Believing and Praying in a Faithless Generation
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Believing and Praying in a Faithless Generation
Believing and Praying in a Faithless Generation
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Believing and praying are essential components for effective God honoring ministry.
Like the disciples, we minister in the midst of:
Conflicting religious viewpoints
A comparatively faithless generation waiting to see Jesus
Physical and spiritual battles
Those whom only Jesus can help
Belief and unbelief
The need for more prayer
In Mark’s recounting of Jesus’ healing a boy with an unclean spirit, we are afforded insights into how ministry unfolds for most of us in a context that is very similar to what the disciples faced.
Some of us are coming down off the mountain, while others are overwhelmed in the valley by -
The Scriptures do not sidestep the very real tension and at times very real conflict and disparity between special times with the Lord and those ministry and life situations that stretch us and bring us to our knees pleading with the Lord for help.
Moses came down from Mt Sinai - after seeing God’s glory & receiving the 10 commandments and other directives re living, the Sabbath and festivals, renewed promises re Canaan, covenant confirmed, sanctuary ark of the covenant, furnishings for and layout of the tabernacle, priests and garments, census tax - to be confronted by the image of a golden calf with offerings being brought to the golden calf as the people worshipped and sacrificed to it. All of this coordinated by Aaron - DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING AND DISCOURAGING!
Knowing how this and because it also grieved Him, God warned Moses that the people had corrupted themselves.
keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped. And he said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.
Ex 34:
Moses pleaded with God on behalf of the people - before going down from the mountain.
Elijah left an intimate time on Mt Horeb - after prophets of Baal had been defeated and God sent rain - when the Lord reminded him that the Lord spoke to him not always through the great strong wind or the earthquake or the fire but the low whisper - still small voice - to again face to the impact of the paganism and Jezebel and Ahab - anoint new kings - Hazael over Syria/Jehu to be king of Israel - plus call Elisha - God warned him that the future would not be smooth sailing BUT
And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
1 Kings 19:
Jesus - from His Father’s affirmation when baptized to 40 days in the wilderness - confrontations with Satan
Here after the Mt of Transfiguration - dispute between the Scribes & the other 9 disciples - a father pleading for help for his son who was being abused by an unclean spirit /his faith - his belief and unbelief.
Ar base of Mt - 3 groups - crowds, religious leaders, ministry needs/demon possessed
Other disciples carried on ministry. But without Jesus seemed to fall into crises - cc storm when crossing Sea of Galilee on their own -
Mark’s account 3 times as long as & - indication how this impacted Peter
Conflicting religious viewpoints
Not the focus but noted as being the focus before Jesus became the focus and allowed to take charge.
Arguing - combative connotations - used by Mark re altercations with religious authorities - 8:11; 9:14, 16; 12:28
Jesus directed the attention of the Scribes from the disciples to Him - What are you arguing with them about?
Arguing distracts from ministry. What does Jesus, what does the Word say?
Ministry needs
Confrontation with the Scribes was pushed aside by the real ministry needs of the desperate father - son with a spirit that made him mute.
Not all muteness unclean spirit related - Earlier Jesus healed a man in Sidon who was both deaf and mute - no reference to an evil spirit -
Pressing need displaced with the question - “Teacher, I brought my son to you = disciples, for he has a spirit that makes him mute - unable to speak
When the spirit seizes him - throws him to the ground, foams, grinds his teeth, becomes rigid.
Matthew identified him as epileptic - - Luke did not mention epilepsy, but then Luke did not witness the events first hand
Mark’s account alone notes that the boy had a demon/unclean spirit that prevented him from speaking.
Later, Jesus referred to the spirit as “mute & deaf”.- 9:25. I would suggest that we give the most weight to Jesus’ diagnosis. The spirit prevented the boy from hearing and verbalizing.
The boy was not only ill but assaulted. That is probably the indicator that this was more than a petit or grand mal epileptic seizure.
I found this generic definition of an epileptic seizure. It does not speak as to the cause of the abnormal neurn
“A seizure is an attack that occurs right after a surge of abnormal neuronal activity in the brain due to complex chemical changes taking place in the nerve cells. The outward impact of a seizure episode can affect how an individual acts for a brief period.”
