Bartimaeus - An Epitome of Faith and Service

For the past two years, I have listened to some of the recent sermons available at the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church website and have been blessed with what I had heard. In fact, periodically, I have made reference to these archived sermons, on this blog.

On 10/31/10 when I was unable to attend a church service, I decided to once again listen to an archived sermon. I was unaware that the GSPC website had undergone a dramatic transformation, so it took me a minute or two to become acclimated to where the recently archived sermons were housed. I quickly found the site map and was overjoyed to discover that visitors to the http://www.gspc.org website can now not only listen to but also actually see the sermons as they were originally presented. I scrolled down and tried to decide which one to listen to first. My eyes settled on the A Perceptive Request - Mark 10:46-52 sermon. Please see http://www.biblegateway.com to read this passage.


The sermon, A Perceptive Request, was delivered by Rev. Dr. James Wilson. This very thoughtful, contemplative, unassuming pastor always delves deep into scripture and uses related subject matter found in the news, literature and other resources to highlight some of the key points of his sermon. Consequently, I was prepared to listen to a message that would be a blessing. However, I believe that this sermon goes far beyond being a blessing to those who are able to listen to it. This pastor effectively shared a personal experience in a manner that can deeply touch your soul and aid you in your Bible lesson plans about Bartimaeus.

I encourage you, now, to take a block of time to hear this sermon. Please see Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church - Sermon A Perceptive Request to access the audio and video links. After you have experienced the message, please return back to this blog to access the lesson plans.

As I was listening to Dr Wilson speak, I found myself wondering about how many listeners could, in some way, identify with Bartimaeus. Many of us may have had something happen throughout the course of our life to make us feel unworthy. Like Dr. Wilson, we may have buried the experience, and it isn't until later in life, we discover how profoundly that past event has impacted us. As Dr. Wilson pointed out, Jesus can both understand and release us from our pain. For example, in Mark 10, we see that Jesus engages both James and John and later Bartimaeus in conversation and poses the same question twice. The responses to Jesus' question are vastly different. In fact, James and John's comments cleary demonstrate that they still didn't understand Christ's purpose for coming to earth.
Please see http://www.biblegateway.com

Mark 10:35 - 37.

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We can,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”


In Mark 10:51 http://www.biblegateway.com, we see the same question addressed to Bartimaeus.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

Unlike John and James, Bartimaeus, understood who Jesus was and why he was placed on earth.

The magnitude of Bartimaeus' healing is a concept that may be misunderstood by children and teens. It’s important for children to realize that Bartimaeus lived in a society that labeled the blind as being "unworthy" and "useless". Bartimaeus' faith in Christ, his determination to shed this label, and willingness to reach out and allow Jesus to heal him, are pivotal points that need to be underscored.

Bartimaeus saw something others couldn’t comprehend. He saw that Jesus was placed on earth to show what service was about. Because Bartimaeus understood the concept of serving others, he wanted to be healed and was eager to follow Jesus.

Children and teens can greatly benefit from object, hands on and other lessons about this passage in scripture. The lessons and lesson planning ideas below can serve to help children see the relationship of faith and healing to the desire to serve.


Blind Bartimaeus - PreK - Kindergarten
Absolutely awesome set of crafts, object lessons, and more.


Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus - Elementary Grades (Integrated Activities and Printables)

Bartimaeus - Act It Out! These lessons are designed for the lower early elementary grades, but they can be adapted to accommodate other grade levels, as well.

Jesus Heals the Blind Man - These PreK/3s lesson plans and activities can be used in either large or small group settings.

Prayer Lessons from Blind Bartimaeus
These lessons can be adapted for grades 5 - adult.

May God richly bless you for your faithfulness. :-)

Summertime - Sowing Seeds for Christ

Today, like many families, we celebrated the 4th of July. Having the 4th fall on a Sunday, this year, was such a blessing. In many worship services, pastors reminded us of how fortunate we are to live in a country that allows us to pray to God without fear of retribution. Like many others, I believe, I found myself thinking about how God entrusts us to sow seeds of faith in the lives of others. Throughout the day, I found myself taking stock of how I could best use the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted me with to reach others.

