Transcription
Hallelujah. I got to do. Did they run this by Elijah? Yeah. Sorry.
All right. You're right with that. Thank you. Thank you. Let's talk. Yeah. Hallelujah. Again, very. That is where I'm sitting. Hallelujah. Let's start right. It's great. Happy birthday. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. We hold in the storms of life. When the clouds unfold their wings, when the strong ties lift and the king will anchor the gesture while the rising to the wrong safely till the stoest in the wild our flow. We have an earth that keeps our song blessing shore while the bill passing to the rock and the srise behold the gathering light the city above our heart. We shall anchor rest by the heavenly sh forever. We have an earth that keeps our soul into the savior. Heat. Heat. Oh, praise the Lord.
Yeah. Do you have an anchor? If your anchor is in the Lord Jesus Christ, you're not going to be driven with the wind, tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine. You're going to be settled and steadfast, fixed on the word of the Lord.
Amen. If you don't have that, you can have that. You can be saved and the Lord Jesus Christ will be your anchor. He'll be your rock. Amen. Let's have the men come forward, receive this morning's offering. Continue to remember Pastor Mitchell in Fiji and and Mrs. Mitchell. She's there as well. And and pray for that work. What a blessing that they were able to go there, be an encouragement to the Howard. Sounds like the Howard really needed that. Really needed to be able to conversate with some folks of, you know, from from the United States. But praise the Lord what he's doing there. Been enjoying those photos and hearing the reports. Let's pray for Pastor Jose as he's dealing with a a pressing issue right now. Pray that the Lord would give him wisdom and and discernment and that the Lord would just bless and help in the whole situation. And then uh pray for the folks up in Shelburn. Right now they're with uh brother Talbot and brother Britain from Manitoba. Pray that the Lord would encourage them, encourage the folks in Shelburn, and as well as encourage the brethren from from Manitoba as they get to see what the Lord is doing there. It's a blessing. So let's pray for these things. Let's remember that we have an adversary. Let's remember that that we need to be sober and vigilant. Amen.
All right, let's let's pray now. We'll receive this morning's offering. Heavenly Father, I praise you that you've saved us and that you've settled us. You you set us, oh Lord, and your perfect will and your family and that we do have an anchor that holds and it's fastened to the rock that shall not move. I pray Lord if anyone here this morning is not saved who have not repented and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ who has not born again Lord I pray that you would convict them in their hearts over that pray that you would prick them that they would not be comfortable in their sin that they would see their great need of salvation that you have provided through the the blood the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank you Lord that he is risen again never to die no more. I thank you Lord that he is coming back and he shall rule and reign here on this earth. Even so come Lord Jesus.
I pray Lord that you bless the musicians as they play this morning for your glory. Help us oh Lord to sing out with joy to sing with ferveny and zeal. And Lord I pray that you bless his offering. Help me oh Lord to preach your word. I pray that your word would have free course and that you would help me, oh Lord, to have wisdom and boldness that you would work in the the hearts of those here as they hear your word. Help us, oh Lord, to receive it and to do it. And in Jesus Christ's precious name, I pray. Amen. Behind. Blue heat. Heat. Heat. D. D. I never d. Amen.
Turn to page 137. Page 137. Christ the Lord is risen today. 137. Christ the Lord is today. Sons of heaven and angels sing hallelujah. Praise your voice in triump. Hallelu. Sing heavens and earthly. Hallelu lives again our glorious king. Hallelujah is now I sing. Hallelu. Crying words but we are the same. Hallelu and thy victory proclaim. Halleluing work is done. Hallelu one. Hallelu. Death is pain for surprise. Oh hallelu Christ has opened their eyes. Hallelu Christ has died. Halleluah exalted heavenlu we riseallelu the across the grieal. Hallelu.
