ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE (Mark 9:14-29)
INTRODUCTION:
The life of a Christian is a life of faith. Our Scripture reading this morning from 2nd Corinthians 5:1-9 stated that “…we walk by faith, not by sight…” (2nd Corinthians 5:7, NASB95)[1] A Christian’s faith trusts in God whom they have not seen, the Lord Jesus Christ whom they have not seen, the Holy Spirit whom they have not seen. Their faith embraces a death and resurrection they have not seen; they trust in a justification they have not seen; and they look forward to eternal life in a heaven they have not seen. As believers in Jesus Christ we are saved by faith, sanctified by faith, and hold the hope of glory by faith. That faith is by no means perfect, but it is sufficient—not because of human ability but because faith itself is a gift of God.
For more than two years the disciples had walked by sight. They had been in the presence of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God. They had watched and seen how He reacted and ministered to people and situations, they had sat under His teaching and had been eyewitnesses to His miracles. They had seen it all with their eyes, they had walked by sight, but soon they would have to walk by faith. After His death and resurrection, they would have Him for a short time and then He would ascend into heaven, and they would begin their walk of faith. Jesus would no longer be physically present with them. But He would speak to them through His Word, and He would empower them in the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus moved with determination towards Jerusalem and His death, resurrection, and ascension, He taught the disciples a series of lessons to prepare them to minister in His absence. To minister by faith. On either end of those lessons was a lesson on faith, that first lesson is recorded in our passage for this morning. As the incident in today’s passage begins, Jesus was not present, so the nine disciples that had not gone up the mountain with Him were challenged to walk by faith, and they failed miserably. Again, we see that the disciples were a work in progress, and at times their faith was shallow and weak. Just like when they were worried about their lack of bread. Matthew and Luke also record this incident, but Mark’s is the most detailed. The contrast between the transfiguration and what takes place here is dramatic. The transfiguration happened high on a mountaintop; this incident happened in the valley below. In the transfiguration, there was glory; in this incident there was suffering. In the transfiguration God dominated the scene; in this one Satan dominated until Jesus arrived. In the transfiguration, the heavenly Father was pleased; in this passage, an earthly father was tormented. In the transfiguration, there was a perfect Son; here there was a corrupted son. At the transfiguration, fallen men were in holy wonder; in this event there was a fallen son in unholy horror. Let’s pray and then move into our passage.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles to Mark 9:14-29. Our passage for this morning. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
Mark 9:14-29,
“When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. And He asked them, ‘What are you discussing with them?’ And one of the crowd answered Him, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.’ 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!’ They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ And he said, ‘From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘If You can? All things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief.’ When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.’ 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!’ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’ ” (Mark 9:14–29, NASB95)[2]
THE DISCIPLES’ LACK OF FAITH (Mark 9:14-19)
In last Sunday’s passage we saw Jesus, Peter, James, and John coming down the mountain from having just experienced the transfiguration. Our passage this morning has them back down in the valley about to rejoin the nine other disciples of the Lord that had remained in the valley. As they approached, they saw a large crowd gathered around the nine. As they drew closer, they could see that the nine were arguing with some scribes. They had been left on their own, and as it turns out, things had not gone well.
As they drew closer, the crowd recognized Jesus we are told they were amazed and began running to Him to greet Him. The presence of Jesus always caused the crowds to be amazed because Jesus was the miracle worker, the One who performed signs, wonders, and healings. Coming closer to the disciples, Jesus demanded to know what the scribes were discussing with them. Both the scribes and the nine disciples were silent. Neither were quick to give an answer, and instead of one of them answering, one in the crowd answered for them. Matthew tells us that a man came to Jesus and fell on his knees before Him (Matthew 17:14) . He cried out to Jesus, “Teacher, I brought You my son…” (Mark 9:17b, NASB95) Luke tells us that this was his only son, adding to the sadness of this situation (Luke 9:38). The man went on to tell Jesus why he had brought Him his son, because he is “…possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.”” (Mark 9:17–18, NASB95)[3] Here was a situation the nine disciples had failed to handle, which led to their embarrassed silence.
