September 12, 2009.
'IF You can? All things are possible for one who believes.' This is
the response, but what causes Jesus to say it?
Mark reports that Jesus had sent 9 disciples out to preach, teach and
do miracles. Christ, Peter, James, and John had gone to a Mount of
Transfiguration. God the Father had repeated the words we heard at Christ's
Baptism: "This is My Son, in Him I am well-pleased." Now, they were
rejoining the 9.
Things had not gone smoothly for those 9. There was a man whose boy
was possessed by a violent demon. The finest doctors, teachers, scribes and
others could not help. He had heard of Jesus. Some of His disciples were
in town. Maybe they could help?
No. Try as they might, they could not help. Frustrated, let down,
miserable, and feeling defeated, the boy's father did not know what to do.
He had given up hope. But it got worse.
Because the disciples could not do the miracle, the un-believing
scribes started to make fun of the 9. They quarreled and fought with them.
An ugly mob formed. Some ridiculed the disciples. Some mocked the scribes.
The father grew more depressed.
As bad as the demon was, the lack of a miracle was, the bickering, and
all the rest going on; there was something far worse here: UNBELIEF.
Unbelief is all around us; and in us. We don't like the way the world
is changing, or our life is going, or anything. Outsiders say things like
'IF there is a god, things should be better in my life, (or) those people
would not have died, (or) that accident or storm or murder or election or
whatever should have turned out very differently. There is a growing number
of people in the USA who feel that there probably is no real god because
their life is not going the way they want to go. This is the new atheism.
This unbelief degenerates into the old atheism. That's the kind that
shows open hatred for all things holy and religiously persecutes all things
godly and Christian.
Unbelief is in all of us, and it troubles and dogs us, too. Think of
Judas. Jesus chose Him to be one of the 12. He was part of the 9. His
unbelief led him to betray Jesus. You may know people who have been called
by God, Baptized, confessed their faith on their confirmation day, and now
do not come to God's House. They may give all sorts of excuses or talk of
angers and hurts: but the bottom line is unbelief. They continue to betray
Jesus by their lives.
But we need to look at our own hearts. The trouble in our daily lives
works to rob us of faith. A long term illness, a financial crisis, a
wayward child, a betrayal by a friend, fear of coming problems, refusing to
face your own sins: all these encourage unbelief.
I wonder if the 9 then were like we are today. It is easy to feel when
things are going well that it is OUR power that casts out demons. heals the
diseases, fixes the marriage, rescues the budget, and makes it all better.
We ARE His disciples, so surely WE should be able to do these things!
You see that too is unbelief. We act as if the gifts, money, and
abilities God gives are ours. We believe in US; not God. So demons won't
budge.
And so troubles come, pile higher, make us miserable: what then? Too
often we keep looking to our own resources and try harder. So we ask the
doctor for pills, the bank for money, a friend to lend an ear, or something
like that. When all else fails, THAT is when most people turn to God. Then
if a miracle does not happen and things don't turn out as WE want there are
plenty of unbelievers ready to make misery and put you down; just like the
scribes did to the 9.
Sadly, our sin is such that we pray like this poor man did. "God, IF
You can do anything, please have compassion on us and help us."
IF? IF?!? The God Who created all things visible and invisible in 6
days is asked IF? The One Who gave body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my
members, my reason and all my senses and still preserves them, as well as
all other things, is asked "IF You can help us?" No wonder Jesus is angry.
The faithless generation was unable to evict the demon, nor the scribes,
nor the 9. They wondered IF God can help?
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him
out of all of them" says Psalm 34. Jesus says: 'bring your problems to Me.
Not just the big ones you can't solve; but ALL of them.'
The LORD Who promised: "never will I leave you, never will I forsake
you" and "I AM with you always" is never as far from us as we treat Him.
Christ takes command. He DOES help by casting out the demon. More
importantly, He heals the man's unbelief.
The evil spirit twisted and tore the boy, almost draining the life from
him. That is what the Old Evil Foe wants for us ALL: he wants you
faithless. He wants to make your life so miserable that you turn away from
God. Or he wants you so overconfident that you feel you can defeat him.
When the Son of God ordered the demon to leave, he did not go willingly.
Nor will your unbelief. It will rip and slash at you, cling to you and
refuse to leave.
The prayer of that anguished man is one WE should pray. "Forgive us,
Lord, for our shallow faith and skepticism, for our pride and apathy. Help
our unbelief. Create in us a living heart which totally relies and depends
on You alone. We cannot cast out our own demons or unbelief, Lord. Yours
is the power that saves us. Save us, Lord."
And save us, He does. By His work on the cross, God has conquered all
demons and all unbelief. Christ paid for all our rebellions, pride, and
foolish unbelief. He defeated death and hell. He rose again so we would
rise, too. He gives us His Spirit so we can lead lives of faith like Luther
writes in the explanations to the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments.
It is not our powerful prayers to God that help us. It is our prayers to
our powerful God. It is not the massive muscles and mighty minds God gives
to us which can deliver us from evil, eliminate poverty and hunger and
disease, or even evict demons. It is God alone Who sets and keeps the
course of the universe and every tenant in it; and He works all things for
the good of His kingdom and our faith.
IF God can help?!? That is a bogus question! 'God helps for the glory
of His Name and forgiveness of our sins.' Ps79.
He Who saved us by the life, death, and resurrection of the Son
continues to support and defend us each day. He Who calls us by Name will
not fail or forsake us. Thru us He will do impossible things for our
eternal good and the benefit of the world around us.
We 'trust in the Name of the LORD and rely on our God.' Ours is a
certainty that no matter what is going on, God knows about it and He is
ready to help us either deal with the dilemma, rescue us, or enable us to
endure it. Ours is a certainty that is based NOT in our wavering belief,
but in God's work in Christ for us.
"All things are possible for the one who believes." May we, as the
forgiven children of God, believe. And may we be bold to live our Christian
belief, doing all things possible with faith in Christ. To Him be glory
forever. Amen.
Collect: Lord Jesus Christ, our Support and Defense in every need, continue
to preserve Your Church in safety, govern her by Your goodness, and bless
her with Your peace; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Introit: Psalm 31:14-16, 24;
Gradual: Psalm 34:9, 19
Readings from Isaiah 50:4-10, James 3:1-12, Mark 9:14-29.
Pastor Michael Harman,
St. Peter LCMS - Newell, IA
vacancies at ...
Immanuel, Pomeroy
First Evangelical, Fonda
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