Abandon The Garment
by Michael Spencer
March 5, 2023 · Centerpointe Apostolic Church (Murfreesboro, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Mark 10:46-52, Isaiah 61, Luke 4:18, Mark 4, Psalms 34:18, Mark 10:50, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:22-24

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/michael-spencer--abandon-the-garment
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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Mark chapter 10 and verse 46. It says when they came to Jericho, and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when it heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. Many charged him that he should hold his peace, but he cried the more the greater deal, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, be of good comfort, rise, and he calleth thee. And he cast away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou I should do unto thee? And the blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his side and followed Jesus in the way.

I'm going to talk for a little bit here today about abandon the garment. Abandon the garment. We see here in the middle of the chapter, we pick up and Jesus is on his way to the city of Jerusalem. This will be his last venture, for there they're going to take him and crucify him upon a cross. So on this final journey to Jerusalem he goes through the city of Jericho.

If you've been in church very long you've heard the story of Artemis, blind Bartram Mass. This is a type or a picture of the condition of people that are lost and undone without God. And he's lived in a very limited world, a world of darkness. He was blind, unable to see anything around him. And they say that in this state, you know, there's no one that's so blind as he who will not see. And I suppose it's a true statement: there's many people whose eyes work fine, yet they cannot seem to see spiritually in their walk. And some of them physically, driving around Murfreesboro, I'm like, there's no way you're able to see with the what you just did in front of me. But Barnabas could not see physically anything with his eyes which he was born with.

As we begin to to study him out, we see on a spiritual level he can see what some who had physically able eyes spiritually were blind to. We see this transition: it takes place in verse 47, from hearing to responding. We have to interact that in our life. Just hearing the word of God preaching Sunday and Wednesday, if we don't act and respond to the word of God, we too are spiritually blind to what God has destined for us to see and purpose and to plan for our life.

We see a man here that's begging for money, and he transitions into now begging for mercy. And he cries out, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. What a cry. Why, when he called Jesus the son of David, it reveals something that is inside of which the physical eye may not ever see. He'd come to see more than those that probably encircled Jesus on this journey possibly did not see. He had come to a revelation that Jesus was the Messiah. He addressed Jesus by his royal name, and he recognized Jesus as the Son of God, the son of David, the Messiah who would come.

Oh, that there would in this place today be a revelation in this house of who God truly is, who Jesus really desires to be to you and I today, to see what we've never seen before, to experience all that he has in store for us to experience in this place today. But we've got to recognize who is in the house, and we have to see what he wants to do in our lives, and it is for each of us: we must embrace it for it to be happening here today. He was more than just a good man, is more than a story that we talk about at Christmas time, but we need a revelation like the woman at the well: come and see a man.

When's the last time you spiritually opened your eyes and begin to see what God was doing in your life, and what God destined, the plans and the purpose and the intent he had for your life? We've got to come out of the blindness that this current world walks in, and we've got to recognize that he is the savior, the Lord of our life. And the one thing that the Bible it's, it's prophesied about, talking about the Messiahs, that he would give sight to blinded eyes. You read it in Isaiah 61, and then we see him in his sermon, Luke 4 verse 18: the spirit of the Lord, it's on me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he had sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty them that are bruised.

I'm so thankful that you have a savior that can touch every need, every situation. And when he is allowed to touch your life, he can fix whatever you need touched, whatever you need fixed, whatever you need to liberty and liberty and freedom from. No doubt this man, we know, was blind physically, but he could see what so many never see.

We see him, he was begging on the wayside there, right beside the road. And begins here with the blind man sitting there begging simply implies that his life was sort of at a standstill. He was out of action. He wasn't going anywhere, had no vision, so he couldn't see where to go. Satan desires to immobilize you and I with his lies and with his deceit, try to convince us that, hey, you're not going anywhere, just sit down and get out of the way, just step aside, you're washed up, you're done for.

No doubt many have passed this man on this same highway we've seen here. The day that Jesus is passing by, once again sitting on the side of the road begging for whatever he can get. He'd gotten off track, and along the road of life he had to step off the main path, ended up here in a ditch, life at a standstill, depending on others to get him forward, to get him where he needed to go, stuck in a situation that seemed inevitable and unchangeable. The Bible describes him as being on the side of the road, on the wayside.

