Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Most of us know the feeling of being snapped back into reality.

Typically that expression is used when after a moment or season of peace is experienced, you come face to face with trials, conflict, difficulty once again which remind you of the brokenness or hardness of the world.

A few weeks ago I was able to attend the Together For The Gospel conference in Louisville with a few other guys from the church.

For three days we just got away and worshipped Jesus together with about 12,000 other brothers and sisters in Christ.

We laughed a lot, we sang together, we sat under incredible preaching together, we encouraged one another.

It was a great time, and just kind of a break from my typical responsibilities.

But as soon as I returned home, I was faced with life again and the highs and lows that come with ministry.

“Okay, there’s work to be done.”

A lot of us probably experience this when we return from family vacation, or a quick weekend getaway.

Whenever, we’re able to get away to be refreshed and renewed, we know we’re going to be returning “back to reality.”

The pressures of life, the stress of life, the conflict of life, the brokenness of life.

No, more clearly is this reality seen than in Mark 9.

Verse 14 says,

Mark 9:14 (ESV)

And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.

If you recall from last week, we walked through the transfiguration of Jesus.

Jesus is changed for a moment before the three disciples with him, Peter, James, and John.

They see Jesus in all his glory.

A snapshot.

A foreshadowing of the glory to come.

They saw him truly as King and Lord.

The experienced both Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus, they heard the audible voice of God speaking to them from a cloud.

Maybe this is where we get the phrase, “mountaintop experience” but either way can you just imagine the thrill these disciples were feeling?Can you picture that descent down the mountain?

The questions they must have been asking, the discussion they were having with each other.

“Can you believe what we just saw?!” “Can we go back?”

They still didn’t understand it all, but man, they must have felt like they were floating down that mountain.

And what do they walk into?

Conflict.

Arguing.

Religious leaders attacking the disciples.

Right back into the brokenness of the world.

A child possessed.

It’s that snapback to reality.

It’s that reminder to them, and us that glory has not yet fully come.

There’s still suffering, there’s still sin.

There’s still brokenness.

We all feel that right?

So, where do we find the power and strength to persevere?

The transfiguration of Jesus was this foreshadowing of the glory to come.

Jesus’ mission was suffering first, glory later.

His suffering led him all the way to the cross.

And in his resurrection he was glorified and exalted.

Like Jesus, we’re called to follow him which means, suffering first, glory later.

It means, like Jesus we too, take up our cross daily, die to ourselves, and follow him.

And like Jesus, there’s coming a day for those who belong to him where we will be glorified (Romans 8:30) and finally freed from sin and death, to forever live the mountaintop experience with Christ in all his glory, but until that day, we persevere and endure in a world in need, keeping our eyes on him.

So, again I’ll ask the question.

Where do we find the power and strength to persevere?

What often is the reason for our failure to endure?

What hope do we find in Christ through pain and hardship?

Mark’s aim is to reveal to sufficiency of Christ in the valley of life.

Let’s seek to answer these questions from the text this morning.

Let’s first look at,

The problem we all face

We’ve already touched on the conflict that Jesus and these three disciples are immediately walking into as they descend this mountain.

They’re coming from the mountaintop into the valley.

But, what specifically is the issue at hand that the Scribes are arguing with the disciples about and what’s the true underlying problem we see in this that affects all of humanity?

So, in verse 16, Jesus asks, “what’s the problem?” “What are you all arguing about?

We see the answer in verse 17 and 18.

Mark 9:17–18 (ESV)

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.”

Well, here we go.

Jesus comes face to face once again with this great enemy of God, Satan.

These demonic powers which have wreaked havoc on God’s good earth, amongst God’s creation.

We’ve seen encounters like this in Mark 1 and Mark 5. Satan is an absolute hater of God.

His motivation is to destroy the image of God in mankind.

Their aim is to steal and to kill and destroy.

Jesus says as much in the gospel of John.

John 10:10 (ESV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

In Mark 5, Jesus encounters a demon-possessed man who lived out among the tombs who would bruise and cut himself with stones.

In this encounter as soon as the demons are removed they enter a herd of pigs who instantly run down the side of a cliff in to the sea and drown.

Satan’s motivation is to kill and destroy.

It’s here, that we see this great enemy of God up close once again.

This young boy has been overtaken, possessed by demonic influence.

It seizes him, harms him, distorts and perverts the image of God in humanity.

If you jump down to verse 22 you see once again Satan’s aim to kill and destroy.

Mark 9:22 (ESV)

It has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him.

Satan knows that he cannot overcome or overthrow God himself and so anything he can do to distort or damage the image of God in humanity is considered a victory in his mind.

Church, may we not take too lightly the demonic influence that is in the world today.

We do face a real enemy who is determined to undermine and destroy anything he can get his hands on.

Far too often, and God help us, we fight and struggle amongst ourselves and others and forget the real enemy who is seeking to steal, kill and destroy.

And so the apostle Paul reminds us inEphesians 6 to,

Ephesians 6:11–12 (ESV)

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

The apostle Peter reminds us as well to be,

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

Be sober-minded; be watchful.

Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

And not only do we have an enemy roaming this earth seeking to cause destruction but we ourselves are still flawed and prone to wandering and drifting away from Christ.

Our own sinful flesh is oftentimes our greatest enemy.

Like the lyrics of “Come Thou Fount” say, “Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

I feel that within my bones at times.

I feel this tendency to want to take my eyes off of the cross of Christ where forgiveness and redemption is found and instead drift into self-righteousness, thinking I can earn, I can do what is needed for right-standing before God.

To think I don’t need him.