'Breaking Out Of A Rut' - Sermon Outlines. Org



"Breaking Out Of A Rut"

Mark 10:46-52

INTRO. Has your life ever seemed to be in a rut? To be in a "rut" means you try to move forward, but it seems as you try to make progress, you merely sit and spin your wheels; making no progress, but finding yourself deeper in the rut you were in than before. Many of God's people today find themselves in a rut. They are making no spiritual progress whatsoever. They are no closer to God than when they were saved. Sadly, some are farther from Him than when they were saved.

In our text, we have before us a man named Bartimaeus. His life could be defined this way: "[He]...sat by the highway side begging." This was what his life consisted of day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year. He was in a rut. But Thank God, his life was about to change for the better! Why? Jesus was passing by! I Thank God for the day Jesus passed by! The hymnwriter wrote:

"There is a story of long ago,

Men roamed in darkness no where to go;

One day the scene changed, they ceased to cry,

There was a reason, Jesus passed by.

Men found compassion, hungry were fed,

Some saw their loved ones bro't from the dead;

They found great comfort came from on high,

There was a reason, Jesus passed by.

One day a sinner, I found relief,

Gone was my burden, gone was my grief;

Angels were singing, and so was I,

There was a reason, Jesus passed by."

Bartimaeus was in a rut, but he was about to "break out of his rut." Jesus was passing by. I want us to see this morning SEVEN THINGS we must do to “BREAK OUT OF A RUT.” No matter what rut we find ourselves in, if we will follow these Seven steps then we can break out of our rut.

(1) Assume Responsibility For Your Own Life

Mark 10:47

*Remember Jesus was now on His last journey to Jerusalem. Calvary was but a week off. A shouting multitude was escorting Him out of the city. They had just passed the gates, and were in the act of turning on the road that leads to Jerusalem. A long file of beggars were sitting, as beggars still do in Eastern cities, outside the gates. Bartimaeus is among them(1).

*He, according to Luke's Gospel, "hearing the multitude pass by,.. asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by." (Luke 18:36-37) The name of Jesus awakens a strange hope in him, one which can only show he had knowledge of Christ's miracles done elsewhere. This is a witness to their notoriety that they had filtered down to be the talk of beggars at city gates (2).

*Realizing the power of Jesus and His presence being so near, Bartimaeus realized if he were ever to be healed now was the opportunity. So, he begins to cry out, “…Jesus, thou Son of David have mercy on me." As soon as Bartimaeus heard that it was Jesus he instantly began shouting out to attract Jesus, creating as much fuss and noise as he could above the crowd and its noise.

*Bartimaeus acknowledged his need and he confessed it publicly. He did not approach Jesus secretly or quietly by asking someone close by to appeal to Jesus in his behalf. He had a desperate need and he accepted the fact. He wanted Jesus' help no matter what.

*If we are going to break out of our rut, we must assume responsibility for our own life. Today, everyone seemingly wants to blame someone else for their situation.

ILLUS. We all know, "Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall." But a modern twist to the traditional verse reflects some irresponsible thinking: "Humpty Dumpty was pushed." (3)

*People today blame society, upbringing, financial status, educational background, and even God for their plight. But each man is responsible for his own life. And he can only change when he begins to assume responsibility for himself.

*Bartimaeus did not lay blame on anyone or on anything for his plight, he simply realized, If he wanted to be healed, he had to do something. So he cried out to Jesus, "..Have mercy on me."

*He asked for mercy, not for anything else. He was blind and a beggar, yet he did not cry for housing or clothing or food. He cried for his most basic need to be met--for mercy.

*Many today, when they ask for help, ask of things that pass away. Things of no lasting value. But the basic need of all mankind is "Jesus, have mercy on me."

(2) Believe You Can Change

Mark 10:51b—“. . LORD, that I might receive my sight"

*Many today stay in a rut because they don't believe they can change. I want to tell you something this morning, WE in these feeble bodies of ours are powerless to change, but THANK GOD, GOD CAN CHANGE US!

*Bartimaeus had heard of Jesus and His power. He knew he couldn't change his own situation, but Jesus could change it! He did not waver at all. He was not like us who are vague in our prayers and unbelieving in our requests. He look at his situation, the "rut" he was in, and he believed Jesus could provide exactly what he needed.

*Many times our prayers are so vague that it is no wonder we doubt after we have offered them (Matthew 21:22). Our prayers should be both specific and believing.

*When Bartimaeus called Jesus “Lord", he used the title “Rabboni” meaning "my Master." The beggar had twice called him "Son of David," a national title for the Messiah, but “Rabboni” was an expression of personal faith (4). Bartimaeus was saying, "My Master, I trust you. I believe in you. I know I'm in a rut. I see my situation. I am powerless to change it, but You can!"

*For us to "Break out of a rut," we must believe our situation can change. And we must acknowledge the One who can change it, if He so desires.

Proverbs 3:5-6

(3) Clarify What You Really Need

Mark 10:51a—“And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt

thou that I should do unto thee?…”

*Jesus asked Bartimaeus, “what do you want me to do?” Bartimaeus knew exactly what he needed and had no difficulty stating his need. He looked at his situation, the “rut” he was in, and knew precisely what he needed.

