Mark 9:14-29 – The Power to Fix Problems – Bible study

Mark 9:14-29 The Power to Fix Problems The background for this miracle is a cluster of problems. Christ is just coming off the mountain from His transfiguration; and before He gets down good, He is confronted with problems – not His, but others. NOTE: Problems can come at any time, but watch especially after those mountain- top experiences. There are three sets of problems that confronted Christ. Lets look at the problem and the power that fixed them. I. The boys problem \#Mark 9:17-22\ A. He was demon possessed. 1. That is, a demon had taken up residence with him. 2. Some may doubt the reality of demons today; but this boy did not. B. In order to comprehend the power of this miracle, we must see the torment of this child! 1. "dumb" – He couldnt speak. \#17\ 2. "he taketh him" \#18\ a. The father likewise knew this attack was demonic. b. The HE refers to the demon. c. This demon would take control of the boys thoughts and actions whenever it desired, doing violent things with him. 3. "teareth him" \#18\ a. The word seems to mean some kind of violent convulsions. b. At the least some kind of violent act was being committed against the lad so that if someone did not watch, the child would likely die. 4. foameth \#18\ 5. gnasheth his teeth 6. pineth away 7. throws him in the water or fire \#22\ C. This child is being tormented by Satan and his demons. 1. Sadly, this is not the only child being tormented by Satan! 2. The symptoms of our society cry out Satanism! 3. We are afflicted with the five major Bible symptoms of demon activity. a. drugs b. violence c. rebellion d. sex e. suicide D. That really should not surprise us since our children are exposed to Satan more than ever. 1. Our entertainment is Satanic: the music, movies, & television. a. In everything from Harry Potter to the violent video games and movies, Satan is glorified. b. Some of todays music includes lyrics of moral deprivation, anti-God rants, boasts of violence and crime, and even prayers to Satan. c. Tattoos are often demonic pictures, prayers, and emblems that the person who wears them doesnt even understand! d. Movies are filled with gore, violence, and even human sacrifices. e. No longer are the spiritual powers which influenced these movies hid from the plot, but often, demons and devils are openly written into the script. 2. Cults and religions are opening the doors for the acceptance of public occultic practices and religions. a. Horoscopes, Ouija boards, Wicca, false gods, idol worship, and out-in-out worship of Satan are all around us today. b. We are taught to be tolerant of any and every wicked and demonic religion that existseven it the basic tenants of that religion are publicly espoused to butcher, maim, and destroy those who will not follow it. 3. Most do not know it, but drug abuse is a common form of occultic worship. a. The Greek word, PHAR-MAK-E-IA (5331), is the word that we get our words pharmacy and pharmaceutical. b. In the Bible it is translated witchcraft 1x \#Gal 5:20\ and sorcery 2x \#Rev 9:21, 18:23\. c. Its root PHAR-MAK-EUS (5332) is translated sorcerer \#Rev 21:8\. d. Those familiar with the Bible have always know that drug reliance and drug abuse opens the human spirit up to demon influence and possession. 4. Likewise, overt, lewd, and perverted sexual acts have always been a sign of demonic empowerment. a. All weekend pictures of New York celebrating what their legislature did on Friday have been plastered over the internet. b. It looked like people danced openly in the streets. c. And the demons of this world smiled. 5. The sad and strange there here is that people still laugh at preachers who preach that this power will destroy its practitioners, as well as, the nations that allow it. They do not even see that the destruction we have preached would come is happening all around them! E. We need to see the torment of this child and the children around us because the only solution is to do what this man didGET THEM TO JESUS! 1. We are the disciples in this story. 2. People all around are looking for help and we must be able to point them to the only One who can helpJesus. 3. The cure for the violent, the drug and alcohol addicts, the porn addicts, the perverted, and the tormented is Jesus Christ! 4. Years ago Charles Wesley captures the thought in a hymn entitled "O for A Thousand Tongues." He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free. His blood can make the foulest clean, His blood availed for me. G. \#18\ But what happens if when do our best to get someone to Jesus, but nothing happens? 1. That is NOT what happened in this account. 2. But I know of some who have done their best to seek Jesus, to move others to trust Jesus, and what they expected to happen did not. a. \#23\ – Keep on believing! b. Keep on serving! c. Keep on working! 