Amen. 404. The fight is on. 404. The fight is on. The trumpet sound is ringing. We cry to God. His word of war and near. The Lord of host is marching on to victory. The triumph. But Christ will soon appear. The fight is on. All Christian solders will face to face. We learning and calling the right and wrong gates today. The fight is on but be not weary. Be strong and this might last. If God before us is better or rush sing the victor song at last. The fight is on. Soldiers brave children and victory. Walk along the armor God has given you and in his way to the end the light is on. Oh Christian soldier and face to face turn away and fall in today. The fight is on but be not weary. Be strong and in his might and God before us is better for us. Sing the victory song and bless. The Lord is king to certain victory. The power of pro glorious day in every shall be the Lord will pray. The dawn of pieces are sold in your face and stern our raining in the spring and rock and gates today. All right, but be not weary. He's strong and in his title pass with God before us. His banner over us will sing the victor song at last. Amen. You may be seated. Let's turn now to 334. Be thou my vision. 334. All of my heart will be save my day or my love or sleeping. In my presence, my light be my true. I am with thee and thou with me. How my great father I s and I with thee which is I empty praise in now and always Now and all be thirst in my heart. My king of heaven purchase through the heart. My king of heaven my victory. May I reach heaven stars of heart of my ever. Amen. Heat. Heat. Amen. Good singing. I know Pastor Mitchell's mentioned this many times before. It's not a, you know, a singing service and then the offering service, then the preaching service. It's all one service to the Lord. Glorify him in all of it. So when you sing out with zeal, that glorifies the Lord. When you give with joy, that glorifies the Lord. Whenever you receive and hear and do the preaching of the word that glorifies the Lord. So let's look into the word of the Lord this morning in Mark chapter 9. Let me turn to Mark chapter 9. I've preached this here a couple of years ago and the Lord had me preach this in a couple churches on deputation and he still has it on my heart. So, I'm going to preach it again this morning. I have changed quite a few things since I preached it here. So, if you remember me preaching this, you get to be blessed by it again. But if not, then I'm sure it'll bless you still. So Mark chapter 9, start in verse 14. We'll read through verse 29. And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them. And the scribes questioning with them, and straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him. And he asked the scribes, "What question ye with them?" And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son which hath a dumb spirit. And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him, and he foamth and nasheth with his teeth, and pineth away. And I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. He answerth him, and said, Oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him unto me. And they brought him unto him. And when he saw him, straightway the spirit tear him. And he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming. And he asked his father, "How long is it ago since this came unto him?" And he said, "Of a child, and of times it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou can't do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou can't believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe. Help thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried and rent him sore, and came out of him. And he was as one dead in so much that many said, he is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he was come un into the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could not we cast him out?" And he said unto him, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." I've titled this, "If thou cast believe." If thou can't believe. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for this account in your scriptures. how the Lord Jesus Christ delivered this this son who was loved by his father. He delivered him from the grip of this devil because of faith. Lord Jesus Christ did this. Lord, I pray that you would help me to preach your word and show that that we need to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We need to believe. Lord, I pray that you would bless your church as they hear, as they receive your word. And in Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.
So if thou can't believe, let's look at the the parallel passages. Keeping your place in Mark, look at Matthew 17. These parallel passes passages shed a little bit of light on this account. So in Matthew 17:14 says, "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man kneeling down to him and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is lunatic and sore vexed, for off times he falleth into the fire and often to the water." And I brought him to thy disciples and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, 'Oh faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil, and he departed out of him. And the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief. For verily I say unto you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, he shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you. How be it, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. So you see in this passage that the father comes to him kneeling down. His father is begging for help for his son. The apostles could not cast out this devil. And the father is asking the Lord Jesus Christ if he would help them. And the Lord did cast out the devil. But notice in verse 20 when the apostles asked, "How come we could not cast him out?" In this passage, the Lord says, "Because of your unbelief." So not only do we have an unbelieving father, but we have an unbelieving group of disciples. They could not believe. And then let's look in Luke 9. Luke 9:37 says, "And it came to pass that on the next day when they were come down from the hill, much people met him. And behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I beseech thee, look upon my son, for he is mine only child, and lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crith out, and it teareth him, that he foamth again, and bruising him hardly departth from him. And I besought thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not. And Jesus answering said, Oh faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and suffer you? bring thy son