Medically and theologically it is wrong and misleading to suggest that all seizures are demonic in origin and that all unclean spirit influence results in epilepsy.
The indicator of demonic control here would be that rather falling to the floor and convulsing, the unclean spirit often cast him into fire and water to destroy him - 9:22
A comparatively faithless generation
With the father’s report of his son’s need and the disciples’ inability, Jesus’ exclamation shifted the focus from the disciples to the crowd.
And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
Mk
Reference to and to the wider context of the children of Israel who had bowed to worship but had not heard God’s voice and in so doing had put God to the test. That being the case, God said that He loathed them, those who had gone astray and had not known Him. For that reason they would not enter the promised land. In the book of Hebrews - ; - this is applied to salvation. to 4:10 is a NT exposition of . The application of the writer of Hebrews was that true rest does not come through Moses or Joshua. It comes through Jesus. Therefore let us strive to enter that rest!
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways.”
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your fathers put me to the test
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter my rest.”
Ps
For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.
Ps 95:
Heb 4:
Jesus’ lament echo previous prophetic grievances - , ; ;
2. Those in the midst of physical and spiritual battles need to see, hear and trust Jesus -
The father and the crowd equated bringing the boy to the disciples, to bringing the boy to Jesus -
Believers individually and collectively are most people’s best connection with Christ.
Caring people rather than an organization or building
People rather than programs
Transformed believers who embody the Word of God and the Son of God who indwells them by His Spirit
Believers who model the NT pattern of believers who walk by faith and in so doing worship and serve with total reliance on God.
They believe that the God still transforms live and makes new those who repent and believe the Gospel.
Some physical battles are clearly spiritual battles
Jesus did not allow the doubts and disbelief of the crowd or the limitations of His disciples to dissuade Him from caring for the boy.
While others might not have understood or demonstrated God’s power, Jesus embodied the truth. God will fulfill His promises even though some might not receive those promises because of their unbelief.
By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged.”
What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,
“That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged.”
Rom
When the boy was brought to Jesus, the boy was seized with convulsions and thrown to the ground. The boy might have been epileptic, but the epilepsy was used as a veiled front to destroy the boy.
Parallels previous events when there were demonic eruptions in the presence of Jesus.
Man with unclean spirit -
Gadarene demoniac -
We are prudent not to attribute to Satan that which is not clearly Satanic.
The unbelieving scribes wrongly attributed Jesus power to Beelzebub, the prince of demons - Mk 3:22
Jesus rebuked the wind but made no reference to demonic activity - - all of creation was thrown off by the fall and sin.
When the disciples first saw Jesus walking on the water they incorrectly thought is was a ghost/spirit -
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14–29)
The initial result of the effective presence of Jesus is not peace, however, but conflict; not resurrection, but suffering. Eduard Schweizer’s insight is correct: “This indicates how the presence of God can produce storm and stress before anything constructive is accomplished.”
The dialogue between Jesus and the father is recorded only by Mark - 9:21-24
For Matthew and Luke the focus was not the miracle - BUT healing the boy.
For Mark though there were 2 miracles - the expression of and the strengthening of the father’s faith plus the healing of the boy. BOTH were miracles.
Jesus’ simple question encouraged the father to tell how long his son had been afflicted and almost destroyed.
Jesus was not asking because He did not know. He wanted to hear to father’s pain. He wanted the father to articulate for all there, including the scribes the extent of what the boy was faced with or controlled by.
From childhood - all of his life - there not due to sin on the part of the boy or the father.
Often cast him into fire and water to destroy him.
The father was not coming to an impersonal forces but to a sympathetic, merciful Lord.
“If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
Help - boetheo - literally - run to the aid of one who cries for help.
If you can - faith was weak and incomplete
He thought that Jesus was willing to help his boy. He was not sure Jesus was able.
“All things are possible for one who believes.”
“If you can” - not a question but an exclamation of surprise. With Jesus’ ministry to date - healing illnesses and power over demons, how or why would someone question His ability?
Therefore Jesus reminded him of the importance of faith. He had stressed that before.
To Jairus - -46; to those who rejected him on the Sabbath in Nazareth - 6:5-6
And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”
Mk
And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief.
And he went about among the villages teaching.
The father, the disciples and the crowd needed to hear that.
