SermonStudio

In this passage we come to the book's conclusion. Now Job
gives his final response to God. Job does not get his questions
answered. Why does a righteous person suffer? He does not receive
vindication or justification. But Job does get a fresh, first-
hand experience with God which is far better than an answer or
vindication. In the presence of God, Job confesses his faith in
God and his unworthiness before God. He turns to God and has no
further questions or doubts.

Lesson 2: Hebrews 7:23-28 (C)
It is not a comparison but a contrast between Christ the high
priest and other high priests. Ordinary priests are temporary
because they die, but Christ is permanent because he is immortal.
Consequently, he is always able to make intercession for those
who pray to him. Other priests make daily sacrifices but Christ
made one, final sacrifice of himself. Other priests are subject
to weaknesses, but Christ is perfect forever.

Gospel: Mark 10:46-52 (C, E, L, RC)
The account of the Bartimaeus healing is a transition from
Jesus' general ministry to his ministry in Jerusalem. The blind
man persistently cried out for the "Son of David" to have mercy
on him. He raised such a fuss that Jesus' attention was called to
him. Jesus asked Bartimaeus what he wanted and the answer was
"sight." Jesus attributed the healing to the beggar's faith
evidenced in his persistent cries for help and in his faith in
Jesus to help him. Though Jesus told him to go his way, he
followed Jesus as he went toward Jerusalem.

Psalm Of The Day
Psalm 34:1-8 (19-22) (C) -- "I sought the Lord, and he
answered me." (v. 4)
Psalm 13 (E); Psalm 126 (L)

Prayer Of The Day
"Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of
faith, hope and charity; and, that we may obtain what you
promise, make us love what you command."

Hymn Of The Day
"Oh, Praise The Lord, My Soul"

THEOLOGICAL REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52 (C, E, L, RC)
1. Blind (v. 46). Bartimaeus was blind and therefore was
forced to beg. We do not know whether he was born blind or
whether he was blinded by an accident or a disease. He was the
kind of a blind man who had spiritual sight. He could see what
few others saw, that

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Jesus was the Messiah who could heal him even if it required a
miracle. Many of us have good physical vision but we are
spiritually blind just as the scribes and Pharisees were blind.
If one has to be blind, physical blindness is to be preferred.
2. Son (vv. 46-48). Here we have two sons: the son of Timaeus
and the son of David. The one is plainly human -- helpless and
handicapped. The other is the Messiah, son of David, who is human
but also divine. One son cries to another Son. Through the divine
Son, both can be sons of the Father.
3. Call (v. 49). The cries of Bartimaeus touched the caring
heart of Jesus. He stopped and asked for Bartimaeus to come to
him. Why did Jesus not go to him since he was blind? Was it a
test of Bartimaeus' faith? A person needs to make a response; he
needs to express his faith. Note that the call did not come
directly from Jesus but came through others. Though it came
secondhand, the call was still valid. In our day, this is
probably the only way we can receive Christ's call -- usually
through the church. "He who hears you hears me."
4. Mantle (v. 50). When Bartimaeus was told to come to Jesus,
he responded immediately and with vigor. He jumped up and threw
off his coat (mantle). It was a leap of faith and divesting
himself of what might have retarded his coming. The mantle was a
symbol of his old life -- blindness, poverty and misery. He was
going to put on a new garment of Christ. He would now be a seeing
person, free to get a job, able to live a normal life, but, above
all, to follow Jesus to Jerusalem. With new eyes, maybe
Bartimaeus saw Jesus on the cross.

Lesson 1: Job 42:1-6 (10-17) (C)
1. I (v. 2). In the six verses of this lection, "I," "me," or
"mine" occur 12 times. Does this imply ego-centeredness on Job's
part? No, Job is responding to Yahweh's speech to him personally.
It is not a case of pride or arrogance, for Job said, "I despise
myself." The repetition of "I" indicates that this is a very
personal experience in which Job is personally related to and in
dialogue with the Almighty. After all, religion is a person-to-
person relationship. That was Job's problem in the past; it was a
formal, secondary, hear-say relationship with God.
2. Know (vv. 2, 3). What Job knows or does not know depends
upon before and after his experience with God. Since he listened
to God, he knows that God is all powerful, the Creator of the
universe. Moreover, he knows that God's will cannot be frustrated
or made void. On the other hand, before this encounter with God,
Job did not know God face to face, did not know the nature or
will of God, and did not really know what he said to God in his
protest against suffering innocently. To know and understand the
meaning of life, we need first to know God who gives us
understanding.
3. Sees (v. 5). Up to this time Job knew God by ear but not by
eye! He had a partial knowledge of God from hearsay. He heard
about God from the rabbis, prophets, sages and fathers of the
faith. It was a traditional and formal faith and knowledge. But
now he does not hear about God, but hears God and sees him. We
come to the end of the book of Job and we find that Job does not
get an answer to the question which was discussed throughout the
book on why a righteous person suffers adversity. Job does not
get an answer and innocent suffering is still a mystery, but Job
did get God!

