In the book of Mark, we read of people who were in need who approached Jesus and yet in their need, they could also be spiritually blind. What do you think are your problems right now? What do you think your spiritual needs are?
It is also entirely possible for us to misunderstand our needs tonight. Are we willing to let God show us our real need?
(A) A faithless generation (Mark 9:14-19)
Having descended from the mountain after the Transfiguration, Jesus returns to a commotion around His disciples. A great crowd surrounded them and scribes were arguing with them (Mark 9:14-15). A request was made to the disciples to cast out a demon in this man and they were unable to do so (Mark 9:17-18).
Now, Jesus had revealed His divinity and glory on the mountain in Mark 9:2-13, but it was only witnessed by a small group.
A man brought his son in desperation to address his spiritual need (Mark 9:17-19). The man describes his problem in great detail and he states everything in short phrases and active verbs (Mark 9:17-18).
Jesus replies with two “how long” phrases in Mark 9:19. Jesus seemed to be exasperated and impatient. This might surprise us. It shows us that being frustrated is not inherently sinful. This is a comfort! The sinless Son of God was also frustrated. Jesus who was truly God, was also truly man. The true human nature is on full display here. Jesus can relate to us in our frustration. Jesus knows that life in a fallen world is deeply frustrating.
What is Jesus frustrated about? He is not annoyed by random inconveniences. Rather, he is frustrated by the faithlessness of his disciples, and also the man’s. He lamented that his ministry among the disciples was not as fruitful as what He wanted. Take heart! The greatest teacher, pastor and teacher was also frustrated by the faithlessness of the people. Our labours are never in vain even when it feels like it.
Jesus’ lament reminds us of where we live. We live among those that are not as spiritually mature as we would like them to be. We will be disappointed by our leaders, fellow church members and those we care for and lead. Romans 8:22-25 reminds us of the world that we live in and now, we are still waiting for full redemption.
Are you attuned to the needs of this faithless generation? Or do you expect heaven to have already arrived? Do we need a reality check for where we live, who we live amongst and how we are to relate to the people around us?
(B) Help for unbelief (Makr 9:20-24)
Jesus calls for the boy to be brought to Him and when the Spirit saw Jesus, it immediately convulsed the boy (Mark 9:20). What is it about Jesus that causes spirits to act up in defiant ways when they see him? Spirits know Jesus and know when the Holy One of God is in their presence.
Mark shows us how even spirits recognise Jesus. Do you know Him as exalted? Does He strike fear and terror in your heart? Do you honour Jesus? Do you have this kind of holy reverence?
Jesus picks up what the father says in an almost confrontational, impolite manner. He says, “‘If you can!’” (Mark 9:23a). This might surprise us and Mark records these intentionally for us.
Jesus is not who we think He is! We want to make Him nice so that we can domesticate Him and exert control over Him, and therefore, ignore Him.
Jesus is also challenging the man, who is making it about Jesus’ ability now. He also states that it has nothing to do with whether Jesus can or can’t do this. Rather, it has everything to do with what the man believes.
Jesus is not talking about faith in faith. He is asking the man if he is just trusting in power and trying his luck or if he believes in God and trusts that Jesus is a representative of God. For us, we are being forced to think if we are practical atheists or do we really trust in God?
The father responds immediately, and cries out to Jesus, “I believe; help my unbelief. (Mark 9:24b)” The man here shows us that we can believe in God and still doubt. Scripture tells us that Christians also struggle with doubt. Jude 22 exhorts Christians to have mercy on those who doubt. Faith is not the absence of doubt, but is what we do with our doubt. Faith is trusting God even with our doubt.
Some of us struggle with intellectual doubt. Others of us wrestle with more existential questions. Christians have been asking these questions for years. Remember how Jesus treated Thomas with his doubts (Jn 20:24-29). He is gentle and kind and knows how to handle our doubts and questions. He calls us to come to to Him (Matt 11:28-30).
We can pray the same prayer as the man here. Is there a place in your heart where you can say that you have not worked everything out but you can still trust Him?
(C) Only by prayer (Mark 9:25-29)
Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and commanded the mute and deaf spirit to come out of him and never enter him again (Mark 9:25). Jesus commands authoritatively and with great wisdom. He commands the spirit to leave not just once, but forever. The boy looks like a corpse (Mark 9:26) but Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up and he arose (Mark 9:27). At the touch of the Lord, the dead seem to come back to life, a kind of resurrection.
Do you feel weary, broken, dead tonight? Just a touch from His hand is all we need. This gives us strength. We will never find this kind of strength and vitality anywhere else. One day we will see Him face to face. Today, we have the touch He gives through His word.
This episode concludes with Jesus avoiding the crowd and entering the house (Mark 9:28a). The disciples then asked him privately to explain why they could not cast out the spirit earlier (Mark 9:28b). The disciples were so fix on themselves and missed the point. They were so fixated on what they could not do and failed to ask how Jesus did it and what it meant that He could heal so authoritatively.
Jesus told them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer. (Mark 9:29)” The disciples did not pray but why is prayer significant? Prayer is like faith. It reveals our dependence on God. Hence, what is key is not how we pray, but whether we are asking and depending on God to whom we are praying to. They are not unlocking some generic power in prayer. Prayer is also not a technique.
Do you pray? Do we pray? Do we bring our requests to God? Do we make know to Him our requests and cry out to Him in dependence? Do we turn to a LLM instead of God?
As the hymn goes:
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father's throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
Do we think of prayer in this way? What is the quality of your prayer life? When do you prayer? When you pray, what is it like? Are we merely reading a list of things for God to do? Do we consider who He is and what He has said in His word and what it means for us? The closer we draw to God in prayer, the more we find our lives rewired and our heart conformed to Him. Let us commune with God in prayer.