I was looking for a way to keep track of all my sermon notes from the worship services at TCCC. So if you've missed some notes, hopefully this will also help.
If anyone has any additional points or comments to add, I would greatly appreaciate it too. Thanks.
(This site is NOT offically affiliated with TCCC though.)
General Comments:
About TCCC
Location: 100 Acadia Avenue
Markham, ON L3R5A2
905.477.7533
SOURCE: TCCC
Worship Service: 9:40-11:00 AM
Refreshments: 11:00-11:30 AM
Sunday School: 11:30-12:30 PM
Pastoral Staff Victor Lee
Kinson Leung
Daniel Leung
Ian Arienda-Jose (Youth)
Wesley Lim (Children's)
Spoken Words @ TCCC (Toronto Chinese Community Church)
Community with a Cause
Sunday, April 04, 2004
Opening Eyes, Opening Hearts
- Rev. Paul Fawcett
Scripture: Mark 10:46-52 - Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
Christian Blind Mission International is committed to bringing healing, enablement and hope to the world's destitute blind and disabled people. These people are the poorest of the poor, and we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to minister in word and deed to the widows and the orphans - the outcasts of world - to those who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-40).
Their mandate -- Matthew 11:5: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor."
Bartimaeus' New Beginning
The Opening Scene
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. (v.46)
The Opportunity
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (v.47)
The Opposition
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" (v.48)
Change of Opinion
Jesus stopped and invited him to step out. Now these same people said, "Be of good comforts." (v.49)
The Options
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. (v.51)
The Decision
The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." (v.51)
The Operation
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight. (v.52)
The Outcome
Bartimaeus followed Jesus in the way. (v.52)
What does this story mean to us?
As a parallel, in the secular world there is much Spiritual Blindness.
Just as Bartimaeus was given a new beginning, Jesus can do the same for people today. He can make a difference and it's worth it.
However, as seen in the story, it takes work.
Reaching out to others may receive opposition; you may lose friends.
How did Bartimaeus know that Jesus would be able to help him?
He had heard about him before, about the other miracles he had performed.
Bartimaeus is a good example of how people can respond when we go out to share.
