Well, surprisingly, Mark gives much more time and space to this particular miracle of Jesus
than any other gospel author.
The parallel accounts, if you want to, you can write these in your notes, maybe you'll
want to reference them later.
The parallel accounts are found in Matthew 17 and Luke chapter 9.
And what you'll find as you begin to study those three accounts of this specific miracle
is that Mark not only gives more time to it, Mark gives more time to this event than the
other two gospel authors combined.
That's pretty significant.
It's unique because when we start to look at Mark's gospel, we step back and kind of consider
the book as a whole, what his style is typically like.
It's by far the shortest of the four gospels.
He constantly in style is pushing the story along, the narrative.
Even in this particular story, almost every verse begins with the word and, and it's
a literary note here on Mark's part.
He's pushing it forward.
He's keeping the story moving.
He doesn't want us to dwell too long on one particular thing.
He wants us to keep it moving.
So it's unique then that when we get to this story, he takes so much time, more time than,
as far as I can tell, more time than any other miracle in his entire book he gives to this
moment.
Now then we can go to John chapter 21 at the very end of John's gospel.
What is it that John says?
Of all the things that Jesus did, he did so many more things than what you've read about.
And if all of them were written down, the world itself could not contain the books.
And so if we start to step back and we have to ask this question then, okay, if that's true,
why did Matthew, Mark, and Luke, all three find this to be so important to include in their
gospels?
And then to take that question just a little bit further, why did Mark feel that it was
so important that he gives more time to this than he does to any of Jesus's other miracles?
I think that's significant questions to ask.
And I think to answer them, we have to step back for just a moment.
Remember that we have divided Mark's gospel really into two main sections.
The first eight chapters, remember, are focused more on Jesus's identity as the Messiah and the
Son of God.
The last eight chapters are focused primarily on his purpose in bringing salvation through his
crucifixion and resurrection.
And so that helps us to stop and think for just a moment, okay, where does this particular miracle
find itself?
Well, it's not in the part where we're trying to figure out Jesus's identity.
So we've already established that there's got to be another purpose for it here.
That's not lost on the story, but it's not really its main drive either.
When we start to look then at when Mark includes miracles, we see that most of them are in that
first section.
They are meant to say, this is who Jesus is.
Look at this power.
Look at what he can do and what he does.
How could he be anything else than God?
How could he not be the Messiah?
How could he not be the Son of God?
But then when we get to this last section, there's very few miracles included.
I think we could even take this section of Mark really about halfway through chapter 8 through
chapter 10 and look at it almost as a subsection where Mark has really zeroed in on Jesus's training
of the 12 disciples.
And this section is bookended by two miracles.
Both involve Jesus healing blind men, giving them sight.
What's Mark doing with that?
He's emphasizing in this section right now, he's emphasizing spiritual blindness and spiritual sight.
And every story, every part of the narrative vacillates between those two things.
In some cases, he's presenting an element of spiritual sight, someone who has exhibited faith
in Christ and is following Christ in faith.
In some situations, it's the opposite.
He's dealing with Pharisees and scribes and Sadducees, Herodians, where there is clearly
spiritual darkness.
And Mark is drawing these lines.
And then he particularly deals with the progressive nature of the disciples' spiritual sight.
Remember the first miracle with the man that was blind, Jesus healed them.
The first time there's, he can see, but it's not very clear.
And then Jesus touches him again, and then he can see clearly.
Well, the disciples are in this phase right now where they can't quite see clearly.
And Mark's explaining that.
And so when we get here to this particular passage, we find that it has less to do with Jesus's
messiahship.
It has more to do with our discipleship.
And the lesson that is being driven through by Jesus first in this miracle is a lesson on
the necessity of faith to the disciple.
The necessity of faith to the disciple.
So let's work through the story together.
The first thing, if you're keeping notes in your journals, the first thing that I would
write down is a problem of unbelief.
A problem of unbelief.
So the narrative picks up in verse 14 following, if you remember, the transfiguration of Jesus
on Mount Hermon.
Remember, Jesus had taken Peter and James and John with him up the mountain, but he left the
other nine disciples behind.
We're not told of any specific instructions that he gave to them.
