What Makes Us Great?

What Makes Us Great?

Good Morning Friends,

Today we have the story of the healing of a boy with a spirit that seems a lot like epilepsy. I have seen people in epilepsy fits and indeed they seem possessed but I have always thought it more of a medical condition not a spiritual one. The event and the story is humbling and I think designed to help us understand our split personality when it comes to a relationship with God. And perhaps that is the message for the disciples and us as well. As further evidence for this thinking it is helpful to understand the story viewed in connection with the transfiguration narrative and the power of spiritual history to give it the contrast it deserves. And so, picture God coming down to earth as the disciples try to climb a spiritual ladder up toward the divine. Imagine what we can eventually do to heal others if we see the goal beyond the situation presented to something that has effect not just on one but on many. And as the storyline goes the disciples have a problem healing the boy and in fact fail. And it prompts them to argue. The image is of a battle of our own fight for conversion. And it all focuses not on the ability of God but on our faith in Christ and humility and endurance in believing and perceiving in a new way as the tipping point. What Makes Us Great?

Scripture: When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. When the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe, and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” Someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so.” He answered them, “You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “If you are able! —All things can be done for the one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” 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.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand. When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “This kind can come out only through prayer.”

Mark 9:14-29 (NRSV)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

 James 3:13-18 (NRSV)

Message: The night is darkest, just before dawn. The fighting is fiercest just before total victory is won. So never give up. The enemy will do his worst, but through Jesus, we can outlast the evil one. So, we must fight on for the goal of life and love knowing that failure can breed disbelief if we embrace failure rather than learning. Indeed, failure can prompt pointless arguments as it did with the disciples. The point is that we need a power greater than ourselves to deal with the challenges we hope to conquer. We need help in believing. And typically, our heart is in, but our head is out. We half believe the Kingdom is coming even though we pray for it to come. In theory we believe but in practice we often insist on using something else. We need Jesus to take us by the hand and lift us up, so we might see beyond the condition of our souls into eternity. Friends, Jesus puts no limits on the power of faith. So, realize that half believing is merely half perceiving. Desire more. See from the perspective of Jesus. Only in humbly submitting to God can we be great.

And So, if you are facing an impossible problem, bring it to Jesus. And have faith that grows and thereby sustains a communion with God, a lifetime intimacy with the divine that generates a power to deal with any evil. Here we are to realize that in the right order of nature the flesh is subject to the spirit and not the reverse. We are to realize that we have been gifted with a mind, reason, and will to be used with our imagination and feelings for the purpose of healing sin sick souls.

Pray for the inadequate faith we have, grow into a deeper faith, as we act on the faith we have. Pray
we ask Jesus to help us overcome our disbelief. Pray our faith does not waver even though the fight looks grim. Pray we call on Jesus for help and are given strength to endure the trials and tribulations of life. Pray our prayers align our will with the will of God. Pray we believe there are no limits on the power of faith. Pray we realize that prayer is meant to be a whole life of communion with God not merely a petition for a single situation. Pray we desire a spiritual grace that transforms. Pray we realize that we are called to be faithful, whether we succeed or not Pray we realize that victory is in Jesus.

Blessings,

John Lawson