The summer months seem to fly by, as we are sometimes pulled in many directions and wear many hats. Even though work, vacations, entertaining house guests and other distractions can easily us pull us away from our time with God, we know that it's essential to always include Bible study and devotional time in our daily lives.

Continue to be observant and obedient to service assignments that Christ provides for you. Don't overlook opportunities to help other children learn more about Christ. Perhaps, you will be tutoring or involved in VBS. Sometimes, unexpectedly, God may place a child or children in your path, and you see the possibilities for sowing seeds. Use the free resources in this blog, to plan lessons which may serve to foster an interest in Jesus.


See First Things First

Summer Solstice - A Time for Pruning

The Metamorphosis of the Butterfly

Object Lessons in Faith

The Prodigal Son - Lessons Learned

Fall Forward in Faith

Some Biblical Expressions of Faith



Recently, I spoke with a parent about using a collection of Bible stories, written for second through fourth grade students, as part of the reading comprehension curriculum. This parent was delighted that her daughter would be learning more about Jesus, David and other principal figures and stories found within the Bible.

Encourage all children to memorize scripture, as well. Please see Teachers' Tips, Tools, & Topics for some excellent Bible scripture memorization tips.

Have a blessed summer!!

The Power of Pentecost

As we approach Pentecost, we are encouraged to reflect back to times when we have been obedient to the Holy Spirit's intervention. Throughout the day, we are gently nudged by the Holy Spirit to recognize important truths, as we are vessels to be used in ways that are pleasing to God. We are the clay, and God is the potter.

You may vividly remember specific times when the Holy Spirit used you in profound ways to positively affect another person's life, At other times, you can look back and see that you were placed in a life transforming place where you could sense the Holy Spirit attempting to open your ears and eyes to truths that were, in fact, difficult to handle. Perhaps, you are in such place right this minute.

Take some time to read Acts 2 http://www.biblegateway.com and then click back to this blog entry. Now, take a moment to visualize this scene. Picture yourself there in the crowd of people. Suddenly, you find yourself and many others in the crowd being transfixed by the Holy Spirit.

"2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. " From http://www.biblegateway.com

I get goosebumps just reading it. Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit like these people did? I can recall four times in my life where I profoundly experienced the Holy Spirit in a church setting, two of which I will share in this entry.

One occurred close to the advent. I was teaching a Sunday School class at the time, and I ushered the children into the church to sing a song. The Holy Spirit's presence was clearly felt the moment I entered the sanctuary; the feeling of Christian love and fellowship totally enveloped the atmosphere.

The second occurred during a special day of prayer event that I attended. Christians from various churches in the Southern California area spent many hours praying for Christians throughout the world. Powerful testimonies were sprinkled throughout the periods of prayers. I remember participating in a small group, conversing with members from other churches that I had never met. However, none of us felt the least bit self-conscious. We openly shared our thoughts and prayers. Many of us commented on the "feeling of love" in that sanctuary, and we all agreed that the Holy Spirit's presence was there with us.

The Day of Pentecost reminds us that we are to continue to place ourselves in an environment where the Holy Spirit can touch and use us. That's what Peter did.

Peter's spiritual odyssey prepared him for this pivotal moment in history. For an overview of Peter's hardships and life lessons see,
http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/13bchara/13bible13.htm Finally, in Acts 2:14-41, we see a mature, confident speaker who was the ultimate conduit for God to use.

If you look around, you will see others who are following in Peter's footsteps. My cousin will be leaving in less than a week to travel to the outskirts of a rural part of an underdeveloped country. As a nurse, she travels regularly to Brazil, China and elsewhere to allow God to use her. As part of a medical team, she helps to provide people who are desperate for medical attention with the medical aid they require as well as the spiritual foundation they need to form a relationship with God. She is a shining example of the courage and determination that Peter showed on the Day of Pentecost. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit can use her and others on her team to help people discover God's love for them.