But they were evidently engaged in some type of ministry as they waited for the Lord to return.
That may not have actually been their intention.
They probably didn't want to have to deal with the crowds in this particular moment, but the crowds
inevitably found them.
And the people coming to them, some of them had very urgent needs.
And now Jesus had sent his disciples out before.
And when he had sent them, he had empowered them in his name to perform these works that
needed to be done.
Let me just read you a part of Mark chapter six.
We studied this a few months ago.
Mark chapter six and verse seven, he called the 12 and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
And then we jumped down to verse 12 and it says, so they went out and proclaimed that people
should repent and they cast out many demons and anointed many with oil who were sick and
healed them.
And so it's not that the disciples had not done this before.
They had, God had used them to do this very thing in the past.
And so the crowd start to come to them and having a little bit of experience under their
belts, the nine disciples at the foot of the mountain began to minister to the needs of
the people.
The problem is they failed miserably, miserably.
They couldn't do the same things that Christ had empowered them to do before.
And so then we see this incredible contrast in chapter nine.
We see the glory of the Mount of Transfiguration.
We see this glimpse of glory, this glimpse of what awaits us, of who Jesus is in his essence,
of what awaits us even beyond this life.
And then we're immediately confronted with the chaos in the valley.
And we go from glory to chaos.
And it's a pretty good picture, isn't it?
It's a picture of what life will be for us at the end of this age.
But then down in the valley is a picture of what life is like for us now.
It's chaos.
It's darkness.
It's wickedness.
It's struggle.
And so Jesus descends the mountain and this is what he comes to.
Mark gives four different people or groups here as he unfolds the story for us.
The first one we see is disputing disciples, disputing disciples.
Look at verse 14.
When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
So among this crowd that had gathered waiting for Jesus was a group of scribes, which is never a good thing.
We often find them partnered with the Pharisees and the Herodians,
always looking for a way to trap Jesus in his words,
always looking for a way to discredit him.
And we know that what they were really doing based on, I think it's Mark 3,
what they were really trying to do was destroy him.
They're looking for any means possible by which they could condemn him
and get him out of the way because he was bad news for them.
So you can imagine the delight of the scribes when the disciples were incapable of performing this miracle.
And apparently they confronted the disciples about this.
And what ensued in following with that is this embarrassingly public argument.
So this man brings the boy to the disciples.
The disciples could do nothing with it.
The scribes find it as a reason for them to give the disciples a hard time to discredit them.
And instead of exercising wisdom in this moment, what do the disciples do?
They engage in a public, embarrassing argument with the scribes.
They fed right into what the scribes wanted them to do in this particular moment.
Not only had they failed in their ministry, but they allowed themselves to get sucked into a fight that was unnecessary.
And of course, unbecoming of a disciple of Christ.
And this isn't too uncommon for us these days either.
It only takes a little bit of surfing on the various social media platforms to find groups of Christians
who are so distracted from what God has actually called us to do,
they're getting sucked into unnecessary arguments, embarrassingly public arguments.
It's unbecoming of a Christian, unbecoming of a disciple of Christ.
That's what Jesus walks down the mountain to.
The ones who were closest to him were a complete embarrassment to him in that particular moment.
He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
Number two, we see distracting crowds, distracting crowds.
Look at verse 15.
Immediately, all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up and greeted him.
Now again, crowds are never mentioned favorably in Mark's gospel.
They weren't opponents to Jesus in the same way as the scribes and Pharisees,
but they were often a distraction and even a danger to Jesus's ministry.
For the most part, they were only interested in Jesus's entertainment value.
They weren't concerned with his message.
They weren't concerned really with following him.
And in this moment, as they noticed Jesus, they excitedly run and greet him.
But it's not because they had a genuine faith in who he was.
They were just enamored by his celebrity.
Have you ever been out in public and a celebrity has emerged from the darkness,
maybe incognito, but somebody notices them?
And what immediately happens?
The crowd runs to them.
Not because they actually like the person.
Not because they care anything about what the person does.
But it's a celebrity.
And this is what we've come to see.
Jesus comes off the mountain and the crowd rushes over.
Not because they want to hear him.
They just want him to entertain them.