hither." And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down and tear him. And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the child and delivered him again to his father. And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while they wondered everyone at all the at all things which Jesus did, he said unto his disciples, "Let these sayings sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man shall be delivered into the sons of into the hands of men." that they understood not the saying, but they understood not the saying, and it was hid from them that they perceived it not, and they feared to ask him of that saying. So, we see these three accounts of Jesus Christ, and he has some apostles with him, and we'll look at this in a minute, are coming down this mountain, and they're coming down, and they see this great multitude, this great commotion that's going on. And as Jesus Christ asks, you know, what's going on? What are you all talking about? His father comes to the Lord Jesus Christ with a problem. His son was possessed with the devil. And the apostles could not cast out that devil. But I want to turn you your attention to the power of Christ. You saw in Luke that they marveled at the power of God. They marveled at what Christ could do. But this is not the first time Christ showed his power. This is not the first time you see it in the gospel accounts. We see in chapter one of Mark how Christ healed many diseases. People were brought under Christ, many people, and he just healed anyone who had a disease. Anyone who was sick, he healed them. Christ has power over disease and sickness. He has power over it. We see in chapter two how Christ healed the sick of the Pauly. A man that was sick of the Pauly is brought to the Lord and he healed him. And let me also mention that this is not a healing like you see in the charismatic group. This is not a healing where it's a a temporary show of of something that's fake or counterfeit where they heal someone in a wheelchair who is an actor. Or say they healed someone who was lame, who couldn't walk. But the next day you see him in a wheelchair. I thought the Lord healed you. Oh, I need healing again, brother. When the Lord heals, it's permanent. It is permanent. And we'll look at that too here in a minute in our account with Mark 9. Chapter 3, we see Christ healed the withered hand. The creator of all things, the creator who made the hand can make a man's hand whole again. Chapter 4, we see Christ calming the storm. He rebukes the the sea and the wind. He rebukes those waves and they obeyed him. One who created the water, the one who created the wind obeys him. It all obeys him. The wind and the seas obey him. He shows his power on display. Chapter five, Christ cast out a legion of devils out of a man. Remember, he cast them out and they went into the herd of swine. And the man was sitting clothed and in his right mind. I heard a missionary in Tulsa. He was talking about getting ready for church. He goes, "The hardest struggle is getting my children clothed and in their right mind." I'm like, "Sometimes they can be like demons, huh? But Christ cast out a legion of devils out of a man and that man wanted to follow Christ. And we also see in the same chapter, chapter 5, how Christ raised a girl from the dead. Wow. He has power over sickness, power over disease, power over creation, over wind, over the ocean, over the seas, over the water. That is his power over devils. He has power over death. Amen. That's the Lord we serve. Chapter six, Christ feeds 5,000 people with just a few loaves of bread and couple of fish. He has power over sustenance, over food. He can feed you. He can feed you with ravens. He can feed a multitude with just a little bit of food. That's the Christ we serve. Same chapter. Christ walked on water. He can defy physics. Why? Well, he created it. He's not bound by physics like we are. Chapter 7, we see that Christ opened the ears and loosed the tongue of a man. The man was deaf and he had a speech impediment and Christ delivered him from it where he could hear and he could speak plainly. Christ can touch your tongue and heal it. That's the power he has. And then again in chapter eight, he feeds 4,000 in case they didn't get it the first time. And you can read in scripture that they didn't get it the second time either. And then in chapter nine, the beginning of chapter nine and Mark, we see Christ being transfigured. See Christ's power on display over sickness, over disease, over death, over creation, over food, over devils. See his power on display. And then Peter, James, and John goes up into the mount of transfiguration with Christ. And they see him in his glorified state talking with Moses and Elijah. Amen. Wow. And I will tell you, Peter said that yes, he did see that. But we have a more sure word of prophecy we can trust right here. You can see Christ's power on display. And yet we come to verse 14 where once again Christ had to deal with their faith. Why could you not believe still? Why could you still not believe after all of this? You see Christ's power, his mighty works, and you still don't believe. Let's look in chapter 6 verse4. Actually, I'm going to start with verse one. Says, "And he went out from fence and came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue." And many hearing him were astonished, saying, "From whence hath this man these things? And what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and of Judah and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, "A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house, and he could there do no mighty work." And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching. There's two things we see Christ marveling about in the New Testament. Belief and unbelief. There he could not do any mighty works because they did not believe. They did not believe. Christ has power over everything. Yet people still would not believe. They seen his power on display. They saw the dead raised again. They saw the the seas calmed and the waves the the wind stopped. They saw Christ feed the multitudes. They saw all the healings, but they did not believe. They did not. So we come to this account in Mark 4, I'm sorry, Mark 9. Where Christ again shows his mighty works. How he has power once again over another devil. We're going to consider two points. We're going to look at the problem and we're going to look at the prescription. So the problem and the prescription. The problem is multifaceted. There's not just one problem here in this passage. We see scorning scribes. We see faithless followers. And then we see a possessed person. And we're going to