Back Down in the Valley

Introduction

From the mountain top to the valley, the Lord is there. Peter, James, and John, arrive with Jesus from the mountain top down into the valley, and what waits? Ministry! Ministry does not take place on the mountain top. Ministry takes place down in the valley. It is in the valley where we see our faith tried. It is in the valley where we see our Lord respond. It is in the valley where we see miracles happen.

The disciples may have been enjoying the mountain top, but they were needed in the valley. The Lord had a lesson for the people and his disciples. That lesson was a lesson of faith and dependence. Dependance upon the Lord to move and faith that he would move. I wonder, how many of us need that lesson today?

Focus Passage/Opening Passage: Mark 9:14-16

Mark 9:14–16 NASB 2020

14 And when they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. 15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. 16 And He asked them, “What are you disputing with them?”

Outline

Back Down in the Valley (vv. 14-16)

1. There is still work to be done

a. Our work is not on the mountain top

b. Our work is among the people - ‘…they saw a large crowd among them...’

c. Our work is not about religious disputes but genuine care of people - ‘…and some scribes arguing with them...’

2. The people’s reaction to Jesus

a. The people were surprised by His presence - ‘…they were amazed...’

Although some interpreters believe this to be over the amazement of seeing something different about His person after coming down from Mt. Hermon, the historically supported place of Transfiguration, a more likely reason is the unexpected presence of Jesus.

b. The people embraced Him - ‘…and began running up to greet him...’’

Many today would embrace Jesus, if it were not for Christians

“I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”

-Gandhi

“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians—You are not like him.”

- Bara Dada

May they see Christ in us…May they see us doing the work of an evangelist rather than disputing with other religious leaders. May we forever keep our focus on Jesus

3. The focus of our ministry

a. Our focus should be on Jesus - ‘…and He asked them...’

b. Our focus should be on the people

c. Our focus should be to get the people to confess their need - ‘…What are you disputing with them...’

Until we can admit our need, we will never be healed

Until we can admit our need, we will never have an answer

We all have the same need, a universal need, a cure for the same illness, sin (Romans 3:10, 23)

The Need is Great (vv. 17-18)

Mark 9:17–18 NASB 2020

17 And one person from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; 18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not do it.”

1. The need was confessed - ‘…I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak...’

2. The need was great - ‘…whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff...’

3. The need was spiritual

Our need is a spiritual need. We all need freedom and victory from sin.

Through the textual witness of this man’s son’s physical condition, we see a great description of what sin does.

Mark 9:20 NASB 2020

20 And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.

Mark 9:22 NASB 2020

22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

Adrian Rogers

4. The need has been there from the beginning

Mark 9:21 NASB 2020

21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

As David confessed in his repentant prayer to God after his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah the Hittite, in sin did my mother conceive me.

5. The father had what we need

a. The father had discernment

b. The father had compassion

c. The father had prayer

Faith, It’s required (vv. 19, 22-24)

Mark 9:19 NASB 2020

19 And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”

Mark 9:22–24 NASB 2020

22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” 23 But Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”

1. The Lord, He is patient...

a. Patient in waiting on you to trust Him - ‘…O unbelieving generation...’

b. Patient in waiting on you to call for Him - ‘…how long shall I be with you...’

c. Patient in waiting on you for a season - ‘…How long shall I put up with you...’

2. The Lord waits for you to call...

a. To call on Him - ‘…if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us...’

b. To call in faith - ‘…All things are possible for the one who believes...’

3. The Lord will help your unbelief

a. The father was passionate in his faith - ‘…Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe”...’

b. The father realized the frailty of his faith - ‘…help my unbelief...’

There are times our own insecurities and frailties need to be healed. As we are praying for others, let us realize that we need healing too.

A Biblical text that often is used in reference to judgment is applicable in the text before us. Just as we need to address sin in our own lives before identifying the sin in others, we must also identify our weaknesses of faith in seeking the Lord for answers.

The Power of Healing (vv. 25-27)

Mark 9:25–27 NASB 2020

25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!” 26 And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up.

1. Jesus is not about making you a spectacle (v. 25)

2. Jesus’ healing power is permanent - ‘…and do not enter him again...’

3. Jesus’ healing will not come without a fight - ‘…And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out...’

4. Jesus’ healing power will bring you from death to life

a. The enemy wants to kill you - ‘…He is dead...’

b. Jesus wants you to live - ‘…Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up...’

A Message for All (vv. 28-32)

Mark 9:28–32 NASB 2020

28 When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?” 29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.” 30 And from there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

1. We are to be dependent upon the Lord (vv. 28-29)

The disciples were in doubt of why they could not heal. There issue was their independence. They wanted independence, when God was calling them to have dependence. We cannot serve the Lord without depending upon His power and abilities, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

2. We are to minister in view of the cross (vv. 30-31)

Ministry is not about miracles, He did not want anyone to know about it. It is about the Passion, the sacrifice of the cross (v. 31).

3. We are not to fear calling on the Lord (v. 32)

Although the disciples did not understand what the Lord was telling them, they were afraid to ask. Are we not as guilty as they…We know the Lord wants to answer our questions and unknowns, but we are too afraid to ask. Are we not to bring all our worries and cares to the Lord. The disciples lacked proper site and faith; let that not be our testimony.

Conclusion

The Lord is waiting on you to call upon him. The Lord is waiting on you to express your need. The Lord is waiting on you to have faith. Your faith may be fragile, but the Lord can heal your faith and in turn heal you. May we never be afraid to seek and call upon the Lord. May we never be afraid to take to him all our cares. He is the Lord. He is our Salvation. He awaits for you to call.