Jesus and the Boy

Gospel of Mark Mark 9:14-29 INTRODUCTION We're back in the Gospel of Mark, continuing in chapter 9. You recall Nathan preached on the transfiguration back in November, so we'll pick up from there. Turn to Mark 9. We'll start at verse 14. Pray. INSTRUCTION THE ARGUMENT [14-18] And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. And he asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?" And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." Here's the situation: a father brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, only to find he wasn't there. Jesus had taken three of his disciples up a mountain where he was transfigured before them. The father asked the remaining disciples to cast out the spirit. Luke informs us that this is the father's only child. Mark tells us that spirit makes the boy mute and deaf. In Matthew, the father describes his son as a lunatic and very ill. We learn later in this account that the spirit often cast the boy into fire or water to destroy him. That's what the enemy does. Jesus describes him as a thief that "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (John 10:10). When everyone saw Jesus, they were greatly amazed. This word - ekthambeo - is used only by Mark in his Gospel and he used it on three different occasions: Here is Mark 9:15 GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE [Mark 14:33] And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. RESURRECTION [Mark 16:5-6] And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him So we have one Greek word translated amazed, distressed and alarmed. Wuest provides clarity... [Wuest] What was there in the three situations: the returned Master, the agony in the garden, and the appearance of the angel at the resurrection? A surprise; which, whether sorrowful or joyful, always gives a certain emotional shock. When Jesus and the three disciples arrived, the scene was pretty intense: the nine disciples were likely frustrated for not being able to cast out the demon, the scribes were probably ridiculing them for their failure, the father lost a little more hope that his son would ever get healed, add to that the crowd's varied reactions to the fiasco and you have a pretty charged situation. In the midst of all this came Jesus and the people were surprised when they saw Jesus: ● The disciples were relieved ● The scribes were scared ● The father was hopeful for a healing ● The crowd was excited for a miracle Why couldn't the disciples cast out this particular spirit? After all, Jesus gave his disciples the authority to cast out demons... [Mark 6:7] And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. And they had successfully cast out demons when Jesus wasn't there. [Mark 6:12-13] So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. So what happened in this situation? THE SITUATION [19] And he answered them, "O faithless/unbelieving generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?" Who was Jesus speaking to? I think he was addressing everyone in that crowd. TO THE UNBELIEVING FATHER Yes, the father brought the son to Jesus and to his disciples, but he didn't actually believe they could heal his son. This is affirmed when the father said to Jesus in verse 22, "If you can do anything..." TO THE UNBELIEVING SCRIBES These are the spiritual leaders of Israel, but we don't hear of any desperate people bringing their diseased and demon-possessed loved ones to them. And we never see them rejoicing when Jesus heals someone. Their hearts are critical and hard. TO THE UNBELIEVING CROWD The crowd hung around Jesus looking for the next "show." It was all about the next big miracle or amazing teaching, not Jesus himself. This is evident when the crowds left him when things got difficult. TO THE UNBELIEVING DISCIPLES We already know that Jesus gave his disciples authority to cast out demons, and they have experience of actually doing it. Perhaps the nine got a bit cocky, not looking in faith to the Lord for the miracle, but relying on their own abilities. [Wiersbe] The authority that Jesus had given them was effective only if exercised by faith, but faith must be cultivated through spiritual discipline and devotion. It may be that the absence of their Lord, or His taking the three disciples with Him and leaving them behind, had dampened their spiritual fervor and diminished their faith. Not only did their failure embarrass them, but it also robbed the Lord of glory and gave the enemy opportunity to criticize. It is our faith in Him that glorifies God. Even in the midst of such unbelief, the compassion of our Savior shines forth. "Bring him to me." And just like that, hope is renewed. Jesus, the Savior, Messiah, will turn his attention to the boy. But it's not about the boy, precious as he is. It's about Jesus. If Jesus has authority over the spiritual world, then surely he has authority over my life and yours. If the crowd walked away happy for the father and his son, but not praising God for his grace and mercy, they would have missed another opportunity to express faith. In other words, were their eyes fixed on the miracle or the miracle worker, the One who works all things for His glory? [20-22] And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. And Jesus asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. Of course the spirit recognized Jesus, and in an act of defiance, caused the boy to convulse. While this is going on, Jesus, calm as can be, has a little conversation with the father. There's no panic with Jesus, no pacing back and forth worried about the situation. "Hey, how long has this been going on?" From childhood. The need was great - everyone could see it. It was happening right before their eyes. [22] But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." We don't know to what lengths this father went to for his child, but we hear the desperation in his words - if you can do anything.... [23] And Jesus said to him, "'If you can'! All things are possible for one who believes." This is faith: believing ALL things are possible because the object of your faith is the One who is able to do ALL things. Nothing is impossible for God. