Title: Help My Unbelief
Opening Text: Mark 9:14 – 24
Introduction
Isa 61:3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
This passage here is on the cusp of one of the most revealing moments in scripture. Jesus had promised His disciples that they would see “power of the kingdom of God present with power”. Over this chapter this is what they see. They see the kingdom of God. Both parts. The heavenly part shown in the appearance of Elijah and Moses. In it you hear the voice of the Father identifying the Son. This is “My Son”. You will see more of the power of the kingdom in the next passage as Jesus shows power over demons.
Peter didn’t know what to do. So Peter had a philosophy, “What do you do when you don’t know what to do? Talk. Make something up.” He wanted to erect three tabernacles one for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. Advice: When you are in the presence of God and you are not sure what to do next just be quiet and enjoy His presence. You don’t always have to do something, you don’t always have to “have a word”.
Thankfully God ignores Peter’s ignorance. Now to Peter’s credit I understand. I want to stay in His presence. I want to be where God is moving and touching. I love the emotional side of the kingdom. I feel good, I feel connected. I feel as though I have a purpose.
Yet there is the practical side. You cannot always stay on the mountain. You have to move on. There is ministry to be done. Also, to give you a secret, “there is purpose in the mountain”. You are going to need those mountain top experiences when you get to the valley.
That is where Jesus find himself next. In the valley.
There is oftentimes darkness and doubt in the valley. There are a lot of questions in the valley. David understood this when he wrote Psalms 23.
Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
It is dark. Yet I don’t have to be afraid while being in the dark valley because you are with me.
In these verses Jesus finds himself in the middle of a dispute. So He inquires.
Mark 9:16 And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" (17) Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.
This man had connected Jesus disciples with Him. Even though Jesus was on the mountain top in this fathers mind the disciples represented Jesus. When he brought the boy to them it was as if bringing him to Jesus. Note: we represent Jesus where ever we go. We represent Jesus to our family, to our friends, on our job.
(18) And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."
I could hear the emphasis in this statement. “I spoke to YOUR disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”
(19) He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
This is a matter of rebuke because of a “faithless generation”. Jesus was not going to always be with them. He tells His disciples this all the time. He is teaching them to depend on God and their relationship with God instead of Jesus doing all the work. We are to be instruments of faith.
“bear with you”. Have patience for you? God is longsuffering, but He expects us to grow.
But in the same note of the rebuke there is light of hope. “Bring him to Me”. We can bring people to Jesus. To church to events into His presence. Hey even to baptisms.
(20) Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. (21) So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. (22) And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
The situation described in vs. 20 – 22
“But if you can do anything”
(23) Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, [37] all things are possible to him who believes." (24) Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
Jesus throws the statement back to the father. I could almost see Him mumbling the words, “If you can, if you can”. Truthfully this is not about what God can do, “Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible." It is up to this mans faith.
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief”
The man is smart enough to know that this is bigger than him. I think this is the key to the passage and the message today. We have to know when the situation is bigger than us. We have to move beyond the false faith and recognize the weakness of our faith. We must say in desperation, “help my unbelief.”
How can this man have faith and doubt live in the same place?
How can the father both believe and not believe?
It is natural for doubt to coexist alongside faith. It is doubt that keeps us hungry for growth in our faith, and it is faith that keeps doubt from taking over.
The father, however, asks for help with his doubt. He is asking for new evidence.
This is not asking Jesus to prove himself. This is asking for his mind to be renewed. Help me overcome my unbelief.
When we want to believe God-glorifying thoughts, let's not vilify our doubts. Instead, let's ask God to give us evidence to believe what He wants us to believe.
Matthew 7:7 says ask and you will receive. Today, ask that God will give you the evidence your mind needs to keep doubt at bay. With this new evidence, your mind will be renewed.
From Devotional Taking Thoughts Captive on You Version Bible App
We must have Faith, even if it is the grain of a mustard seed.
Hebrews 11:6
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Two areas of faith.
#1 Here are two keys to faith. The first is to believe that God is.
"Who do I say You are?" Moses asked God.
"I AM THAT I AM," God answered (see Exo_3:14).
My favorite description of God. In other words, God said, "I am whatever you need." Are you lonely tonight? God is the friend who's closer than a brother. Are you confused about what to do? He is the door. Are you feeling like you're walking in a haze? He's the Good Shepherd. Faith hopes for the unseen because it believes God is.
#2 Secondly, faith believes God is the One who will meet the needs deep within my heart. There are those who believe God is—but they don't really seek Him. Why must we diligently seek God? Why isn't it enough just to believe He is whatever we have need of? Because God knows if we diligently seek Him, the very things about which we seek Him will fade in importance as we realize it's Him we want all along.
I believe most of us have no problem with the first of these two keys to faith. We believe God is. But because we don't believe He rewards those who seek Him, we seek Him haphazardly or half-heartedly if at all.
I long for the day when retreat centers are full of people saying, "Lord, we seek Your blessing and Your direction, Your leading and Your provision because we understand You reward those who diligently seek You."
"I don't have time," you might be saying. Not true. We have time to golf, time to see the Blazers play, time to water ski, fix the plumbing, and go to the dentist. Every single one of us without exception has time. We do what we want and make time for what is of value to us.
Throughout history, the common denominator in the lives of those who have been blessed is that they have all been those who realize God enjoys our company. And when we seek Him, we're rewarded—not because we're trying to earn brownie points—but just because hanging out with the Lord opens the door to fabulous blessing from Him.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The phrase "things not seen" is literally "things not yet seen." Faith is the substance of what you know is coming your way, even though it is not yet seen. Faith isn't wishful thinking. No, based upon the Word of God, faith says, "Whether I see it presently, understand it intellectually, or experience it immediately, I know what God says He'll do, He will do."
Conclusion
1. We must have faith and allow God to dispel out doubts. “Lord help my unbelief.”
2. We must bring people to Jesus.
3. We must renew our mind with faith in God. Faith in the unseen, the unknown but in One whom we can know.
