Educated by Failure (Part A)

The jealousy of God is protected, not just it guards what belongs to him and that's what we are seeing flash out here. I want to know what you talking about with them because whatever's coming out of use and influence that I don't like. That's the idea. So it flashes outward one welcomed influences as it should act upon the minds of followers. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Mark, please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Rick in Mark chapter 9, with a brand-new study called educated by failure. Gospel according to Mark chapter 9 I think it's very exciting session of Scripture. What makes it exciting is how many benefits I think are within this consideration, we will take verses nine through actually verses 14 through 29 little long but what else to do right now again will take verses 14 through 29 and when he came to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them and scribes disputing with them immediately when they saw him all the people were greatly amazed and running to him, greeted him and he asked the scribes what are you discussing with them then one of the crowd answered and said teacher I brought you my son who is a who has a mute spirit whenever it seizes him and throws him down.

He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth becomes rigid, so I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out.

They could not. He answered him and said oh faithless generation, how long shall I bear with you bring him to me. 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 so he asked the father how long has this been happening to him and he said from childhood, and often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together. He rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it, deaf and dumb spirit, I command you come out of him and enter him no more than the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly came out of him.

He became as one dead, so that many said he is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand lifted him up and he arose and when he had come into the house.

His disciples asked him privately, why could we not cast it out.

So he said to them, this kind comes out by nothing but prayer and fasting, but action taking place there educated by failure.

That's the title for this message and I hope that that theme is not lost for us as we go through this section of Scripture. There's quite a few spots in hotspots where the pastor reads it would like to just take the morning talking about that verse are for example you know I love what I believe would help my unbelief out. How often have we been there as believers.

What has happened prior to this, of course, the Lord had a private meeting up on the mountain with three of his disciples, and there we saw Moses and Elijah meet with the Lord. They were not in their resident resurrected bodies.

Yet that is not yet had not yet taken place.

But they were there and after this mountaintop experience as they come down to the valley at the base of the mountain. This trouble waiting for them and softness like that of life you have a real good day in the Lord.

A good day in ministry. And then there something is to come at you.

That is out of hell and yet we are supposed to face it, like believers, I would look now in verse 14. Again we read that we read that verse and when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them all that's what was waiting for him. People arguing with his followers, and it was amazing and amazing time up on top of the mountain for the three, but goes down in the valley had to deal with this where it says the scribes disputing with them. We know that Jesus didn't like the looks of that soon as he saw it became very protective of his own world hates truth so it devotes itself to opposing truth or trying to get rid of it possibly suppress the truth in unrighteousness and we see that very much today in the age of media.

We know anything that YouTube and Facebook and Google and all the tech giants anything that they are for. We probably should be against if they think say something is wrong or right. We should go the other way because they are fundamentally messed up and they now represent the world on a very large-scale yet we use them. We try not to use them and takes work to get around them the age we live in. And so we try to make these things work for Christ.

They sneer at everything that is godly it is. It's just the reaction is automatic because the darkness that they live in they yield to nothing from God. Incidentally they never admit never given especially to the truth that expose their lies will this was the case with the scribes and Pharisees and the Sadducees and scribes were very closely connected to them. They yielded to nothing about Christ. They would see the miracles instill protest verse 15 immediately when they saw him all the people were greatly amazed and running to him, greeted him. Only Mark points this out. Luke and Matthew cover the story.

John does not mention it, but Mark points this one little thing out that, as Christ approached there was something of his awesome glory, lingering from that mountaintop experience and the people noticed it. How much so were not told just passing mention, of course, it's very likely that Peter was the one relating the story to Mark Moore could've been here for some of this and it stood out to him and so it is captured in verse 16 now and he asked the scribes what you discussing with them. I would love to have heard his tone the jealousy of God is protective, not possessive. It guards what belongs to him and that's what we are seeing flash out here for me. I want to know what you talking about with them because whatever's coming out of use and influence that I don't like. That's the idea.

So it flashes outward one welcomed influences as it should, that act upon the minds of the followers be good to it for more Christians to be a little bit more guarded when they read anything on the Internet about Christianity.

I don't I just get my Christianity from my Bible from trusted Bible teachers would. I am very picky and happy to be so. In Exodus 32 Moses came down from the mountain. He also incurred the devil up to no good with God's people, and it reached a point when Moses verse 30 Exodus 32 verse 26 and Moses stood at the entrance of the camp to whoever is on Yahweh's side come to me all the sons of Levi, gathered themselves together to him.

What a powerful moment Moses is about to administer swift justice and he says who's on Yahweh side, and the Levites raise up without hesitation and side with Moses.