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" How many of us have cried out to the Lord with this same sentiment? Lord I want to believe, but my unbelief gets in the way. Help! [KJV] And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. [Albert Barnes] The man felt the implied rebuke in the Saviour's language; and feeling grieved that he should be thought to be destitute of faith, and feeling deeply for the welfare of his afflicted son, he wept. Nothing can be more touching or natural than this. An anxious father, distressed at the condition of his son, having applied to the disciples in vain, now coming to the Saviour; and not having full confidence that he had the proper qualification to be aided, he wept. Any man would have wept in his condition, nor would the Saviour turn the weeping suppliant away. THE HEALING [25-27] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. The frenzied crowd was no doubt growing larger, so Jesus acted quickly probably to spare the father and son from gawking eyes but also to not give in to the thrill-seeking crowd. The spirit disobeyed the commands of the disciples, but not the commands of Jesus. The Messiah rebuked it and commanded it to come out of the boy and never to return. Even then, the spirit came out with one last show of defiance. We see the physical toll the spirit took on the boy. Once it left, the boy appeared lifeless. Most of the crowd thought he was dead. Remember John 10:10 that I referenced earlier? The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. The second part of that verse: Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." I'm not saying the boy was dead, but Jesus brought life to him when he took him by the hand and lifted him up. The spirit left the boy weak and likely near death, but Jesus not only cast out the spirit, he restored the boy with life! THE FOLLOW UP [28-29] And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." We know from Ephesians 6 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of evil. Some of those spirits are stronger than others. Some spirits are cast out with simple command, while others require the use of greater weapons. [Ephesians 6:17-18] and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance... How do we know if something we encounter in the day will require intense prayer to drive it away? We don't. So we maintain a close walk with the Lord throughout the day, dependant upon Him every step of the way. We are ready to offer prayers of faith to bring healing to those we come into contact with. This is what James writes... [James 5:13-18] Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. APPLICATION Listen to a similar exchange earlier in Mark... [Mark 1:40-41] And a leper *came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." The father in our story said, "If you can." The leper said, "If you are willing." The faith of these two are worlds apart. The father is not even sure Jesus has the ability to heal, let alone a willingness. The question for the leper is not whether Jesus is able to heal, but if he is willing to heal. This is the faith God is looking for: trusting is God's ability to heal AND submitting to his will regarding the healing. I suspect for most of us, the first part is easy - we trust in God's ability. It's the second part we find challenging - is it God's will to heal at this time? For most Christians, the greatest frustration is knowing God is able to do something, but he chooses not to...at least in the timetable we set for him. Since our faith is in a person, we trust not only in our Lord's ability but in his willingness to act. We can have confidence that our God can do all things, but we must surrender to his will and to his timing. So if we come across someone with a need, we bring that person to the Lord because we have faith in God's ability to meet that need. But we come with the attitude that God will act as he wills. Perhaps delay will bring God greater glory? Maybe a "no" is just what a person needs for his or faith to be strengthened. We walk by faith, not by sight, which means that I don't need to see an answer to my prayer to know that God heard my prayer and will act for his glory and my good. For most, if not all of us, we're like the father. I believe. Help my unbelief. If we are honest with ourselves, our faith is not perfect, but it is being perfected. [Hebrews 12:1-2] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. So, church: pray for one another. Intercede for others. Do so by faith! In your conversations before and after church, if a need is shared, bring it to the Lord in faith and submit to his will. [Ephesians 3:20-21] Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. CLOSING SONG By Faith OTHER SCRIPTURE QUOTES The Christian life is "a land of hills and valleys" (Deu_11:11). In one day, a disciple can move from the glory of heaven to the attacks of hell. When our Lord and His three friends returned to the other nine disciples, they found them involved in a dual problem: they were unable to deliver a boy from demonic control, and the scribes were debating with them and perhaps even taunting them because of their failure. As always, it was Jesus who stepped in to solve the problem. The boy was both deaf and dumb (Mar_9:17, Mar_9:25), and the demon was doing his best to destroy him. Imagine what it would be like for that father to try to care for the boy and protect him! Jesus had given His disciples authority to cast out demons (Mar_6:7, Mar_6:13), and yet their ministry to the boy was ineffective. No wonder the Lord was grieved with them! How often He must be grieved with us when we fail to use the spiritual resources He has graciously given to His people! Since the disciples had failed, the desperate father was not even sure that Jesus could succeed; hence his statement, "If you can do anything" (Mar 9:22 2, nasb). However, the father was honest enough to admit his own unbelief and to ask the Lord to help him and his son. Jesus did cast out the demon and restore the boy to his father. The main lesson of this miracle is the power of faith to overcome the enemy (Mar_9:19, Mar_9:23-24; and see Mat_17:20). Why had the nine disciples failed? Because they had been careless in their personal spiritual walk and had neglected prayer and fasting (Mar_9:29). [Wuest] Scribes wrangling with them, the nine. This is peculiar to Mark, but the situation is easily conceivable: the disciples have tried to heal the boy and failed (v. 18); the scribes, delighted with the failure, taunt them with it, and suggest by way of explanation, the waning power of the Master, whose name they had vainly attempted to conjure with. The baffled nine make the best defence they can, or perhaps listen in silence." To this, the crowd was listening. [1 Corinthians 10:23] "Everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible," but not everything builds up. Isn't that typical when Jesus is proclaimed or the Gospel preached? ● Some are amazed with God's love and mercy ● Some are alarmed when they hear of the consequences of their sin ● Some are distressed ● Some are defensive - I don't need Jesus If a heart is not completely hard, there will be some reaction to Jesus and the Gospel; amazed, distressed, alarmed CMF: January 3, 2020