Everything Is Possible for Him Who Believes

Mark 9:14-32

Key verse 23

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Introduction:

Today, Jesus heals a boy possessed by an evil spirit. Jesus’ nine disciples miserably failed to heal this boy. Jesus rebukes the whole generation due to their unbelief in this passage. He demonstrates the unlimited power of faith and prayer by driving out the evil spirit from the boy. May God bless us to pray for our generation and experience the power of faith through our prayer life. I pray that the Lord may bless your decision of faith to have a victorious life of mission in this new semester. 

1. Read verses 14-15. What did Jesus and his three disciples see when they came to the other disciples? (14) What did the people do when they saw Jesus? (15)

 

1-1) Read verses 14-15.

“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.”

1-2) What did Jesus and his three disciples see when they came to the other disciples? (14)

When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.

While Jesus was transfigured into the glorious image of God at the top of the mountain whereas nine of his disciples at the foot of the mountain were struggling to take care of one father and his troubled son. 

As soon as Jesus came back to the real world, there was a big argument between his nine disciples and the teachers of law

 This happened when a man in the crowd brought his son who was possessed by an evil spirit and asked the nine disciples to heal his son. 

All of them had already driven out evil spirits during their field-work training time; not only one time, but two times during fieldwork training time.

 They tried to drive out the evil spirit based on their past experiences, but they failed.

The teachers of the law criticized the disciples. They were worse than the nine disciples because they were legalistic and heartless. 

1.3) What did the people do when they saw Jesus? (15)

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. So they were overwhelmed and wondered. 

The crowd and the teachers of the law ran to Jesus and greeted him, “Hello, Jesus. Where were you? We missed you a lot. We are glad to see you again.”

2. Read verses 16-19. What did Jesus ask? (16) How did the father describe his son’s condition? (17,18)  Through this what did Jesus see as the real problem of this time? (19a) What did he say? (19b)

2-1) Read verses 16-19.

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 “O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

2-2) What did Jesus ask? (16)

 “What are you arguing with them about?

2-3) How did the father describe his son’s condition? (17,18)

 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.”

2-4) Through this what did Jesus see as the real problem of this time? (19a)

“Unbelief”

When Jesus saw his nine disciples who were unable to help the boy and his father, Jesus expressed his holy anger towards their lack of faith and the lack of faith of the whole generation.  

Though they were called to shepherd God’s flocks, they revealed their inability.

Jesus saw that their problem was a generation problem of unbelieving. 

Unbelieving was permeated to the whole generation. 

So he rebuked the whole generation as unbelieving by saying, “O, unbelieving generation.” 

Jesus stayed with his own disciples more than three years. He taught them the word of life. He performed many miracles before them. He planted the hope of God in them. 

His time to be crucified was approaching rapidly. He did not have time to stay with them too long. But they were still unbelieving.

 They were arguing among themselves. They were afraid of the cross and rejection. They were thinking about the things of men. They had human ambition but did not want to take up the cross. 

Jesus knew their spiritual condition and lamented, “How long shall I stay with you?” How about the religious leaders? Jesus tried to put up with them for a long time.

But they were still unbelieving. They were looking for a way to kill Jesus. The unbelieving problem was everywhere. It was widespread. It was epidemic. 

Unbelieving people occupied the whole world. Men were unbelieving. Women were unbelieving. Young people were unbelieving. 

2-5) What did he say? (19b)

“how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

3. Read Verses 20-24. What did the spirit do when they brought the boy to Jesus? (20) What did Jesus ask the boy’s father? (21a) What did the boy’s father tell Jesus? (21b, 22) What did Jesus say? (23) What did this mean for the boy’s father and what does this mean to you? What was the father’s response? (24) What can we learn from his response?

3-1) Read Verses 20-24. 

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 him who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

3-2) What did the spirit do when they brought the boy to Jesus? (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.

3-3) What did Jesus ask the boy’s father? (21a) 

21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”

3.4) What did the boy’s father tell Jesus? (21b, 22)

“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.”

3-5) What did Jesus say? (23) 

 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

3-6) What did this mean for the boy’s father and what does this mean to you? 

The boy’s father must have frustrated with nine disciples and teachers of law. He could have left the place. But he endured long enough to meet Jesus. “If you can” shows his frustration well. 

But Jesus helped him to have faith in the Lord Almighty. He was encouraged to have faith to overcome the situation. 

3-7) What was the father’s response? (24)

 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

3-8) What can we learn from his response?

He is teachable. He tried to correct his attitude at once. 

4. Read verses 25-29. How did Jesus set the boy free from the power of the evil spirit? (25) What happened to the boy? (26) How did Jesus further help the boy? (27) What was the disciples’ question? (28) What was Jesus’ answer? (29)

4-1) Read verses 25-29.

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.”

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.”

4-2) How did Jesus set the boy free from the power of the evil spirit? (25)

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.”

4-3) What happened to the boy? (26)

26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 

4-4) How did Jesus further help the boy? (27

)

27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.

4-5) What was the disciples’ question? (28) 

28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

4-6) What was Jesus’ answer? (29)

29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

5. Read verses 30-32. Why did Jesus not want anyone to know where they were? (30-31a) What did Jesus say to his disciples? (31b) How did his disciples respond? (32)  

5-1) Read verses 30-32. 

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them,“The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him,and after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand what he meantand were afraid to ask him about it.

5-2)  Why did Jesus not want anyone to know where they were? (30-31a)

30 They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, 31 because he was teaching his disciples. 

5-3)  What did Jesus say to his disciples? (31b) 

He said to them,“The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” 

5-4) How did his disciples respond? (32)  

32 But they did not understand what he meantand were afraid to ask him about it.

Conclusion) 

It is challenging to believe and pray when there is a seemingly impossible situation. It is also easy to rely on the past experience and give up. But Jesus helped both the father to not give up but have faith and the disciples to pray without ceasing. Our worst enemy is despair and giving up. May the Lord help us to learn of Jesus’ remark, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Belief is a matter of individual, not a group. May the Lord increase our faith individually in our each mission field in 2013 and mold us to be mighty warriors of prayer to save many souls. Amen. 

One word: If you can?