Healing the Possessed Boy
(Do Believers Suffer from a Lack of Power?)
Luke 9:37-45
Rev. Phillip A. Wright
Introduction: This morning we are going to take a look at one of the passages we saw about two Christmas seasons ago. I gave a message and preached on the differences in the Lord’s usage of the phrases “Little Faith and Great Faith.” This passage was one of the ones I mentioned that morning.
Attention: The problem as it unfolded before the Lord was that a father had come to the Disciples and made a request that they heal his son. They were not able to heal the boy. The father then went on to make the same request of Jesus. This was a Crushing Blow to the Disciples.
Today we will look at this story and pick out of it the Lord’s message for them at that time and the timeless truths while apply to us today.
Let’s read: Luke 9:37-42 37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him. 38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child. 39 "And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him. 40 "So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." 41 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. (NKJV)
Need: Every believer needs to be able to recognize that their ability to be effective in the work of the Lord is wholly reliant upon their being fully surrendered to him all the time.
Textual Idea: Luke describes the events. When begged by a desperate father to cast a demon out of his child, nine of the disciples are unable to do it. The disciples’ inability is highlighted by the fact that another, who was not one of their number was, successfully casting out demons in that area (Luke 9:49-50 49 Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us." 50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.").
The problem which unfolds for us today is not that the disciples were unable to cast out demons. They had clearly done that before (Luke 9:1-6). The embarrassing problem was that these Disciples were unable to cast out this demon now. The Disciples’ frustration in today’s passage was that they could not help the demonized child. Often time’s believers get into a mutual admiration society and think that everyone is doing their best all the time. The sad fact is that this just is not true. So today, I want to cut straight to the chase and deal with the real issues not puff up the egos of the Disciples involved. Some of my comments today will ping your heart – I assure you they did mine.
Sermon Idea: The issue at hand is not a lack of power. Jesus’ words make it plain that the Disciples could have exorcised the demon from the child if they had prayed and fasted. They did not experience the power of God for two primary reasons:
• They did not feel the need to pray and fast. Folks, the power of God don’t come unless Saints pray and fast.
• We do not know specifically what these Disciples did, but we do know that it was not effective. There is only one way to do the work of the Lord. That’s the Lord’s way.
Interrogative: This morning’s question: When was the last time you prayed in earnest and fasted for something?
Transition: Our text this morning suggest four things that will bring this passage into clearer focus for them and for us.
1. The Return to Disappointment
Explanation: Remember last week, Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John were all present at the Transfiguration. This was a super spiritual high and the very next day, (they could not even rest in that experience for a few days) they were back with the “great multitude.” Notice in verse 37, Jesus did not come down and relax. No, the crowds met him. No rest for the weary. From out of the crowd, a man begins to cry out. This was burdened, hurt, scared, disappointed – he was a father whose child was possessed. How do you think he felt?
Illustration: Alexander the Great conquered Persia, but broke down and wept because his troops were too exhausted to push on to India. Hugo Grotius, the father of modern international law, said at the last, "I have accomplished nothing worthwhile in my life." John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the U.S.--not a Lincoln, perhaps, but a decent leader--wrote in his diary: "My life has been spent in vain and idle aspirations, and in ceaseless rejected prayers that something would be the result of my existence beneficial to my species." Robert Louis Stevenson wrote words that continue to delight and enrich our lives, and yet what did he write for his epitaph? "Here lies one who meant well, who tried a little, and failed much." Cecil Rhodes opened up Africa and established an empire, but what were his dying words? "So little done, so much to do." Donald McCullough, "The Pitfalls of Positive Thinking", Christian Times, September 6, 1985.
Argumentation: These great and well known people were plagued with their own pitfalls from negativism. We often feel great coming back from a retreat; we get disappointed that others are not on the same spiritual high as we are. Should the illustration I read shock you?
Application: Do you suffer from being called or looked upon (in your eyes) as being stupid, fat, ugly, and unable to do as good as others. Does it bother you that you just aren’t as good as others that you feel “have it all together?” Don’t be, trust me, others have their own issues in life as well. I worked for a man for almost a year and he became a friend. I like him and respect him as a person, and a business leader in our community. He told me of his silent horror one day.
He, said, Phil do you know what it’s like to have a hundred families relying on you for their income and livelihood? Even when business is bad! Do you know what it’s like to owe a million dollars? He explained that was the reason he did not sit still. He constantly kept his finger on the pulse of his various companies and other business ventures. He has to pay attention to a lot of things, trust me no one else will do it for him.
Transition: Folks, disappointment will tear down all you best efforts. Don’t let that happen. Do your best for the Lord – don’t accept mediocrity.
