Unbelieving Belief - Part 1

Christian belief like a bug up through not believing a goal Jesus would cover the full spectrum of weak faith of the people he ministered to around 3.0 mile looks at one of those moments from Mark chapter 9 and encounter that began in frustration yet what in from in search of the Savior is introduced today's message unbelievably, and we welcome you to Turning Point, we are studying the book of Mark together we are in the ninth chapter and verses 14 through 29 were going to talk about what it means to believe.

And yet not really believe it's possible and you know, we see that often don't wait, there's a strong emphasis in Christianity today on having more faith if you just had more faith in God a deeper faith, less unbelief than the things that you desire for God to do for you in life would come true, but in a vivid display in the book of Mark, Jesus shows us that it is the object of our faith not our faith itself that determines everything. This is a very important passage.

I hope you be with us today and tomorrow as we unpack this and talk about every part of what it says now it's time to get started with today's lesson from Mark chapter 9 unbelieving really biblical scholar Frederick Dale Groner has written that the Christian faith. Bipolar disciples live their life between worship and doubt and trusting and questioning and hoping and worrying.

John Norberg added to this thought that disciples are not people who never doubt they doubt they worship they doubt they serve.

They doubt and they help each other with their doubts, they doubt and they practice faithfulness. They doubt and they wait for their doubt one day to be turned into hope. George Mueller said that faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God and that which is humanly possible.

Faith begins where man's power in its today's lesson from the book of Mark will encourage us and guide us if we are frustrated by spiritual weakness. We will see ourselves in the disciples, men and women who were be set by failures to ready to engage in arguments undisciplined in their prayer life and more eager to learn techniques about ministry than to take time to walk closely with God. Read stories of the disciples the apostles and realized that Almighty God rested his entire hope for the propagation of the gospel on those 12 fallible men.

Men who are just like us with all of their issues and challenges and here in this passage of Scripture were going to see an example of a man who probably describes what's really going on in most of our hearts today better than anything you have heard in a long time before we get to that part of the story. Let me just take a moment and tell you how this is put together.

I love the study the word of God and when you look at a passage, sometimes there's a piece that helps you understand how the passage goes together and I believe the piece in this passage is simply the words that people say in the text. This is a passage full of statements that all kinds of words. I mean, these words represent just about every motion you can imagine there's words of expectation and desperation exasperation and frustration and explanation. Many more to tell the story by acknowledging the different kind of words that are used in the passage to tell the story. It's kind of an interesting way to remember how this fits together in the first word is the words of confrontation in the 14 verse of the ninth chapter of Mark, we read these words when Jesus came to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them, not you remember we were on the Mount of Transfiguration, you know, it doesn't take long to get from the mountain to the Valley but it does take a little time to adjust and the glorious experience of the Transfiguration, the Lord Jesus Christ is just happened and remember he was on the mountain with three of his disciples, he was there with Peter, James and John. But how many disciples auditors 12 so neither of these disciples are down in the valley and when Jesus and the three disciples come down off of Mount Herman. The Mount of Transfiguration, and they get to the Valley. Here are the other nine disciples and when they see them. The Bible says they are disputing with the scribes and the word is really interesting.

They are caught up in an argument with the religious leaders know Jesus in his glory with three disciples and the other nine guys don't have an argument with the religious leaders in the second word is words of expectation. Notice verse 15 and immediately when they saw Jesus all the people were greatly amazed and they started running to him to greet him. Now interestingly enough, normally the crowds rushed to Jesus after he's done a miracle and it's evident they didn't see the Transfiguration because Jesus even told his disciples, tell no man what you seen they were running to Jesus because what it happened on the mountain they were running to Jesus because they apparently thought maybe he could help them deal with the issue they were discussing.

They were overwhelmed with wonder if this one who may be still had a little of the goal of the Transfiguration on him. Who knows what they came to Jesus and we would expect the crowd to retreat from Jesus if they saw anything of the afterglow of the Transfiguration, but they came running to Jesus and this appears to be the fact that they hoped maybe he could resolve the issue that they were arguing with the other nine disciples about the crowd is dissatisfied with the disciples that they been talking to, but here comes the main player himself and so the crowd rushes to Jesus with expectation then words of investigation.

Verse 16 and Jesus asked the scribes what are you discussing with them and the word discussing could be translated arguing Jesus and what you guys arguing about describes a combative altercation with some it's the same word used as dispute in verse 14 and the picture painted here is Jesus walking into a loud argument with his three disciples and noticing that the nine disciples are having this heated discussion with the scribes into this chaotic scene. Jesus walks and immediately he restores order and demands that the scribes deal with him. Stop dealing with the disciples and that brings us to these words of desperation. Other words that are spoken in verses 17 and 18 and one of the crowd answered and said teacher I brought you my son, who has a new spirit and whenever it seizes him. It throws him down at he foams at the mouth. He gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid so I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out and they could not now we know what the arguments about they came to other nine disciples try to get this boy healed and they couldn't pull it off and they got into an argument about why would they argue about it. Well, they were dealing with a problem of demonic session and they were dealing with it as if it might not be true. It was a fact of life.