They want to see what he can do.
Maybe perhaps what he could provide for them.
Then we see this desperate father.
A desperate father.
Look at verse 16.
And he asked them,
What are you arguing about with them?
Someone from the crowd answered,
Teacher, I brought my son to you.
For he has a spirit that makes him mute.
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.
So Jesus asked,
What are you fussing about?
And probably due to some embarrassment,
they hesitate to answer.
So this father pipes up.
He says,
Let me tell you.
I have a son.
And some people say that he's got epilepsy.
Here's his conditions.
I think there's more to it.
I think there's a demon torturing my son.
He can't talk.
He can't hear.
So I can't communicate with him.
I can't try to console him.
He's constantly being thrown on the ground violently.
He's foaming at the mouth.
He's grinding his teeth.
And I brought my son hoping that you could help,
but your disciples were unable to help him.
Can you imagine
being powerless to help your son
and having to set by day by day
and just watch as he's tortured?
He's desperate.
No doubt,
no one else has been able to help.
He hears of Jesus.
He hears that Jesus is nearby.
He goes to where Jesus is,
but Jesus isn't there.
So naturally,
who does he turn to?
Those who claim to represent him.
This is a word of warning for us, church.
People who don't know Jesus
by nature
turn to those
who proclaim to be his representatives.
It's a warning
and a reminder for us
that we must pursue a life
that truly reflects the Lord
in faith,
in word,
in deed.
And these disciples,
despite their best attempts,
were incapable of helping the man's son.
And what it produced in the man
was more doubt.
Not doubt about the disciples.
Doubt about who they said they represented.
Doubt about Jesus.
Here he is bringing his son,
hoping for help.
And after a couple of attempts,
they ignore his son's condition
so that they can fight
with the scribes over here
who have nothing to do
with the whole situation.
And who's left out in the process?
The desperate father
who's actually come for some help.
But he ends up getting ignored
so they can get caught up
in this battle over here.
Does that sound familiar?
I feel like we get caught up
in battles over here.
And there's a lot of people
that may be coming to us
or otherwise would come to us
seeking for help from Christ.
But we're ignoring them
in order to get caught up
in all the mess
that's going on over here.
Well, then we see
the disappointed Lord.
The disappointed Lord.
Look at verse 19.
And he answered them,
Oh, faithless generation,
how long am I to be with you?
How long am I to bear with you?
Bring him to me.
And it's here that we begin
to discover the point of the story.
You can sense the emotional frustration
in Jesus' words here.
He's exasperated
by their unbelief.
But it's not just the unbelief
of one person or one group.
When Mark says that Jesus answered them,
he means all of them.
Everyone that's there in that moment.
And of course,
there's a special nod
toward the disciples here,
but it's not just about the disciples.
Jesus says,
faithless generation.
Words used five times
in Mark's gospel,
always in a broad sense,
never to describe a specific group,
but to describe people
in a general sense.
When Jesus steps back
and says,
Oh, faithless generation.
He's not frustrated
only with the disciples.
It's with everybody
that's there present
in that moment.
And yes,
he's frustrated with the nine.
But it's not because
they couldn't cast out the demon.
It's not because
they were just merely incapable.
He knew they didn't have power
in and of themselves
to do those things.
But Jesus also wasn't going to let them
pass this off
as just a mere impossibility
due to their humanness.
No.
What does Jesus say?
Faithless.
Unbelieving.
What's he accusing
these nine disciples of?
Not in being incapable
due to their humanness,
incapable due to their unbelief,
their faithlessness
in this moment.
Because they had done
these things before,
they fooled themselves
into thinking
that they indeed had the power
to do it themselves.
It's not that they doubted
that God could
or would perform this miracle.
It's that they didn't think
they needed God this time around.
They didn't think
they needed him.
We've done this before, fellas.
Let's say the words.
Let's do the touches.
Let's find the oil.
Let's do the stuff
and it will just work.
There's no notion
of God's power.
There's no reliance
on God's work.
They think they have it
in and of themselves,
which is just a form
of unbelief.
Jesus is frustrated.
They're still not getting it.
But he's not just frustrated
at them.
He's frustrated
at everybody else.