look at each one of these problems and consider what the prescription is for these. These scribes, the scorning scribes, they wanted an advantage. They want an advantage over the disciples and over Christ. This was their opportunity. Or so they thought that they had an opportunity. Wow. The apostles, they actually cannot cast out this devil. Wow. We got him where where we want him now. Surely if they can't, then Jesus Christ can't cast him out either. They can't cast out this devil. We could finally have something to point to that says that Jesus Christ is not who he claims he is. They wanted to find something that Christ and his disciples cannot do. What a wicked attitude to have that these scoring scribes had to desire someone to fail just so you can look good. Just so you could say they're not who they say they are. They're very critical of the Lord Jesus Christ. They cared nothing about what the Lord Jesus Christ taught. When Christ saw these scribes, he asked a pointed question. He says in in verse 14, he says, "And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them. And the scribes questioning with them, and straightway all the people when they beheld him were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him. And he asked the scribes, "What question ye with them? Why are you talking to my disciples? What are you doing here? Why are you giving them a hard time? Why are you trying to devour my sheep? When a shepherd sees the sheep in trouble, when he sees the wolves circling the flock, he starts fighting. He gets in there and he fights back. And the Lord Jesus Christ being the chief shepherd says, "What are you doing here to my disciples? What are you talking about?" After this question, the father came forth and explained the situation. He says, "My son has a devil." My son has a devil and your disciples cannot cast him out. Your disciples can't. Verse 18, he says, "I spake to thy disciples and they should cast him out." They should and they could not. Wow. He makes it very clear that the disciples should be able to cast out the devil. And the father is right. They should be able to cast out the devil. They had the power. They had the authority. They had the ability. But they could not. What do you mean they had the ability? Let's look in Matthew 10. Let me show you why they should be able to cast out this devil. Matthew 10 verse 1. And when he had called unto him his 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Did Christ give them power? Did Christ give them the ability? Did Christ give them the authority to cast out these devils? He sure did. They should have been able to cast out the devil, but they couldn't. They could not do it. Seeing Christ, seeing the scribes deplorable attitudes toward his disciples. They see the man's disappointment with Christ's disciples. His father was disappointed that they could not cast out this devil. And then Christ sees the disciples inability. Christ issues a rebuke. He gives a rebuke. That's what was needed here. Verse 19, he answerth them. He answerth him and sayith, "Oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you?" He says that you lacked faith. You are being faithless. You don't believe in Christ's ability. The disciples did not believe. The father did not believe. They're being faithless. Here we see the second problem. So the first problem was the scorning scribes and Christ had to shut them up. And the second problem we see the faithless followers. Those who claimed to be disciples lacked faith. I don't believe that Christ was issuing a rebuke uh to the scribes saying that they lacked faith. They had no faith. They didn't even have a little faith. They were not saved. They did not believe Christ. They did not believe who Christ said he was. We could see in our parallel passages that we read in Matthew 17 that Christ revealed who lacked faith. When the disciples went to him and said, "How come we could not cast him out?" They said, "Because of your unbelief." The disciples lacked faith. They're faithless followers. As this further unfolds, we see Christ deals specifically with the father. The father lacked faith. Christ has to yet again deal with this lack of faith. He performed all these miracles. He showed his mighty power. It was on display. The word miracle is as seamon has to do with signs. Christ did miracles as a sign to show who he is to confirmed who he is. That he is Christ. He is the son of God. He is the one who should come. He is the Messiah. He showed his mighty power over nature, over sin, over sickness, over disease, over physical needs like food, and even over death. He equipped and he commanded the the disciples in Matthew 10 to go and cast out these devils. He says, "I give you the the power to do it." Now, I'm commanding you, go and do it. Cast out devils, heal sickness. So, why were they not able to do? Why were they not able to do it this time? Because of their unbelief. They lacked faith. They were being faithless followers. You know, some say that verse 29 in Mark 9 says, "And they said unto him, this kind," he said unto them, "This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting." Some say that well, they couldn't cast out because they weren't praying and fasting. But Christ showed before that they're not going to fast while Christ was on the earth. They'll fast when Christ is gone. Yes. Today this kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting. We should pray and fast for these situations. But Christ told them, I give you power. Go do it. Just go do it. Some things we should just go do, right? Amen. Well, I should pray whether or not the Lord want me to read his word today. Ridiculous. You know the Lord wants you to read his word today. Just do it. I I need to pray. There's that person over there. Should I witness to them, Lord said in Matthew 28, be witnesses unto all creatures? Go preach to them. Give them the gospel. It's just just go do it. BW has that phrase. Whenever we're doing a root cause, is this something we have to implement, a fix for through time, a process, create it, or is this a just go do it? The apostles were to just cast out that devil, just believe in the Lord and do it. But they couldn't. They could not. They should, but they lacked faith, so they could not. Now, I said that the father also lacked faith. But before we get to the father, I want us to look at the possessed person, the father's son. This possessed person was what everyone thought was the main problem. Everyone thought that this is what really needed to happen. He needed to be cured. He was possessed by a devil. You know, here it says a dumb spirit. The