*He was blind; he needed to see. There was no doubt in his mind what he needed and he made it clear what he needed most. Many times we think we need this, that and the other thing to "break out of our rut, " when, in reality, all we really need is for God to open our eyes that we might see!

Jeremiah 33:3

(4) Stop Worrying What Other People Will Say

Mark 10:48

*Bartimaeus, even though the crowd tried to silence him, "...cried the more a great deal…" He was not going to be hindered from getting the LORD'S attention. He did not care what the crowd said. He was persistent, desperate, and in dead earnest. He was not discouraged, silenced, or stopped.

*If people listened to the naysayers, we would not be able to enjoy some of the things we enjoy today.

ILLUS. The late Jonas Salk failed 200 times before he found the right

vaccine for polio (5).

ILLUS. Consider the postage stamp; its usefulness consists in the ability

to stick to one thing until it gets there (6).

*When we find ourselves in a "rut", worldly voices will rise up against us, attempting to:

-Pull us away. -convince us our need is to great

-tell us all is useless to desperate to be met.

-encourage us to try the world’s way.

*But when we find ourselves in a "rut", we must not listen to the world, but rest in the power and promises of God!

(5) Stop Waiting For Ideal Circumstances

Mark 10:46—“…As he went out…a great number of people..”

*AS Jesus was leaving Jericho, multitudes lined the streets and followed behind him. No doubt the press was great. It was elbow to elbow. This then would seem like an unlikely time for a miracle. An unlikely time for Jesus to stop and call for the blind man to be brought through the press unto HIM (v49).

*"Jesus stood still.."(v49). The crowd was huge, so Jesus sent for the man. Jesus stood still...

-Because of the man's need. He could not reach Jesus by himself.

-Because the man persisted in crying despite many opposing him (Psalm 34:18).

-Because Jesus never turned away from a man who cried for help (Psalm 34:6; John 6:37).

*What if Bartimaeus had thought in himself, "This crowd is huge, I'll never be able to get Jesus' attention, nor get to where He is. Maybe He'll pass this way again?" He would have remained blind. How do we know? Jesus never passed that way again. That is why it is so important that we make the most of every opportunity afforded us.

*Lost friend, today Jesus is passing this way, will you call out to Him and be saved before it is too late (Isaiah 55:6-7). Many wait to act until ideal circumstances arise. I would have you know that idea circumstances, hardly, if ever arise. There is always going to be some hindrance.

*Many fail to "break out of a rut" because they wait for ideal

circumstances, which never arise.

(6) Do Something Bold And Dramatic

Mark 10:50a—“And he, casting away his garment, rose...”

*Bartimaeus cast aside his coat, cast aside all impediments. He wanted nothing to hinder him from reaching Jesus as quickly as he could. All in one motion, he cast aside the hindrances, “rose”, the word in the Greek literally means "to spring to the feet", and moved toward Jesus.

*He had an eagerness to reach Jesus and allowed nothing to hinder

him! How few of us are so eager! How many hang on to that which

hinders and hampers and keeps them from reaching Christ, from

reaching God's will, from "breaking out of a rut." (Hebrews 12:1-2).

*If we are ever to "break out of a rut," we must lay aside anything that

binds and hinders us! Anything that would keep us from God and His will

for our lives!

Ephesians 4:17-32

(7) Do It Now

Mark 10:50b—“and He…came to Jesus”

*Bartimaeus springs to his feet at once with a bound. So we should leap

to meet Jesus, our sight giver. How slothful and listless we often are. We

do not put half as much heart into our Christian life as people do into

common things (7).

*Someone has said, "No one can go back and have a new beginning, but

everyone can start now and have a new ending." (8)

ILLUS. Dale Carnegie, the great motivational speaker, once said, "One of

the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us

tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose

garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are

blooming outside our windows today." (9)

*The time to “break out of a rut” is NOW! Bartimaeus seized his

opportunity while it presented itself. If not, he may have never gotten out

of his rut. We, many times, remain in “rut” because we let golden

opportunities pass us by!

CLOSING: How can we “break out of a rut”? 1) Assume Responsibility for your

own life, 2) Believe You Can Change, 3) Clarify What You Really

Need, 4) Stop Worrying About What Other People Will Say. 5) Stop

Waiting For Ideal Circumstance, 6) Do Something Bold and

Dramatic, and 7) Do It NOW! You don't have to stay in a rut.

Things can change, but to change, you must look to God, trust

Him and Him alone!

If you are lost, God can change your life and bring you out of a

"rut" (Psalm 40:1-3)! If you are saved, but find yourself in a "rut",

far from God and His will for you, God can change you and your

circumstances (Psalm 51:10, 12-13)!

NOTES: 1. Alexander Maclaren. Mark: The God Who Serves. PP. 275-276.

2. Maclaren. Pg. 276.

3. Raymond McHenry. The Best Of In Other Words. Pg. 211.

4. Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary: Volume

1. Pg. 148.

5. McHenry. Pg. 187.

6. McHenry. Pg. 186.

7. Maclaren. Pg. 282.

8. McHenry. Pg. 176.

9. Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations: Contemporary &

Classical. pp. 163-164.

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