Lesson 2: Hebrews 7:23-28 (C)
1. Able (v. 25). "Christ as high priest is able for all time
to save." He is able because, as God's Son, he has access to the
Father. Other high priests die, but Christ is forever. His death
is efficacious for all time for all humankind.
2. Unlike (v. 27). Our high priest, Christ, is "unlike" all
other priests. He is permanent. He lives forever. Other priests
offer animals as sacrifices, but Christ offered himself for the
sins of the world. That means that only he can remove sin and
make us right with God. Because of this, the Christian religion
is the one, only true religion that has Christ to put us right
with God.

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3. Made (v. 28). Did we not think that Jesus was perfect from
his birth? Why then does the author of Hebrews say he was "made"
perfect? "Perfect" means whole or complete. He and his atoning
work was brought to perfection on the cross. Thus, Jesus could
say on the cross, "It is finished."

PREACHING POSSIBILITIES
Gospel: Mark 10:46-52 (C, E, L, RC)
1. A rich beggar. 10:46-52
Need: Because of their handicap, beggars are poor. If they
were not, why would they beg? Blind persons cannot work and
cannot be independent economically. They are dependent upon
others to lead them around, to read to them and to provide for
them. However, Bartimaeus was a rich beggar because he had
spiritual riches that many people with sight do not have.
Outline: Bartimaeus, the beggar, was --
a. A poor beggar -- v. 46. No sight, no job, little food,
tattered clothing.
b. A rich baggar --
1. Possessed knowledge; from whom and what to beg -- vv.
47, 51.
2. Had faith: persistence, insight, obedience -- vv. 47,
48, 52.
2. The compassionate Christ. 10:46-52
Need: Here is an opportunity to stress the mercy and concern
of Jesus for the afflicted and needy of the world. Almost every
person in the pews has a concern, a problem and is fighting a
personal battle. The average person asks, "Who cares about me and
my need?" Realizing that many are in this condition and wanting
understanding, businesses frequently advertise that they are
people who care about you. In this case, we see Christ as one who
cares.
Outline: Come to a compassionate Christ.
a. He is not too busy -- he was on his way to Jerusalem -- v.
46.
b. He is concerned about the least -- Bartimaeus was a begger
-- v. 46.
c. He Can handle the most difficult problem -- blindness --
vv. 51-52.
3. A Blind man who could see. 10:46-52
Need: Physical blindness is a terrible thing, but spiritual
blindness is even worse. We do not doubt that God has the power
to make the blind to see, but we cannot expect God today to give
sight to the blind by reason of their faith. It can be asked,
"Why doesn't God heal the blind seminary student so that he could
be a more effective pastor?" Why he does not restore sight to a
believer no one can say, but we do know that God does heal a
worse blindness -- spiritual. Bartimaeus in his blindness had
wonderful spiritual sight.
Outline: What the blind man could see --
a. That Jesus could and would help -- vv. 47-48.
b. That Jesus would receive him -- the leap of faith -- v.
50.
c. That Jesus was the one to follow for life -- v. 52.

Lesson 1: Job 42:1-6, 10-17 (C)
1. Receiving something better than you asked. 42:1-6
Need: We ask God for something and he gives us not what we
asked for but something better. Job asked to know the reason for
an innocent person's adversity as he experienced it. He was a
just and godly man but all kinds of tragedy happened to him and
his family. At the end of the argument with friends and God, Job
does not get an answer; he gets something better: God.
Outline: The best God can give --
a. An understanding of God -- vv. 2-5.
1. All-powerful -- v. 2.
2. Unchangeable purpose -- v. 2.
3. First-hand vision of God -- v. 5.

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b. An understanding of self -- vv. 5-6.
1. Lack of understanding God -- v. 3.
2. Unworthiness before God -- v. 6.
2. What happens when you experience God. 42:5-6
Need: What happens to you if and when you meet up with God?
What are your feelings? Scared? Speechless? Overcome with joy?
When Jacob had an experience with God, he was transformed into a
new person. Moses took off his sandals. Isaiah cried, "Woe is
me." Job had an experience with God. What happened to him may
also happen to you.
Outline: When you confront God --
a. You see God for yourself -- v. 5.
b. You feel your unworthiness -- v. 6 -- "I despise myself"
("I melt into nothingness").
c. You repent -- v. 6 (Being a godly man, Job did not repent
of immorality but of his questioning and doubting God's goodness
and will).

Lesson 2: Hebrews 7:23-28 (C)
1. The priest above all others. 7:23-28
Need: Priests come and go, but Christ our High Priest remains
forever. In our churches, priests or pastors come and go but the
people and the work of the church remain. They remain because the
church has in Jesus a high priest who is eternal. In a fast-
changing world, we need stability and permanence.
Outline: A High Priest higher than all others --
a. Our high priest is permanent -- v. 24.
b. Our high priest is perfect -- v. 26.
c. Our high priest made one all-sufficient sacrifice -- v.
27.
2. The permenant priest. 7:23-25
Need: Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We
never change our loyalty to him. Some are tempted to forsake him
for a non-Christian religion or sect, even Satanism. He lives
forever as our High Priest.
Outline: Because he lives permanently --
a. His term never runs out -- vv. 23, 24.
b. He enables us to approach God -- v. 25.
c. He intercedes for us -- v. 25.

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