We, and the children in our lives, can follow Peter's example, by using the gifts that we have been endowed with to share the good news with others. Pentecost based lessons help children to see the connection between the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and their role as conduits. As educators, we search for the best ways to help children understand the concept of the Holy Spirit and the significance of having the Spirit help to shape the meaning and direction of their lives.

For many children, the Holy Spirit may seem to be an abstract concept. Even adults have difficulty explaining the triune. Therefore, a hands on approach is probably one of the best tools to help children conceptualize and apply the Holy Spirit to their lives.

At http://rotation.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6536088121/m/6636088121 you will find a blog brimming with many creative hands on lesson planning ideas. For example, Nora Joy discusses how to present a music workshop "we talked about what those colors could represent - people, doves, fire, wind." to introduce the concept of the Holy Spirit. Told the story, beginning with background info on Pentecost through the beginning of the church using Stravinski's Firebird Suite as background. See June 10, 2002 by Nora Joy for complete details.

Mazurh provides a detailed lesson plans for K-1, Grades 2 - 3, and Grades 4 - 6 She includes a list of items needed, warm up, lesson objectives and procedures. See July 12, 2004 posting by Mazurh.

The May 22, 2002 posting by Brenda V is also very imaginative and will help children both understand the force of the Holy Spirit as well as its lasting power. I would only add that it may be better to have a teacher light the candles.

Spend time at this blog, and use the lesson planning ideas that are best suited for your learning environment. I was really inspired with the diversity of ideas and details of how to implement the lesson plans.

May you and the children in your life be especially blessed this Pentecost Sunday. May you be reawakened to the power of the Holy Spirit and be used as a vessel to reach God's people.

Having a Heart for Jesus

Next month, we are reminded of the role our heart plays in our lives. The American Heart Association designates February as National Heart Month. We are encouraged to take the necessary steps needed to protect our health and are provided with an assessment which underscores risk factors that can interfere with our heart health. At some point in our lives, we may have wondered if someone close to us died from a broken heart. According to cardiologist Dr Michael Brodsky this isn't far from the truth. Brodsky states, "An emotional broken heart can really kill you." To read this article in its entirety visit a Google.com and type in keyword phrase broken heart and Dr. Brodksy.

We see the tie-in between our emotional and physical health; yet, we often neglect one important component. We may forget, from time to time, the importance of our service to God and how, it, too, impacts our heart. In today's Purpose Driven Life Devotion, Rick Warren shares some insight on this topic in his When Serving God, Listen to Your Heart Take a moment to read this devotional and then click back to this blog.

Indeed, we are given different gifts, talents and opportunities. Yet, we sometimes focus on the gifts, talents and opportunities that others have and may make unfavorable comparisons. You may have often heard that we are to 'bloom where we are planted'. Perhaps you are experiencing some financial, marital or significant problems that just seem overwhelming to you. You would like to serve abundantly, but you just can't right now. You feel anxious because you want to feel that God is using you. Your desire is to bloom elsewhere.

Have you ever watched a fellow Christian perform an act of service and wish that you could be used by God in the same way? For some time now, you may have felt that the door to more service continues to remain closed. You are puzzled as to why this is so. Have you, in fact, felt that intense frustration of wanting to more fully serve, but just couldn't?

Or, perhaps, you sometimes feel that because you have more free time than many of your friends, there is an unspoken assumption that you can serve beyond your capacity to do so. For example, let's suppose that you have spent several hours at a hospital assisting a friend and have just gotten home. You feel weary and a bit anxious, when the phone begins to ring. Will this be yet another request to serve? Again, you may feel a bit frustrated and resentful.

In either case, these feelings of frustration and resentment really aren't serving any purpose in your life. They are, in fact, negative emotions that stand between you and the service you can, at this time, perform. If you can relate to any of what you just read, take some time now to consider how you can best serve God.