And did you know that in our culture today, even here in this post-Christian postmodern era, there are still a great many people who believe this happens today. Did you know that 57% of our population. According to a very recent poll leaves and the reality of the devil and 51% of the people believe that it's possible to be demon possessed. In this secular culture is true, so they were arguing over whether or not this did happen or could happen. They were arguing or why they couldn't fix the problem. And while the disciples are arguing with the scribes.

This father is searching for help. I thought to myself. Isn't that a picture of what goes on in so many of our churches were sitting around arguing over the finer points of theology and people all around looking for help.

Maybe we should quit arguing and just deal with the issue. People don't care whether were Calvinists or Armenians. Did you know that if you had a demon possessed son that doesn't come up in the discussion child in trouble or a spouse who is ill. All of the stuff that we get caught up in so much in our churches doesn't mean anything is whether or not we care about people. Can you hear the defeat of his father's voice. As we read his words the words of desperation. Father's vivid description of his son's condition is heartbreaking. Here's a father on the brink of giving up.

I've talked to parents in recent days who were right there. I talked to Obama not long ago son is on drugs. She doesn't know what to do.

There's no father in the home keeps trying to get away from it, but he It's back into it. He gets in trouble he spent the job after job living at home, no hope of anything. The desperation that people feel when something is wrong with one of the children is amazing. I've written in a book somewhere that there's no pain in the world like parental pain and I believe that the stories told by Matthew Mark Luke and all three of those stories got a little bit. I read the paragraph that puts all of the information about this boy's condition together.

I just like to read it to you. This is what was going on in this boy's heart. What a prophetic picture we get from the Gospels, the demon seizes the boy the child screams the demon throws him to the ground and he foams at the mouth. He grinds his teeth to become stiff as a board many times he has been cast into a fire or water by the demon so that he is covered with burn scars and even worse, the demon has made him deaf and he lives an aquarium like existence. He could see what was going on around his prophetic body, but he could not hear or speak a word.

Now the father's desperation is intensified because he's gone to the trouble to bring his son to Jesus disciples and now he's desperate because they can help and you say well absolutely that can help them.

Only Jesus cast out demons. They should've been asking his disciples to do that. That's a Jesus thing, but that's not the right answer because early in the book of Mark, as you remember when Jesus was under the pressure of so many people coming in for help. The Bible says he called his disciples together and he gave them the power to do what he was doing so. The disciples already have been given the power to exercise this demon from this boy. Mark 314 and 15 says he appointed the 12 that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have power to heal sickness and cast out wasn't that they didn't have the power or the authority that it been given to them by the Lord Jesus Mark 67 says he called the 12 to himself and begin to send them out to buy two and gave them power over unclean spirits and Mark success so they went out and preached that people should repent, and they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. So that's something you don't think about when you first read the story.

It wasn't that they couldn't do it or that they hadn't done it, they just couldn't do it this time and this man was frustrated and he was desperate and so the next word that comes up is this word a frustration notice verse 19 and he answered him, and he said faithless generation, how long shall I be with you.

How long shall I bear with you bringing this boy to me. These are Jesus words and he is frustrated with the crowd. He's not really frustrated so much with the disciples. Although there's a certain amount of adhere disciples did what they could. They couldn't do this and find out why they couldn't do it in a few moments. But Jesus was frustrated with the crowd. One writer has put the faithless generation is a reference to the crowd.

The word generation occurs five times in the book of Mark, and it never refers to the disciples. Even though the disciples were able to do this. Jesus doesn't chastise them inability is simply a limitation not a fault but hardness of heart and misunderstanding that sinful and Jesus is frustrated with this crowd is obviously done a lot to demonstrate who he is and they have no interest in following him. Note the repetition of the words, how long one scholar explains the significance of these words, he says, how long does it convey a wish to be rid of inept disciples, but refers to how little time he has left to soften their hardhearted this and acquaint them more fully with the power that can expel people so Jesus stops everything in the middle of this discussion and you just said look, bring the boy to me.