Demons have been active in the world ever since the fall. These are the angels who followed Satan in his rebellion against God and now they do his bidding. They usually do not make their presence known, choosing instead to do their work covertly even disguising themselves as angels of light. But during the ministry of Jesus, it seems they launched an all-out assault against Him and the Jewish people, manifesting themselves more often openly and to some degree more willingly than is their normal practice. Even those who wanted to stay hidden, Jesus unmasked them, forcing them to reveal themselves even when they did not want to do so.
This demon would have preferred to gone undetected in this boy. Although the father had discerned that his son’s condition was the result of demonic activity, others may have diagnosed him as having some kind of mental disorder. Though these symptoms are the same as someone who has epilepsy, these came about from the physical battering the demon inflicted on this boy. Luke writes that the father described the demon as mauling his son, using a Greek verb that could be translated “to crush,” “to shatter,” or “to break in pieces,” a description that clearly describes the horror and violence with which this demon afflicted this boy. This demon also caused the boy to be deaf and mute.
The failure of the disciples to cast the demon out of this boy is surprising, since Jesus had given them power over demons, and they had cast them out successfully before when Jesus had sent them out in pairs to preach the gospel. Even though the crowd was mainly made up of those who were just curious and hoped to see Jesus perform a miracle and not those who believed in Him, Jesus’ rebuke was aimed mainly at His disciples. Jesus said, “O unbelieving generation,” (Mark 9:19b, NASB95)[4] revealing that the reason they could not cast out the demon was their failure to believe. By the use of the word “O” we see the emotion on Jesus’ part, showing that the weak faith of the disciples was painful to Him.
After all the time that the disciples had spent with Him, such a lack of trust was without excuse. Jesus exasperated said, “…how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you?” (Mark 9:19c, NASB95)[5] Then acting to do what the disciples had failed to, Jesus said, “Bring him to Me!” (Mark 9:19d, NASB95)[6]
A FATHER’S DESPERATE PLEA (Mark 9:20-24)
They began to bring the boy to Jesus through the crowd, this father was about to get what he so desperately wanted. As the boy was brought forward to where he could see Jesus, immediately the demon threw this boy into a final, violent convulsion. He fell to the ground and was rolling around and foaming at the mouth. This demon did not want to have an encounter with Jesus, this action shows us that He knew who Jesus was and that he was about to get what he desperately did not want.
As this vile demonic display was taking place in front of Jesus, He already knew what He was going to do. Jesus calmly asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus was not asking for information, because He already knew. What He wanted was to draw this father out, He wanted to bear this father’s pain. Jesus wanted the man to share his heartbreaking story of his son’s demonic oppression. Jesus wanted this man to understand that he was not coming to some impersonal force, but that he was coming to a person. When Jesus interacted with people, either healing them or casting out a demon, His interaction revealed the compassion of God and showed that God cares about human pain and suffering. Jesus allowed this desperate, suffering father to unload the burden of his heart to the sympathetic and merciful Son of God.
The man began to unload, this has been taking place since childhood, this has been a lifelong affliction for this boy. Now understand that this was not due to any sin on the part of either this father or the son but for the glory of God. And even though the demon had repeatedly tried to kill the boy, throwing him into fires or into water, God had preserved him for this moment to bring His Son glory. This man had spent his life trying to keep this demon from killing his son and that desperate struggle was about to be over.
Encouraged by the sympathy and the concern Jesus showed to this man concerning his son, the man pleaded with Jesus, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” (Mark 9:22b, NASB95)[7] His faith was weak and incomplete, possibly because Jesus’ disciples had failed to help him. He correctly understood that Jesus was willing to deliver his son, but he was not sure if Jesus had the power to help him. But he was desperate for any help.
Jesus’ reply, “If You can?” (Mark 9:23b, NASB95)[8] was not a question but an exclamation of surprise. Jesus had spent the last two years healing the sick and casting out demons, how could His ability to cast out this one be in question? Jesus went on and said, “All things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23c, NASB95)[9] This statement is the lesson that Jesus intended to teach from this incident. This was not the first time He had spoken on the importance of faith, and it would not be the last. The lesson that faith is essential to access the power of God applied to all the unbelieving crowd, the father, who was struggling to believe, as well as to the disciples, whose faith was weak and wavering. The disciples desperately needed this lesson, since after Jesus’ death, they would need to access God’s power through believing prayer.
