The Prodigal's ReturnSample

Doubt- Bring it to Jesus

Randy Harmon

[Mark 9:14-29 NASB] And when they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. And He asked them, “What are you disputing with them?” And one person from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You, my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not do it.” And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!” And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up. When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?” And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.”

The lesson on faith from Mark 9:14-29 is such an important lesson that Matthew records it and so does Luke. Jesus and three of His disciples (Peter, James, and John) had been on the mount of Transfiguration. Christ was in his glorified body. They had been walking and talking with Moses and Elijah. The disciples who had not gone with Jesus had been on their own. Things have not gone well. “Immediately,” (verse 15), “when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to meet Him.”

Jesus steps in here in a wonderful way. They’re having an argument and Jesus says, “What’s the argument about?” We would assume that the argument is about typical theology issues. The scribes don’t say anything. They keep their mouths shut. (They would much rather have had a debate with the disciples than with Him). The disciples don’t say anything either.

A man speaks up (Matthew adds Falling on his knees). He comes in a very reverent and humble way. This man says, “I brought my son assuming You would be here with these, Your followers. My intention was to get my son to You because he is possessed by a spirit, a demon. ”The boy could not hear and the boy could not speak. It had nothing to do with some kind of physical problem; it had to do with demonic control. The demon periodically produces this power over the boy; it makes him scream and then it slams him to the ground. Luke 9:39 In the original language, says the demon is mauling this poor boy. Jesus answered and said to them, “O unbelieving generation.” The problem was general unbelief.

Here, in Jesus’ absence, they had struggled to believe. Jesus says, “Bring him to Me,” verse 19, Luke adds, “And while he was still approaching, the demon begins to go into action.” While this is going on, Verse 21 “And He asked his father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’” Why does He ask that question? Maybe Jesus wanted to hear the father’s story. If there’s anything demonstrated in the miracle ministry of Jesus Christ, it is the compassion of God that He cares. He cares about the things that break your heart and wants to hear. There must have been in the heart of the father a rising glimmer of hope because Jesus is talking to him with such sympathy about his battered boy.

In verse 22, he admits that the demon was trying to destroy him, trying to kill him. And then he says this, “But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” That is a pretty weak statement of faith: “But if You can do anything.” He’s not saying, “Will You,” What he’s not sure about is the “can.” In the original language, he is saying … take pity, show mercy, “Help, help us,” Verse 23, “If You can!”

Jesus might have said, “If You can, are You kidding?” How can you be asking the question? How can you be doubting My ability, My power? And then Jesus gives the lesson. “All things are possible to him who believes.” That’s the heart of the lesson, the challenge of faith. Do you have the faith to believe that the Lord can do it? What we have here is an issue of faith. It’s not an issue of power for these men; it’s an issue of accessing that power that comes from faith. Jesus healed many people with no faith, faith wasn’t always an issue, He healed lots of people who didn’t believe. They needed to learn how to access the absent power and make it present by faith.

So, the principle is for them and for us. We live by faith. His power is available to those who believe in Him and that power. The father responds in verse 24. “Immediately the boy’s father cried out,” “I do believe, help my unbelief.” All things are possible to the one who believes, that all things within God’s will are possible, and all things that are acceptable to God are possible. This man literally says; Run to my unbelief. Run to my aid, and help me keep believing. Come and dispel my doubts.

The Lord never expects perfect faith, though he is worthy of it. He never turns away imperfect, but striving faith! Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit. “I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.’” Verse 27, “Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and he got up.” Luke adds, “Jesus gave him back to his father.”

So, how much faith do we need? Jesus would say, “I’m not asking for a lot out of you, I’m not asking for perfect faith.” Truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you’ll say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will move and nothing will be impossible to you.” He’s not talking about literally changing topography. He’s simply saying life is full of insurmountable things and you will never have the power to alter those things. But if you have the faith of the size of a grain of mustard...that is the smallest seed used in agriculture in Israel, Jesus will do great things in, and through you.

Our Lord shows these men that a new believer who hasn’t been with Jesus at all, who had a very beginning faith if he exercised that faith, had enough faith to bring down the power of God. It’s a hard lesson to learn if you’re a disciple and you’ve been around Jesus for two and a half years or so, and He’s telling you if you could just be like this stranger who has never walked with Me or talked with Me before. You need to exercise only the simplest faith, that’s the grace of God.

If you have the faith of a grain of mustard seed, and you take that faith on the highway of prayer into the highway of God, you will see God do mighty things.

The Most important thing we can do? Bring it to Jesus!

Lord, help MY unbelief! Amen.