parallel passages we read, it said a devil or an unclean spirit. It's clear that this is not just some medical case of like epilepsy or some other medical issue. He's demonpossessed. There is a demon involved. This is spiritual warfare. This child was in the grip of Satan and needed to be delivered. Christ rebuked his followers for being faithless, but still he has them bring the son to him. And as he as the son was brought to Christ, the devil, knowing his time was drawing to a close, knowing that the end was near, made a show of what he could do and physically abused the boy in front of Christ. Says in verse 20, "And they brought him unto him. And when he saw him, straightway the spirit tear him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming. That devil did not want to let go. Remember what I said this morning before Sunday school? We have an adversary and he will not quit. He will not quit. This is not a game, folks. This is not a walk in a park. This is war. Whenever that devil tried to destroy that that son, Christ was not moved by the show of force. Christ didn't start getting worried. Oh no, he's going to kill him. I better jump in there. No, Christ just let it happen. As we can see, even if the devil kills the boy, kills the son, Christ can raise him from the dead. Christ was not moved by the show of force. Instead, he asked the father, "How long has this been going on?" Do you think Christ didn't already know that answer? Christ didn't ask that question for his own sake. He asked it so everyone else could hear how long this has been going on for, so he could be glorified. So they can see the power of God. They needed to see what Christ can do. Christ prepared everyone to once again see who he is and the power he possesses. And the answer of the father solidifies the fact that this has been going on going on for quite some time. The father says of a child. Now we don't know how old this son is at this time, but you can kind of get the understanding that the father says of a child. This has been going on for some time. And this son is probably not old enough yet to be married and have children, but he's young enough to still be under the authority of his father. So whenever I think of this son, I'm thinking of boys up here about your age. That's that's what I'm thinking. And the father says, "Of a child this has been going on." So it's been quite a few years that this devil has had a grip on this son. The disciples couldn't do anything. They could not cast out the devil. They could not. They should, but they could not. And now the father is wondering, can Christ even do anything? Can Christ cast him out? You see in verse 22, in off times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou can't do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Now we remember we see in Matthew this father is on his knees. He's on his knees. And here we see that he's crying. He cries out to to the f to the to the Lord Jesus Christ. This father is at his wit's end. He loves his son. This is his only son. He doesn't want him destroyed. And he's wondering, can Christ even cast out this devil? We see these three problems. We see the scorning scribes. We see the faithless fathers, the followers, and then we see the possessed person. All three, all three were affecting everyone there. The whole multitude are being affected. It's quite a turmoil going on. But the only person who was keeping us cool and was not affected was Christ. Christ knew what was needed. The scribes had the disciples discouraged. You imagine if you're the one who is supposed to to to cast out this devil, you can't do it. Then you have someone over here going, "How come you can't do it? How come you can't cast him out? You'd probably want to slap him. I wouldn't recommend it, but you'd probably be like, "Oh, my hand's itching." It wouldn't be very pleasant. You'd be discouraged. And also the disciples had the father doubting. Father was doubting. Can anyone cast out this devil out of my son? Is it hopeless? Is my father is my son going to die? The disciples disappointed the father and had the father doubting. The father gave the scribe something to rejoice over. Scribes were over there rejoicing finally something that they cannot accomplish. And the father made it seem hopeless because surely if the disciples who receive the power from Christ to cast out these devils, surely if they can't do it, then Christ can't do it either. Christ cannot do it either. I want to show you something in Matthew 8. I want to show you a difference between what the the father asked if thou can't do anything compared to what a leper asks in Matthew 8. When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. In verse two, and behold, there came a leper and worshiped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou can't make me clean. Does that sound like a question? Or does that sound like this leper being sure, if it is your will, you can make me clean? Does that sound like that leper believed who Jesus Christ was? But that father back in in Mark 9 says if thou can't do anything. He's asking if you're even able to do anything. Does that sound like someone who is sure of who Jesus Christ is? No. Sounds like he lacked faith. So what is the prescription? Faith. It's faith. What's the prescription to those that are scorning you? Believe in Jesus Christ. What's the prescription to others around you or being faithless and not following Christ? You just keep believing Christ. What's the prescription to demonpossessed persons? Keep believing Christ. Just have faith. Often today, the prescription, a medication only masks a problem. It treats a symptom. It does not cure a problem. Does not cure a disease. The pharmaceutical industry makes a lot of money making sure it doesn't cure anything. That's just my little conspiracy theory for the day. If they were to cure everyone, they'd soon go out of business. They're in it to make money. Now, I'm not saying don't take medications. Medications can be very helpful. When I have a gout attack, I take a medication. Helps me walk again. Not like how Christ would, but it's a temporary medication. But often, like I say today, it masks a problem. But with Christ, when he gives the prescribed remedy, it cures the problem. It cures it. Faith does not mask a problem of unbelief. It cures unbelief. It's the opposite of unbelief. Faith doesn't mask a demon-possessed son. It cures the demon-possessed son from that demon. It's the cure. So, let's consider this father again. The prescription that this father needed verse 22. And off times it hath cast him into the fire and into the waters to