When I've come to tell somebody that Jesus recognizes those on the wayside. Jesus sees you where you are in the middle of your situation. He doesn't see you as unmobile. He doesn't see you as washed up and done for, but he sees a plan and a purpose that he has for you, and he's willing to reach you in the middle of your situation. Even if you cannot see, he sees you, and gives us a different perspective there.

Mark IV, and the famous story of the sower and the seed tells us that some fell on stony ground, and some among thorns, and some on good ground. And it goes on and talks about some fell on the wayside. Some say, well, that was worthless, waste of seed. Why would you, why would you put it there? Jesus made a point to say that the seed went on the wayside, and everything in the word of God is there for a reason. The reason he let some fall by that wayside is because somebody said, well, I'm off track, I'm on the wayside, there's nothing over here, my life's been devastated, I'm stuck in a ditch of life. And I've come to tell you Jesus has something for you even where you're at, where you think he can't see and he has no way and he has no plan. There's no way he can work where you're at.

I've come to tell you he's a god of possibilities. He's a god of purpose. He's a God that plans and has an intent for your life. His word is for all a man. And the sowers walking by us today, he has seed coming by the wayside, he has seed coming on good ground. It doesn't matter where you're at, he can make it take root and work in your life if you will lift him up, if you will recognize that he is the Waymaker in the middle of whatever your crisis, whatever your dilemma. He can get you back on track. He can make your life whole and complete and make it to produce what he has desired you to produce.

It begins with healing in your life, and healing in your home, your family, and embracing the fact that he is a Waymaker. Psalms 34 and 18 tells us he comes nine to them that are a broken heart, save as such as be of a contrite spirit. He cares, and he's reaching.

And studying out Bartimaeus, we must be careful not to to diminish or miss the details surrounding that story, because the details of your story are what make it yours. And the details of our lives is what creates our testimonies, that makes us overcomers. Don't discredit the details.

After Jesus calls out for Bartimaeus, Mark 10 and 50 says, and he cast away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. Afraid we read over that too quickly: castaway is garment. When you begin to to research what was this garment, and you know, why would he just pitch it to the side? In this day, being blind was often seen as a curse. There wasn't no real way to support yourself financially, so beggars were given a coat or a cloak, which gave them permission to beg. They in turn were defined by such as the cloak that they wore. Usually the cloak was the beggars' one and only possession, their only source of income, and it became their identity. It was found and detailed in this garment that they wore as beggars.

He probably had a heightened sense of hearing since he couldn't see, and he probably overheard many conversations of people coming and going. And here he is, stuck in his identity, or he's just a beggar, he'll never be anything else. But no doubt the conversations this day were a little different than the norm: a lot of talk about Jesus and the amazing miracles that he had performed. And he began to believe the words that he's hearing. And Jesus came through the town, and here's the beggar. He said, if I'm going to change my situation, I've got a call on the one who can change my situation. In a moment of desperation, in a moment of tossing everything aside, in desperate need of knowing that if I can get his attention my situation will change, he cries out, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

Everybody told him to be quiet: you need to hush, tone it down. But he had a longing that drove him past what everybody else cared. He had a desire and he had a need that he knew he had to get the attention of the one who would meet that need, and he cried out the louder, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. He had a desire to meet the Healer face to face. He wasn't going to be squelched. He wasn't going to be silenced.

But the identity that he had worn to this point was given him by the world, but he knew there was someone far greater that could give him a better and a more defined and a more purposeful identity, and that was found in the man Christ Jesus. He was told by the world, here, where this coat, this is who you are and this is who you'll always be. The government said this is who you are and nothing will ever change. But he recognized in a moment of exercising some faith: if I throw aside what everybody else identifies me by, and I reached a man who makes a new identity in me, my whole situation, my whole life will be changed.

He stepped out. He threw off his old way of life. He threw out all his comfort zone, what he had become comfortable with, what had brought him to this point he began to rely on no more. And he said, I'll throw it away. I'll no longer be a beggar, but I'll be a child of the king. I'll be one victorious, and one who walks seeing my destiny, my purpose, and my plan. He didn't just toss a jacket or a sweater a sign. This was life or death for this man. If he lost that, there was no income coming in, there was no means to support him anymore. He was either going to be healed, or he was destined for nothing.