2. The Realism of the Activity behind the Scene.
Explanation: The father is coming to Jesus after the Disciples had tried and failed. You walk into your home and your only child is in a seizure and is foaming at the mouth. The Greek word used for tearing (KJV) or convulsion (many other versions) is the actual root of the English word spasm. Father’s, I want you to picture yourself, this is your only child and this scene is a bit freaky and personally anguishing. I hope you have a better appreciation for why this man is so demanding and makes his case seem pressing.
Illustration: I have seen spasmodic and epileptic episodes and seen foaming at the mouth. The individuals I have seen in spasms were alive. The three that I have seen with foam coming from their mouths did not make it. Armed with that picture, as a father and grandfather, if I saw someone convulsing and foaming; I would act quickly and be gravely serious in doing what I would do.
Argumentation: This man has real and obvious reasons to seek help. He obviously has some degree of belief, knowledge and faith in Jesus to be able to address this situation. If you think that a crowd described as a “great multitude” has only one man crying out, then your sights are small. Folks, if you have nothing for Jesus, then you do not need to be following him. These people wanted to hear him, see him, and be near to him. I can’t fathom that this man is the only one crying out for help. It is however the only one that Jesus addresses in Scripture.
Application: When you have pain or anguish in your life, do you call me or pray to the Lord? Folks, I have no problem with someone calling me for prayer. However, you make sure that you have already prayed about the situation first.
Transition: So disappointment will tear down all you best efforts. Do your best for the Lord – don’t accept mediocrity. Secondly, the situation and the anguish in this man’s life and heart are real. This is not a parable. Men, this father felt that he was imminently about to loose his only son.
3. He had gone through the Channels – it did not work!
Explanation: He tells Jesus that he took the problem to the nine disciples who were not on the mountain during the Transfiguration. It is now absolutely clear to Jesus that in his absence, the remaining disciples fell apart and did not do things quite right. These men had all cast out demons. What were they doing wrong or differently?
To make the whole situation worse, Jesus then starts talking about the faithless and perverse generation. I am positive that the nine disciples were just tickled to death to hear that comment after the father dimed them out. This father understood the idea of being faithful to a cause.
Illustration: In the early 1800s on a stormy night an elderly couple entered the lobby of a small hotel and asked for a room. The clerk said they were filled, as were all the hotels in town. "But I can’t send a fine couple like you out in the rain," he said. "Would you be willing to sleep in my room?" The couple hesitated, but the clerk insisted. The next morning when the man paid his bill, he said, "You’re the kind of man who should be managing the best hotel in the United States. Someday I’ll build you one." The clerk smiled politely. A few years later the clerk received a letter from the elderly man, recalling that stormy night and asking him to come to New York. A round-trip ticket was enclosed. When the clerk arrived, his host took him to the corner of 5th Avenue and 34th Street, where stood a magnificent new building. "That," explained the man, "is the hotel I have built for you to manage." The man was William Waldorf Astor, and the hotel was the original Waldorf-Astoria. The young clerk, George C. Boldt, became its first manager. That is the same George C. Boldt who built the Boldt castle on Wellesley Island, near Alexandria Bay, NY.
Argumentation: Like the desk clerk, this father understood faithfulness. The problem was that his initial efforts did not work. So now, the father has come directly to Jesus. “So I implored your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.”
Application: You have the ability to see issues. What the disciples actually did – we do not know. Jesus was not overly happy with the outcome.
4. The Power of the Lord
The disciples asked Jesus why they had been unable to cast it out.
Reference: Mark 9:28-29 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" 29 So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."
The Lord commanded the unclean spirit to come out and it did with a lot of convulsing. The boy lay as if dead. Jesus took his hand and he awoke. Remember a year or so ago, I spoke on the power of the Lord and mentioned that his authority is based on his spoken word. Jesus spoke and that which was created responded to the Creator’s voice. He told the demons to leave; he took the boy’s hand and lifted him up.
Folks, the Lord has the ability to make things happen. Do you believe it? Do you fervently pray and fast? Do you take all the problems in your life to the Lord? Why not? He loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Do you want him to move on and pass you by?
Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave, he forgave sin, he restored others to life and he gave sight to the blind. Jesus was clearly able to address the situation.
5. Conclusion:
Visualization: Think for a minute and visualize having actually been there and seen this exchange take place. Remember the Lord is all powerful and has all authority. At this juncture once again, they just leave and it this event is not mentioned again until after he ascended into heaven.
Reiteration:
1. The Return to Disappointment
2. The Realism of the Activity behind the Scene.
3. He had gone through Channels – it did not work!
4. The Power of the Lord
Action: It is essential for us to acknowledge that our abilities are tied directly to our faithfulness to God.
Appeal:
• Do you recognize that he can and will help you with your life’s problems?
• Jesus is not just tied to the events in the Bible. He can heal, love, comfort, forgive and restore – today.
• Why not surrender your problems to him today?
• Why not trust Him today?
• He will never leave you or forsake you.
