Bring
August 6, 2017
Mark 9:14-29
1. When people aren’t experiencing God’s power, they begin to argue
2. When Jesus shows up, arguments turn to amazement
3. When we suffer in this broken world, the result can be excruciating
4. When we try to overcome brokenness in our own strength, we fail
5. When we bring our faith, God shows up in miraculous ways
Jesus is the omnipotent God.
Jesus, the omnipotent God, responds to our faith
Jesus, the omnipotent God, doesn’t demand perfect faith
Jesus, the omnipotent God, is listening for your call
Margaret Feinberg, author of, Wonderstruck: Awaken to the Nearness of God, (pic of book)
“Have you ever had one of those seasons where everything goes wrong, and when you think it can’t get worse, it somehow finds a way? My husband, Leif, and I had just gone through one of the roughest years of our lives. In the aftermath, as we processed the pain and loss, I had an unexplainable desire in my heart. I began praying for the wonder of God. In essence, I said, “God reveal yourself, your whole self to me. I want to know you as Wonderful. I want to know you as I’ve never known you before and see you in places I’ve never recognized you before.”(build) God did not disappoint.”
Turn to Mark 9:14-29. This morning we begin a new series entitled, “Wonder”. And we begin with a passage that informs us that to see the Wonder of God, we need bring our faith. Feinberg says, “Faith invites us to live wonderstruck—a journey marked by holy courage & irrepressible hope
We’ve chosen this series because we believe that many of us have lost contact with the wonder of God. So we’ve chosen 4 miracles of Jesus to reacquaint ourselves with the wonder of God.
READ Mark 9:14-29 (on screen)
As we read through this well-known passage, some interesting observations present themselves.
1. When people aren’t experiencing God’s power, they begin to argue
Argument between the disciples and the scribes; both were religious folks. What was causing the argument? In all probability, the scribes were taunting the disciples because they couldn’t heal the young man.
What I’ve noticed about church folk is that when they’re not letting God work in their lives, they tend to start griping and complaining and arguing. Because God’s not at work in their lives, they begin to become self-absorbed and unhappy. This is what is tearing churches apart all over the U.S.
One of the things that I appreciate about Rush Creekers is your refusal to become complainers. I owe that to the fact that so many of you are experiencing the power of God in your life and you see His power at work all around you. I see it. I sense it. But I want more of His power at work in me, my family, and my church, don’t you?
2. When Jesus shows up, arguments turn to amazement
Did you notice what v.15 said? “All of a sudden the crowd saw Him and were-- amazed”
We throw that term amazing around nowadays and apply it to some not so awesome things. I googled amazing things and here were the top amazing facts:
Google’s owners were willing to sell their business to a company for under $1M in 1999—and the company turned them down! Today Google is worth over $1.2 Trillion dollars. What do you say to that? Amazing!
Everyone knows about Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were 2 of the 3 of the founders of Apple. The 3rd guy, Ronald Wayne, sold his share of the business in 1977 for $800. Here’s a picture of Mr. Wayne at his house http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/ronald-wayne-apple.jpg What do you say to that? Amazing!
A California woman tried to sue the makers of captain crunch (pic http://images.mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/insert_main_wide_image/public/crunch-berries.png) because Crunch Berries didn’t really have any berries. What do you say? Amazing!
Really? What’s really amazing is that Colossians 1 says that (pic http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/hubble120112/h03_hs201013.jpg) all things were created by Christ, all things were created for Christ, and by Christ, all things hold together. That’s amazing.
What’s really amazing is that the Bible was written by 40 different people over a period of at least 1500 years, and yet it has one central theme: God revealing His glory and His love to a broken and hurting world. That’s amazing!
What’s really amazing is that God would become one of us, God incarnate, God in the flesh, so that He could be the Lamb of God and pay for our sin and create a way to know God and love God in this life and the life to come. That’s amazing!
What’s really amazing is that when Jesus showed up on the scene and began His earthly ministry, people flocked to Him: to listen to Him teach, to sense His love, and to see Him work mighty works.