There's the scribes there
who had no faith at all
and were only trying
to cause problems for Jesus.
Faithless generation.
There's the crowds
who believed
he could provide them
with good,
a good show
or maybe some bread and fish,
but their unbelief
refused to follow him
as Lord.
Then there's the Father
who came to the right place
and he doesn't seem
to doubt Jesus' willingness,
but after the disciples failed,
what we find
is that he doubts
whether or not
even Jesus can do this.
And Jesus observes
everybody in this crowd
and he steps back
and he says,
Faithless generation,
how long do I have
to be with you?
How long am I going
to have to bear with you
before you will finally believe,
believe before you will
finally get it?
And we have to ask,
do we fit
any of these descriptions?
Are we like the disciples
trying to do the work of God
without God?
Relying on our own abilities
to do what God
has called us to do,
whether it be
in a ministerial way
in the church
or whether it be
as parents
or grandparents
or whether it be
in whatever thing
that God has put
in our lives
for us to accomplish
for his glory.
How many of us
are going about those things
trying to do the work
of God in our lives
but absent of God,
thinking that we have
within ourselves
what it takes
to do the things
that God wants us
to do in this life?
how many of us are like the crowds?
Interested in Jesus
so long as he gives us
what we want
or makes us feel good
in the process?
Maybe we're like the Father,
desperate for God's intervention,
but giving in to doubt
about whether his power
and faithfulness is true.
Who of us
would Jesus stand here today
and say,
faithless generation,
how long?
But then we get
to the last phrase
of this verse,
verse 19.
And it's the most encouraging phrase
of this particular story.
What is it Jesus says
at the end of that?
Bring him to me.
This is fantastic.
If the church
has failed you
like the disciples
failed this man
and his boy,
Jesus is still able.
Trust him.
If your life
is an utter mess right now,
like just an absolute mess
and you don't know
what you're gonna do,
you feel like you have
no hope in the world
at all,
Jesus is still able.
Trust him.
He can do for us
what no one else can do.
And he has a willingness
that's unmatched.
Nobody loves you
like Jesus loves you.
Your spouse doesn't love you
like Jesus loves you.
Your kids don't love you
like Jesus loves you.
Your parents don't love you
like Jesus loves you.
He has an unmatched
willingness to help you.
And he says,
just come to me.
Just come to me.
Bring your burdens to me.
Cast yourself on me.
I can help you.
I want to help you.
Trust me.
Believe me.
Bring him to me,
Jesus said.
Which sets up the miracle
that awaits us.
We have to move quickly.
Number two,
we see the lesson taught.
The lesson taught.
Look at verse 20.
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.
Jesus asked his father,
how long has this been happening to him?
He said, from childhood.
And it's often cast him into fire
and into water
to destroy him.
But if you can do anything,
have compassion on us
and help us.
Demon possession is not always
the source behind physical disorders.
We understand that.
We know that.
But this boy was clearly suffering
from spiritual torture,
not epilepsy.
There is way more going on
with this little boy
than just an illness.
He's being assaulted
assaulted by forces
beyond our sight,
beyond our control.
And it's easy for us
to come to passages like this
and even as believers
just wonder,
is this real?
Like, is this just meant
to be figurative?
No, this is real.
Demons are real.
And they're torturing this boy.
They brought the boy to Jesus
and the demon responded,
the way that they always do
when confronted by Jesus
in the Gospels.
Began its destructive work.
Tossed the boy on the ground.
Caused him to convulse
and so on.
And then Jesus inquired
of the father
more about this boy's condition.
Now, Jesus knew the boy's condition.
It wasn't that he needed
the information.
He's drawing something
out of this man, okay?
Now, hang on to that thought.
You're going to see it
as we go through these verses.
He's drawing something
out of this man.
He's drawing his doubt out
so that he can draw his faith out.
And he asked him,
how long has this been happening?
From childhood.
Not only does it happen,
but the demon tries
to destroy him.
Sometimes it throws him
into fire
and we have to rescue him
out of the fire.
Sometimes it throws him
into water
and tries to drown him.
You can imagine
this poor boy
scarred
from all of the struggle
that he's gone through.
