Hey, this is Rich Wilkerson. I'm the pastor of Vood Church in Miami, Florida, and this is our podcast.

Thank you so much for checking out today. I hope it encourages you and inspires you.

Here's today's message.

Like I said, we are continuing our study through the gospel of Mark. We are now four months in. I don't know,

is anybody bored yet? Because I'm loving it. If you know me at all, you know that I am a slow, chill, quality time kind of person.

And I love a good conversation. And so that's exactly what this has been. It's been this six month conversation that we're continuing.

And tonight we're picking up in Mark chapter 10. If you have your Bible, you can go there with me.

Pastor Dontery brought an unbelievable message last week, out of this same chapter. So we're actually going back a little bit. This is our study. We can do whatever we want.

Okay, don't get religious. I know we're going forward, but we're jumping into Mark 10 and last week Pastor Dontery preached about these two back-to-back stories that maybe you didn't see a connection in before.

I love this idea that these gospel writers, they're pairing these stories together to offer us contrast and to give us insight.

And so we saw these kind of different stories of Jesus talking to. Firstly, his two of his best friends, James and John. And he asked them a question. He says, what do you want me to do for you?

But then just a little bit down the road as he continues his journey. He runs into a man we call blind Bartimaeus. All these poor people in the Bible, we identify by their weaknesses.

They're problems, they're ailments, but his name is Bartimaeus. And Jesus, he asked in the exact same question. He says, what do you want me to do for you? And the answer is reveal a world of difference in the heart, the desires of the people that Jesus is talking to.

James and John, we saw they want to, they want to change of position. They want to be great. They want to be on Jesus is right and left in his glory.

But Bartimaeus, he wants to change in his person. He says, I want to see again. It's a simple, but beautiful request. And it resonates with me because that's what I need Jesus to do for me.

The heart that the issue at the heart of what I'm going through, that's what I need him to solve. Not some outward external thing, but I need him to help me to see again.

And it's an incredible story. We're actually jumping back just one story in Mark chapter 10. We're going to jump in at verse 17.

And it goes like this, as Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.

Good teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good Jesus answered? No one is good except God alone.

You know the commandments. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not defraud on your father and mother.

Teacher, he declared all these of kept since I was a boy. Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you lack, he said, go sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.

At this the man's face felt he went away sad because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.

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