Do We Live In A Vacuum? - Mark 9:14-29

 

Mark 9:14-29 NIV

¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. ¹⁵ As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.

¹⁶ “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

¹⁷ A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. ¹⁸ Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”

¹⁹ “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

²¹ Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

²⁶ The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

²⁸ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁹ He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

 

Do We Live In A Vacuum?

This particular episode of Jesus ministry takes place after the Transfiguration. The Transfiguration was a time when Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him on a high mountain by themselves. On this mountain, Jesus suddenly becomes transfigured before these disciples’ eyes and his clothes are shining or dazzling white brighter than anything the disciples have ever seen before. And then with Jesus the disciples see Elijah with Moses standing with Jesus. Well, Elijah and Moses have been dead for years! Then there is a cloud. God likes to give messages and appear in clouds as witnessed in the past. Out of this cloud comes the voice of God, “This is my Son, I love Him, listen to Him.” (my paraphrase) And then next when the disciples look around, they saw no one anymore.

Wow! What an experience! After this they come down the mountain. This is where this passage comes to life. The disciples, left behind, are in the valley facing a conundrum. They have been unable to heal the child of this man that Jesus comes upon. So that sets the stage.

For a moment, in your mind’s eye, contrast the glory of the Mount of Transfiguration to the valley of human terror. Contrast the glories we see in the high points of our calling to the terrors of this world, in the valley.

Some disciples go away and get these spiritual “highs” with God. Other disciples are left behind to deal with the terrors, the sin, the death, the destruction in the valleys of this world.

We seek to climb the hills, the mounts, in our lives. We seek to be the best, to conquer the world, sin, death and the devil. We seek to be number 1! We seek the mountains of life and the pride and glory. Yet…

The real skill or art is in the going down the hill or mountains.

I remember in my life at GE Aviation, we would make visions to guide our actions. Yet in this real life with Jesus, we are called to go from the vision of the Transfiguration to deeds. What? That sounds so works righteous! But hear me out.

From our high points as disciples of Jesus, we have been privileged, we have been gifted, we have been called. Our call is to come down. Come down from the mount and hear Jesus’ command. A command to love God and likewise to love all those God gives to us each and every day. And when we’re in the valley of this earthly dwelling in which we live in the here and now… DO God’s work!

So, why did the disciples in the valley fail in their efforts to heal the man’s child?

Jesus makes it clear. The disciples, and ourselves as well, fail because of our lack of faith. Here in this instruction from Jesus for our calling we receive a message on the importance of faith. When Jesus instructs me or you, as His disciple, don’t get defensive. Listen to Him. Jesus is God’s beloved Son. What Jesus has to say to us IS important.

The Father of the child, displays just a dash of faith. And with this dash of faith, Jesus heals. Jesus did not wait for the man’s faith to grow. Jesus took action and healed.

Once again, as we seen over and over again in these past few talks on “Pointing to Jesus,” Miracles happen in the context of faith.

It’s funny, when Jesus encounters this scene, in the valley, the religious leaders of the day, the disciples and the crowd of people are arguing about this inability to heal the man’s son.

How many times do we argue while standing in the presence of real need. We can say, oh, thoughts and prayers. Well, that’s true, but sometimes, this turns into all talk and no show. So many people who are not disciples of Jesus look on and ridicule Christianity for this attitude, possibly this lack of faith. In the face of human need, there comes a time for thoughts and prayers, but these thoughts and prayers, must be followed by action. There comes a time when we are called to SHUT UP and ACT! In the face of need, stop discussing and ACT!  Yes, ACT. Feed the poor, clothe the naked, fill those buckets with supplies for those who have suffered from weather catastrophes, build homes, visit the sick, talk to the shut-in… on and on and on. There IS a time to ACT!

Just as we see Jesus do here, the world brought a need to Him. The world brings needs to us, His disciples, as well. We are the disciples of Jesus, the Healer. So, we respond! We respond and ACT in love, not judgment. We respond in love, not rebuke for the situation that others have found themselves in because of their own actions.