All the times
he has been
cast down
into these different ways,
these different places.
And again,
we see
the desperate cry
of his father,
don't we?
If you can do anything,
will you please
have compassion
on my boy?
Will you please help?
That's the same thing
we would say,
is it not?
If one of our kids
were struggling
in this way,
what would we do?
If there was anybody
that could help,
we would go to that person.
If you can help,
please help.
And notice,
he says help us.
He doesn't just say
help my son.
He says help us.
This was torture
for his father.
This was painful
for his father.
He's asking for Jesus
to do something.
But Jesus latches on
to one element
of the man's plea
that reveals his doubt.
Look at verse 23.
And Jesus said,
if you can,
all things are possible
for one who believes.
I don't think Jesus
is speaking out
of frustration here.
I think before,
he's speaking out
of frustration.
Oh, faithless generation.
Now he's dealing
with this man one-on-one.
He's not frustrated
with him at all.
He's drawing this out.
He wants him
to acknowledge his doubt
so that Jesus
can get him
to acknowledge his faith.
It's amazing
what Jesus does here.
He has to empty us
before he can fill us.
And he's doing that
with this man.
And he says,
you can just imagine.
We see the tenderness
of Jesus
in these miracles
all the time.
You can imagine Jesus
not being frustrated,
but getting down
with the man,
looking the man
in the eye,
maybe putting his hands
on his shoulders,
whatever would have been
customary in that day,
getting his focus
and just saying compassionately,
all things are possible
for the one
who will believe.
What's Jesus saying?
Essentially he's saying this.
The question,
the issue here
is not my ability.
Of course I can do this.
The question is not
whether I can.
The question is
whether you will believe
because all things
are possible
for the one
who will believe.
He was directly
challenging the man
to believe
for his son
to be healed.
The burden rested
on the father's faith,
not on Jesus' ability.
Jesus could certainly do it.
No doubt he could do it.
And he needed this man
to understand
it's not about my ability,
it's about your faith.
Will you believe?
Which makes me wonder
how often
we fail to experience
the power of God
at work in our lives,
not because he's incapable
or unwilling,
but because we fail
to believe him for it.
Isn't that what Jesus is saying?
All things are possible
for the one
who will believe.
Now,
not to put an asterisk on it,
but we do have to understand
this correctly,
don't we?
Because many
of prosperity preachers
have taught
a false gospel
that is dangerous
and has destroyed people
along with this verse.
Jesus didn't say
all things are guaranteed.
That's not what
Jesus told the man.
He said
all things
are possible.
And he didn't mean
that we have to reach
a certain
quantum
of
super spiritual
faith
that would put
God in a position
where he has
no other course
but to
listen
and obey
our request.
That's not what
Jesus is saying.
Faith is not
an instrument
that controls God.
No,
he is God.
He does what
he wills.
And God
will never answer
a request
that goes against
his sovereign will.
That's not what
Jesus is saying.
We can't control God.
Many people
have turned away
from Christ
because somebody
has told them
God will give you
whatever you want
if you just believe enough.
If you just believe enough
God will give it to you.
And when they don't
get what they want
who is it that
they end up rejecting?
Not so much
the preacher
that lied to them
but the God
who they now feel
has betrayed them.
What else could I do?
I put all the faith
I had into this one day.
I really wanted this job.
I really wanted this thing.
I really wanted
God to do this thing
and he didn't do it
and it's his fault.
That's not what
Jesus is saying.
That is not what
this is about.
The Bible helps us
to stay grounded
on this.
Okay?
I want you to consider
the Apostle Paul
for a moment.
If we were to stack up
and list
the most faithful people
in the New Testament
Paul is going to be
at the top of the list.
Who had such faith
as Paul?
And yet
when he asked God
to take away
something that caused
him to suffer
God wouldn't do it.
And it wasn't because
Paul didn't have faith.
It's because it wasn't
God's plan for his life.
Let me read it to you.
2 Corinthians chapter 12.
Paul says,
To keep me from
becoming conceited
because of the surpassing
greatness of the revelations,
a thorn was given me
in the flesh,
a messenger of Satan
to harass me,
to keep me from
becoming conceited.
three times
I pleaded
with the Lord
about this
that he should leave me.
