Everything is possible for one who believes (mark 9b)

Mark 9:14-29

Key verse 23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Introduction: The disciples were firmly convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. While the world was oblivious to this amazing truth, they were extremely happy to know the Messiah and had great pride in being one of his disciples. But as soon as they affirmed and uttered this faith, Jesus revealed the truth about the Messiah. He had to suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priest, and the teachers of the Law and then must be killed. And after three days, he will rise again.

Immediately, Peter objected that plan and rebuked Jesus. But Jesus rebuked him very harshly; “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”(8:33).  There came a big crept between what Jesus would do and what his disciples expected him to do. The crept was large, too large to find any common ground.  Jesus called Peter’s word to of Satan and rebuke him to be utterly of human concern, totally devoid of God’s will.

After being rebuked, the disciples’ minds and spirit retreated to their own thinking and understanding. The hope that they dreamed in and with Jesus did not look as clear as they had believed. His plan to suffer, to be rejected, and to be killed crushed their hopes while their hearts were nibbling on Jesus’ word. They could not erase all the miracles that they saw and at the same time, they could not do away with Jesus’ firm word, 8: 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Jesus’ word shifted their thinking from the glorious restoration of the kingdom to the matter of saving their soul.

Six days after this remarkable exchange, Jesus left the nine disciples behind and went up the mountain Hermon (Mt. of transfiguration) with the three top disciples, Peter, James, and John. His purpose was clear, to help these three disciples to see ‘the real glory of Jesus beyond his suffering and death’ so that they may accept Jesus’ word, glory through the way of the cross instead of insisting their way for glory. In other words, when Jesus left for the Mt of transfiguration, the mind of all the disciples was plagued by fear of death and was not able to regain the hope that they had.

1.      The disciples’ inability to meet the challenge (14-18)

While Jesus and three disciples were on the Mt of Transfiguration, the rest of the disciples met a crowd that was seeking Jesus. Among them was a father whose son was caught with an evil spirit. he brought the boy to them hoping to get healing from Jesus. In the absence of Jesus, the disciples attempted to drive out the evil spirit from the boy. Andrew came out boldly to drive out the evil spirit and shouted at the boy, you evil spirit come out of the boy! But nothing happened. Then, Matthew tried, Bartholomew tried and Thomas tried; As many of them failed to see the power over the evil spirit, they jointly came up all together and shouted on the boy, in the name of Jesus come out you evil spirit! But the thing got worse; the boy was seized by the spirit and foaming in his mouth, gnashing his teeth and became rigid.

Once before when they had mission journey, they did drove out demonic powers from the people in Jesus’ name. This gave them great confidence that they could drive out any evil spirit. But this confidence was totally shattered. They were struggling, sweating, and greatly embarrassed. The Pharisees added their trouble to the disciples; See, Jesus has no power! He is not from God or not a prophet! You must not trust him for he is a false teacher! The disciples defended Jesus but their defense did not go well. The proof was right there; the boy lying down rigid, drawling from his mouth. Simply they did not have anything of Jesus’ power! All the powers that they saw in Jesus and they exercised were not there with them anymore!

We believers often confront such challenges. Far more so for the leaders!

In this situation, Jesus with the three disciples came down and met them. Jesus asked them, 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” But the father came forward and explained what happened. He expressed his frustration and fear; I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”(18b)

Power to heal and to drive out demonic forces were a very vital part of Jesus’ ministry. It served as proof that Jesus was the Son of God and that he had the ability to undo all the outcomes of sin—the proof of the Savior who could save men from all ailments.

When this power could not be repeated consistently, then one can raise a serious doubt if Jesus was truly the Savior that God sent. In other words, their confession, you are the Messiah, would be shaken from the bottom.

2.      The root of the inability to meet the challenge, the unbelief (19) Pervading nature of unbelief

On hearing what happened through the father, Jesus expressed his troubling heart.

19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

Jesus called them all into one, the unbelieving generation. The crowd, the father, the Pharisees, and the disciples as well belonged to the unbelieving generation! Disbelief or unbelief was deeply entrenched in the depth of their heart, mind, and spirit. No matter how many times God displayed his power as the LORD of heaven and earth, they were not willing to give their full trust in him. Jesus came in flesh and lived among them quite a long time, and did many miracles. Yet they were still unwilling to give their hearts to the LORD fully. Were the three disciples different or not one of the unbelieving generations?  Jesus knew the limit of their belief and promised them of showing the kingdom of God. If they did not see the glory of the kingdom of God at the Mt Transfiguration, then they would be the same as the nine disciples.

How could their unbelief be cured? When would they turn around and believe what Jesus said, including his suffering, death, and resurrection? How many times more did Jesus have to show his powers that they could believe? Incorrigible and intractable as they were; OT it was called ‘stiff-neckedness’ –blindness/spiritual; a majority of this crowd came to follow Jesus, except a very small number of people like the teachers of the Law or Pharisees. Nevertheless, they were all under the fear of death even if they had seen Jesus’ power and believed him.

