Title: The word of God brings death to life!
Text: Mark 9:14-29
Facebook live: The word of God brings death to life!
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”.
We read:
The father cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
It is Rally Day!
One of many in our church’s past 58 years. They’ve looked different and have certainly felt different in the past as I remember them. Sunday school and Bible Study began with all classes while others set up for the pot Luck and picnic. It was a time for beginning again and renewing our faith by hearing and gathering and participating as God’s people, in his gifts of word and sacrament, as we hear and are fed by the word of God for the forgiveness of sins and the strengthening of our faith.
It still is but it feels a bit different.
I’m 20 years older and so are many of you!
Many of our faithful brothers and sisters in Christ have departed this life for the life eternal and are resting in the arms of Jesus. It’s what we all wait for too.
Yes, it was different then.
Yes, we had more people involved.
Yes, it will be different going forward.
No, we can’t live in the past … though the past can inform our future.
“I believe; help my unbelief!”
Last week our text showed us the Compassionate Christ as he opened the ears and mouth of a deaf mute who then “spoke plainly.” Not only having his ears and mouth healed but being giving him the gift of speech, immediately, as Mark so often says in his gospel account.
In today’s reading:
14 And when they [those that had been following Jesus] came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw [Jesus], were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Jesus is known to the people as the one who brings peace, comfort, and healing - the things that you and I also find of great value when things in our life need help. And here a voice from the crown answers Jesus’ question.
“Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So, I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”
A father’s pleading for his son. “I brought him to you … but your disciples were not able.”
The disciples fell short! They missed the mark! What was needed … wasn’t given … to a man in distress.
I can relate, how about you? At times I feel like I’ve missed the mark especially over the last 10 years as I’ve served the needs of the church.
Have you missed the mark like me?
I think we can all agree with St. Paul:
18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. … 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:18-24
At times we miss the mark by things we do and at times by things we don’t do.
In years past Rally Day was greatly attended!
I must admit to feeling a bit sad as I think about what we had and how it has changed. We just dedicated the artwork and stoles / vestments from Pastor Merrell and honored his service here at Peace for 40 years as Pastor and Pastor Emeritus. I feel the weight of burden at times as I think about the change over the life of our church from mission congregation, to growing congregation to aging congregation. From what we’ve done, to what we should have done, to what we continue to do and to where we hope to go.
The truth is that the Lord knows all of this and continues to lead, guide and direct.
Our faith is weak when we look inward and to ourselves. Our focus needs to be Christ centered and outward to Jesus and his cross, for there is where true salvation and hope is found.
Jesus answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring [the boy] to me.”
What I didn’t want to hear as a disciple, a Peace member or a pastor, the disciples now hear from Jesus … pain and disappointment from the Lord of Glory at their falling short.
Jesus takes control, “Bring him to me.”
The solutions for the problems we face are always best helped when the focus is on Christ both in prayer and petition. The evil foe is Satan and the forces of demonic activity that perplex and attack us will remain until Christ returns or until we too like our blessed Pastor Merrell and so many faithful past members and friends are called to our eternal rest in Jesus.
This father is grieving for his son as he has been plagued with a demon “From childhood.” We might reasonably look at our own sinful condition and malady as those brought forth in iniquity … conceived and brought forth in sin.
Psalm 51:5
But though we have been freed by Christ Jesus through the working of the Holy Spirit, we still remain in our sinful flesh … both Saint and Sinner… bound in sin and alive in the Spirit.
On the one hand we are freed by the grace of God in Christ and have received all things being made new, but at the same time, we are bound to our sinful flesh and wrestle with faith and doubt, belief and unbelief!
The call … “I believe; help my unbelief!” is the call of a believing soul tormented by a demonic foe. We too call daily to God to lift the burden of sin we carry and to comfort us, and bring us peace … the peace that passes all human understanding.
“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.”
We too are born into this world dead to God, and it is by God’s command:
“19 Go … make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” that we receive life eternal promised from the lips of our Lord.
Having done a number of baptisms of little children over the years, it always reminds me of this passage when they are baptized because when baptized there is crying out and convulsing. The devil cannot remain but must flee.
Where light is, darkness flees.
“He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
Death, raised to life and caring, through the sacrificial love of the God man Jesus Christ are what God has given you.
Peace Lutheran Church will never be the same. It will never again be what it was.
It will always be though, what God wants and desires it to be.
His house and his children, gathered together around his gifts for the wellbeing of we who have been called to believe in his Son and our Lord Jesus Christ.
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Dear friends,
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Cor. 15:52,56
God brings peace, comfort, victory and faith through his means!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!
Amen
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