destroy him. But if thou can't do anything, have compassion on us and help us. And I stress the words anything. He's asking God the Son, the one who created everything, the one who has all power. He's omnipotent. Ask him if you could do anything. Is there anything you can do? I present to you that Christ can do everything. The disciples could do nothing as the father pointed out. And the father now asks, "Can you do anything or you're going to be just like your disciples?" The word can't in this passage, if thou can'tst do anything, is the is where we get the word power or dynamite from. It's where we get the word dynamite. It's dunamite. Do you have the power to do anything, Christ? And we looked at the account of the leper. The leper knew Christ had the power. And he says, "If it is your will, you can make me clean." This father says, "Can you even have the ability? Do you even have the ability to cast out this devil?" What is Christ's response to this father? Jesus said unto him, "If thou can't believe that word can't, same Greek word dunamite. Do you have the ability to believe? Do you have the power to believe? Are you able to believe in what the Lord Jesus Christ can do? He turns this conversation to the father to deal with the true root problem, unbelief. He's no longer dealing with the scribes. He's not dealing with the possessed person, the the son. He's not dealing with his disciples. He's dealing with the father. The father needed to be saved. The father needed salvation. He says, "Are you able to believe in the one who can cast him out?" Can you believe? His father had a lack of belief, a lack of faith. But if only he had faith, all things are possible. Christ can do anything. If only we would have faith. The disciples can do nothing. The father doubts that Christ can do anything. But Christ said that through faith all things are possible. That even this demon can be cast out if there's faith. And we saw in another passage in our one of our parallel passages, Christ says, "If you even had faith as a grain of a mustard seed, you say to that mountain, be cast into the sea, it would happen." Now granted, that's if it's in the will of God. What is faith? What is faith? It's not mystical. Faith is not just trying to conjure up a belief. Oh, I think I believe. I think I believe. I also like to tell my children and even in junior church and all. It's like if I had faith that this chair would hold me up and I wanted to sit, I'd sit down. I have faith it'll hold me up. Now, if I would not sit down, if I was at brother Bill's house over for supper, Amen. was at brother Bill's house and he says, "Pastor, you can sit right here in this chair." I'm like, "Yeah, sure. I'll Yeah. Will it hold me up?" "Yeah, it'll hold you up." "Okay, yeah, I'll sit." And I never sit. I probably don't believe that chair would hold me up. There's certain chairs, by the way, I don't trust that would hold me up. We got one that's partially broken at the house and we put Joanna in it because it won't hold me. But I believe it'll hold Joanna. But faith, what is faith? Faith is simply taking God's word, seeing what it says, thus sayith the Lord, and you believe it, and then you do it. You obey it. It's trust and obey. For there's no other way. That's faith. It's very simple. You see what the Lord wants and you do it. You obey it. People who actually don't obey the words of the Lord don't have faith. If God says that if you tithe, I will open up the windows of heaven and I will rain down blessings upon you, if you have faith, if you believe him, you'll tithe. If you don't, you're not going to tithe. And then God will create your your holes in your pockets and you'll lose your money. If you have faith and you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and he says to witness to that person, you're going to do it. If you have faith and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and and he says, "Children, obey your parents." And your mom or your dad comes to you, David, and says, "David, go clean your room." Well, are you going to believe the Lord or not? If you do, you'll obey. You'll go and clean your room. It's pretty simple. O obedience demonstrates faith. It's visible. It's not mystical. It's not something you just conjure up. It's obeying. The man, this father lacked faith. But notice that when Jesus Christ said, "If thou can't believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." In verse 24, and straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. Sometimes we do have faith, but it's a struggle. It's a fight. Sometimes we have to pray, "Help thou my unbelief. Increase my faith, Lord. I believe in you, Lord, but increase my faith. Help me, Lord." This man went from doubtingly asking Christ to help us and seeing to to seeing his own need. He wanted his son to be delivered from this devil. But he went from that to seeing that he just needed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And on his knees, he went from calling him master to calling him Lord. He says, "Lord, I believe." I don't think he's using that name flippantly. He's saying, "You are my Lord. You are God. I believe. I believe." The man came to a full understanding and conviction of just who Christ is. He repents of his unbelief and he says, "I believe." And then now the Lord can do a mighty work because there's faith. One commentator put it this way. My doing all depends on thy believing. God's doing all depends on your believing. Will you have faith? Will you have faith? The father did not argue with Christ when Christ said that you just need faith. He did not say something like, "How dare you blame me for this? How dare you bllay this on me? I need I just need you to help my son." The father owned the sin of unbelief. He owned it to the point where he believed in Christ and confessed his unbelief. The prescription for this man was simple. Just believe. Have faith. The disciples later asked why they couldn't cast out the devil. And Christ told them that they also had unbelief. Because of their unbelief, they couldn't cast out this devil. They also needed to do increase in their faith. The scribes refused to have faith. The father needed saving faith. The disciples needed to be strengthened in their faith. Then Christ cast out the devil. And by his strength, by Christ strength, he took the son by the hand and lifted him up. Never again could that devil possess that son again. Never again could he possess him. Like I said, when Christ heals, he heals permanently. Christ commanded that devil. It says in verse 25, "When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him." The devil could no