Are we better than them? Are we different from them?

How long shall I put up with you?

3.      The essence of the challenge, the power of death, instigated by the evil spirit. (20-22)

Nevertheless, Jesus decided to heal the boy. When the boy was brought before Jesus, this is what happened:

20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

This was the full display of the power of the evil spirit on this boy. Convulsion, fell to the ground and rolled around and foaming at his mouth. No coordinate movement; no control of his body and even mouth, ‘he was seized’ by the evil spirit. death or fear of death was real.

Jesus asked the father, how long has he been like this?

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

“From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.

He had been like this for a long time; many years. many a time, he was thrown into fire or water. He faced many moments of death and barely escaped. That threat is still with him.

This is the existential threat and that threat is visible and real and ever exists with intensity. –he cannot escape from the power of death. His father was living in fear and suspension and anxiety over his son always.

This is the reality of all human beings; Corvid 19 and its threat is real

The millennial generation is the most anxious generation. All fear and uncertainty come because of fear for life in uncertainty. Men are driven by fear and in fear, everyone is forced to do many sinful and ungodly things to secure one’s life. As Corvid 19 spread to the entire world and every corner of human habitations over 160 countries, fear of death is real and throw many people’s mind to unsettling and insecure. Floyd’s death and many demonstrations against undue force might just be an iceberg of underlying fear and uncertainty under Corvid 19.

But among Christians, the common greeting is ‘be peace with you’ Believing Christians are peaceful even in a life-threatening situation because he/she had died along with Christ and in him/her is the power of resurrection.  

How can we escape from the existential threat to our lives? Korean young generation was estimated to be the most unhappy and depressed. The reason is that the whole country is full-court press mode for the nation’s survival among giant countries –Japan, China, as much as she was threatened by the North Korean feisty threat to attack. They poured out all their energy to outdo these competing nations. But still, they are not secure. **

In front of all this boy was brought and then he again fell to the ground and gnashing his teeth, foaming in his mouth and rigid his body …

Christian greetings—peace be with you…

Two things: this is incurable and set in his life for good; the disciples' failure speaks of this situation. Second, he lost hope; if there is hope, that’s good; I like to see that hope.

4.      Everything is possible for one who believes (23-29)

But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus.

Jesus demanded the father’s faith. He rebuked him of his lukewarm attitude. He was looking for a human possibility. Jesus was not a man but God. For him, all things are possible. When we say to Him, ‘if you can do’ it is a dishonor to His mighty power and authority; even it may surmount to blasphemy to His glory. God does not want half-hearted respect or respect commensurate to a great man of power. He is not a man but God, the one who created all, including our lives. If one considers or gives a respect anyone less than the creator of all things, the one only authority of heaven and earth, it is a defamation to His name, His authority, and His glory. This boy was captured by an evil spirit and his life was hanging by a thin thread. All failed to free him from the evil spirit; even Jesus’ disciples failed. There was no one, not a single one on earth who could heal him. But for the LORD, it is too small a thing to do.  But would he do such favor or blessing to the one who dishonors him?

Actually, it was the LORD who made human life suffer for their sins and made it finite. What this boy was suffering under was only once facet of many sufferings that have been plaguing upon men.  It was His plan and His hope to bring all to Himself, including this boy as well as all who were there watching pathetic predicament of this boy under the power of death.  

Life is in God only. The God of heaven and earth wanted to impart the life to all of us through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Anyone wants to receive this life, he/she has to accept Jesus' suffering and death as the way to life with God the Father. In unbelief, all things look dim and uncertain. But Jesus said;

“Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Peter on behalf of the 12 disciples confessed their faith boldly and convincingly that Jesus was the Messiah. It was the highest moment of their lives with Jesus. Jesus was the king and Savior for God’s chosen people. They became Messiah’s first-hand servants, joining his power, glory, and all associated blessing. But immediately after this, their faith and their hope for glory were thrown into confusion and their hearts were clouded by the shadow of death and fear. The power of death in their hearts was reinforced and reasserted by the boy’s vivid suffering by an evil spirit. Their experience in and with Jesus, the power that they knew and believed, became so small and weak and even inoperable.