I would have words of demonstration in verse 20 and they brought him to Jesus. And when he saw him immediately. The spirit convulsed in him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming at the mouth. The frightening life story of this boy is being played out before Jesus eyes and before the eyes of all those who gathered in that moment the seizure is not a coincidence. Because if you study this situation in the New Testament you will find out that often when a demon was aware of the presence of Jesus. That demon acted out convulsed the very presence of Jesus was a traumatic thing to a demonic spirit and say well how would a demonic spirit even know who Jesus is. I promise you they know who Jesus is. The Bible says the devils believe in God and they tremble book of James is that I hate to tell you this, the devil knows more Scripture than a lot of Christians do is very acquainted with what he needs to do to create issues for us and this demon was aware that Jesus was in the room and when he became aware of that and convulsed in the boy. We probably never seen anything like that with you seen somebody have a grand mal seizure and he's on the ground, foaming at the mouth know we have words of clarification, Jesus looks at the father. This is really interesting to me. He doesn't feel the boy immediately. Betty looks at the father and he says how long has this been happening to him and he said from childhood and often 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 father's pilgrimage to faith is going to begin with the simple question how long has he been like this and the question allows the father to tell his story, but the boy has been afflicted since childhood and it also allows the father to declare his heart. The question of Jesus invites the father to come to him as a total person with hard facts and with human hopes and say if there's anything you can do to help us which help us but you notice if you read the story this father cries for help from Jesus, not something to be ashamed of.

I just like to point that out Jesus Lord, could you help us. Sometimes I think if we go to church all the time. It would been in the church a long time. I think I should be asking Jesus to help me with this coming that's beneath the dignity of savior of its never wrong, save Jesus, help me never the most simple human cry. How many have ever prayed Lord help me in traffic notice and in traffic that you say that you just get right down. You just say help.

Jordan knows that the Lord hears the prayer like that he hears this prayer. This man comes and he says that Jesus if there's anything you can do to help me just help one of my favorite authors is a man who is in heaven now's name is Lewis needs and wrote a little bit about this passage in one of his books.

I remembered that he said that sometimes he came to the insight that this father's cry for help is the cry of most of us as we come to worship the Lord on Sunday morning. It's probably the crimes of your hearts today is what he wrote. He said ordinary people come to my church on Sunday but I did not recognize them in the early days.

I know now why I did not recognize them.

I did not want them to be ordinary people. I wanted them to be spiritual athletes shoulder strong to bear the burdens of global justice that my prophetic words laid on them every Sunday while I was offering them the precious promises and walloping them with the heroic mandates of the word of God. Many of them were secretly praying God, I don't think I can get through this week. Help me. What most people have in common is a sense that everything is all wrong where it matters to them most and what they desperately need is a miracle of faith to know that life at the center is all right. Lord help me. Then we come to the words of invitation. In verses 23 and 24 Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes and the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. This is a statement of great importance. What does Jesus mean when he says all things are possible to him who believes. Listen carefully to what I have to say here.

He was not talking about his faith. Jesus doesn't need faith was certainly not talking about the quality of the father's faith. He was simply saying if you have faith in me. There are no limits to what I can do for you.

So often we get into these discussions about healing and exorcism and all that we lay the burden of faith on the subject was involved in the need. Please note that in this text.

There's no mention whatsoever of the boy having anything whatsoever like faith. He's an incidental player in the story the faith is on the part of the father to believe that he has brought his boy to the one who alone can help him. It's just simple faith in Jesus. Jesus said if you really believe in me on the miracle worker, all things are possible.

If you believe notice it doesn't say if you believe a lot doesn't safe you get rid of all the stuff in your life it's wrong and get right with me and repent from your sin get clean and all that and then believe it just is know if you believe all things are possible. Father certainly was on the verge of despair. Was he not. The Bible says there's tears in his eyes. Jesus presses him on his unbelief. He sees that his biggest failure is not his inability to fix his son that would be impossible doing his own human strength is biggest failure is to trust his son to the Savior. Yet even that is not enough to keep him from Jesus glad that our unbelief doesn't keep Jesus away from the door of our heart of the Bible so clear about that in history. You often hear about the hound of heaven who chases us down. I used to hear people say in their testimony. How how they have found the Lord and I remember a song. Actually, that was popular during that time.

In the words went like this. I found what I wanted when I found the Lord what the problem is most people are looking for the Lord are not trying to find him, they don't find the Lord he finds them. He is the one who searches after us even in our unbelief.

He comes to us with his offer of salvation and forgiveness. You may feel like you're here. Faith is so dad, God can't resurrect it, but it's not true he's able to give you the faith to believe if you will let them if you will trust him just give him a chance and watch what he does. Tomorrow will finish up our discussion of unbelieving belief Thursday and Friday this week we talk about who is the greatest.

This is Turning Point and were studying the book of Mark together were going to continue during the month of November and search of the Savior. Was he right here tomorrow for more information on Dr. Jeremiah's current teaching series in search of savior, please visit our website will you also find to rewrite help you stay connected to monthly magazine Turning Points and motivation.

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