But he said to me,
My grace is sufficient
for you
for my power
is made perfect
in weakness.
Therefore,
I will boast
all the more gladly
of my weaknesses
so that the power
of Christ
may rest
upon me.
Here's a faithful man
full of faith
that God can take away
this thorn
that God has given him.
And yet God says no.
You say,
How do we reconcile that
with what Jesus
is saying here?
Remember,
Jesus didn't tell the man
all things are guaranteed.
He said all things
are possible.
Every impossibility
is made possible
when you believe God
for that thing.
It doesn't mean
that he's always
going to do it,
but it does make it possible.
But there's a ditch
on the other side
of the road here,
isn't there?
It's easy to let
the prominence
and prevalence
of prosperity gospel
to lead us
to a constant state
of doubt.
Like we want to be
so careful sometimes.
I feel this way at least.
I want to be so careful
sometimes
not to give people
the wrong idea
with a verse like this
that I basically
go through my life
in a constant state
of doubt.
Praying for healing
for someone,
but always having
to put a parenthetical
statement on it.
Lord,
if you desire
to do this,
if this is your will,
we need of course
to pray for God's will.
But the mindset
behind those prayers
sometimes
is that we don't
really think
God is going to do this
and we're saving
ourselves from
the embarrassment
of expressing a faith
that doesn't actually
come to fruition
later on.
Don't do that.
Jesus takes the man
and he says,
listen,
this is not about
my willingness.
This is about
your faith.
Believe.
Believe me.
Trust me.
Follow me.
It's a lesson
we need to learn.
Jesus' point
is that when faith
is put in the right source,
it makes possible
everything that is
otherwise impossible.
And when we trust Christ,
we appeal
to the one person
with the ability
and willingness
to do absolutely anything.
We avail ourselves
to the fullness
of his power.
And true faith
believes in the promises
of God.
True faith
submits
to the sovereignty
of God.
And true faith
trusts
the power of God.
True faith
believes the promises
of God,
submits
to the sovereignty
of God,
and trusts
the power of God.
And it does not
waver
when the outcome
is different
than we hope.
It trusts
the Lord
even when he says
no.
Isn't that
Paul's point?
I asked God
three times
to take this away.
He didn't do it.
And I trust him.
He did the right thing.
It's hard for me,
but this is right
because God
is always
right.
The father
needed to understand
that.
He needed to understand
that the healing
of his son
was not threatened
by any inability
in Jesus,
but by his own doubt,
which is what leads
us to the father's
response in verse
24.
Immediately,
the father of the child
cried out and said,
I believe,
help my unbelief.
I believe,
help my unbelief.
I love this.
I love how he responds
because it reveals
that his faith
was actually
more robust
than what we
originally supposed.
Notice he didn't
try
to think
positive thoughts
or dig deep
within his heart
for the necessary
kind of faith.
It's not what he did.
Isn't that
what our temptation
would be?
If somebody were
to tell us that,
we're really seeking
for God to do something.
They said,
if you just believe,
you gotta believe,
you gotta believe.
Maybe we sit there
and we think,
okay,
well,
what do I have
to do to believe?
Do I have to just
think really hard
and just convince myself
of something
that I don't actually
feel is true
in that moment?
No,
that's not what
the man does.
What does he do?
He cast even
his doubts,
even his doubts,
he cast wholly
on the Lord Jesus.
Jesus,
I believe
whatever doubts
are within my heart,
please help
those things.
Help my unbelief.
That's true faith.
True faith
doesn't ignore
the doubts
that are in your heart.
True faith
goes to the Lord
with those doubts.
It casts those doubts
on him.
That's what Jesus
was drawing out
of this man.
That's why he inquired
more about the boy.
He wanted to expose
his doubt
so he could then
fill him
with this faith
that he needed.
And how did
that faith look?
It looked like surrender.
Jesus,
I don't have this faith.
If it's gonna be there,
it's gonna be
because you help me have it.
You give it to me.
Help my unbelief.
The word helps,
interesting.
It's the same word
he uses
in verse 22
or 21
when he's asking
for God
to help his son.
It literally means
to rescue.
