in a positive way. It was a challenge for his own character to develop, to be in command of his own emotions and thoughts.

Don't be surprised by negative people

And this is important because you will always have negative people around you.

It kinda seems that Bartimaeus wasn’t surprised by the crowd's reaction. He wasn't surprised that people were being negative. If you’re like me, I am always surprised by how negative people can actually be, including myself! But maybe, just maybe, all of those hard days and weeks by the road, begging, maybe all the slurs, the insults and rejections that he had face maybe in those moments, Bartimaeus had developed the ability to push past what they wanted of him, and focused on what was right to do.

Stand your ground

Stand your ground. This is the hardest place to be in as you are not used to enforcing your boundary and standing up for yourself. This doesn't make you a bad person. You don’t always have to explain yourself. This can be where the manipulation starts with guilt.

But Bartimaeus pushed through it. It was something that he had done every day for years sat by that roadside. This was his moment.

Seize the Moment

And I have to respect that. He seized his opportunity. He took his moment. And he stood his ground, used their negativity in a positive way and shouted louder because maybe, just maybe if the crowd heard him, Jesus would hear him. And that was a risk he was willing to take.

And as important as it is to see what Bartimaeus did do - we can also look at what he didn’t do and learn from that too:

• He didn't try and fix them.

• He didn't try and get them to change.

• He didn’t even tell them they were wrong.

• He didn’t put them down.

• He didn’t belittle them.

• He didn’t minimise them.

• No! He levelled up. This is what changes the world.

I think negative people become energy vampires when we try and fix them when we try and correct them. This is an almost impossible fight And it becomes exhausting! You will know what I mean if you have been around negative people for any length of time.

And here's my final point about negative people: we’ve all been one. We’ve all been that jerk in the crowd that became all about how bad it is, and why you shouldn’t do it and why you should keep quiet.

In a lot of ways, I find it easier to identify with the crowd - to go along with the consensus of how bad it all is - than I do Bartimaeus. And we should remember this when faced with a crowd of negative people. Empathise. What’s the story? What is going on? What battles are they facing? What challenges have they had to face? Compassion can work when you dig into their story. Just don't own their negativity. But try and understand.

When I have been in the negative crowd - usually I think I am being helpful and insightful. For many people, It’s a habit - probably how they were raised or because they have been through something really painful. Accept where they are at. Just don’t own it - it is not your responsibility.

Be like Bartimaeus. Step up your game. Level up.

Well, if there is a verse in the Bible that should absolutely be memorised, it is this one!

When you think about what is happening here, it is really quite shocking. Here is Jesus, Emmanuel - God with us, heading a certain direction. He seemingly is unaware of the suffering around him. But somehow, in the midst of all the noise, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of the crowd, Jesus hears Bartimaeus.

I don’t know if Jesus heard Bartimaeus before the crowd warned him to be quiet. It seems that when everything was telling Bartimaeus to shut up and give up, he pressed in. He levelled up. And Jesus hears him. And Jesus stops.

Jesus stops. He stops what He is doing.

For years, Bartimaeus had been wondering where God was, whether or not he heard his prayers, did God even care? But now, in an instant - Jesus stops and knows everything that is happening.

Dawn always follows a dark night, and how many times have we missed out on things that God had for us because we didn’t level up when our opportunity was there? How many well-meaning friends, and work colleagues have talked us out of the very thing that God has for us?

Jesus would have kept walking, I am sure of it, had Bartimaeus not cried out all the more. God wanted to be involved here. It wasn’t an accident that Jesus was there the same time Bartimaeus was begging by the road. But Bartimaeus had a part to play.

I read this and think God forgive me for all the times I have let you walk past, all those times you engineered something to happen, something great, I didn’t see it and I didn’t say anything.

Jesus stops and calls him

This is a wonderful analogy for life, a picture of what happens when, for whatever reason, someone cries out to God - have mercy on me. This is what happened to me when I was 18. I thought I was in a good place in life. I was travelling. I had a place at uni all secured. I was doing stuff I only dreamed of - but in the midst of it, I realised that Jesus was actually near me and I needed to ask him for mercy, to forgive me, heal me and help me live my best life.

And when I did - He stopped. And He called me.

It's one of the most remarkable verses in the Bible...I really would love to spend more time on this...but we’ve got the rest of the story to read yet!