Because Moses is siding with God and Moses was good was dealing with these influences in the camp that needed to be dealt with. So this God that we love so much is power to forgive sin and we have power to side with him against our own sin against all sin, but hopefully we do it graciously, even on ourselves of some Christians can be very kind to others and not too kind to themselves. If that is you encourage you to put yourself with the rest of us when you're dealing with yourself. Don't be overly hard on yourself. That does not mean dismiss issues that need to be addressed.

It just means do not trust yourself because who can handle that and still be effective. Verse 17 then one of the crowd answered and said teacher I brought you my son, who has a mute spirit. While the man expected to find Jesus when he came to his disciples with the Lord was coming down the mountain at the time of Matthew adds that when he approached Christ that he was kneeling down Matthew chapter 17 verse 14 and when he had come to the multitude. A man came to him, kneeling down to him and so here we have this picture of the sun, the only begotten son of the father and yet there in the valley, the only begotten son of man who the son is steaming process. Quite a contrast. Imagine you're one of the three apostles that went up to the mountain with Christ in this you know you have discrete experiences.

You can't tell anybody about right now and then you coming down the mountain and Christ is teaching you, your asking questions about Elijah and the end times and then you come down and you and your face with this your face with the other your comrades who have this look of defeat on their face and yet there also happy to see the Lord. Matthew is the one that identifies this as a demon in the child and only Mark points out that the demon kept the boy from talking verse 18 is going to heat up in a minute.

This is all background to the story. Verse 18 and wherever it seizes him and throws him down and he foams at the mouth. Nash is a Stephen becomes rigid, so I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out.

They could not a miserable experience for everybody. They can see here wherever it seizes him and throws him down.

He foams at the mouth matches a Stephen becomes rigid in their people saw this happening with his little child that age is not stated but the word for child here in the Greek means a little child.

It's the same Greek word used for the boy Jesus. When Pilate was looking for him. You know will find him find the child that we could worship him to and so he sees a little guy we we can safely say that evidently you can walk, but these terrifying fits were something that others just will nothing they could do so. I spoke to your disciples until this in verse 18, that they should cast it out, but they could not or without Christ is nothing we really can do against the spiritual realm. John 15 five I am the vine and you are the branches you abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. That's a basic of what belongs to our faith the fundamental Christianity is our utter dependence on Jesus Christ, which makes it difficult when we need something and he doesn't appear to be doing anything then faith has to kick in without talk about that little bit but how often have we been powerless. We pray we apply as much wisdom as we can muster. We do all take all the steps we not to take and still we have not dislodged the problem. It's still there staring us in the face attacking us. Often times today. Our victories are by truth though without outward signs. Mostly they are still outward signs but mostly it's by truth that the church advances its mission. Today, the Lord being invisible is not absent though. Many times we feel like he's not there. Why doesn't he do something if he is still sovereign. If he loves me so much is he not resolving these issues. Imagine if he dissolved every single issue always going to do that one day, just not here. We get to heaven. All of it's going to be gone, but here, here is a battleground is a battle for souls and what we are learning from all this is that the justice will live by faith. You don't have to like it or agree with it or sign off on it.

It is presented to us. It is a fact. This is one of the main themes from this passage of Scripture.

We are in the age of faith right now were not in the age of the law were not in the age of miracles and signs and wonders, but we are in the age of faith built on the law and built on miracles knowledge of truth is what the church really has to give to a world that is being sucked under by lies, so easy to lose sight of this because the carnal side of me says that's not enough. I want action and I want action now truth. What good is true that if I'm starving to death. If I'm being persecuted if whatever you do for moms I'm in pain and writhing in pain, physical agony, what good is true, God says you will find out which you gotta get through this. This is how it is.

I believe that all the power that was available at the time of Christ and his apostles is still available is just doesn't operate the same way.

Second Peter chapter 3 his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness to the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue knowledge of Christ's. So there are times when God's love for his people seems to be contradicted by his apparent inaction says he loves me and why is this is a whole story of Job, the whole story of Job did not have the knowledge we have Joe remain true to God is frustrated as bitter as he had become in the midst of those things without even knowing that he was a battleground that God would use Job for the centuries to come. To make Christians stronger to help Christians get through and stay focused on the main things because Satan is always trying to get us to major in the minors. God wants us to major in the majors and faith as it their faith. These apostles here facing this demon could not cast him out. Faith is being tested is a passage in Habakkuk. If you don't know about the prophet Habakkuk is what it bye-bye love this profit if you like. Would God was showing him he protested what he had resolved. I will stand my watch and see what he's going to do because he's God. Rebecca got that and he writes a song at the end of this experience and guts is listenable to judge my people.

I go to send the Chaldeans is going to be brutal back as I don't think this, but at the end he writes this, though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit beyond the vines, though the labor of the olive may fail fields yield no food, though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in Yahweh, I would join the God of my salvation.