So the father's
asking Jesus
at this moment,
please rescue
my son
from this demon
and please rescue
me
from my unbelief.
Rescue me
from my
doubt.
Jesus isn't interested
in you trying
to dig up
some kind of confidence
from somewhere
in the depths
of your being.
It's not there.
You can't do it.
He wants you
to exhibit
true faith
by recognizing
you can't actually
provide it
for yourself.
He wants you
to cast yourself
wholly on Him.
He wants you
to bring your
doubts to Him
trusting that
if anyone
can do something
with Him
it's Him.
Casting all
your care
upon Him
because He cares
for you.
Help my unbelief
should be the
daily cry
of every one
of us.
Lord help
my unbelief.
Quickly
we see the power
of God.
Verse 25
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.
After crying
out and convulsing
Him terribly
it came out
the boy
was like a corpse
so that most
of them said
he's dead
but Jesus
took Him
by the hand
and lifted
Him up
and He arose.
It's amazing.
It's a picture
of the gospel.
This boy
was gripped
by evil.
He was
enslaved
by the powers
of this world.
His condition
was such
that he could
not help
himself
neither could
those closest
to him
provide any
type of rescue.
There was only
one person
that could
meet his
need
and without
any effort
from the boy
Jesus
delivered him
from his
bondage
to the
wickedness
and death.
Is that
not what
salvation
is?
We're
enslaved
to evil
to sin
to the
powers
of this
world
incapable
of helping
ourselves
incapable
of being
helped
by those
around us
desperate
for God
to do
his work
and only
Jesus
can do
it
and he
doesn't
need our
help
wouldn't
do any
good
anyways
it is
all of
his
grace
he
does
this
work
the
demon
had no
choice
to obey
it fled
dramatically
actually
and the
crowd
that had
gathered
presumed
that the
boy
was
dead
but again
Jesus
tenderly
and
compassionately
does
what
he
doesn't
send
the
disciples
to him
he
doesn't
send
the
father
to him
he
gets
down
with
the
boy
himself
taking
him
by
the
hand
and
raising
him
up
and
Matthew
says
at that
point
he
gives
him
to
the
father
the
word
that
Mark
uses
here
when
he
says
that
Jesus
lifted
him
up
is
the
word
for
resurrection
it's
not that
the
boy
was
actually
dead
I
don't
think
that
he
was
not
in
this
case
I
think
that
he
probably
seemed
lifeless
after
such
a
traumatic
moment
but
I
don't
think
that
he
was
actually
dead
but
Mark
wanted
us
saves
our
souls
he
raises
us
from
spiritual
death
to
eternal
life
we
must
not
see
in
this
miracle
anything
less
than
what
Jesus
has
done
in
each
one
of
us
at
the
moment
of
salvation
that's
what
that
is
we
are
dead
Jesus
raises
us
up
and
then
what
does
he
do
gives
us
to
the
father
gives
us
to
the
father
that's
the
whole
point
Ephesians
chapter
two
but
God
being
rich
in
mercy
because
of
the
great
love
with
which
he
loved
us
even
when
we
were
dead
in
our
trespasses
made
us
alive
together
with
Christ
by
grace
you
have
been
saved
and
he
has
raised
us
up
with
!