First, remember to keep the focus on what is important. God designed us for many specific service roles throughout our lives. We are to be obedient to only Him in the way in which this service is carried out. Seek scripture to learn about the role of service in your life. Please see Serving Others

Second, search your heart right now. What does God want you to do for Him? Maybe, you are very occupied with helping members of your family with their problems. Don't discount this as not serving Him. However, just because your plate is overflowing with needs that have to be filled, you will be called to serve. Don't overlook these opportunities. When possible, open your heart to the needs of others outside your family. Look for the open doors and walk through them. If your service is limited right now, keep in mind that the time will come again, when you can more actively serve in many different capacities.

Third, if you have much free time and enjoy serving, pray and ask God to show you what He has designed for you to do. Even if you have been serving Him in many ways, it's important to check in with Him, frequently, to ensure that you are serving in ways that He deems best.

Fourth, make certain that you continue to take care of your own physical and emotional needs so that you won't burn out. It's always important to set boundaries, so that in your heart, you feel the real joy of giving.

Finally, our hearts are overjoyed when we know that we are doing God's work. There is no better feeling for our overall health than to allow the Holy Spirit to direct us in our actions. By doing so, we see the fruit produced by our obedience. The joy that radiates from your face and spirit will be felt by the children in your life, and they will truly see that you have a heart for Jesus.

First Things First

As Christians, we strive to prioritize our lives so that Jesus is at the center of our existence. We know what happens when we place emphasis on all of our earthly matters and veer away from spending time in the Word. The story of Mary and Martha serves as a powerful reminder of what being out of sync with Jesus looks like.

In Luke 10:38-42 www.biblegateway.com we see two sisters with different priorities. Picture, if you will, two women who are about to invite Jesus into their home. Martha attempted to honor her guest by preparing a special meal. Just envision her scurrying to and fro as she prepares the meal for her guest

In the meantime, imagine Mary sitting quietly at the feet of our Savior, as she intently listens to every word that he utters. Mary put first things first. She knew that without Jesus, nothing in her world would makes sense.

If Martha had stopped and joined her sister at the feet of Jesus, she would not have resented Mary. Instead, she would have valued the wisdom that Mary demonstrated.

While Martha was busy baking bread, Mary was learning about the true ‘bread of life’. Jesus’ rebuke of Martha was done to ensure that she was aware of the difference.

Below, are several sites where children and teens can learn more about the Story of Mary and Martha.


Preschool/Elementary/Hands On Activities


Preschool/Elementary/Hands On Activities


Devotions - Elementary Age

Mary Listens While Martha Labors
Key Verse/Questions/References

Object Lessons in Faith

Faith is believing in something that we can't see. As Christian believers we have never seen the face of God, yet we know that he exists.

As we approach summer, many demands are placed upon our time. You may be in the midst of assembling your faith based lesson plans for your children and searching for some lessons that infuse faith with science, social stuies, math etc. I recently discovered some well organized, integrated Christian lesson planning blogs to assist you with your quest.

Visit the link below http://objectlessons.blogspot.com/
to access the following material:


1. Creation. http://www.ms-creation.blogspot.com/
2. Christmas. http://www.ms-christmas.blogspot.com/
3. Easter. http://www.ms-easter.blogspot.com/
4. The Bible. http://www.ms-bible.blogspot.com/
5. Prayer. http://www.ms-prayer.blogspot.com/
6. Hearing from God. http://www.ms-hearing.blogspot.com/
7. The Ten Commandments. http://www.ms-tencommandments.blogspot.com/
8. John 3.16. http://www.ms-john316.blogspot.com/
9. Teaching Memory verses. http://www.ms-memoryverses.blogspot.com/
10. Gospel Illusions. http://www.ms-gospelillusions.blogspot.com/
11. Object Lessons (using natural laws). http://www.ms-objectlessons.blogspot.com/