I believe it shows us such a powerful symbol of this man's faith. By casting that aside, he said, I won't even need this anymore. No doubt some probably still called him by the same name. Some may have pointed at him and ridiculed him for doing what he did. But I've come to tell you, your destiny can change when you become desperate enough to not worry about everybody else, and to step outside of your comfort zone, what you have been, come complacent with. You decided this is not comfort anymore, this is a situation that I have to change, and I've got to allow God to change my situation.

He was desperate for a change, and he got that change, because he came expectations high. I've come to ask someone here today, where's your faith today? What do you need in your life to be thrown aside, to get you to the place where God can make a difference? What is it that has destined you to be stuck on the side of the road of life that you can toss aside today, and in a moment have God's chosen destiny birth in your life, if you become filled with his wonderful Holy Ghost that he desires you to be filled with, and to make a change that needs to be changed in your life today? Someone here needs to throw their pride aside, admit this is too big for me, and I'm going to run to God. Some need to throw off some bitterness and some hate that's separating you from the life and the purpose of God for your life.

So easy to become complacent, check the box, go on about life. But I've come to tell you, if you truly wants to see what God wants to do in your life, we've got to cry out and run to him today. Cry out to the only one that saves, the only one that delivers and sets free from the darkness. The despair that may have settled into your life can instantly be wiped away when you cry out to the one who will make a difference.

We see Jesus asked the man a question. You think, well, it's pretty obvious here: what do you want me to do for you? What do you want me to do for you? God's here today. He's asking that question to everyone in this room: what do you want me to do for you? He's bringing it personal. He's bringing it to the relationship that he desires to have. Is that the desire of your life? Are you settling for far less than what he can do for you?

Murder Manus made it very clear: I want to see. I want my sight. Jesus knew the answer, but he was testing some faith. He was standing before great, and he wanted to see what an awesome vision. First thing you see is Jesus. That should be our destiny every day. When we get up out of that bed, I want to see Jesus. Every day, every opportunity that I can, I want to see Jesus. Let him be the forefront of my mind, my thought process. When can I see Jesus? Oh, I want to go see Jesus. It's got to be our desire.

Jesus told him to go after he had healed him, but he says he followed Jesus along the road. Can you blame him? And I'm going to follow Jesus wherever he goes. But remember where he was going. He didn't know, learn about, he didn't know where Jesus was going, but something told him, you better follow this man. We all want healing in our life, physically, relationally, financially. Sometimes healing comes instantly, and sometimes it's over a time, slow process. We're quick: well, it didn't happen, so I guess God didn't plan for it, or God's not going to do it for me. But at the same time we're holding on to that identity: God, I need you to touch, but this is who I am. God, I want you to to fix this in my life, but I need to hang on to this, because God, if you don't, you know, I'm going to have to do this.

How many moments do we miss the hand of God in our life because we have to hold on to the garment that has become our security, rather than throwing it all aside and saying, God, you've got to do it or nothing's gonna happen? I'm not turning back. I'm not holding to what's comfortable and familiar. But God, I'm trusting you and putting my faith in you to make it all happen in my life.

Do not remain defined by the cloak life has given you. We all want to see. We all want deliverance. We all want to receive the best God has to offer, but we must be willing to leave the garment. We've got to put our faith in him stronger than we ever have before. Read the headlines: time is running out. You better make up your mind where your identity is. Is it in your stuff, or it is in him? Because you're going to have to answer that question. You're going to have to make a choice. Don't let somebody else make it for you.

If you've ever flown, there's an identity has to be before you step on the plane, especially if you leave the country. You have this little book. We went to Guatemala. That was the first thing that I made sure I had on myself, because there's no way you're leaving me there. As much as I fell in love with those people, that is not home. I'll go visit, but I'll have that little passport to get me out.

We better get a passport secured in this life, or our spiritual way out of here, because this world is not our home. We're just passing through. If you don't get your passport, you ain't leaving. If you don't have it signed up, you don't have it filled up and ready to go, expired won't get you out. No matter how much you tell that TSA officer this is who I am, unless you have it, the identity is what gets you through. Just as important as it is to have that to get through security at the airport and to get back home, it's far more important that we have a sure passport in our spiritual wall, that we know that we are filled with his Holy Ghost beyond all reasonable doubt. I wouldn't leave here today if I wasn't sure that my passport is current and active and ready for me to fly.

