WEBVTT 00:00:02.959 --> 00:00:07.919 All right, I am going to uh make one more announcement and then uh pray for a second. 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:11.919 And we have some extra seats along this side, front couple of rows. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:15.839 I promise I'm gonna pray long enough that if you're on the back row and you want to make it up here, you can do it. 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:16.800 Nobody will ever see you. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:20.320 It's gonna be one of those every head bowed, every eye closed moments. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:33.759 So no pressure, but if you're having a hard time seeing or hearing in the back, uh here's the announcement is that there is a women's lunch after this in the house about discipleship, and my wife is speaking at it, and I think she's awesome. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:37.600 So, uh, women, if you if you're a visitor and you didn't know, you didn't sign up, come. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:39.280 I think there'll be enough lunch. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:51.200 Maybe the Lord will divide the bread supernaturally, but uh if you want to come to that right after this, if you have a Bible, let's open up to Mark chapter 9, and now I'm gonna pray. 00:00:51.840 --> 00:01:00.240 Lord Jesus, you are so good, you are so wise, you are so kind, you are so strong. 00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:02.479 We have come to hear from you today. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:05.120 We certainly have not come to hear from me. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:19.200 Use me as a vessel, or it is a broken vessel, but you are so strong, you are so mighty, you can oversee even my weaknesses. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:24.239 You can use the weakest, the lowest to accomplish your purposes. 00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:32.879 And we pray that you would be doing that this morning, Lord, that you would be pushing back the forces of darkness in our lives, in our world, in our culture. 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:34.719 You would be advancing. 00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:38.959 Your kingdom would be coming in our lives, and we pray all this in Christ's name. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:39.760 Amen. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:43.200 Mark chapter 9, we're gonna start in verse 14. 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:48.480 But I want you to think about as you turn there, where in life are you struggling the most right now? 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.560 Or where would you maybe even go further and say, I'm not struggling, I have failed. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:54.319 I've already failed. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:59.359 Where are you facing a situation and it just feels impossible, it feels overwhelming? 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:09.280 And as you're thinking about that, I want to ask you another question that ought to go hand in hand is how's your prayer life? 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:23.039 And what I mean is, how rich, how deep, how devoted, how consistent, how fervent, how persistent is your prayer life, is your communion with your Lord? 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:31.919 Does your practice of prayer line up with what you say you believe about the power of prayer? 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:45.520 And have you had experiences, maybe with the church, maybe with other Christians, that in a sense have thrown cold water on your hope, on your prayer life? 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:48.560 We're gonna look at a passage this morning that I think can really help us. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:53.360 Now let me give a little bit of an overview and context of what we're looking at this morning. 00:02:53.520 --> 00:02:56.479 You can jot these verses down if you want to go back and look at them later. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:04.960 Don't have to flip there now, but in Mark chapter 3, verses 14 and 15 is when Jesus officially appointed the 12 to be disciples. 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:10.639 And it says, it's one of my favorite verses about discipleship in the whole Bible, it says, He appointed them that they might be with him. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:11.840 So there was his method. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:14.879 Guys, just hang out with me and watch what I'm doing. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:18.960 And that he might send them out to preach and have authority over the demons. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:23.759 So he said, Hang out with me for a while, watch what I'm doing, learn, maybe take some mental notes. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:26.800 Then at some point, I'm gonna send you out to do much of the same thing. 00:03:26.960 --> 00:03:28.639 And then in chapter 6, he does that. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:32.960 He sent them out two by two to preach, to heal, and to cast out demons. 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:35.039 And we're told that their mission was very successful. 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.199 They went out, they preached a message of repentance, people were penting, and they were casting out demons. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:40.000 It was working. 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:43.439 And I think it's Luke's gospel that tells us they later came back and they were rejoicing. 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:48.400 They were so excited, they're like, even the demons are submissive to us in your name. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:50.560 And he said, Well, don't rejoice in that. 00:03:50.719 --> 00:03:52.240 Just rejoice, you guys are saved. 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:53.759 You ought to be happy about that. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.080 But we're gonna pick up in Mark chapter 9. 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:06.960 If you're here last week, or even if you weren't, you probably know the story, where Jesus took the top three disciples that he was grooming for even a bigger leadership role. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:09.680 He took them up onto the mount of transfiguration. 