longer affect that boy. Because when Christ casts out devils, it's permanent. Let me ask you this morning. Do you believe? Can you believe? We can learn a lot from this passage. We could see from everyone involved a lesson. We can learn from the scribes. We can learn from the disciples. We can learn from the father. We can even learn from this devil. And ultimately, we can learn from Christ. So consider this this morning. Just like the scribes were scorning and they wanted to see the disciples failure, the world glories in the saints failures, the world wants the saints of Jesus Christ to fail. It doesn't care if you're if you follow the Lord or not. The world doesn't care about your well-being. You hearing me, boys? The world doesn't care about your good health, your success in the Lord Jesus Christ. They just want you to be like them. Whenever sinners entice thee, consent thou not. They just want you to be like them. They just want you to go sin with them. You know, just another example, you know, like at Bath Iron Works, the former job that I had, the the group of people I worked with would always go out probably once a month to go drinking. And they always invited me, you know, but I would not go. I would not go. And I tell him, it says, "If you want to go do something without drinking, I'll go with you, but I'm not going to go with you when you go drink." And that offended them. Why would they even care? Well, they want you to be like them because they look at it like they see you not wanting to sin with them and then they start thinking, "What are you better than us?" Says, "No, I just want to follow the Lord." And they don't want to follow the Lord. You're going to go two separate ways. They want you to sin with them. They want you to fail. They want you to fail. So, don't go after the things of this world. It's not for your good. Set your affection on things above where Christ siteth is at the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above. Seek Christ, not the things of this world. Christ wants you to be su successful. Christ wants to bless you. So don't be like the scribes and don't be going after the things of this world like the scribes did. And another lesson just like the father and the disciples know the disciples were saved. The disciples knew who Christ was. They they saw his mighty works. But so often just like just like the disciples, we have this this corrupt flesh. We still have this flesh and blood. It's not glorified. God has not given us a glorified body. So, we still struggle with sin. We still struggle with a lack of faith, don't we? We're prone to doubting and doing things in our own power. How often have you tried to do something, whether it's work on a vehicle or or anything? Maybe go fishing. Ethan and I are going fishing tomorrow. I'm praying that we catch fish. I'm praying. Seems trivial, but hey, I'm not going to go fish in my own strength. I want to catch some food. But how often do we do things in our own strength and forget to rely on God? We forget to have faith. How often do we have a command from the Lord and we just forget to have faith? And I'll just be very candid. Whenever Pastor Mitchell wanted to chat with me and I sat down with him and he said, "Brother, I think you should consider going to Canada." My initial thought wasn't, "Whoopee! Let's go. Let's go and see the law saved." That was not my first reaction. My first reaction was I have to give up my guns. I'm a veteran. I love my country. I'd give myself for my country.
I have to leave my country. I didn't have faith. I lack faith there. But praise the Lord, he didn't leave me there. The Lord quickly showed me that this is not your country. Neither is Canada. Your country is in heaven. >> Amen. >> So go where I send you.
And then the Lord showed me and expect great things from God. >> And he's been doing great things. We are prone to doubt. We're prone to having a lack of faith. And if you find yourself lacking faith, don't stay there. Get into the word of God. Seek the Lord and ask for help with your unbelief. And the Lord will give you faith. He'll help you with it. He'll show you just how great he is. And then you can have faith in him.
And then lastly, let's consider this unclean spirit. This unclean spirit tried everything it could to destroy that son. Like I started earlier this morning, we have an adversary and he does not quit. Satan is a formidable foe. We should not be going toe-to-toe with Satan. We should be relying on the Lord Jesus Christ. Even Michael the Archangel said, "The Lord rebuke thee. He didn't go toe-to-toe with Satan." Leave that to God. But we do need to be sober and vigilant. Satan wants to destroy you. He's not playing games. But with Christ, you can have the full victory. You can have victory. This is a war, but the victory is already declared. And Christ is the winner. He is the conqueror. And through him, we're more than conquerors. Through him, we have victory.
Christ deals with all of these problems by showing all involved who he is and the power he possesses. If you lack faith, look to Christ and see who he is. Look to Christ and see what he can do. I like to go through the Bible and consider all the great works of God. And whenever you do that, don't think, well, that's what he did then in the Old Testament. It's the same God. The same God who parted that Red Sea is the same God that can part the way for anyone to go wherever he sends. >> It's the same God. Do you have faith in him?
Christ does not have limited power. Christ does not have limited ability. He has all power, but we often have limited faith. What in your life are you exhibiting limited faith in? Maybe this morning it's salvation. Maybe you've never been born again. You've never repented and believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. I tell you, you need to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Without it, there's destruction. There's a fearful looking for the wrath of God, the judgment of God. The fiery hell is real. But you can have faith. You can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You can repent and believe. Lord willing, tonight I'm going to preach on repentance. What real repentance is?
The Lord Jesus Christ became a man. And that's important. He had to become man. And he shed his blood and he died for our sins on that cross. And the Lord Jesus Christ rose again to never die again. He forever liveth. He put his blood on the mercy seat in heaven. And all you have to do is repent and believe. You just have to obey the gospel. But if you're limited in your faith, if you will not have faith, there's destruction.
