There is a scene in C.S. Lewis' children's book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in which the children of the story are learning about the great lion king Aslan from Mr. & Mrs. Beaver. One asks the question, "Is he safe?" Mr. Beaver replies, "Safe?… Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He's the King, I tell you!" Aslan, of course, if you know your Narnia Chronicles, is a type figure for Jesus. And this remark made regarding Aslan is one I have come to often associate with Jesus, particularly when I come across such a scene that we are looking at in our passage this morning. Let's look at it now.
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.
Jesus, Peter, James and John are returning from the mountain on which Jesus had been transfigured and visited by Moses and Elijah. It was as close to an other-world experience one gets, and now they descend to "the real world" where yet another controversy is taking place. The disciples have gotten involved in some kind of argument with the argumentative religious leaders, and the crowd is gathering and having a great time. Jesus comes on the scene, and now they really get excited. I don't know what Jesus is thinking, but I do know what I would be - What is it now?
So he finds out. 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.”
Let's put this scene together. A man has a son possessed by an evil spirit that throws the boy into epileptic fits so terrible that they endanger his life. He has heard of Jesus and has brought his son to him with the hope of the demon being driven out. Jesus, we know, was away on the mountain, so the father turned to his disciples, which would be logical considering they were the Master's special trainees. As we know, the disciples had already been sent on at least one mission by Jesus, where, They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them (Mark 6:13). They did this when they were in pairs of two; surely it shouldn't be a problem when nine are together.
And yet they failed to the delight of the religious teachers. “So!” they say to the disciples, “What happened to your power to cast out demons? Weren't you given authority by Jesus?" We don't know the words of the debate, but apparently it was hot enough to get the interest of a crowd of people.
Place yourself in the father's shoes (or sandals). Your son is demon possessed, and you have gone to where you hope you will find deliverance for him. The head guy is not there, but his assistants are who have handled this kind of problem before, so they say. They fail, and the next thing you know, you are caught up in the middle of a theological debate between the assistants and the religious teachers who make it clear these guys are nothing but quacks anyhow. Not only that, but a crowd has gathered around finding the whole matter great entertainment. Just as that moment Jesus walks in, takes charge, and finds out what is going on.
He responds like we would expect him to, having come down from his mountain experience in which he is visibly glorified by his own Father before his three closest disciples. 19 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
Jesus rebukes probably both the disciples and the religious leaders. Surely he is exasperated with the disciples. But anyhow, it is clear that he is going to handle this matter promptly. I would think the father's spirits are improving.
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. As you and I read this, we think, No problem. This is a typical reaction from an evil spirit when confronted by Jesus. And the typical response of Jesus is to call that spirit out.
But he doesn't. Instead, he begins to take a medical history from the father. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” We must be careful when conjecturing what people are thinking or feeling when we are not told, but I think we can safely suppose that the father is a bit agitated. His son has been thrown to the ground and is rolling about in convulsions. I have seen a man in an epileptic fit with his wife by him, and I assure you she was not having a calm discussion with the medical attendants.
But the father answers: “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.” Surely we can feel for this guy. He blurts out as quick as an answer as he can, and seeing his son rolling around as he has seen him time and time again (and surely wondering if it will ever end) he pleas with Jesus to take pity and help if he can.
How then does kind, gentle Jesus respond, the one who says, 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened… for I am gentle and humble in heart…”(Matthew 11:28,29). 23 ”‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
What? Doctors, think about this. The whole scene should be incredulous to you. A patient is thrown into convulsions before you, and you begin to take a medical history of the father before you take action even though you already know the diagnosis? And then, when the father pleas with you to do whatever you can (maybe showing a little doubt) you turn on him and rebuke him for doubting your ability. Picture a medical intern being examined on such a case: What would you do if a patient is thrown into epileptic convulsions during your examination? "Well, first, if the parents are there I would ascertain how long he has had this problem, and then I would make sure they really believed I could help the patient." I don’t think he would have gotten many points for that answer!
What about you parents? I don't need to convince you of your reaction to such a comment. What kind of person is this Jesus? Is he cruel and likes to play around with people's emotions? Is he a fraud and about to pin on me the blame for being powerless to help. I've seen what your disciples were able to do - nothing - and now I'm about to see the same thing.
Now don't forget, the religious teachers are gathered around and the crowd of people watching the whole scene is getting bigger. You are not in the privacy of a doctor's office. You are out in the public park and your tragedy is everyone else's entertainment. What a nightmare! The one person you had put your hope in, who at least had a reputation for being a caring person, rebukes you in public while your son is being attacked by a demon.
But let's look at this as mature Christians. After all, no one is rolling around on the floor and we can think this out. We know that Jesus is not worried about his ego, nor is he powerless here. It is important for Jesus to challenge the father's faith, because, after all, faith is necessary for healing or exercising of demons to take place. But is it? Jesus healed a man born blind and another born lame without even asking about their faith. He healed the blind man without even telling him what he was going to do. And, we should note, it was the son that needed the help, not the father. What does it matter what the father believes or doesn't believe? What matters is that the boy needs healing.
So what does the father do? 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Actually he doesn't think any of the above. What he realizes is that no, he doesn't really believe. Jesus is a desperate means to help his son, whom deep in his heart, he doesn't believe can be helped. And caught by Jesus in this lie, which may have even been to himself, he cries out to Jesus for help, not for his boy, but for himself.
And then Jesus heals the son. With one command he drives out the demon that had afflicted him for years. Again, what's the point? It is this: you are what matters to God.