00:04:09.840 --> 00:04:11.520 His glory was shown. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:12.960 They heard the audible voice of God. 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:14.400 The other nine were left down in the valley. 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:16.000 They didn't get to experience it. 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:18.879 They're down there just trying to do normal ministry, and we're gonna find out. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.839 It wasn't working out very well for them when Jesus was gone. 00:04:22.079 --> 00:04:24.800 And now Jesus is coming back down the mountain with the three. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:28.240 This is where we'll pick up Mark chapter 9, verse 14. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:37.439 And when they came to the disciples, the other nine, they saw a great crowd around them and scribes arguing with them. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:44.319 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, it's Jesus, were greatly amazed, and they ran up to him and they greeted him. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:47.360 And he asked them, What are you arguing about with them? 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:59.360 And someone from the crowd answered him, Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute, and whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams, and he grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.120 So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able. 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:10.000 And he answered them, O faithless generation, how long am I with you to be with you? 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:12.319 How long am I to bear with you? 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:13.680 Bring him to me. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:22.800 And they brought the boy to him, and when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:25.839 And Jesus asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:27.920 And he said, From childhood. 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:32.319 And it has often cast him into fire and into water to destroy him. 00:05:32.480 --> 00:05:36.079 But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:42.639 And Jesus said to him, If you can, all things are possible for one who believes. 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:46.639 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, I believe. 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:48.240 Help my unbelief. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:06:02.639 And when Jesus saw 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. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:07.920 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:10.399 So that Moses then said, He's dead. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.399 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:20.399 And when he had entered the house, and his disciples asked him privately, Why could we not cast it out? 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:26.319 And he said to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer. 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:33.199 So Jesus comes down, there's a big crowd around the nine, and there's an argument going on. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:38.800 And some of the scribes, remember, these are the religious elite, prided themselves on all their Old Testament knowledge. 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:46.720 They're arguing, and we don't know for sure, but almost certainly the argument is the boy's father's looking for Jesus, can't find Jesus, but he's got the nine. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:49.600 They've kind of gotten a reputation now as exorcists as well. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:51.439 He's like, you guys are second best. 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:52.879 Can you cast out the demon? 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:54.480 They tried, it didn't work. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:56.399 And the scribes are probably loving this. 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:59.040 They're like, man, we told you that your guy's not real. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:00.560 You guys are fake. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:07.279 And they're probably gloating and boasting the fact that Jesus' nine disciples have failed in a very public fashion. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:10.079 So Jesus comes down the mountain with the three. 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.319 The crowd sees him, it's very excited. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:13.279 They run to him. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.920 Jesus asks, What were you arguing about? 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:17.360 The scribes don't want to answer. 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:18.879 By this point, the scribes have kind of learned. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:22.240 You get in an argument with Jesus, it almost always goes bad for you. 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:23.600 Shut your mouth. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:25.600 The nine are pretty embarrassed too. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.560 They had come into this thing almost certainly confident, man, we've been casting out demons everywhere. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:33.360 And now, like all nine of us together, we can't do it. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:34.639 They don't have anything to say. 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:37.199 But the boy's father has something to say. 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:39.040 He forces his way to the front. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.360 He's like, hey, Jesus, I was looking for you. 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:47.680 I couldn't find you, but I've got a son that today he would have terrible epilepsy, is what we would say. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:49.519 And more than that, he was deaf and dumb. 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:53.199 He couldn't speak, he couldn't hear, obviously has a demon. 00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:56.560 I want you to heal him. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:57.839 I begged the nine. