PENTECOST 15, B – September 13, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Isaiah 50:4-10; James 3:1-12; Mark 9:14-29 

I urge you to read your Bibles on your own at home. This is so important; for your daily life, certainly, but also for your worship here. Read each week not only the Scriptures for the coming Sunday, but also the paragraphs that precede and follow these readings. The context they give can be so important, especially in helping you to understand the Gospel reading.

 

Today’s Gospel begins with a madhouse. There’s a great crowd of people surrounding Jesus’ disciples and listening as the scribes – theologians, Jewish scholars who knew the Bible – argue with them. What were they arguing about? About whether the disciples could, or perhaps even should, heal a demon possessed boy who had been brought to them. While they are arguing, Jesus shows up, and the crowd now runs to Him. “Where have you been? Can you help?” He had taken Peter, James, and John with Him and gone up a nearby mountain, where He was transfigured before them. Jesus began shining like the sun; Moses and Elijah, great prophets who had lived centuries before, appeared and spoke with Him; and God the Father spoke from heaven of His love for Him. Such a glorious event. It was heaven on earth! But, when they come back, they run into a near riot: yelling; arguing; crowds running around; a demon possessed boy and a distraught father. So much for heaven on earth! Maybe you’ve felt this in a very small way. You work hard and clean off your desk so that you can go away on vacation. You have a great time and come back relaxed and refreshed, only to find your desk piled high with work and an office filled with tension. Teachers can certainly come back from a great summer to a madhouse. Same old, same old. Won’t things ever change?

 

“O faithless generation!” Jesus cries out. In other words, “You bunch of unbelievers! How long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” Are you surprised at His frustration? You shouldn’t be. I looked through the Gospels this week to see how many times Jesus was angry or frustrated. At least sixteen instances were mentioned. And, who did He get angry or frustrated with? So often, it was His own disciples. In other words, He was frustrated, not only with His opponents, but with the people who believed in and followed Him. With us! “Why don’t you trust Me? Why don’t you listen to Me? Why don’t you do what I tell you?” Have you ever thought of God getting frustrated and angry with you? Well, why shouldn’t He? After all, we don’t trust Him completely and implicitly. So often we want proof, evidence, before we do so, before we will accept what the Bible says. As if God, who gave up everything and sacrificed Himself for us, should have to explain Himself to us! Also, again and again we are told that He has forgiven our sins – freely; completely; every one of them, forever! He gives us that forgiveness here, week after week. He has broken the devil’s power over us, crushed him completely. Satan and his hosts are utterly helpless before Jesus.

 

Look at how this demon in Mark 9 cowers and falls before Him. When the demon possessed boy was brought forward, we’re told that “when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.” This wasn’t just the boy. The spirit saw Him! It was the demon writhing in anguish, for it was now before its awesome judge!

 

Our mighty Savior has crushed Satan and our sins under His feet. Why, then, do we give in to temptation and sin so easily, often without even being aware of it? Why are we so weak and slow to speak about our mighty Savior, and so bless Him and others? Instead, as James says, “With [our tongue] we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” Why are we so worried and afraid? Is not the Lord God with us?

 

"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" This is every one of us weak and frail sinners. We waver. We’re up and then down, strong and then weak. "I believe; help my unbelief!"

 

And, He does. Although frustrated, especially with this father who questioned whether He could help and would be merciful, Jesus did not hesitate to help his demon possessed son. He acts on the basis of need, not of strength of faith. It is Satan who wants you to wonder whether God will be merciful and can help you. Jesus helps. He is our support and defense in every need. He has come as our friend and brings pleasure eternal, as our hymn (#533) proclaims.

 

“All things are possible for one who believes,” Jesus promises. Believe in Him, and believe Him! He will not disappoint you. He will not leave you in the devil’s clutches, helpless and crushed by his afflictions. Jesus has rebuked Satan. This very day, in this very Service, He rebukes your sins, casts them out, and takes you by the hand to lift you up with Him. Believe Him! and be blessed forever. Amen!