Mark writes, “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, ‘I do believe; help my unbelief.’ ” (Mark 9:24, NASB95)[10] This man was honest enough to admit that though he believed in Jesus’ power, he struggled with doubt. Just as he had pleaded in desperation for Jesus to help his son, with that same desperation he pleads with Jesus to help him be delivered from his unbelief. The Lord is not limited by imperfect faith; even the strongest faith is always mixed with a measure of doubt. With this desperate plea Jesus was about to help both this father and his son.
THE AUTHORITY AND POWER OF JESUS (Mark 9:25-27)
While this dialog was taking place between Jesus and the father, word was quickly spreading that Jesus had returned, Jesus could see that the crowd was growing, and more were coming. Seeing this He decided to end the conversation and take action. The compassionate Lord wanted to avoid further embarrassment for this anguished father and his tormented son. Besides this, His public ministry was over, and He had nothing left to prove, since He had given enough evidence to leave no doubt that He was who He claimed to be. His focus now was on training His disciples.
Turning to the boy, Jesus “rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.’ ” (Mark 9:25, NASB95)[11] This rebuke came from the spirit’s Creator and the sovereign Lord of the universe, the spirit could do nothing but obey. The demon instantly and permanently left the boy but did so with a loud cry and one last terrible convulsion, with that it came out. Exhausted and traumatized by the violent convulsions, the boy lay still and became so much like a corpse, Mark writes, that most of those who saw him said that he was dead. Jesus tenderly and compassionately stooped down and took the boy by the hand and raised him, and he got up and Luke tells us Jesus gave him back to his father (Luke 9:42) whole and complete, never to be traumatized again. The Lord had cast out the demon and had cast out the doubt of His power that the boy’s father had asked Jesus to help him get rid of.
THE DISCIPLE’S RE-FOCUSED (Mark 9:28-29)
Mark ends this passage with Jesus teaching the disciples and helping them understand why they could not cast out the demon. Later that day they were in the house, wherever they were staying in Caesarea Philippi. Jesus’ disciples began to question Him asking why they could not cast out the demon. They were struggling to understand this sudden inability to do this on this occasion, since they had successfully cast out demons in the past. Jesus replied, “This kind (referring to demons in general) cannot come out by anything but prayer.” They had been self-deceived into thinking that the gift they had received to cast out demons was under their control and could be exercised at will. Because of this, they did not think to pray! They forgot that there had to be radical dependence if God’s power were to flow through their lives. Jesus was teaching them that the faith that brings power is a faith that prays. The demon would have long been history if the disciples had given themselves to believing prayer.
Matthew’s parallel passage also adds that Jesus rebuked them for the littleness of their faith (Matthew 17:20) revealing that it was that weakness that kept them from praying. Matthew adds that Jesus said if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they would have been able to unleash the power of God and overcome any difficulty. Jesus used a mustard seed because it was the smallest seed used in the agriculture in Israel. Jesus does not use it to represent a level of faith to be achieved but rather the minimal faith that believers already have—such as that illustrated by the father.
CONCLUSION:
Throughout the ministry of Jesus, He healed many without faith, but on this occasion the miracle is connected to faith because that was the necessary lesson for the disciples to learn for the future. Their power will come by believing prayer. Our strength of faith can never be put on automatic pilot. When we face a formidable foe, whether a difficult situation or circumstances that are out of our control, it is not enough simply to depend on the reservoir of faith that we have, we must get on our knees. We have to plead with God. We must use all the means of grace that He has given His people, for He strengthens people through these means and His power is unleashed when we come to Him in believing prayer. Our prayer life is a true measure of our faith. We must be people of profound prayer because when we put our full dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ, we will see His power unleashed in our lives and in our church.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[9]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[10]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[11]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.