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:07:59.360 They couldn't do it, they weren't able. 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:01.680 Jesus says, Bring the boy to me. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:08.000 And notice Jesus, look back at verse 19 with me for a second, guys. 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:12.079 And he answered them, O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.319 How long am I to bear with you? 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:15.839 Bring him to me. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:19.680 There's a sense of weariness. 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:22.000 There's a sense of frustration. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:24.800 Remember, Jesus, fully God, fully man. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:36.000 So to whatever degree you can be weary of a situation, to whatever degree you can be frustrated with a situation and not be sinfully frustrated or sinfully weary, Jesus was there. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.799 I mean, there's a little bit of, hey, are you guys serious? 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:44.799 All I've been doing, and he, and listen, commentators debate, who is he talking to? 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:46.639 But the best answer is probably, he was talking to all of them. 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:48.080 Disciples, you're serious? 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.279 You nine? 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:50.799 Y'all didn't get this right? 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:52.720 Scribes, are you serious? 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.240 Y'all are still so arrogant? 00:08:54.320 --> 00:08:55.440 Y'all want to boast? 00:08:55.679 --> 00:08:56.879 Because a demon didn't come out? 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:58.960 That's what you want to pride yourself on? 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:02.799 There's frustration. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:04.720 But here's part of what I love about this text. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:08.720 Even though Jesus seems frustrated and weary, he doesn't say, forget it. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:09.360 I'm sick of this. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:10.960 This is how you know he's not sinful. 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:13.120 He says, Bring the boy to me. 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:22.559 His compassion is stronger than the weariness of his humanity. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:28.559 So they obey, they bring the boy, starts doing the very things that he'd been describing. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:30.240 Jesus says, How long has this been going on? 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:32.159 Basically, his whole life since childhood. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:42.240 And he goes on to say, sometimes it's like the demon inside of him is not just giving a random epileptic seizure, but it's like he is trying to throw him into water or fire to kill him. 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:44.799 Pretty bad. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.600 The crowd starts following over to where Jesus is. 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:54.879 We've learned by this point, Jesus does not like big crowds just thinking of him as a miracle worker, like this is some kind of circus trick. 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:57.840 So he goes ahead, he casts out the demon. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:04.240 He helps the man, speaks to the demon, demon comes out, he says, Don't ever come back in. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:05.919 Boy falls down like he's dead. 00:10:06.000 --> 00:10:07.039 Everybody's worried. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.480 Jesus reached down, picks him up, he gets up, he's fine. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:14.399 And like typical, Jesus goes into a house, gets some privacy. 00:10:14.559 --> 00:10:16.399 The 12 get to go with him. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:18.879 And they're like, the nine say, What? 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:20.000 Why'd we fail? 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.399 Like Jesus, we were doing this on our own. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:23.679 Two by two. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:24.480 What happened? 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:28.720 And he said, Well, some kind of demons are stronger than other kinds of demons. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:32.240 And this kind of demon only comes out by prayer. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:33.919 And the implication was you guys didn't pray. 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:39.840 Or maybe if you did pray, it was like some kind of half-hearted prayer. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:43.759 Now, four main points. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:48.720 There's a real problem, there's real power, there's real prayer, there's real perseverance. 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:49.200 Okay. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:50.799 What's the real problem? 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:56.559 Ultimately, our real problem is people, and this is for Christians and non-Christians. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:02.559 Our ultimate problem is this it's a lack of belief in God's power and God's pity for his people. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:04.159 The heart of Christ. 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:13.919 We may have pristine theology in our brain, but when it comes down to the basement of our heart functionally, do you really believe Christ is for you? 00:11:14.320 --> 00:11:15.679 Christ is with you. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:20.080 He has the power, he has the will, and he has the desire to bless us. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:25.360 And guys, I hope you'll see this from this text, and it's been coming out all through the Gospel of Mark. 00:11:26.000 --> 00:11:27.679 There is a real devil. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.159 There are real demons. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:36.000 There is real spiritual evil in this world, and it hates you. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:40.159 And it does not take vacations, and it doesn't play nice and fair. 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:43.840 It's coming after you, and it's coming after your kids. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:47.759 We're not just playing church here. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:50.559 This is spiritual combat. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.039 And the stakes are high. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:55.759 And you've got to be all in. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:59.279 Everybody was struggling with doubt that day. 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:05.679 The nine maybe had started confident, but after they tried it and it didn't work, think about what happened to their confidence. 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:10.240 The scribes, they were, they were the hard-hearted kind of doubt. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:10.879 Right? 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.960 They boasted in their doubt. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:20.879 Even the boy's dad, think about, guys, think about how weary this daddy must have been. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:28.879 I mean, probably any of us that have been parents for longer than a day say, I've been weary being a parent. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:30.399 But think about this guy. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:36.320 For years, we don't have, for years, his son has had not just all the physical ailments, that would be bad enough. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:49.279 Epilepsy, deaf, dumb, but a real demon living inside of this boy that's so destructive that intentionally tries to throw him into the ancient swimming pool or the fireplace or whatever to kill him. 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:57.200 Think about how hyperactive that dad would have to be to protect his son all the time, to be watching the weariness, the overwhelmness, the exhaust. 00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:58.799 I can't do this anymore. 00:12:58.960 --> 00:13:05.200 I wonder how many different times he had sought healings from different people that supposedly this is gonna be the one, and they'd failed him. 00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.120 And now he's come to Jesus' disciples. 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:10.639 The hope must have been so high and then crushed again. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:19.279 The real world has a way of just throwing lots of cold water on our passion and zeal, doesn't it? 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:27.360 I mean, if you ever come to the church, God's people, and thought, I'm gonna finally get some help, and you didn't get help, you just got hurt again. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:32.399 That's a little bit of what happened to this boy and this dad coming to the nine. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:36.960 One commentator said this, talking about the disciples. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:46.960 They thought of themselves as now the natural experts in such a case, and they must learn that in spiritual conflict there is no such automatic power. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:54.960 Their public humiliation has been a necessary part of their re-education to the principles of the kingdom. 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:59.039 God ever have to publicly humiliate you? 00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:02.159 It's not very fun, but it can be good. 00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:11.120 Okay, listen, God is an expert, guys, at bringing us to the end of ourselves, and that can be a very painful journey, but it's a glorious journey. 00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:14.960 It's glorious to get to the total end of ourselves. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.519 Without you, God, I'm nothing. 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:20.240 And the disciples were getting this in a whole new way. 00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:30.159 The second thing I want us to get that I don't want us to miss, and it's easy to miss, is this our lack of belief is sin, and it grieves God's heart. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:39.600 In fact, whatever sin you're struggling with, if you trace it down deep enough, I promise, you will find a lack of belief, a lack of faith. 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:44.399 Because Romans chapter 14, verse 23 says, anything that is not from faith is sin. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:46.879 That's the deepest root of all of our sins. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:52.480 But guys, that is such a domesticated white-collar sin, isn't it? 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.039 Right? 00:14:53.679 --> 00:15:02.480 If you're in like some kind of accountability group and you show up to the accountability group and you're just, I've just been struggling with a little bit of lack of faith this week, everybody's gonna be like, man, you're a spiritual hero. 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:03.360 That's it. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:07.120 I got a laundry list of stuff a lot worse than that. 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:17.440 But here's a danger, guys, for churches like ours that are very grace-centered, and it's a good thing to be grace-centered. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:26.159 We so want to emphasize the grace of God, the mercy of God, the love of God, the gentleness of God, the kind, which we should, what the Bible does. 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:38.480 But we should never want to emphasize all of those kind-hearted tendencies of our God to the exclusion of the other truth that he hates sin. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.320 He hates it. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:49.120 And even in his children, although he's still compassionate and he's still gentle and he's still patient, it grieves his heart. 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:51.919 And if you're like, well, that sounds contradictory. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:53.120 No, it's not. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:56.639 Just think about a good parent-child relationship. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:03.840 A good daddy loves his kids so much. 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:16.559 I mean, his heart is so tough, that if he sees that child doing something self-destructive, he hates the sin in his child, partially because it dishonors the father, but partially because how much it hurts the child. 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:17.440 Do you not? 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:24.240 And that's where this weariness, this grief in Jesus' heart is. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:25.519 Guys, really? 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:27.120 You don't trust me? 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.120 Don't take your sin lightly. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:34.799 Third thing. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:40.720 All things are possible to those who believe in Christ's power and pity. 00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:42.240 Now, let's just be honest. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:48.559 If I just showed up this Sunday morning and we didn't read from Mark, and I just said, here's my theme today. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:51.200 All things are possible to those that believe. 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.159 I'm really tempted to do a show of hands on this one, what I want. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:59.360 I I wonder how many of you would be a little bit worried, like, uh-oh, Olin's gone crazy charismatic on us. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:02.639 Name it, claim it, extremism. 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:04.240 And is there a danger over there? 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:07.279 There absolutely is, but guys, I'm just reading the text, right? 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:15.759 Jesus Christ, the God man himself, said in verse 23, all things are possible for one who believes. 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:25.359 Is there a danger over here of this name it and claim it mess that we all know is not true? 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:28.720 There absolutely is, but guys, there's a ditch on the other side of the road. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:33.839 And what I would say to all of us is don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:45.519 Matthew Henry, a great reformed commentator, said this very much is ascribed to our believing and very much promised to it. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:57.119 It is possible that your hard heart may be softened, your spiritual diseases may be cured, and that weak as you are, you may be able to hold out to the end. 00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:01.279 And let me just quote John Calvin, right? 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:03.279 The prince of all reformed guys. 00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:11.440 It is not the Lord that prevents his benefits from flowing to us in large abundance. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:17.759 But it must be attributed to the narrowness of our faith. 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:28.079 That it comes to us only in drops, and that frequently we do not even feel even a drop because unbelief shuts up our heart. 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:32.319 Only exercise a firm belief and you will obtain. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.880 Guys, how's your faith? 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:41.680 If you say, I feel like I'm only experiencing like a few little tiny drops of God's grace, or you say, I don't feel like I've experienced any. 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:44.559 John Calvin says, That's your fault. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:47.119 You're not trusting, you're not believing. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:49.440 If you're believing, you'd be obtaining. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:53.759 Fourth point. 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:58.160 The real answer to our lack of belief is honest and persevering prayer. 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:00.640 So if you're like, I feel like that's me, what do I do? 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:06.160 Wouldn't it be nice if there was some way to reach inside your heart and there was like a light switch? 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:08.640 And it said, believe or don't believe? 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.119 And you're like, man, I'm really convicted this morning by sermon. 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:11.920 I haven't been believing. 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.359 Let me just reach in there and flip it on to belief. 00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.240 Ah, and the lights come on. 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:15.839 All of a sudden everything's wonderful. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:17.839 Doesn't work that way, does it? 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:35.200 So, what can you and I do to practically strengthen our faith in the living God and his power and pity personally for me, so I can start experiencing more of his grace, not just reading about it, thinking about it, singing it, but drinking it in it every day. 00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:36.960 It's your prayer life. 00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:45.039 Another commentator named Brooks said this: Spiritual power is not something once possessed, which will always be available. 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:47.279 It must be maintained and renewed. 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.480 Disciples then and now must constantly learn and relearn the lesson. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:55.119 Let me give you an illustration. 00:19:55.279 --> 00:20:00.000 Imagine that your daddy is filthy rich, like billionaire rich, right? 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.759 Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and he's a good daddy. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:05.039 He says, I love you. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:09.200 I want to send you on like this worldwide vacation experience. 00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:12.400 Private jets, yachts, cruises, whatever. 00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:14.319 Take some buddies if you want to. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:16.720 All the wine, all the food, right? 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:18.160 I mean, it's gonna be awesome. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:21.680 Listen, take a rocket ship up to space if you want to. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:23.359 I'll pay for it all. 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.799 I got it in the bank. 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:25.359 Don't worry. 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:30.559 But here's the only thing: because I love you, because you're my boy, I want you to check in with me once a day. 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:35.680 Every day you gotta check in, and you just gotta let me know what's your travel experience is for the day. 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.640 And then I'll make sure the money gets transferred to your account. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:40.799 I'm not just gonna give you a big thumb. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:42.799 You have to check in every day. 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:49.039 That's a little bit like what Father God's heart is like towards us. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:55.279 I've got everything you need and more, and I'm happy to give it to you when it's best for you. 00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:57.200 I just want you to ask. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:21:00.000 I just want you to stay in contact with me. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:07.200 Guys, when we're struggling, when we have bare minimum faith, the temptation is just to give up. 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:09.039 I'm not worthy, I'm not good enough. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:10.160 What's the point? 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:13.039 Let me give you two true stories. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:24.319 Two people that uh I worked with, okay, they were in ministry, and then these people were Christians, had been working for a ministry for 10 years. 00:21:24.880 --> 00:21:26.400 Two different stories. 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:31.680 One of them was a woman who'd been single her whole life and she did not want to be single. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:34.720 Her dream was kind of be a wife and mom. 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:43.359 And she is struggling with this, and we're talking about it, and she's talking about her sadness and maybe some anger. 00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:45.200 And I said, Well, are you praying about this? 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:52.079 And obviously, sometimes I ask that question because I'm just out of questions, and it just kind of seems like a good question for a pastor to ask, right? 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:53.680 Are you praying? 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:56.799 I mean, I'm expecting the answer to be, well, of course I'm praying. 00:21:57.039 --> 00:21:58.240 But I appreciate her honestly. 00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:59.759 She said, Oh no, I'm not praying about it. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.359 I was like, what? 00:22:01.440 --> 00:22:01.920 That's weird. 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:02.480 Tell me about that. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.759 Why aren't you praying about it? 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.920 She said, Well, I feel like when I don't pray about it, I don't really think about it. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:14.559 And so then I don't feel angry at God, which I don't want to be angry at God, but every time I pray about it, I find myself just like angry at God. 00:22:16.960 --> 00:22:26.799 I was like, I don't know, I'm not a psychologist, but I think maybe it might be that you're angry at God all the time, and it only surfaces when you're praying. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:32.480 But I'm pretty sure the answer is pray more, pray through it. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:34.799 Don't try to stuff it and hide it. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:44.160 Another friend of mine, a guy in ministry, and he was not getting the job opportunities he wanted. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:46.720 And I'm asking him, I'm like, hey, same kind of thing. 00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:48.640 He's like, I said, are you praying about it? 00:22:48.720 --> 00:22:50.079 He's like, no, I'm not praying about it. 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:55.839 And this this guy, great friend, I said, What do you mean you're not praying about it? 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:00.640 And he said, Man, he said, I'm sick of crying. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:03.039 He said, I'm a grown man. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.640 I'm sick of feeling sad. 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.599 I'm sick of crying. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:09.359 Every time I pray about it, I find myself just so sad and crying. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.160 It's better if I just go to work and quit thinking about it. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:13.519 Don't pray about it. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:21.440 That's a lot of the way that middle class American Christians like to handle hardship, right? 00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:27.200 Tempted to negative emotions, whether it's anger or sadness, like, you know, not me, stuff it away. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.759 Keep working away, everything will be fine. 00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.640 And it won't. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:31.599 I mean, we all know this. 00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:34.880 Stuff it away long enough, and the volcano will later explode. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.960 But the point is, what are we supposed to do? 00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:38.559 Persevere in prayer. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:40.319 Go wrestle with God. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.240 That's what this daddy did. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:24:02.480 I mean, guys, this daddy's saving grace was this: that all the no's, all the hardship, all the pain, all the seizures, all the things that must have grated on his last nerve, it didn't make him arrogant, it didn't make him self-righteous, it didn't make him jaded and cynical and whatever I give up. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:08.640 It made him more soft, more broken, more desperate, more dependent. 00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:15.759 That when Jesus said, again, did you know Jesus' answer? 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:18.880 He says, Jesus, if you can do anything. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:24.160 And Jesus, again, sounds a little bit frustrated, almost indignant, like, if you can. 00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:29.759 I mean, it's kind of like, you know, my lamb instruction, man, I'm God, I can do anything. 00:24:30.240 --> 00:24:32.160 You people trust in me. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:36.079 And don't you love the daddy's honesty? 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:37.279 I do believe. 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:42.160 I got a little bit of faith, but I got tons of unbelief too. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:49.599 What the extreme charismatic would say is that's not perfect faith, you don't get a healing. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:56.319 Another reason that I'm glad it's not true, and I know it's not true, because that's not what this passage says. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:59.440 Jesus said, Oh, you got bare minimum faith? 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:01.599 Oh, you got baby faith? 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:06.799 Oh, but you got little seed faith, but it's honest and it's raw and it's desperate. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:09.279 He's like, that's the kind of people I like to work with. 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:13.920 I don't like to work with proud, arrogant, stuck up people. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:17.359 I like to work with humble people, broken people, desperate people. 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:19.519 It's like, let me give you a miracle. 00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:21.680 Let me heal your son like that. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:25.599 Let me run this demon off and let me go ahead and give you like prior prevention. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:27.759 It's like, hey, demon, don't even come back with this boy. 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:30.480 You better run away and stay away forever. 00:25:31.359 --> 00:25:32.319 Power. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:40.880 William Henderson, Jesus tells the nine, this is when they get in the house, they start talking about it. 00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:44.799 They failed because of your little, your slack prayer. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:47.119 Where there is little faith, there's little prayer. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:54.559 Where there is an abundance of genuine persevering faith, there is also fervent, unrelenting prayer. 00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:56.240 How's your prayer life? 00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:57.599 What's your faith like? 00:25:58.160 --> 00:26:03.440 John MacArthur, the disciples were overconfident from their earlier successes. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:09.599 The disciples became enamored of their gifts and neglected to draw on divine power. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.799 I know what's happened to me. 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:16.880 Have some great success in ministry, everything's going well. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:18.960 You know what? 00:26:19.119 --> 00:26:22.640 Less time with the Lord, more time out there doing my thing. 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:25.039 Nosedive. 00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:37.119 A prayerless life, guys, is like shaking a fist of self-sufficiency in God's face. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:38.319 I don't need you, I got this. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:41.920 No, I don't think any of us are stupid enough to say that out loud. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:51.279 When we practically are just going along without clinging to him in prayer, what we are practically saying to him is, I got this, I got this, man. 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:51.839 I don't know. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:52.559 I got this. 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:54.160 Look how good I'm doing. 00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:58.880 Calvin again. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:05.680 It is our duty carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:06.640 I love this. 00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:15.119 And in Calvin's mind, to not have strong faith in Christ, to not have a strong prayer life, he says it's like spiritual infidelity. 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:17.599 It's like you're cheating on Jesus. 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:26.240 Carefully to shake off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to pray that God would correct them. 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:36.000 And as often as we are engaged in this conflict, to fly to him or to run to him for aid, God will never forsake us if we keep the door open for receiving his grace. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:41.680 He does not say that God will give us everything that we may mention or that strikes our minds at random. 00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:45.839 For the weakness of faith, he prescribes prayer as remedy. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.440 Your faith must therefore be excited by prayer. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:59.519 How many of you have ever known, or maybe some of us have been the guy or the girl that says, you know what, I need to get in better shape, I want to get stronger, I want to lose a few pounds. 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:04.400 So they go to the gym for the first time in a long time and they work out really, but they get really sore. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:06.160