Let's think about this. What if Jesus had simply healed the son and ignored the father's doubts? It is possible the father would then become a believer in him as Savior. More likely, though, the father's faith would go no further than believing Jesus to be a miracle worker. Further, he would think that Jesus responds to the "right approach." Say the right words, show respect, particularly religious respect, and you get the right reaction. But, the greatest danger, and the likeliest, is that he would have walked away with his goal achieved - the healing of his son - and nothing more. Yes, the son needed help. He needed to be cleansed of an evil spirit, but his father needed to be cleansed of unbelief. His father needed himself to be confronted by the Son of God, to have his mask removed and his heart opened before the Lord who sees into the depths of any heart. We can be sure that just as the son did not leave the same person, so the father did not leave the same man.
Application
There are four lessons we can learn from the father's experience.
The first is that the Lord Jesus Christ deals with you personally. You are not limited to being someone else's friend, relative, acquaintance, etc. That may be good or bad. It's good to know that you count; it’s bad if you don't want to be counted. Most people don’t want to be when it comes to being personally accountable to God.
Who are these persons? They may be the parents who bring their children to church because it is good for their moral upbringing. They may be the person looking for social acceptability, who come because their friends come, or their boss, or their in-laws or the guy or girl they are trying to court.
They may be the person who thinks it is good to be involved with religion, that religion plays an important role in one's overall life routine. Such persons are comfortable with religious exercises, but not with God himself. In fact, the religious exercises are a means of keeping God at arm’s length.
But God is not satisfied, and God will not be denied. He will deal with you. Hopefully, he will deal with you now, while there is time to turn to him. The worse option is that you will avoid him during this lifetime and face him only when it is too late too change. The point is that you must face God sometime. You cannot avoid it; you do not want to avoid it. For what you are gambling with is the destiny of your eternal soul.
In the movie Heaven Can Wait, there is a scene in which Warren Beatty, who has come back from the afterlife, is trying to convince his old coach of who he is. He says something to the effect, "You know how a good person dies and he goes to heaven?" The coach replies, "I guess so." You guess so? The coach spends hours preparing for all possibilities for a football game, and when it comes to matters of eternity, the best he can do is "I guess so"?
But that is so true of most people. We drive ourselves to be prepared for a test, or a business meeting, or whatever has captured our interest. But we leave God to religious people and preachers and priests. Into God? That’s cool, but I’m not into that. Religion has its place. Do you really think God doesn't mind that you think nothing of him, not even to seriously consider his claims upon you? We are like children skipping school and hoping that our parents or the teachers don't notice. What are we thinking?
The second lesson is that he will not be used by you to obtain any goal separated from him. Many people turn to Christ or God to solve some problem or supply a need. They may have an illness to be healed, a broken family to reclaim, or an addiction to overcome. They may be like the father and have someone else for God to take care of. Or they may have a wider agenda. They see in God or Christianity the means for world peace or good labor relations or a healthy lifestyle, etc. In every case, their true focus is not on God himself and his will for them, but what he can do for them in this life.
Many, if not most genuine conversions, begin with a need such as the above. But it is one thing to have a need wake us to the fact that we are not our own masters and thus turn us to God in humility and awareness of our sin; it is another to simply turn to God as a cosmic serviceman to take care of our momentary needs. God is not in the business of making repairs or providing services. He, in Jesus Christ, is intent on transforming you, making you into the glorious being he has intended. The healings, the victories, etc. may come as a result or be used for his purpose in transforming you, but they are not separate accessories. You may have nothing if you will not have Christ; and you may not have Christ if you do not reject all else for him.
The third lesson is that he will not accept any projection of yourself than who you really are. This is what Jesus wanted from the father - the real person. He was not picking on the father, not trying to shame him, but he was shaking him up. In the father's moment of crisis, Jesus took advantage of that small revealing of doubt and confronted him with it. Christ will not communicate with whatever image you wish to convey; he will only communicate with you with all your warts.
We think we have to show a good face for God to receive us favorably, but understand he sees you as you are already. If you are not a Christian, he sees a sinner without goodness and who is his enemy. And yet he will already receive you favorably with love if you but come to him. If you are a Christian fallen in sin, he sees your sin, but he sees too the righteousness of Jesus Christ given to you. And if, while you were his enemy he sent his Son to die for you, how much more now that you have been reconciled by Christ's death will you be saved through his life that is in you! (cf. Romans 5:9ff) All that these masks we put on before God do is interfere with his power to work in us. Hypocrisy is not only a detestable sin, but an obstacle to God's mercy.
The fourth lesson is that Christ will act towards you on his terms, not yours. I doubt the father had any idea that Jesus would speak to him as he did. After all, this is the man with the reputation of ministering to all who had need of him. Surprise!
How often we have reached a crisis in our lives that forces us to seek help, yet even then we want it on our terms. We want the person giving help to at least be nice about it; so we appeal to their sympathy as did the father - "take pity on us." How could Jesus not feel sympathy? That is what we want from him. Yes, we haven't been so good, but then life hasn't been so good to us. We'll admit our sins, but surely God will be sympathetic with the struggles we've had. We're doing the best we can.
All I can tell you is this. If you turn to Jesus, he will do what is for your good. Will you like what he does? I don't know. Will he be gentle? I don't know. Because Jesus is perfectly good and wise, I don’t know how to predict him. I am too sinful and simple to figure him out.
But ultimately isn’t that good to know? Isn’t it good to know that we don’t have to pretend what we are not; that we don’t have to manipulate him to help us; that we don’t have to have all the answers ourselves. If we come to Jesus just as we are and trust him to do what is best – whatever the problem may be in our lives – isn’t it good to know that he will do what is good?
