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Healing the Blind Beggar

10/28/2024

Text: Mark 10:46-52
Sermon:

Last week we talked about how Jesus viewed greatness by our humbleness and servitude. We talked about how Jesus demonstrated this exact attribute. This week we are going to read and discuss an example of Jesus demonstrating these views. We are also going to talk about the actions and the faith of the blind man that reached out to Jesus.
Now, we must remember that beggars were a common sight in most towns because most occupations of the day required physical labor, anyone with a crippling disease or disability was at a severe disadvantage economically. Unfortunately. I believe this truth is still evident today. Even though we have programs and resources to help those with disabilities live lives of purpose and fulfillment, it is still a challenge that we face.
According to an article by CDC, it states, “People with disabilities are far less likely to be employed. In 2017, 35.5% of people with disabilities, ages 18 to 64 years, were employed, while 76.5% of people without disabilities were employed, about double that of people with disabilities.”
The CDC also states, “People with disabilities are more likely to have income of less than $15,000 compared to people without disabilities (22.3% compared to 7.3%).”
They also state, “Adults aged 18 years and older with disabilities are less likely to have completed high school compared to their peers without disabilities (22.3% compared to 10.1%).”
If this is true now, I can only imagine how it was in ancient Rome. Even though God’s law commanded care for such people (Leviticus 25:35-38) they were often ignored. Blindness was considered a curse from God for sin (John 9:2) but Jesus refuted this idea when he reached out to heal this blind man. Jesus showed compassion to this man and showed him that he was valuable to Jesus.
Jesus did not see this man as a nuisance, he saw him as a valued member of the community, and he treated him as such. Jesus showed love to the man, and he healed him. While we may not be able to heal a person with disabilities on the spot, we can treat those with disabilities as valued members of the community, and we can build programs that assist them and help them live lives of purpose and fulfillment.
Now as we look at the actions of Bartimaeus, the blind man, we see that he boldly spoke out on his need for assistance. In coming to Jesus, we need Bartimaeus’ boldness. We must overcome our doubts and take steps to Jesus. Bartimaeus had not seen Jesus’ miracles, but he responded in faith to what he has heard. This is a prime example of faith.
“Faith” is “synonymous with trust or belief and is the conviction of the truth of anything, but in Scripture usually speaks of belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it.”
We need to continue to create a community that supports are disabled neighbors and reminds them that they are loved and valuable members of our community.
We need to create and sustain programs that provides for our disabled neighbors in ways that they struggle to provide themselves because we all deserve to be able to live lives of purpose and fulfillment.

Conclusion: Let us be people who value our disabled neighbors and who build a community that supports them and provides for them when they can’t.

Resources:
https://tinyurl.com/4r262d6w

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“Come not to be served but to serve”

10/21/2024

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Text: Mark 10:35-45
Sermon:

What makes a person great in our society? In Businesses, organizations, and institutions, a person’s ability for greatness is measured by personal achievement. The more money you earn, the more valuable you are. The more you earn the company, the more the company values you as an individual. In Christ’s Kingdom service is the only way to get ahead. The desire to get on top will hinder, not help.
Since Jesus calls us to serve others, we need to need to determine what it means to serve. The word “to serve” or “served” means “to minister by way of rendering service in any form or to take care of by rendering humble service.” In its earliest uses diakoneō “to serve” probably did not have any religious connotations and simply meant “to render a service” of any kind.
Diakoneo “to serve” conveys the basic idea of personal service, and depending on the context can mean specifically to serve, to wait on, to see after or to care for someone's needs by performing a service.
So, how do we serve the people in our lives and in our community? Do we serve them food when they are hungry? Do we grab a blanket when it is cold? Do we keep an eye out for people in their community who need help and who need support?
When we see these needs how do we serve the person in need? Are we willing to humble ourselves for the service of others?
The disciples, like most Jews of the day, had the wrong idea of the messiah’s kingdom as predicted by the OT prophets. Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world; it is centered not in palaces and thrones but in the hearts and lives of his followers.

Conclusion: Let us be people who serve others humbly.

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“Jesus the Great High Priest”

10/21/2024

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Text: Hebrew 4:12-16
Sermon:

So, last week, we talked about the writing of the book of Hebrews. The book was written to remind those who are new to the faith of the divinity of Jesus. This is in times of what seemed to be high persecution and people leaving the faith of Christianity to return to their Jewish tradition.
It seems that the writer of Hebrews is still making their point on the divinity of Jesus. We can see this in verse 13, where the author states that there is nothing in creation that is hidden from God’s eyes. Since the Author is making the point that Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus also has the bird’s eye view of all creation. The author further makes this point by stating that Jesus’ divinity and his insight into all creation makes him the great high priest.
In the Old Testament, the high priest was a mediator between God and the people. On Yom Kippur, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to burn incense, offer prayers, and sprinkle the blood of sacrificed animals.
In the same that the High Prist would be the mediator between God and mankind and burn the offerings; Jesus is the same mediator between God and mankind. It is through the understanding that Jesus is the Great High Priest that we can hold firm to our faith and confidently approach God’s thorn of Grace.
That raises a question that we are going to focus on today: Why does God have a Throne of grace? What is the purpose of this Throne of Grace?
This is detailed throughout our scripture for today. Since God can see all creation and nothing is hidden from God, then God knows the state of the world and the difference levels of brokenness and abuse that is tearing apart the world that we live in. God can see the corruption from the highest levels to the lowest levels and God is concerned with all of it.
In verse 15, the author gives us another critical detail of Jesus, which in turn is a critical detail about God. The author states, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,” This is a showcase of the humility of Jesus. Jesus was not a tyrant that worked to overthrow the government that he is living in; instead, Jesus showed empathy to hurting and marginalized. Jesus did not use his authority to continue to oppress, but instead Jesus used his insight into all creation to connect with pain and the weakness of the people. Jesus lifts the people up to healing and accepting their position in confidence.
We can connect with Jesus through his empathy towards us and we can learn from his teachings to be empathetic towards those that need help. We should not use any authority that we have to oppress others. We should use our empathy to create a world that bridges gape and brings healing for the betterment of all.