Do you read that like I do, and think oh my goodness! How fickle is that crowd?! The very people that warned him to be quiet are now saying - be of good cheer. The people that were against him are now for him because he levelled up and is moving forward.

Sometimes, some of your biggest critics become your biggest fans when they see all of the good things that God is doing in your life. We don’t need to fix negative people. We don’t need to correct them. We just need our actions to speak for us.

Of course, He did! He was now excited. Life seems to be turning. He is still blind. He is still a beggar. He still has all of his problems. Nothing has changed except that Jesus has called him.

And Bartimaeus had to accept that call. He had to get up. Jesus didn’t come to him. He was going to Jesus. Which again, you could view as harsh. This guy was blind. How did he know where to go? It wouldn't have been easy or straight forward. Maybe the people that were previously trying to hold him down are the very people that are guiding him now. I don’t know.

But just because you hear the call of God, and you accept doesn’t instantly make life all plain sailing. There are still problems to overcome. If you are addicted to porn, and you come to Christ - you still have to deal with that addiction. If you are blind - you are still blind.

Step outside of the comfort zone

And things may seem a little more complicated too. Sitting by the road for Bartimaeus was what he was used to. It wasn’t a great life - but he was used to it. Now Jesus has called him to step up and to step out of that comfort zone.

And Bartimaeus does. He does without hesitation. I love this guy! He is fast making the list of my heroes of faith. He throws aside his garment, he rises, and he gets to Jesus.

Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness?! I mean, what a question! What a question. Surely, Jesus knows the answer to this? Surely, if Jesus is God, He would have heard the thousands and thousands of prayers that Bartimaeus and even his family would have prayed over the years.

Surely God knows what we need?!

Of course, He does. The Bible tells us that He does. Jesus, in fact, tells us this very truth:

Matthew 6:8
...your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

So why did Jesus ask Bartimaeus this question, especially if he already knew?

For me, the answer is pretty clear - Jesus wasn’t asking for his own sake, He was asking for Bartimaeus’ sake. He wanted Bartimaeus to be clear.

Clarity in prayer is key

How many times have you prayed for God to help you, to do something, but when you sit and think about it - it was the vaguest prayer you’ve ever prayed. I don’t think this phases God at all. But more often than not, for me, the prayers that seem to be answered the quickest are the prayers that are the most specific.

That’s not because God needs the clarity - its because I need it.

The lesson here - be really really clear what you are asking from God. Be clear what you want God to do. Spend the time to gain the clarity that you need. And this is true not just in prayer, but in work, in life, in everything. Unmet expectations are a big problem in our society - and they come about because we have not been clear with people. It’s one of the most powerful truths for our relationships - be really really clear.

Of course, it is! He wants to see. He has that clarity.

Think about what got Bartimaeus to this point:

1. The years of endured hardship and unfairness.

2. The hearing of Jesus

3. Jesus being near him

4. Asking for help

5. Dealt with the negative, energy sucking vampires that wanted to keep him down.

6. He levelled up and pressed in.

7. He caused Jesus to stop and call him.

8. He rose up and went to Jesus even though he was still blind

9. We was clear with himself and with Jesus on what He wanted.

10. THEN...

THEN...Then Jesus said to him...

For Bartimaeus, as with all of us, there is a journey that we take. There are trials and tests. There are sufferings. There are opportunities in front of us. There are battles. There are people that help us and people that try and keep us down.

You can see why this blind man is a hero of mine.

He did all of that - and he got the miracle that He needed. The miracle that only God could bring. We all need those. There are things that society has, that life has. They are relationships. They are values and principles. There are doctors and schools and opportunities. There are struggles and hardships. But despite all of that - there are only things that God can supply. He is the only one who can open our eyes, He is the only one who can open our hearts to the truth that He is indeed near, that He is indeed calling us and that He does, indeed love us and care for us, and have a plan for us.

You may come to Christ with a porn addiction but He can absolutely revolutionise your heart and bring a cleanness to you that you have never known.

And after we experience that after we have an encounter the risen Jesus, we too will be changed, we too will start to follow him on the road - because we can. Those things that held us back no longer do.

Hey, listen, I would absolutely love to know what your biggest takeaway from this story is.

God bless you, I pray for you that God would impact you and your life in unmistakable ways. I pray that we know his calling and that we have the courage to respond to it!