The Gospel According to Matthew
Matthew 17: 14-21
INTRODUCTION: Faith. Faith. How do we wrap our arms around the subject of faith. It is one of those sometimes seemingly unreachable things. It is a concept. An action. It is something we can't measure but feel the need to. It is like pain. You can stab two people in the arm in the very same place, and are they feeling the same pain? There is no way of knowing. Faith. Faith. Faith is only as good as the object of it. Faith in the wrong thing is week, lack of faith in the right thing is weakness. Faith. Do you have faith? Is it something we possess or something we practice?
Question of the Day: What is your favorite bible promise?
READ: Matthew 17: 14-21
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy
14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”
17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.
19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”
20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
So here again Matthew gives us the shortened version of this story. In Mark 9 the story has much more detail. Matthew reminds me of my brother. A man of abbreviated words and thoughts. To the point.
First I think it is important for us to remember what it took for this father to bring his son to Jesus. At that time demon possession meant what as far as your place in society?
Are we any different today?
Mental illness and demon possession put you where in our society?
This man was bold. He was a warrior for his family. He was willing to go through crowds with his son to get to his only hope.
He brought this boy to the disciples but they could not heal him. Hmm. So this man was such a warrior for his family that he was willing to try this again. He had tried and it had failed. How many times do we try our faith and then give up?
It is interesting to me that he mentions that the disciples couldn't heal him. This at first may seem mean spirited, however it could just be that he was acknowledging that it may not be possible, because they had already tried. In Mark he does say, "If you can." to Jesus. He isn't sure this will work.
Do you ever come to Jesus with the, "if you can" attitude? Don't we even see it as the more intelligent way to ask? It is less televangelist healer weird. Right?
Let's face it, do we really have faith that Jesus can and does do miraculous healings today, here, now?
Or are we skeptical?
How do you feel about people who claim to go around healing in the name of Jesus?
Be honest.
Do we really believe that the Holy Spirit is as active in healing today as Jesus was while on earth?
What do you need healing from?
Hurt, bitterness, an unforgiving heart, chronic illness, lusts of the flesh, idleness, loneliness, selfishness. The list can go on and on and on.
Are you willing to press through the critical, crowds to get to Jesus?
Instead of hiding in your "private place" are you willing to seek out Jesus and then ask for healing?
Ellen White writes in the desire of Ages, "It is faith that connects us with heaven, and brings us strength for coping with the powers of darkness. In Christ, God has provided means for subduing every sinful trait, and resisting every temptation, however strong. But many feel that they lack faith, and therefore they remain away from Christ. Let these souls, in their helpless unworthiness, cast themselves upon the mercy of their compassionate Saviour. Look not to self, but to Christ. He who healed the sick and cast out demons when He walked among men is the same mighty Redeemer today. Faith comes by the word of God. Then grasp His promise, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37. Cast yourself at His feet with the cry, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." You can never perish while you do this--never."
In verse 17 Jesus says, “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”
What do you make of this? It sounds as if he is irritated. Is he? Tone is hard to read. Ellen White writes about His tone. She writes, "Jesus looked about Him upon the awe-stricken multitude, the caviling scribes, the perplexed disciples. He read the unbelief in every heart; and in a voice filled with sorrow He exclaimed, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?" Then He bade the distressed father, "Bring thy son hither."
A voice filled with sorrow. Jesus wants so much to save all of us from the affects of sin. He yearns to ease our pain. He has given us the commandments as a way to live, which he knows will bring us more joy. All of His instruction is for our good. All the things that we look at as a restriction, are not meant to hurt but to free us. Knowing that those watching, the disciples, and the father all doubted His ability to free this man's son, gave him sorrow.
So what about those disciples who couldn't heal the boy? So they are wondering the same thing and come to Christ to ask him. So why couldn't they heal him? What does Jesus say?
How do you know if you have little faith, or great faith?
With little faith, that as small as a mustard seed. What happens when the tiny seed lands in the soil. Does it stay small long?
As a girl I loved going and seeing the Sequoia Trees. Their great strong majesty thrilled me. This is what they start from. These are Sequoia tree seeds.
In case you think these are the size of watermelons. Here is one sequoia seed.
That one little seed becomes this.
Jesus doesn't want you to just have a mustard seed amount of faith. He wants to take that mustard seed of faith and turn it into a huge faith. A strong faith. A faith that will last your life time, and then forever with Him. He wants to nurture that faith, cultivate it, test it.
How do we practically even get a mustard seed of faith.
Mark 9: 23-24 says, "If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
There are two very important parts of this statement by the father of this little boy.
1. I do believe. Sometimes we have to state our belief ahead of our feelings.
2. "Help me overcome my unbelief" Acknowledge who will give us the belief. IT isn't you or me!
Faith. it is a funny thing. A difficult thing. Faith. Do you have any? If the answer is no... then...
1. Start by getting on your knees and saying, I believe, Lord help me overcome my unbelief.
2. Start by finding promises and reciting them.
3. Remember just like a seed becoming a huge tree you will go through many changes. You will have challenges, even times when you feel like you have lost your faith. Take those moments to start back at 1. and then 2. etc. This is a journey a growth process. The seed doesn't stay a seed.
4. Share your faith with others. Your faith will strengthen those around you. Listen to others faith.
5. At times ask for those who have faith to lift you up. We can hold each others arms up when we are too tired to keep going.
6. Make sure when you are weak in faith that you surround yourself with those who encourage your faith.
7. Get on your knees. Daily. Moment by moment. Pray. Pray. Pray.
Who am I? I am a child with faith! I believe. Lord help my unbelief and continue to develop and grow my faith. May this tiny seed become a strong tree drawing those around me to look up and see you!!!
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