Conclusion: Let us be people who use our empathy to create a world that bridges gape and brings healing.

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“Christ, True Representation of God”

10/21/2024

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Text: Hebrew 1:1-4
Sermon:

Now, before we go over the scripture, let’s investigate the context of the book of Hebrews. At the time this book was written, the Jews followed the teaching of the OT, but most of them rejected Jesus as the long-waited messiah. The original audience Hebrews Christians (perhaps second-generation Christians). This letter is probably written before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. Since the Jewish Christians were facing harsh persecution, many of them were considering a return to Judaism.
The recipient of this letter seems to have been Jewish Christians. They were well-versed in scripture, and they had professed faith in Christ. Whether through doubt, persecution, or false teaching, they may have been in danger of leaving the Christian faith. These Jewish Christians were probably undergoing fierce persecution, socially and physically, both from Jews and Romans. Christ had not yet returned. The listeners needed to be reassured that the Gospel was true.
The purpose of this letter is to present the sufficient and superiority of Christ. The author is not specifically named; it could be Paul, Luke, Barnabas, Apollos, Silas, Philip or Priscilla.
Now, let’s investigate the scripture itself: the scripture states that Jesus was the exact representation of God. Jesus is the exact representation of God because he is God himself. He is the full of revelation of God. We have no clearer view of God than by looking at Jesus. He is the complete expression of God in a human body.
Since Jesus is the exact reflection of God, we only need to look at the life of Jesus to see how we should treat our neighbors and our friends. The Gospels show that Jesus was an all-inclusive, all-loving who allowed people to heal and find hope in his words.
Jesus shows the importance of loving those that are different than he is. Jesus never saw anyone as his enemy, even the Roman army that arrested him and forced him into his trial, where he was crucified. In fact, Jesus showed compassion for them and even prayed for them to be forgiven while he hung from the cross.
Since Jesus is the exact reflection of God, Jesus’ love is God’s love. Jesus’ compassion is God’s compassion. Jesus’ inclusion of all people is God’s inclusion of all people.

Conclusion: Let us be people who properly represent Jesus with our actions; through love.

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“Many Members, One Body, One Mission”

10/21/2024

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Text: Mark 9:38-41
Sermon:

This is such an important message for the Christian community. It seems that I can’t open any social media app without seeing various videos and posts on the expectations of Christian men and Christian women. There are a variety of groups and celebrity pastors that tries to enforce a framework of Christianity. It seems that many of these groups and pastors want monolith of Christianity, and if you do not fit in that monolith, you are not allowed in the Christian community.
I experienced this firsthand when I first started going to church. I found that I did not fit the framework of Christianity; I did not dress like most Christian leaders, I didn’t engage in the same entertainment, and I didn’t understand that culture that I was stepping into.
While everything that I experienced was superficial, I realize that many people are stripped of their identity and the culture that they were raised to fit into the Christian culture.
I believe this is the underline message of today’s passage. In the scripture for today, we see Jesus’ disciples becoming jealous and uncomfortable because they saw other people helping people in need; in this case, they were freeing people from demons.
In our society culture, we are not making people jealous by helping people fight demons, but we are separating for helping people fight their own demons through mental health practices and correct medication.
Jesus understands that his followers will not all resemble each other or belong to the same groups. People who are not Jesus’ side have the same goal of building up the kingdom of God, and they should not let their differences interfere with this goal.
Jesus understands the cultures that we grow up in and I believe that the traditions that we choose to hang on to, Jesus is still honored. Christian communities do not need to strip away religious practices and traditions to be Christians. We need to honor God with our actions and our faith.
At times, church members are more concerned about their own position than helping people. At times, we do not participate in worthy causes because 1.) they are not affiliated with our denomination. 2.) they do not involve the kind of people with whom we feel most comfortable. 3.) they don’t do things the way they are used to. 4.) our efforts won’t receive enough recognition.
The church is meant to be a representation of real life. We have differences and we should celebrate our differences and learn from them instead of trying to clone those who hold the authority.
Correct Theology is important, but it should not be an excuse to avoid helping those in need.
Those who share a common faith in Christ should cooperate. People don’t have to be just like us to be following Jesus with us.
The purpose of ministry to improve the lives of those that we are helping; not to making our church look good or stoke the ego of church members and leaders. If other people or corporations are also helping heal people or feed them; then the mission remains the same. In those acts, God is still honored.

Conclusion: Let us be people who celebrate diversity and help the community around us.

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Healing the Blind Beggar

“Come not to be served but to serve”

“Jesus the Great High Priest”

“Christ, True Representation of God”

“Many Members, One Body, One Mission”

Anthony K. Giesick

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