3. Sometimes our efforts may fail but we that will not change the truthJesus is the only Hope for those caught in the throws of Satans destruction. a. I will promise you that if a few we point to Jesus do not get the deliverance we expect, far more will than will be helped by anything that this world has to offer. b. My own perspective is that if there is a failing, it is on the part of us, the disciples, not on the part of our Savior. c. Perhaps the battle is greater than we are, but we can grow in grace and power if we do not quit. II. The fathers problem \#Mark 9:21-24\ A. The only one who hurts more than the tormented ones are the ones who love the tormented ones. 1. Imagine what this father had endured. a. Here was a father who was afraid to go to sleep at night for fear that his son might do himself or another harm while he was asleep. b. Here was a father who could not work during the day, wondering what might be happening to his son. c. Here was a father who had to stay on guard 24/7 just to keep his son alive. d. For every scar that child had on his body, the father bore the guilt of not watching him closely enough. 2. I do not know the age of his child but it doesnt really matter. a. Any loving parent would rather suffer themselves than to see their child suffer. b. That does not change with age. 3. I have seen the high toil of guilt and concern take years off the lives of parents, often, in the end, to only fail for a second and see death, rage, or murder take their beloved child, B. How do you help someone like this? 1. Get the parents to Jesus! 2. Here is a case when what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Both the afflicted and the family of the afflicted need Jesus. 3. No human being, no matter how motivated by love, can defeat or fend off a demon. 4. Spiritual power must be defeated by spiritual power and there are only two powers. a. There is Satan the afflicter. b. There is Jesus the Healer, Helper, and Comforter. C. Jesus has a unique way of comforting hurting people. 1. He cures them. 2. No one who comes to Jesus, surrendering all, will leave disappointed. D. By the way, when I say, "Get them to Jesus," I do not mean get them to church or to religion. 1. I mean get them to Jesus Christ. a. Once you get a person to Jesus, that person will want to get in a good, Bible-believing church. b. However, a church has no power to deliver than those disciples did. c. The power is in getting them to Jesus! 2. And how does one get to Jesus? By being saved. a. By believing that Jesus is the Son of God come in flesh, that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried according to the Scriptures, and rose again on the third day. b. And by turning your life over to Jesus Christ to control and direct. 3. Jesus is the One and only Solution for those afflicted and tormented. III. The disciples problem \#Mark 9:28-29\ A. The disciples recognized they had a problem – no power! 1. They knew this was not the way they were supposed to be. 2. The disciples of Christ are supposed to have power! 3. At least they had the good sense to go ask Jesus why they did not. a. That puts them head and shoulders above some of us. b. Some who are saved today do not know that we are supposed to have power. c. And some who do never get around to asking why we dont. B. Jesus saw the disciples problem, too. 1. \#19\ He rebuked them. a. Jesus is not calling the crowd a faithless generation. b. He is calling His disciples faithless. c. What an awful condemnation, but one I know that I am worthy of as well. 2. Why the rebuke? a. Because Jesus was using the Power that He left for them to usethe same Power that He usedthe Holy Spirit. b. If they had truly been watching, listening, and learning from Jesus, they would have the Power the same as He! c. I do not say that it is easy or simple, but I say that God is still in the helping people business and He is still looking for those who will pay the price to have the power that He offers. C. You might notice that more is required to help others than to be helped yourself. 1. All Jesus said to the father was "BELIEVE." The father could help himself by just believing who Jesus was and what Jesus would do. 2. However, to the disciples, who did not have a sickness but wanted to help those who did, Jesus gave two commands. a. Much fasting b. Much prayer 3. Fasting is to refuse this worlds cheap substitutes of what God offers. a. The world offers bread for sandwiches. What we need is the Bread of Life. b. The world offers security in riches. What we need is security in Christ. c. The world offers satisfaction in pleasure. What we need is satisfaction in Gods presence. d. The world offers the flesh all it wants. What we need is to give the spirit what it craves. e. Fasting is telling the flesh who is boss and then showing it. 4. Praying is to set yourself in earnest fellowship and communion with God. a. It is more than just asking for something and then walking away. b. It is developing an intimate, personal, permanent fellowship with God. (1) Dont expect to flatter God with a 15 minute prayer or even a few days or weeks of holiness. (2) God will not fall for it. (3) God sees the outcome from the beginning and unless you are going to give it all, He will not hearken unto you. Folks, the world has had problems since man sinned. We are Christs disciples. We are supposed to be part of the solution. How? By getting those who are hurting to Jesus and by making ourselves vessels through which His power may flow. Will you be one of those vessels.