The power of death is in every man’s heart. This must be done away with and then they could see the glory and taste the victory.   How could this be possible?

a)      Everything is possible for one who believes: Here everything meant to include the problem that they saw in this boy. This is the worst thing to cure or undo. Power of death by an evil spirit. But this is possible. The depth of the father’s mind was weighed down by the ‘impossibility’ of this boy’s condition. What have you weighted down in your hearts? What seems to be beyond your reach within your strength and wisdom or ability?  We are weighed down by many things and ever-existing challenges for our lives. We are to handle all by belief.

b)      It is possible only for the one who believes. The twelve disciples believed Jesus and peter confessed proudly that Jesus was the Messiah. None of the people of that time did come out to confess that Jesus was the Messiah but these disciples. If anyone had faith in Jesus, these twelve were the ones. Nevertheless, these nine failed to heal the boy. Was it because the father did not believe? Or Was it because the crowd and the teachers of the Law did not believe Jesus? That was possible. But we know that long before anyone knew of the demoniac in Decapolis, Jesus rebuked the demons in the man, and eventually in full view of people Jesus drove away 6k demon from him. Jesus was implicitly suggesting that there was none who truly believed Him as the Son of God, pointing to the nine disciples.
We are believers. We confessed that Jesus is our LORD and He is the Savior. Nevertheless, we still remain like these nine disciples without full trust in Him. Our faith is proved repeatedly inadequate as we failed to meet the challenges in our lives. How can we take this word? “Everything is possible for the one who believes!”

c)      True belief is 100% commitment to the will of the Father God. On the cross, Jesus prayed to the Father, I commit my spirit in your hand.
Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luk 23:46 NIV)
As Jesus committed his life on the Father’s hand, he was at peace as he died. That peace was proved when he was raised to life by God the Father.

d)      How can it be possible when our body of sin is bombarded by the threat and power of death? How can we see this power and have hope as we are watching this boy fell down on the ground rolling on the ground, like a rigid log while foaming at his mouth? There is one missionary who is fighting against the last stage of cancer. I share her pain and struggle for life. Notwithstanding all these, Jesus says to us today, even in these formidable situations, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Nothing shall deter us from this power and this hope and this faith! For Father God and His son Jesus is with us.

As Jesus commanded the evil spirit, it left the boy with the full power of death. There are three descriptions of the boy’s condition; v18, 20, 26. All these three descriptions speak of a grim picture of the boy’s life. But the last one was different from the first two. After Jesus’ command to come out of him, the evil spirit came out and left the boy like a corpus. Many believed that the boy died and said, ‘he is dead’. In other words, all knew he was dead. He had been under the threats of death and then death came upon him! The worst, the most feared, the thing came down on him. But what did Jesus do? He took by the hand and lifted him to his feet.  

Here the Greek word ‘lift’ (εγειρω:egeiro) is the same word used to denote raising Jesus from death to life (14:28).  In this way, Jesus showed them that he would raise the dead to life. They saw the worst of the boy, the worst suffering, and tragic looking death. But Jesus undid all and gave him a new life. This was a stark display of who Jesus was: he is the life and has the life. All must believe him and follow him as he walks the way of the cross. The way of the cross is the way to life!

This remarkable work spoke directly to the hearts of all that Jesus would give life even to the dead. This was most meaningful to the disciples, who could not accept Jesus’ plan to suffer, die, and then be raised to life.

5.      This can come out only by prayer (28-29)

Having seen how Jesus raised this boy to life, the nine disciples had still lingering doubt. Why could they not do the same thing?

Jesus answered to them. “This kind can come out only by prayer.(29) Here the word ‘kind’ (γένος:genos) had the same root as the generation (γενεά: genea). It is an ethnic group or nation that has a particular characteristic. What is the character of this kind/generation? It might point to the particular group of people, the crowd, or the teachers of the Law, or the people of the time in Israel. Simply the depth of unbelief was so deep and hard to uproot.

The LORD held out his hand so long to get attention or listening ears from his people Israel after showing them such great love in mighty power. Yet they were insistent on the fact that they were right and just and persisted in doing what they knew and what their body demanded instead of submitting to the word of the LORD in obedience.

Romans 10:21 But concerning Israel, he says, "All-day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people." (Rom 10:21 NIV)

Isaiah 65:2 All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations-- (Isa 65:2 NIV)

As we know that the religious leaders, including the teachers of the Law and Pharisees, did not repent even after they crucified Jesus on the cross and heard of Jesus’ resurrection.  Most of them suffered death when Roman Titus destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70.  How can we bring the healing power of Jesus to such a stubborn generation?

Jesus told them that this kind can come out only by prayer. He was pointing to three things:

a)      The deep root of unbelief is not easy to handle and there is no quick fix

b)      Long and arduous efforts are needed to bring their hearts to conform to the truth and the spirit of Christ

c)      This must be or could be sustained by God’s love—the love that he held out his hand so long.

Today, many demands for justice. They are right to go against all injustice. But they are wrong if they put their premise on the fact that they were right and the other was wrong. This is dangerous; for we have seen this in the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. They won’t stop their furor until they see the blood. Even after seeing the blood, they were still unrepentance before the LORD of holiness. There is only one who is just and righteous. He is the LORD, the creator of heaven and earth. Bringing justice is His, not men’s. Suffering in all injustice is participating in God’s justice, upholding the prerogative of God Almighty.   Jesus suffering is impregnated with God’s undying love for sinners. We are to follow him in love for others. Denying suffering is denying our righteousness. Then, there shall be no healing and no remedy for all the challenges of life in this world.