See Hsieh starve to death is not going to stop me from worshiping God.

My worship of him is not built on whether I eat or not stuff words years ago.

They seemed a lot easier to enjoy than the years roll by battle stack up but there they are nonetheless. So we must not allow.

Remember were talking about the apostles being unable to help this father and his child when they had done this before they had cast out demons before this one wasn't moving. The lesson is one of them is that the sense of inability and confrontation with Satan is not to deceive us into thinking that we will be ineffective in all confrontations with Satan. You do know in the world's as you win some you lose some.

We understand them and I like it but we understand it well. It's that way in Christianity to a large degree and delay some of this out.

The battle of the soul is more important than the battle for outward miraculous signs and wonders and some satisfaction that comes with it. It is more important to establish ourselves before God by trusting him is again frequently quoted verse from Job though he slay me, I will trust him.

Remember, Job was a roller coaster moment he's like what are your an enemy to me is what he said to God you like a warrior coming at me in the next minute he say things like that.

You know I you don't you can kill me. I just be my God bless what happens when you going to tough times run a roller coaster one minute your apply the next pressing out of the bottom God's hand is on you was on you all the time.

You know, one of the struggles for me after all these years is maintaining the joy in the face of opposition to face opposition to face life to face things that perplex me confuse me bother me disturb me frighten me and still have some joy in my salvation as I used to. In the early days of Christianity, and yet that is just what Habakkuk said yet I will rejoice in Yahweh. I would joy in the God of my salvation. I'm not going to let these things rob me of this to do it to pull it off.

We worship God because he is worthy, we discovered that he is worthy by truth, not because we approve of what he allows or does not allow get verse 28. We will revisit this. This is not unbelief. This is fact is not a lack of faith to say God is not dole out the miracles as he did in the book of acts, not to say that he can't not to say that he does not do it from time to time, but he does not do it on that level and no one can honestly refute that verse 19 he answered him and said oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you.

How long shall I bear with you bring them to me. Question indicates that there is a limit to his patients will I hearing that we like to believe that no matter what I did. He's patient he's loving but we've already covered that he was irritated another time with the disciples about the whole breadth things away know what to tell you to get you to understand the many lessons these these list irritations of the Lord, the apostles forced them to up their game. It does it to us to put pressure on us squeeze out of us a better performance for the kingdom. What what should he say that's okay.

I kinda like it when you don't believe me know he does not.

He has to call he calls a mountaineer who was he talking 20 faithless generator every body. The environment that he ministered in was an environment of unbelief, even John the Baptist, are you the one are we looking for another glum year in jail in the Messiah supposed to liberate us and of course John died at the end of acts.

The henchman came in the killed took his head from and yet John the Baptist is in heaven because of his faith is resolved. Trust the Lord unbelief gives the Lord Jesus Christ sorrow to some degree because unbelief hurts us to work for us is not good. We don't read the Scripture I encourage you to disbelieve. I encourage you to not to have faith so that you can be a better human being know we never get that in the Bible and the world wants to rewrite the definitions of faith without Christ being a part of what they rewrite, and we somehow knows that them for that. We say how dare you think that were supposed to agree with you, we've got something so much better than what you could ever have on your own and were not ashamed of this.

It is a mistake to learn where we are weakest Christians and not at the same time learn where we are strong. See if the apostles just said that said, we can't throw it out. That's the end of that is no sense in following Jesus anymore where powerless were evident in other strengths and if you are a weak Christian. If you think yourself to be under me someone is told you, I mean if you think you just you know I'm a weak Christian will welcome to the club number one. Let's get that one right, and then a small one from there. Where are your strengths in Christ. Paul talked about the gifts that's what he was doing as you have strength you have something to contribute to this fight is not all based on one event here today which Satan you can become educated from your failures or you can become ruined by them. You have a say so in I have a say so in I've had opportunities to say that's it I'm done. When Jesus said barrier, take up your cross daily and die he meant just that all the time. Defeat is going to be a part of apparent defeat is going to be a part of serving him life is that way the world even knows that even up bumper stickers that although crude.

They expressed that very thing. That's all they've got. We go beyond this verse 20 now then they brought to him and 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 while just as the boys father described the site of Jesus triggered an event that triggered an episode with this poor child and this also tells us as a little child in intimating wrong to deserve this happened because he was born into a cursed world and what can we could do that one occurs world let's all gather at the service and wring our fingers or are we going to say Lord where my strengths. What kind do with them in order. My weaknesses are like sidestep those as often as I can be so typical of developing a cheap shot sucker punches to go do this again with the new spirit made a scene for you to be cast out, giving the spectators a sample of his power move thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Mark cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio you could search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast app that's all we have time for today, but we hope you'll join us next time. As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of Mark Rocky on cross reference radio