OK Crosspoint Keeners, turn in the Word to Mark 9:14-29. There is a lot going on in this text. Here are a few of my thoughts:
- Why couldn't the disciples heal the boy? Were they lacking faith even though they had seen/performed many miracles?
- How about Jesus getting pretty upset with everyone. Obviously their lack of faith was starting to wear on him.
- Who had the most faith in this story?
- Who had the most doubt?
- How do we explain, "I do believe, help me with my unbelief"?
We're planning an impacting service to kick off our BBQ series!
Here's the deal on paying for the BBQ. This week it's on us. We'll always accept donations ;-) Next week will be the big 'wrap up celebrate get kids on the stage invite every relative from here to Vancouver' Sunday. There will be a lot of visitors with us. We'd like for them to stay for the BBQ without having to pay. So, week one is free and week two will be on donations. We're asking you to donate double in order to cover the cost of a visitor on that Sunday. Aren't you lucky?!
We'll see what week 3 brings. It'll either be donation or an outright price tag ($1/burger or something like that).
God is good. Lives are being changed.
P.S. Pastor Amy had a crew of volunteers here last night decorating for the "Power Lab" VBS. It's looking awesome!!
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I'm the Lead Pastor of Crosspoint Wesleyan Church in Fredericton, NB, Canada. www.crosspointchurch.ca
1 comment:
This is a timely reference to Mark 9:14-29 as it just recently came up in a discussion on inerrancy on another blog I read.
Here's what one commenter wrote:
If we’re going by exorcisms, the most borderline one is in Mark 9:14-32. This looks very much like epilepsy, and Jesus doesn’t speak with the spirit or even bother asking its name (calling it a “deaf and mute” spirit instead). In answer to his disciples’ question “We can cast out other demons, why not this one?” Jesus cryptic answer in verse 29 may mean “This demon was so bad it would take extra effort (prayer and fasting) to cast it out” or perhaps “This wasn’t a demon, fellas, but I don’t want to confuse you with the details right now”. But as I said, the narrator (who must also be held infallible for inerrancy to work) calls it an evil spirit several times without hesitation, so I would go with the “extra strength demon” interpretation.
I personally would go with the epilepsy interpretation with a dash of divine condescension. Jesus's frustration, I think, comes from the disciples' thinking that they can handle everything themselves once they've been empowered by God. Some things just aren't possible without God and I suppose we'd all do well to remember that.
I love the "I believe; help me with my unbelief!" statement by the father. We've all been where he was, haven't we? I can't think of a better prayer for some situations.
One of my other favorite faith stories is Luke 7:1-10 where Jesus offers to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant but the man declines saying, "look, we're both men of authority. We snap our fingers and make things happen. So I know if you just say the word he'll be healed and that's good enough for me."
Jesus replies, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."
What a mind-blowingly profound compliment!
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