When is the last time Jesus showed up and showed out in your life? When is the last time you were amazed? Personal story…
3. When we suffer in this broken world, the result can be excruciating
Make no mistake: we live in a broken, fallen world. Last month we grieved over the death of little Boone Taylor, a 3 yr old who was born with a disease I can’t even pronounce. A couple of weeks ago I stood at the grave of my only brother with my nephew (pic), who wept because of the pain he felt for a loving a dad who was a life-long alcoholic and absent in so many ways from Patrick’s life.
This man’s son was being terrorized by a demon. We’re not sure of how this came to be, only that it was a real and excruciating circumstance. I’ve been around folks terrorized by demonic activity. I’ve experienced it personally. I’ve been around people terrorized by the bondage of addiction. I’ve experienced it personally. The pain is real. And--
4. When we try to overcome brokenness in our own strength, we fail
The Scribes couldn’t fix it. The father couldn’t fix it. The disciples couldn’t fix it.
Story of me trying to change oil…
And if you try to fix your own brokenness, you will fail as well. In fact, you’ll make it worse! If you think your willpower will fix you, you’re sadly mistaken. If you think Oprah or Ellen or Kelly or Dr. Oz can help you, you’re sadly mistaken. We are no match for brokenness that pervades our world.
5. When we bring our faith, God shows up in miraculous ways
Jesus is the omnipotent God.
He’s not impotent; He’s omnipotent. If you’re from East Texas, you might say He’s omni-potent. Same thing. The dad asks, “If you can do anything, do something!” What does Jesus say, “If You can?” I’m sure Jesus looked at the guy like (turn/wag head) and thought: “Well you little bug. I made all that is and hold all things together by the power of my might—and you’re insulting me by saying, “If you can”.
In times of brokenness, pain and tragedy, we need to remember that He is the omnipotent God. Nothing is too difficult for Jesus. Say that with me: Nothing is too difficult for Jesus. When circumstances seem to dictate otherwise, keep saying, “Nothing is too difficult for Jesus.”
Jesus the omnipotent God responds to our faith
v.23 “Everything is possible to him who believes”
I guess I could have said that He responds positively to our faith. He responded negatively to the disciples lack of faith didn’t He? “How long am I going to have to put up with your guys and your unwillingness to believe in Me?”
I’ve said this before: The most valuable commodity in this world is faith. The Beatles sang, “All you need is love”. But that’s not really true. What we need in times of brokenness is faith. Faith that God is love. Faith that God loves us. Faith that God is a merciful God. Faith that He is bigger than our circumstance; bigger than our need. Faith that believes regardless of what happens to me, God is in control, and He will work all things together for His glory and my good. I believe. I believe that will all my being.
The good news is--
Jesus the omnipotent God doesn’t demand perfect faith.
I love how the dad responded to Jesus: v.24“Immediately the father of the boy cried out: ‘I do believe—help my unbelief.’”
I can’t tell you how many times in my despair I’ve cried out just as the dad did: “I do believe, but my faith isn’t strong; my faith isn’t big.” In Matthew’s parallel account of this story, he quotes Jesus saying, "For I assure you: If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 A mustard seed is itsy bitsy teeny weenie (pic).
So It’s not as much about the size of your faith as the object of your faith. If Jesus is the object of your faith, the one in whom you put your faith, then the miraculous will occur.
Story of Caleb Hutson 817-706-2429 calebhutson93@gmail.com
Jesus the omnipotent God is listening for your call.
When the disciples asked why they couldn’t heal the boy, Jesus had already scolded them for their lack of faith, and in v.29 that prayer is the key. I love Jer. 33:3 “Call to Me, and I will answer you; and I will show you great and mighty things you’ve never seen before.”
There is so much in our lives God wants to do but He has chosen many times to limit Himself based on our faith. He’s waiting for us to call out to Him; to cry out to Him. What is going on in your life that you need to exercise faith? What is it in your life that you need to call out to Him for? He’s bigger than your loneliness. He’s bigger than your fears. He’s bigger than your addiction. He’s bigger than your disease. He’s bigger than your wounds. He’s bigger than your dying marriage. God want to deliver today. God wants to heal today.
Around the room: LG leaders, RLM leaders, present/past trustees…
After prayer time: “Will you trust Him regardless of whether He answers your prayer the way you want Him to? Go in faith. Walk by faith. Experience the power of God.”