seated
us
with
him
in
the
heavenly
places
in
Christ
Jesus
so that
in the
coming
ages
he
might
show
the
immeasurable
riches
of his
grace
in
kindness
toward
us
in
Christ
Jesus
that
description
of
salvation
is
illustrated
by what
Jesus
does
for this
boy
finally
we see
the place
of
prayer
the place
of
prayer
look at
verse 28
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
at
the
end
of
the
day
the
whole
event
is
teaching
us
something
about
the
necessity
of
faith
in
discipleship
and
whenever
the
disciples
had
an
opportunity
to
ask
Jesus
more
about
how
they
had
failed
Jesus
response
was
that
they
did
not
pray
which
is
why
it
gives
us
light
as to
what
the
problem
was
at
the
beginning
Jesus
said
it
was
their
unbelief
but
then
when
they
ask
he
says
this
only
comes
through
prayer
so
at
one
time
in
Mark
chapter
6
they
had
recognized
how
desperately
they
needed
Christ's
power
as
they
fulfilled
the
ministry
that
he
had
given
them
this
time
however
they
relied
totally
on
themselves
apparently
they
didn't
even
stop
for
a
moment
to
pray
for
God's
help
which
reveals
to
us
their
unbelief
they
knew
God
could
do
it
but
they
didn't
think
they
needed
him
now
similar
to
the
point
made
in
verse
23
about
faith
Jesus
wasn't
giving
a
measurement
of
prayer
to
follow
when
seeking
his
work
he
wasn't
saying
you have
to
pray
a
certain
amount
of
times
or
that
you
have
to
say
a
certain
kind
of
words
what
he
meant
here
was
that
prayer
is
that
external
action
that
reveals
an
internal
faith
in other
words
when we
truly rely
on
God
it
will
show
up
in the
way
that
we
pray
our
faith
and
our
prayers
are
inextricably
linked
and
this
kind
of
praying
faith
is
an
essential
quality
of
faithful
disciples
so we
conclude
that our
greatest
failures
in life
are
prayer
failures
and
our
prayer
failures
are a
direct
result
of
our
unbelief
at
its
very
heart
prayer
is a
demonstration
of our
total
reliance
on
God
but the
problem
is that
so many
of us
go through
life
not
actually
thinking
that we
need
him
that
much
else
we
would
pray
right
now think
about what
Jesus has
just said
they said
why couldn't
we do
it
Jesus
says
you
didn't
pray
so let's
switch that
around and
just restate
it a
different
way
how can
we do
it
Jesus
says
this only
comes
by
prayer
how are
we
going to
raise
kids
to love
the
Lord
in a
society
that
hates
him
our
kids
have
nothing
going
for
them
nothing
everything
they're
going to
grow up
in in
their
life
outside
of the
faithfulness
of their
families
and their
church
is going
to push
them to
wickedness
and evil
and corruption
and as far
as this
world around
them is
concerned
they have
no hope
and if
we're
being honest
parents
we can't
help them
because what's
in me
is not much
better than
what's out
there
how are we
going to
raise kids
to love
the Lord
in this
culture
I think
Jesus would
say
this kind
only comes
by prayer
how are we
going to
reach
Cornelius
with the
gospel
we can
come up
with all
kinds
of
strategies
isn't
this what
churches
do
they come
up with
all kinds
of
strategies
that are
exempt
from
God's
power
it's
not
that
they
don't
have
a
good
plan
it's
that
they
think
that
their
plan
is
what
will
do
the
work
our
plan
can't
do
any
kind
of
work
how are
we
going to
reach
people
with
the
gospel
this
only
comes
by
prayer
how are
going to
stand
up
against
the
evils
of
this
society
how are
we
going
to
confront
the
sexual
revolution
!
to
go
and
try
to
confront
people
about
it
it's
not
just
that
way
we
can
do
that
until
we're
blue
in the
face
and it
won't
matter
unless
we have
God's
power
now how do we see
God's power
come to work
through prayer
through faith
so the question
is are we
praying
are we
praying
and begging
God to
help us
strengthen
us
help us
do what
is necessary
to raise
our children
and our
grandchildren
are we
praying
earnestly
!
that God
would do
his work
in our
church
not just
through the
systems
that we
come up
with
but that
God
would do
it
despite
our
systems
are we
praying
that God
would do
his work
in the
world
are we
just
hoping
that
somebody
that knows
a little
bit
more
than us
figures
out a
way
to
deal
with
it
are we
praying
do you
pray
I believe
Jesus
would say
that unbelief
is the
greatest
danger
facing
the
church
today
it's
the
greatest
danger
that has
faced
the world
ever since
the first
sin
unbelief
prevents
us
from
receiving
the grace
of God
and salvation
it leads
churches
to carry
on in
ministry
that's
powerless
it robs
us
of the
miracle
working
power
of God
that he
is so
willing
to pour
out on
our lives
and it's
revealed in
our lack
of prayer
and I think
God's message
is clear
in this
passage
may we
join with
this desperate
father and
cry out
help my
unbelief
help
help my
unbelief
Thank you.