Sermon Notes for Mark 9:14-29
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Transfiguration comes right before
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Close to the time he will return to
Jerusalem at the end of his ministry.
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I believe in the charismatic (what you
might call Pentecostal) side of Christian faith
o
I wasn’t raised that way
o
I was exposed to it in seminary through
some powerful experiences, particularly my time in Cuba
o
I then wrestled for years with what was “believable”
about this type of faith
·
Many look at this passage and say that
the boy had epilepsy—that was the issue. It wasn’t a spirit or a demon, but an
illness, and Jesus healed his illness.
o
(Admittedly, there has been a lot of
damage done to people with various illnesses being told they had a demon and
being exorcised in horrifying ways. I am not advocating that here. I am simply
trying to read and understand and explain the story and relate it to us.)
o
It may be the case that the boy had
epilepsy
o
But it doesn’t explain how in the exact
moment Jesus approached the boy the convulsions started.
·
Maybe it was a spirit, maybe it was an
illness
o
Either way, the boy was afflicted
o
Either way he had suffered for years
o
Either way his father sought healing
o
Either way the disciples fell short
o
Either way was the healing hinged on
belief
o
Either way the father’s faith fell short
o
Either way Jesus still healed the boy and
he suffered no more
·
For Jesus, he’s very clearly dealing with
an unclean spirit. But if that feels too far out, too much like witchery or
magic, go with the understanding that it was epilepsy. Either way, this passage still holds some powerful
truths for our lives.
·
There are things in our lives that bind
us, just like the spirit bound the boy
o
Abuses
o
Addiction
o
Illness
o
Injury
o
Lies
o
Betrayals
o
Misunderstandings
o
Failures
o
Unforgiveness
o
Hard heartedness
o
Judgment
o
Low self-esteem
·
These things steal our energy, our joy,
our healing, our hope, our faith, our patience, and our compassion.
·
They are our afflictions and they come in
many shapes and sizes. Whether you call them spirits, or demons, or skeletons
in the closet, or dark corners, or issues, they prevent us from being truly
free—from being made whole.
·
They tempt us and taunt us and throw us
into the fires of sorrow and depression and resentment and bitterness and anger.
If given the chance, they would take our life away.
·
And so, today, I come to our Lord, our
healer and our deliverer, to ask for our freedom and healing and
wholeness.
·
And I’ll admit that I am much like the
father, I often say, “Lord, if you’re able.” And Jesus replies, “I am able—anything
is possible for those who believe.”
o
“I am able—anything is possible for those
who believe.”
o
“I
am able—anything is possible for those who believe.”
o
“I am able—anything is possible for those
who believe.”
·
So, with hope and faith, and some doubt,
I say, “I believe Lord, help my unbelief.” We don't know where the father's belief was this big and his unbelief this small. or if his belief was this small and his unbelief this BIG. Either way, he sought Jesus' help and asked Jesus to cover his doubts and disbelief. I come asking the same way. Some days my belief is BIG and my doubts are small and other days my doubts are BIG and my belief is small. But I trust that God can do it. I trust that Christ is the vessel through which we are freed from our afflictions.
I don't know everyone's affliction today, but I ask on your behalf and hope that you will ask for yourself and maybe for your neighbor too. I believe that God is able, and ask that God helps my unbelief.
o
I believe in healing, help my unbelief.
o
I believe in forgiveness, help my
unbelief.
o
I believe in miracles, help my unbelief.
o
I believe in second chances, help my
unbelief.
o
I believe in freedom from addiction, help
my unbelief.
o
I believe in healing after abuse, help my
unbelief.
o
I believe in rebuilding trust after an
infidelity in marriage, help my unbelief.
o
I
believe Lord, that you are able, help my unbelief
Let us pray...
·
In the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke any
skeleton, issue, dark corner, demon or spirit that is not of God or serving God’s
purposes. Greed, sloth, envy, lust, deceit, anger, gluttony, pride, you are not
welcome in this place. You are not welcome in our lives. Get out and don’t come
back.
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Loving God, send your Holy Spirit to fill
us and heal us and renew us. May we have no doubt this day that you are
able.
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We
believe Lord, help our unbelief.
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