Mark 9:14-29
Jesus Heals a Young Boy
14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
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.”
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.
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. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit.“You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”
26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn't we drive it out?”
29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
It is good to have just some faith, even a little faith is important...The faith the size of a mustard seed can do many good things...
Imagine being told that for your son to heal you need to have faith...This is what Jesus ask in an indirect way of the father who had a son that was ill...The conversation went like this with the father of the sick boy...A man in the crowd said, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech...Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground...He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid...I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”...“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.”...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...Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”...“From childhood,” he answered...“It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him...But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”...The father ask Jesus if He could help, please help or as he said, if you can help, please help...“‘If you can’?” said Jesus...“Everything is possible for one who believes.”... Jesus seems to be placing the healing of the son on the father's faith...And the father understands this...He knows that Jesus is a Man of Faith...And immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”...When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit...“You deaf and mute spirit,” He said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”...The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out...The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.”...But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up...The boy was healed...
The father wanted his son healed and he ask both the disciples and Jesus for help...Jesus told the father it was going to take his faith, his belief in Him, for this healing to get done...“Everything is possible for one who believes”, Jesus told him...But the father was saddled with unbelief, and the father personally knew the strength of his faith and immediately says, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”...The father did not have a mature faith...With Jesus right there squarely in front of the father, he understands he needs faith for his son to be healed...Jesus has put the father's faith as a part of the healing of his son, and the father sees this...And he asks Jesus, to help him overcome his defects and weaknesses in his faith...
I am very much like this father and his faith, and the struggles that go with faith...The father had some faith (it seems), but knew it was not as strong as it could be...With the father standing beside this Mysterious Healer, he realizes that he cannot lie to the One telling him, everything is possible for those who have and keep their faith...Jesus knows the strength and the struggles of our faith and our lives...We cannot lie to Him...He knows these things...We are not told, but Jesus may have felt the presence of some unbelief around the father...Maybe the lack of the healing of his son by the disciples decreased the father's faith...The father's faith is imperfect and has some unbelief in it, and this very much is brought to our attention...And maybe Jesus wanted the father to profess his faith...Much can be done and is promised with those of strong faith...It is interesting the man with his unbeliefs came to this Man of God, but he wants his son healed...Maybe this is the beginning of the father's faith...The father has a great need...And this Man of God is filled with faith, so the statement, “Everything is possible for one who believes” is not a surprising one...The father's love for his son and his mustard seed size faith (maybe even weak faith), helped heal his son by God's grace...
I believe the father's grew greatly this day...The path to Jesus and to faith is different for each of us...