Christian, what do you have limited faith in? What is it that the Lord wants you to do that you're doubting? What is it? I don't know anyone's hearts here, but you know it. If there's that one thing that's in your mind, that's it. That's the one thing that you have limited faith in. Maybe it's witnessing. Maybe it's finances. Maybe there's limited faith in giving or in tithing. Maybe you're not having faith to Maybe there's a young man here that the Lord's been dealing with saying, I want you to be a preacher. I don't know your heart. But you're, I can't do that. There's no way I can't be a preacher. Well, you're having limited faith. If the Lord calls you to do something, he makes you able to do it. >>
Maybe there's a limited faith in giving time or energy or money so others can be a preacher, so others can be sent. We were able to send 20 people to Sparks. We're able to send the Minets and the Mitchells and and the the Watkins. We're able to send them because of the giving of this church and other churches giving But what if we lacked faith in giving and we just wouldn't give? Would would the Lord's work not get done? I would think it would still get done, but we wouldn't get the reward for it because we wouldn't be living by faith.
Does any of this ring true this this morning? Any of this ringing in your hearts that you lack faith in these things? Or maybe there's something else that I didn't touch on. You're thinking, "Yeah, there is something else. And oh, he didn't mention it. I just did. Just mentioned it. There's something else in your life that you are saying, "If thou can't, Lord. If thou canst." So often we say, "Well, if the Lord can give me a million dollars, then I'll give the faith promise." How about you just give the faith promise and the Lord will meet your needs? >> Amen.
If thou can't believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. That's present active. Someone who continues is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. All things are possible. If all things are possible, then you can expect great things from God. If you are living by faith, ask God to help your unbelief if that's you. If you lack belief, repent of it. Ask God to help you. And then go forth believing. Go forth believing and having faith in him. Christ has all power. Do you believe that this morning? >> Does Christ have all power? Amen. Then whatever he wants you to do, he's given given you that ability to do it. He's given you the ability. You just have to believe in him. You have to trust in him. He will provide every need. He'll provide every ability. Christ will make a way. It's what the Lord had to show me with Shelurn, Ontario. And I've been seeing the Lord opening doors left and right. He's been making a way. What are you dreading and what are you fearing? Lean on the everlasting arms. then you have nothing to dread and nothing to fear. Lean on him. Have faith in Christ. Just believe and obey in him. Obey Christ. Let's stand together.
Faith is the prescription to the problem. Like what problem? Yes. All problems. Whatever comes your way, faith is the prescription. It's faith. Let's take your himnil. I want us to sing the first and last of page 4002. Faith is the victory. >> Let's sing it up out. Sing it out unto the Lord. If you want victory over your problem, faith. It's faith. who camp along the hills of mighty Christian soldiers rise. We press the battle where the night shall hail the glowing skies against the foying veils below. Let all our strength be heard. Is this the victory we know? Let overcomes the world. Faith is the victory. Faith is the victory. Oh, glorious victory that overcomes the world. Last verse. To him that overcomes the white grave. It shall begin. Before the angels he shall know his name confessed in heaven. Then from the hills of light, our hearts with a fame. will make all the host of life in Jesus conquering. Faith is the victory. Faith is the victory. The glorious victory that overcomes the world. The prescription is faith. >>
You just have to believe the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever he has for you, just believe. >> Amen. >> And he will give the victory. Do you receive that word, that preaching? So, say, "Amen." >> Amen. >> If anyone needs anything from me, if you need a chat, I'm available. You can come to me. I'd love to talk with you. If you need to be saved, don't delay. Don't delay. I want to show you through the word of God how you can believe. That's paramount. You don't want to leave and go to hell. Let's go ahead and pray.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for how great thou art. I thank you that you show yourself strong to those that just trust in you, to those that are just humble and want to serve you. And I thank you, Lord, that you chose us to worship and to glorify you. Lord, we're nothing in and of ourselves, but through you, oh Lord, we're more than conquerors. We are the victors because of your your son, Jesus Christ. We are in the family of God. We are saints and we're priests and we're kings. Lord, I thank you for that. It's all because of what you did that you gave your only begotten son. Lord, I pray that you would help us, oh Lord, to to receive and to do this this part of your scripture to have faith and just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And Lord, I pray that you would be with our pastors, be with Pastor Show, help him with this issue that he's dealing with. And be with Pastor Mitchell in Fiji. Praise God how you've saved people in Fiji. Praise God how you send laborers all throughout this world to preach the gospel. Lord, I pray you continue to send forth laborers into the harvest. Help us, Lord, now as we leave here this morning to rejoice in you, to believe in you, and bring us here back this afternoon, oh Lord, to to ready to receive and worship your great name. In Jesus Christ's name I pray. Amen.
So men tonight at 6:30 at 5:30 and I believe the ladies have tea time at 5:30 and then we'll we will be in here at 6 and worship the Lord. You are dismissed.