“The soul is the life of the body. Faith is the life of the soul. Christ is the life of faith.”
John Flavel
Last Sunday’s sermon was brought to us by John O’Brien. It was a powerful and practical look at Mark 9:17-24. Jesus heals a boy with an unclean spirit. The father both confesses his belief and his unbelief. Here is the familiar passage:
20And 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. 21And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” [Mark 9:20-24, emphasis mine]
John then offered three attitudes to develop as we seek to overcome our own unbelief:
What’s involved in the “crying out”? Or maybe a better way to ask this is “What does it mean, in really practical terms, to ‘cry out to Jesus?’”
- Like a lot of things in our Christian walk this starts with the attitude of our hearts – not a formula or set of steps we follow. There are three understandings or attitudes that we need to develop as we “cry out:”A true recognition that I can do nothing – we think we are in control, but we are not. This is a fun one – pride comes into play – we think more highly of ourselves than we should. Remember John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
- A real understanding of God’s sovereignty. John MacArthur says sovereignty means “total rule”. A.W. Pinks says sovereignty is “The supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the godhood of God. To say that God is Sovereign is to declare that God is God.” Capitol Hill Baptist Church (9Marks) says that “God’s sovereignty is basically His use of His power over His creation. It means that God has supreme authority over all things and is in complete control at all times and in all situations.”
- An honest desire to have God change me. Change me to fit His model for the situation I am in and there is the rub, if I’m honest I want God to change the situation to meet MY desires… not God’s purposes and plans. Only the Holy Spirit can put that kind of desire in me.
The father and son story we are allowed to witness in Mark 9 is a powerful testimony to our human nature and the fact that doubts are part of our fallen condition.
Have a blessed week and we will see many of you this Sunday.
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Dale
