mark nine
v. 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
v. 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
v. 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit, ” he said, “I command you, come out of Him and never enter Him again.”
thoughts
The first thing I want to point out is verse 25, and the fact that Jesus did it.
He did it.
He did what? He did exactly what the boy’s father was asking Him to do.
Now, what makes that so special to me is that Jesus performs the miracle after the boy’s father admits to the fact that he has unbelief!
Jimmy: “Unbelief!”
Charlie Brown: “Good grief!”
[I loved reading Peanuts growing up.]
For those of us who think that having faith is a simple matter of believing and having no doubt, this account is problematic. It’s a great reminder that faith isn’t that simple. It’s not that black and white.
Actually, let me say this: it makes it not so simple to understand but it does make it a lot easier to have.
Isn’t that one of the beautiful things Jesus did for us? To make faith and being in relationship with Him something a lot easier to have?
Jesus: “Guys, it looks like you’re having a tough time having faith.”
Disciples: “Uh, yeah…”
Jesus: “Okay, let me make it a lot more manageable for you to have. All you need to do is have faith the size of a mustard seed.”
Disciples: [smile]
Now, maybe it didn’t happen exactly like that. But for me, I can’t help but smile at that. A mustard seed is a lot easier to fit into my hands than a mountain, and a mountain is exactly the size of faith that I keep thinking I need to have. But it’s opposite. The mustard seed moves the mountain.
And here’s a twist, maybe that’s the hard part about having faith: seeing that you actually have some in God’s eyes! After all, a mustard seed is quite small and easy to overlook. Maybe our struggle is not just in having faith in Jesus, but believing that our “mustard size” faith is actually enough. I think it is difficult for the human mind to settle in the assurance that it’s insufficiency of ability and being is enough for God. By His grace, you are enough to be pleasing to God and you just can’t believe it. God’s grace is often time too good to be true!
The other great thing about these two verses is the transparency and honesty that Jesus seems to appreciate from the boy’s father.
I see a lot of people who treat any sort of admittance or reference to fear or unbelief as taboo as something that undermines faith. But, I do not see human honesty and transparency ever working against faith in those that believe in Jesus, but rather something that works with it.
Here’s how I imagine the story might have played out in some Christian circles today:
Bob: So, what’s the problem Bill?
Bill: My son is demonized! I don’t know what to do!
Bob: Don’t know what to do? C’mon man, we’re going to pray the prayer of faith of course! Don’t you believe in the power of prayer?
Bill: Um, yeah, of course I do…but, the thing is…I just have some feelings and thoughts of unbelief too..
Bob: Bill! You can’t say things like that! You can’t have both feelings of faith and unbelief! You got to speak faith man! You got to speak life! You can’t speak death or word curses like that! Now repent of what you just said so we can pray a real prayer of faith!!
Bill: [now feeling both like a bad Christian as well as a burdened father...prays]
Mark 9:23-25 shows us the contrary. Jesus’ response was nothing like Bill’s response.
We state a lot in Christian circles that “Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.” The Christian faith functions on that principle. The faith Jesus looks for in us is not the black and white, dogmatic faith of “you either have it or you don’t” but rather the more complex, organic and gracious functioning of a faith composed of love. Honesty and transparency is not something God despises of us but desires from us.
15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:15-16 [NIV]
Let us be inspired and reminded of the great statement of faith by Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego declared to a mighty king threatening their deaths:
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
Daniel 3:16-18 [NIV]
