Mark 9:1-29 I BELIEVE (help my unbelief) April 30, 2017pm www.newhopefwbc.com 1285 Ne w Hope R oad Joelton, TN 37080 6 1 5. 7 4 6. 6 4 0 3 READ Mark 9:1-9 & 14-29 Can you remember a time when you felt so close to God that you could just reach out and touch Him? It may have been on a mission trip or a youth camp or a revival, or it may have been in your own personal study. We like to call those moments when we feel especially close to the Lord Mountain Top Experiences. Aside from the feeling of excitement that comes after actually climbing to a peak, that phrase comes from passages of Scripture like Exodus 33-34 where Moses literally sees God (although not totally) and 1 Kings 18 where Elijah stands against and disproves the existence of any other God than Jehovah. Jesus and His inner ring of disciples (Peter, James and John) head up to a tall mountain where these three will have a literal mountain-top experience that they will never forget. 2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. Corey M. Minter Page 1 of 9
3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. We do not use the word transfigured a lot in our every day conversation, but the actual, original word is metamorphoo. You guessed it metamorphosis. That word is used three other times in the New Testament, and every other time it refers to the transformation that Christ does in a person s life at the point of salvation. Old things are passed away, and all things become new. Here, for just a moment, Jesus allows His glory to shine through His skin. John Mark (the earthly author of the text) received his account of the Gospel at the feet of Peter who was actually there on the mountain when all of this happened. I love how Mark words Jesus s transformation: 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Once the light of His glory settled from their eyes, Peter, James and John can see that where once only Jesus was, now there are three men all brightly shining. Elijah and Moses (I have no idea if they had to introduce themselves to the disciples or if they just automatically knew who they were) are found TALKING with Jesus. We do not know exactly why these two are here, but it seems as though they represent the whole of the Old Testament the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah). Picture this: the law and the prophets speaking to The Word Made Flesh. Corey M. Minter Page 2 of 9
Peter, who seems to be like some of us and feels like he must always speak up and say something, finds the courage to speak even though he did not know what to say. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid. Essentially, Peter s request is two-fold: 1. Let s never leave this place. 2. Jesus, start the Kingdom of God right here. The problem with what Peter has said is: 1. God s kingdom is not of this world. 2. Three tabernacles (one for each: Moses, Elijah and Jesus) puts Jesus on equal standing with the Law and the Prophets. It is almost like Peter was saying, There s room for Jesus in the Jewish faith. When in all actuality, Jesus is The LawGiver, The LawKeeper and The LawFulfiller. He is not just another of God s prophets. He is The One that the prophets spoke about. Also, Jesus is not interested in staying in a tent, up on a mountain. He left Heaven to be among His people. Now, He dwells in believers. That is much better than some tent on a hillside or even am elaborate temple. In response to Peter s suggestion of the three tabernacles 7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My beloved Son. Hear Him! Corey M. Minter Page 3 of 9
8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves. This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! Peter, stop talking. Hear Him! Corey, stop talking. Hear Him! Stop trying to fill the sound waves with your brilliant ideas. Hear Him. Obey Him. Here is the thing with mountain-top experiences: At some point, you have to come down. 1. The mountain-tops ought to give you momentum in the valleys. 2. The majority of people are in the valleys, and we are not called to asceticism or monkery where live apart from everyone. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. The valley that Jesus, Peter, James and John are walking into is a dark one. Notice the contrasts of the mountain and the valley: 1 MOUNTAIN TOP Glory God dominates the scene God the Father is pleased in His Son Perfect Son Fallen men were in holy wonder VALLEY Suffering Satan seems to control An earthly father was tormented Perverted son A fallen son lived in unholy horror 1 MacArthur, John. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Mark 9-16. p.23-24 Corey M. Minter Page 4 of 9
In this story of Christ s miraculous healing in a very desperate situation, we are confronted with one of the most heart-wrenching cries of a father. Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! Let s get into it. 14 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. 15 Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. 16 And He asked the scribes, What are you discussing with them? As is the case with almost every single story in the Gospel account, Jesus returns from rest or from being set apart for a while only to come back to the ministry and attacked by the Scribes and Pharisees. I imagine that in his absence, the nine other disciples had gone about their teaching and healing ministry. But now the crowd is gathered, a debate is in full swing, tempers are running hot, and it seems like the Scribes are raking the disciples over the coals. Jesus asks the Scribes, What are you discussing with the disciples? Before they can even answer him a father in the crowd pushes forward. 17 Then one of the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. 18 And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not. Corey M. Minter Page 5 of 9
His son mute spirit; Matthew epileptic; Luke a spirit seizes him There is no reason why cannot all be true (and no, not all cases of epilepsy is demon possession, just as all cases of physical sickness are not caused by spiritual depravity.) Here we have a boy who is demonpossessed. This possession so affects him that he cannot speak, he shakes uncontrollably, and he is prone to self-destruction. Matthew 17:15 for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. Upon hearing that His disciples could not cast out the spirit, Jesus looks to them. 19 He answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me. He has poured 2 years of His life into them. Nineteen miracles have been recorded that they witnessed, but that is probably no where near how many Christ has actually worked. They have seen food multiplied, limbs restored, eyes see, demoniacs clothed and in their right mind, but their issue still remains (like ours). They did not have faith in the power of God. 20 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. 21 So He asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, From childhood. Corey M. Minter Page 6 of 9
22 And often he 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. If you can do anything If you can believe 23 Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Here is that heart-breaking honesty that we must approach God with: 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Isn t it interesting how we try to put on a front with God? When we pray, we do not address the sin in our life. We plant flowery words in our prayers almost as if we think we can distract God with our prose so we do not have to deal with our sin. We say, I love you, Lord, but everything in our life contradicts that claim. We say I trust you, Lord, yet we close the prayer worried and anxious. Why not cry out I love you, Lord! Help my insincerity! I trust you Lord! Help my anxiety! I believe you, Lord. Help my unbelief! Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Corey M. Minter Page 7 of 9
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. When we do not know how to pray, He prays for us. When our faith is lacking, He goes to the throne of grace for us! But that will not happen as long as you keep your fists up spiritually. When we are most vulnerable with God, He will do His greatest work in us. Mark 9:25 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! 26 Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could we not cast it out? 29 So He said to them, This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting. Corey M. Minter Page 8 of 9
Peter was so awed by the transfiguration that he forgot to listen. The disciples were so busy in the ministry that they forgot to pray. 1. They had gotten so caught up with talking about God that they forgot to talk to God. 2. Assuming, that you are doing the will of God is a dangerous place to be. Take a lesson from the judge that was supposed to change the landscape of all Israel: Samson the weak man. 7 fresh bowstrings new ropes 7 locks of his hair in a loom hair Judges 16 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart. So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. 19 Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson! So he awoke from his sleep, and said, I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free! But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Corey M. Minter Page 9 of 9