For sure, Jesus was in anguish over the situation that he walked into, after being on the mountain with His Father. Yet, Jesus had compassion on all of these people. Jesus had compassion and a direct message for His own disciples, the religious leaders of the day, the crowd and the man and his son.

As the world comes to us in disbelief of what Jesus can do, people are still suffering. Stop! Don’t judge them for their lack of faith. Place your own hope, your own belief in Jesus on the line and ACT. Do something!

Yet, what seems to happen to so many of us, myself, you and disciples included?

Instead of placing our belief in Jesus, we first turn to, or place our hope in, science, political leaders, medicine, doctors, and on and on. We turn first to the world.

Yet, in the midst of our sin, we don’t and many times we won’t believe in Jesus! Come on! How long will we let this occur?

Do we believe more in the powers of man and this world and ourselves, than we do in the God of Love? We turn to Jesus with an “If you can!” Wow! Come on! Jesus IS God!

There are no limits to the power of faith and confidence in God.

Remember back a few episodes of “Pointing to Jesus.”

 Mark 4:39 NIV

³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

 

Mark 5:41 NIV

⁴¹ He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

 

Jesus combines God’s power with God given faith. Faith, that absolute trust and dependance on God that reflects itself in prayer. There is that prayer, coming to life.

 

The road from unbelief to belief comes from a cry, a prayer. See it? Help my unbelief, the man cries out to Jesus. We too cry out to Jesus for help in our unbelief.

 

We need a daily prayer. Help my unbelief! May I daily recognize my sin and need for Jesus in my life.

 

And then it happens. Jesus heals! Jesus saves! Jesus ACTS!

 

And what happens is a cure that is permanent. Jesus forgives us and heals us and calls us and through the Holy Spirit, sends us out. Down from the mountain and into the valley of this world of sin and death.

 

Now, witness what Jesus does with this man’s child. Upon healing the child, the child appears to be dead. Seems a bit like a look forward to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here we witness resurrection speak. The child appears dead, yet, with the hand of Jesus, the child rose up.

 

Wow! What a flash forward does this bring me to my own desires. Even though I live in sin, and even though I die in sin; I look forward to that day, when Jesus returns, and with His hands he lifts me up from the dead to everlasting life with Him.

 

Finally, as Jesus teaches us and His disciples, we discover that prayer is a BIG thing to Jesus. Prayer isn’t like the prayer that this world thinks it is. Prayer isn’t some answer to all the ills of this world and all the ills of the evil and the faults we see in ourselves. Prayer is not a way to bring on some magic power to make all things “right.”  No.

 

Prayer IS communion with God. Prayer IS when we go to God, all our life long, beyond ourselves, to THE power greater than ourself. Prayer casts us out of our sinful selves in love for all those God gives to us each and every day. Prayer is our call to ACT, in love for God and in love for all those God gives to us each and every day. Prayer drives us to our knees before THE Creator to ACT out in the love God gives to us.

 

Yes! Prayer IS important and always to be desired.

 

Jesus speaks openly and honestly and direct to His disciples.

 

We fail when we lack faith, when we lack prayer and when we lack the discipline to use all the wonderful gifts that the Holy Spirit has given us to give freely to the world and the people of this world with which we live. God graciously gives us faith and all we need to act out in His love for all the world.

 

The mount? The valley?

 

Jesus spent His life going down. Jesus came down from communion with God in heaven, to the crowds of human need. Jesus came down to me, to you and to all the world, to forgive, to save, and to unite Himself with us into all eternity.

 

Lord, give me the guts and determination to serve and sacrifice in love through the gifts you have given to me. As You have delivered me from sin, death and the devil, I thank You. Help me to watch my tongue that I may speak to this world and always, POINT TO JESUS, today, tomorrow and forever.

 

The artwork displayed is Raphael’s great painting of the Transfiguration.

 

I have included a YouTube musical for you reflection…

Even So, Lord Jesus, Come