Title: “The Key To The Kingdom”
Subject: “Faith”
Introduction: Jesus and His disciples had just returned from the top of the mountain where He had become transfigured (Transformed: a restoration of the glory which He had with the Father before the world was). During this marvelous happening Moses and Elijah appeared and talked to Jesus (v.4). Peter got so excited he wanted to build three tabernacles, one for each person in this transforming experience.
Have you ever noticed how a lot of people get caught up in the excitement of a Divine occurrence and jump the gun and want to do the wrong thing? It wasn’t a time to be building tabernacles it was a time to absorb the revelation of what God was showing them!
Jesus was giving them a preview of things to come later! The Resurrection and the Coming (Return) of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The disciples also heard God Himself speak as the brilliant cloud overshadowed them.
We need the “Mountain Top” experiences from time to time to prepare and strengthen us for the road ahead.
I. COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOP. (v. 9)
a. As Jesus and His inner circle of disciples talked they reached the valley below and found the other disciples surrounded by a multitude of people.
b. You don’t find many needs on the mountain top, the needs are found in the valleys of life.
c. Our greatest battles are not won on the mountain tops of life but during the tough times while we are in the valleys.
d. Jesus could see there were people questioning His disciples about something!
e. “What is all this arguing about?” One of the multitude said, “Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they would cast him out; and they could not.”
f. The first thing Jesus encountered when He reached the valley was HUMAN INSUFFICIENCY. (The FAILURE of His own disciples to deal with a demon-possessed boy)
g. The disciples of Jesus should have taken care of this simple task! Mark 16 tells us that this is a common ability of a believer, “They shall cast out demons.”
II. CHRISTIAN FAILURE. (Mark 9:17 “….I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.)
a. The world has not changed much since the time of this incident. It only takes one failure for the world to condemn all of Christianity.
b. The scribes had seen many miracles, but they had given the credit to the devil. * But when they saw the failure of the disciples they were quick to condemn the entire ministry.
c. God is moving in His Church today, but there are some that will condemn all the good that has been done because of one failure.
d. The only reason you have human failure is because you have humans attempting to do the work. (And that will NEVER change!)
e. Don’t let human failure reflect upon God, but upon us! (God is still able!)
f. The FAILURE of the disciples could have happened because of not knowing how to exercise their faith! (They had not been followers of Jesus for very long!)
g. They could have been SCARED! (The devil can really put on a SHOW when someone tries to cast him out! – “He wallowed on the ground, foaming at the mouth, pineth away, and falls into the fire” – This can scare the FAITH right out of you if you’re not very careful!)
III. GETTING THE JOB DONE. (v. 19 “….bring him to Me”)
a. Jesus was about to DEMONSTRATE how to take care of the demon possessed!
b. When you are the CLOSEST to getting your needs taken care of by the Lord Jesus Christ is when the devil will put on his BIGGEST SHOW. (v. 20)
c. (Mark 9:20) “And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.”
d. Jesus had engaged in conversation with the father of the demon-possessed child to AWAKEN his FAITH prior to the encounter with this demon activity.
e. Getting the job done means Jesus has to be the MAIN OBJECT of our FAITH – The NEED has to be brought to Jesus through FAITH!
f. There are many people who don’t even know what Jesus can do! They don’t realize what they can do with their OWN FAITH!
g. “If you canst do any thing”, came the PLEA, “have compassion on us, help us.”
IV. “I BELIEVE, HELP MY UNBELIEF!” (V. 2)
a. “If you can do anything!” responded Jesus. “Everything is possible to the man who believes.” (What do you mean, “If you can do any thing?”)
b. The CONFIDENCE of Jesus in the POWER of FAITH is STARTLING.
c. With the SAME utter confidence in God with which He rebuked the raging tempest (4:39), and met the dangerous maniac from the tombs (5:8), and took the daughter of Jairus by the hand (5:41), here He advances upon the powerful spirit that HOLDS the epileptic boy in its grasp.
d. Let him cast the FIRST STONE who has not shared that man’s experience!
e. All of a SUDDEN the father of the demon-possessed boy experienced the BIRTH of FAITH. (“I BELIEVE!”)
f. And very possibly out of the same breath the “CRY of FAITH” came bursting forth! (Help my UNBELIEF!)
IV. THE KIND OF FAITH GOD HONORS.
a. This man had “Honest Faith”, he did all he knew how to do and confessed it!
b. God honors faith that is PLACED in the Word of God and this is exactly what this man did! (He believed the Word of Jesus, “If you can believe all things are possible”)
c. God honors “Great Faith” – The greatness of Faith is determined by the adverse circumstances you are facing! (Mt. 15:26-27-28) “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.”
d. God honors “Seed Faith” – (Matthew 17:20) “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”
e. God honors “Determined Faith” – (Mark 10:52) Blind Bartimaeus, “And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” * The little woman with the issue of blood. * Jacob, “I will not turn you loose until you bless me!”
CONCLUSION: The other night I was watching one of my favorite programs, “The Andy Griffith Show.” Opie had come home with some gifts that Mr. McBeevie had given him. And after Opie’s description of Mr. McBeevie Andy thought Opie was making up some tall tales out of his little boy’s imagination. Andy tried to persuade Opie to admit his stories were only make believe, but Opie demanded he was telling his dad the truth. Andy went out to see if he could find Mr. McBeevie, the man with the silver had that walked in the tree tops and had a belt filled with tools that jingled as he move through the tree tops. But Andy could not find the man his son had told him of. Andy came back to the house and challenged Opie to admit that he was making up these stories, even to the point of having to punish Opie for lying. But when Opie looked up into the face of his dad with those little boy’s eyes filled with innocence and said, “Paw don’t you believe me?” Andy’s heart melted and he with doubtful heart turned and walked away. Later on Andy returned to the place where the trees were and discovered Mr. McBeevie just as Opie had told him. Andy was delighted!
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
We’ve missed the point that Christ consistently tries to teach us. We’ve missed the point that faith is the key to everything in the Kingdom.