Where is it that your identity lies? Because sin will stop you from going where God has destined you to go. God didn't call us to remain unmoved on the sideline of life. Begging is not God's purpose for us. He's called us, as his Heavenly Father, we're to be a child of the king. We have rights as a child of the king. We can exercise our faith in knowing that whatsoever we ask in his name, faith believing, it is possible. Satan will convince you that begging and settling for an identity that's far less is this all that you can be: you must wear the garment of a slave or a servant, and you'll never be anything more than that.

Had a conversation this week with someone talking about the realization of worship. So many, you know, we talk about serving God and being a servant of God, and I understand that concept, but there's a difference in a servant and a child. There's a relationship difference. And when you serve out of love rather than I have to do this, and I have to go here, and I have to be here at this time, and I have to, if we can ever embrace the fact that I'm a child of the King, and I get to be here, and he made me this way, and he gave me this opportunity, and he gave me these freedoms and liberties to worship him, it is so much different in our time of worship and praise to him. When we take off that garment, that mindset of what I have to do, and we run to the place where we truly see him for who he is, and we begin to live the life as overcomers, and the opportunities that we have are freely given to us, we can live a life of liberty and freedom like never known before. We can walk in a road that is a road of deliverance, a road of blessings that come directly from him. But we also must be willing to follow him as well.

Jesus was leaving Jericho on his way to Jerusalem. We're in just over a week he was to be crucified and pay the price for the sins of the world. I'm sure Jesus had plenty going through his mind, thinking of what was about to take place in the direction he was going. Suddenly he hears the crying above the noise of the crowd. The voice of Bartimaeus got the attention that none others around him had gotten. Bartimaeus recognized Christ's true identity, and he was calling Jesus my Messiah, my Savior, the one who can make a way in my life. He was saying, I'm throwing off this old beggar's life, and I believe I'm about to receive my sight.

We're all born into a sin-sick, cursed life of darkness and pain and suffering, and only Jesus can free us from the bondage of sin and the curse of death itself. He paid the price. He has that right, and the only one who can do that for you and for me. He's the only one that can truly change our identity. Second Corinthians 5 and 17 says, therefore if any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. We're created new in Christ. When we're born again, we take on a new identity. There's an identity change for you in this place today. Don't leave here with securing your identity found in him. Ephesians 4 and 22 says that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. What a better life to live, to find one full of righteousness and true holiness, living after the example he set before us and the opportunity that he gave us to live with him for eternity, if we will put our identity in him. It doesn't matter what this world may identify you as. That's all temporary. But in Christ, your identity is for all eternity.

You make a choice every day of your life: how am I going to live, who am I going to represent, what identity will I take on today? I'm asking the musicians to come. If you're here today and you've never experienced the infilling of the Holy Ghost in your life, it is here for you today. If you'll stand with me, the identity that this life may have placed upon you, I'm saying you've just got to do this, and you just got to be this way, and this is just how life is, and there's nothing outside of this. I've come to tell you that that is all a lie. You too can be a child of the king. You too can live a life that's overcoming, that's full of the power of the Holy Ghost working and residing in your life. But you've got to be willing to cry out, Jesus, have mercy on me, not as a beggar, but as a realization that if I get his attention, my life will be changed.

If you're facing something that just seems unsurmountable, he is a healer. You don't have to be defined by sickness or disease, but he can touch, and one touch can heal your body today. These altars are open, and you have the opportunity in this room to meet face to face with the one that can change your heart, can give you a new identity, and begin to call you a child of his own.

I invite you to come today, because when you call his name you have his attention. When you call his name you have that authority pointed in your direction. It would have been far easier for bartimants to just hug his hurts and pull that beggar's garment tightly to him and say, well, this is just the way life is. But the change came when he decided that wasn't the way he was going to live any longer. I've come to tell you, the author, the finisher of our faith is in this room today. Let's embrace and run to him. Call him by name, and he will touch your situation. Church is prayer time. Let's find a place to pray today.