The father did hear - I believe, help my unbelief - 9:24
Though he believed in Jesus’ power, he struggled with doubt. WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AND CAN ECHO THE FATHER’S PLEA.
The father was honest and pleaded both for Jesus to help his son and his faith.
God is not limited by imperfect faith. Even the strongest faith has elements of doubt.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14–29)
True faith is always aware how small and inadequate it is. The father becomes a believer not when he amasses a sufficient quantum of faith but when he risks everything on what little faith he has, when he yields his insufficiency to the true sufficiency of Jesus, “ ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ ” The risk of faith is more costly to the father than bringing his son to Jesus, for he can talk about his son but he must “cry out” (Gk. krazein) for faith. True faith takes no confidence in itself, nor does it judge Jesus by the weakness of his followers. It looks to the More Powerful One (1:7) who stands in the place of God, whose authoritative word restores life from chaos. True faith is unconditional openness to God, a decision in the face of all to the contrary that Jesus is able.
When Jesus heard the father plead for help with his unbelief AND when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together JESUS:
Rebuked the unclean spirit - you deaf & mute spirit -I command you:
Rebuke and command express Jesus’ authority especially over demonic forces.
“Come out of him
Never enter him again”
Although in previous exorcism situations the demons asserted themselves violently, but not successfully nan with unclean spirit in synagogue in Capernaum - 1:25-26 - Gadarene demoniac - - here Jesus allowed no such outburst or interchange.
The spirit left the boy - crying out, convulsing, leaving the boy as a corpse so that most said, he is dead. BUT JESUS took him by the hand, lifted him up and he arose - literally he raised him and he resurrected him - cc Jairus daughter - 5:41
Intervention initially seemed to make things worse. Such was the case for Saul. The same was true for most of all of us.
The father’s first test was to trust Jesus’ word and Jesus alone rather than a clear mutually approved after Jesus life plan.
Some things are possible only through prayer.
After the casting out of the demon & the raising of the boy - when He had entered the house, His disciples asked him privately - “Why could we not cast it out?”
Private gatherings typically more instruction and teaching - 4:10; 9:28; 10:10 - DISCIPLESHIP
First emphasis that prayer is essential - 3 previous references to Jesus praying:
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.
Mk 14:
On each of those occasions Jesus was alone. The disciples were aware that He prayed but there was no reference that they prayed as well.
This is a beginning emphasis that is an essential element of ministry. During future months of ministry, Jesus will emphasize the necessity of prayer:
In difficult times - 13:18
For strength against temptation - 13:33; 14:38
With warnings against pride - 12:40
Temple a place of prayer - 11:17
Connected with faith - 11:24-25 - withered fig tree
With forgiveness - 11:25
It is groundless to postulate on why the disciples failed. At the very least it reminded them lack of ability in themselves, spiritual gifts, calling or past experience. It is always about faith and prayer.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14–29)
Prayer is the focusing and directing of faith in specific requests to God. Both faith and prayer testify that spiritual power is not in oneself but in God alone, and both wait in trust upon his promise to save.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to Mark Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14–29)
A recurrent theme in this passage is the inadequacy of the disciples in ministry with Jesus. Service in fellowship with Christ is characterized by constant awareness of the inadequacy of the servant. As this story illustrates, Jesus calls disciples to tasks beyond their abilities, and the fact that the tasks surpass their abilities is evidence that the ministry is Christ’s, not theirs. The inadequacy of disciples is not their fault, nor should it have the effect of impairing either their faith or fellowship with Christ. Rather, inadequacy drives the disciples to prayer, which is God’s gift to them and another form of fellowship with Jesus as their Lord.
In Mark’s account of Jesus’ healing the boy with the unclean spirit, we are reminded that:
With ministry come blessings and pressures.
To be expected
Praise the Lord!
Blessings and pressures are best shared.
We are usually more than willing to share the blessings.
We always need others to help carry the burdens.
Those who come to us with needs expect to and need to “see” Jesus.
So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3. While physical needs cannot be neglected, spiritual needs are most important.
Not either or but both and
Caring for physical needs earns us the right to share the Gospel.
“People do not care how much we know until they know how much we care.” Theodore Roosevelt
Acts of kindness
4. Faith and prayer are essential for fruitful ministry.
Ministry essential
House of Prayer
He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”