Secrets that beyond impossibility (Mark 9:17-21)
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.”
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.” 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. 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.”
Intro)
1. Today’s bible verse has history of Jesus fixing a child who is possessed by spirit. Further Mark 9 verse says
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,[a] all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
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.
2. We face situation where we cannot solve it through with our own abilities.
There are two usual ways of how people react to this kind of situation.
First is giving up and second is not giving up. There are impossibilities in our lives for sure for example avoiding death and sin. How science developed it can only delay our death not stopping from it.
Some scientist ran a test about how high fleas can jump. Most of fleas can jump about 20 centimeter just fine, but There are fleas can jump higher than others and not. Scientist put glass wall that’s about 8 centimeter on their top. Fleas were smashing their head to the wall and later on believed that it was their limit and started to jump no higher than 8 centimeter. Like this we might have set our own limits in our lives. What Christians should do to this kind of limitation we face?
Body)
A) First of all, we need to bring our problems to Jesus
In Today’s verse some father came to Jesus’ followers for help. It seemed impossible to fix the possession that kid was having, but later on Jesus came and fixed the problem for them. This shows limitation we go through can be asked to Jesus, so he can help us solve it.
Mark 9: 19 says, disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”
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.”
In this verse most important key word is ‘Me’.
Some parents took their child to Church and said “Let’s go to God’s place.”
Next weekend parents said same thing and try to take their child to the church, but child said “I Won’t go.” Parent replied “why?” and child said “Well, going there day or night I can’t find God.” This child was expecting God, but couldn’t see the God which is realistic answer.
In fact, Church’s responsibility is showing God. Not physically, but learning and experiencing about God through Church service, and bible studying. Learning about bible isn’t just about earning the knowledge about history, but more to meeting Jesus within the activities.
How do we compare cult and Christian leader? Depends who they put the glory to. If leader tries to earn glory for him or have power that’s a wrong answer. If someone pursues in this way it is leading himself to Satan.
Good Christian leader is someone who can Guide other Christian to right direction to Jesus and help them learn about Jesus more to meet Jesus.
Every Church’s leader needs to guide follower to look at Jesus and meet him through training, education, and messages. God is true life, counselor, king, and truth.
B) Secondly, we need to trust God.
When we bring our problems to Jesus we need to trust him that he will fix our problems for us. In Today’s verse 28 says, “ And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” What was the reason? Jesus says in verse 19, “O faithless generation..” It’s because they didn’t have faith.
Nowadays, why current generation cannot experience God’s miracle and glory of God? It is because there’s no faith. God shows glory and miracle where faith shows.
Followers of Jesus was sent out to fix people’s illnesses when Jesus gave them power, and followers of Jesus fulfilled the mission, but later on they could not be able to. Why? It is because they had their own believes that they could fix them without Jesus’ power. We need to depend on Jesus, and know that we can’t do it without Jesus. Saint Paul once said “I am strongest when weak.” We have to know our weaknesses and we have to know that we cannot live without God and can’t do it without God. When we accept this fully and have faith in him that’s where we can be used as God’s servant.
C) Lastly, we need to learn how to solve problem with prayer
What is next after having faith? It is praying. The way to truly trusting God, praying. Praying help us depend on God and think less self-centered. Why do we not pray? It is because we became arrogant. Today’s verse 29 says, 29 So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” Indeed prayer is the way.
Matthew 17: 21 says, 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
It also emphasized on fasting? It’s not eating. Something that human must focus on, but if we do this we are giving up our life to God and pray for it, which letting God know we are depending on him desperately. When this can be happened God will show miracle to us.
Where First church’s power came from? It is from prayer. Every church has same problem, but they had strong ability compare to nowadays churches, which is fast and praying, therefore they could have so much influence to the world as God helps them.
There is a young missionary Gracroll published book called ‘The power of Acts and it talks about In book of acts’ church prayed so much more than usual churches like about 2 hours before meetings, and that is how they can be successful. If we take a look at today’s churches they pray an hour or less if they are having meeting for 2 hours or maybe less than 10 minutes…
Prince of sermon Pastor Spurgeon used to have 6,000 to 20,000 people in his church and experience Holy Spirit and God’s ability. Pastor Spurgeon says his secret is about Christians who pray with passion. Whenever guest comes pastor Spurgeon took them to down stairs where people prayed and said this is my church’s generator. Their prayer is why and how my church can be here today.
God didn’t just gave him renaissance because of his great sermon, but his people praying God gave Renaissance in England
Con)
Have you faced problem that seemed impossible to solve? Go up to Jesus. Trust him and pray with your life today. Show God our faith! ‘Heavenly Father, Let us depend this year to you with trust. Front of our lives, family, and church there are problems. We rely on you and only you God. Let us be who can bow down our heads and pray to you sincerely. Help us that we can put trust in you with our problem. Let us bring truthful prayer who can give up our lives to you and help us solve our problems my lord. Hallelujah Amen.’
012217 IK SUN, AHN
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