Word of Salvation – Vol.32 No.36 – August 1987
Down To Earth
Sermon by Rev. A. I. DeGraaf on Mark 9:14-29
Reading: Exodus 32:1-26; Mark 9:2-13
Singing: 37; 251; BoW.P.97; 373; BoW.H.829; 409; BoW.H.904
It was with Jesus when He came down from that mountain, as it was with Moses when, having been with God 40 days and 40 nights, he came down from that other mountain: He came down to earth with a dull thud. In fact, here in our text Jesus and Moses had been TOGETHER on that mountain, and the glory of God had been shining right around them. But then to be back in the broken reality of this world is an awful experience. Twice in our text we hear Jesus say something that almost sounds bitter and angry: in verse 19: “How long shall I be able still to stand you lot?” and then in verse 23 that repetition of what that man says: “If you can… If you can…?” – as if He wants to say: how silly can you get!?” A bit like Moses’ reaction when He took the two precious tablets with God’s own handwritten law-words on them and smashed them to smithereens on the rocks: “What’s the use of it all…?!”
If ever we might have thought that fighting sin and satan in a world broken by rebellion was easy for Jesus, this text should cure us of that idea! And it is especially hard after ‘the high’ on that mountain! Especially hard… but not hopeless. Let us look at this text: “Down to earth… but under an open heaven.”
- Powerless Pawns.
- Faltering Faith.
- Prevailing Prayer.
1. Powerless Pawns
When Moses was gone, the people put Aaron under pressure to do something about new gods. He couldn’t quite cope, as we read.
Well, when Jesus was gone up that other mountain the disciples minus the Moderamen (if that’s what you can call Jesus, Peter, James and John) were called upon to do something about that problem of that moon-struck boy. They could have said: “Wait till the boss is back”, but no, they think they’ll fix it. Fix it… fix things… solve problems! At times we think: “Leave it to us, we’ll manage!”
The world of science and technology in which we live has a tendency to make us think that… or expect that! Problems have causes, haven’t they? Study at a university, put data into computers, and we should manage, shouldn’t we? Find the causes… …fix it. There is that pretence. When a baby dies, say from cot death, we sue the doctor: if he would have pressed the right button at the right time it would not have happened, would it? We expect it from our doctors… to solve all such problems… or else. Or from our governments! We elect them to make our whole lives safe and secure. Often politicians promise it, too. Problems have causes: “Only” causes: The boy has only epilepsy! The pills will fix the fits. Criminals have only had a bad upbringing, good education will straighten that. Our economy only needs some adjustments and our church will flourish once we call a gifted organiser as minister. Just leave it to us..! Husbands and wives can seek to be providers of instant and complete happiness! Just learn the right techniques and… who needs God? Life’s harmony comes instantly… out of human hands… Or does it? How unfair can you get? Problems have causes and we will fix the causes… Or will we? Is the human spirit only a matter of brain cells? Is love only a matter of sex hormones?
When we think like that, Satan laughs. When we leave God out of things, as modern man has a way of doing, if man forgets that the biggest cause of trouble is our rebellion against God, our pretence at independence from Him, then Satan thinks he can do what he likes, and the world is a closed system. And people, even pious people, lose their faith and stumble over the reality of evil in the world which is getting bigger as our machines get cleverer. So we can NOT fix it…! People become powerless pawns in a hopeless struggle. Until they hear Jesus say: “Come here, you who are burdened and heavy laden… why not bring it to Me?” For He came down from the mountain! Filled as He was with compassion.
And so we see point 2:
- “Faltering Faith”
“Come, bring it to Me; bring your sick devil-attacked boy to ME,” says Jesus. And so that’s what that father does. But then Jesus starts off like a doctor. He asks careful questions: “what are the symptoms?” “How long as he had it?” In other words: Do you see, do you know what it is that’s pestering you? He is no cheap magician. He wants the man, made in God’s image, to see why… to know his misery… to come to him with his troubles. The “Education in Focus” Conference is to help Christian teachers to do that. They can show the children: do you see what’s the trouble? Do you know why this world…and why your life… needs a saviour? Do you know what Satan is doing in the world? Do you see where he lurks? Are you reading your paper… are you watching your TV, are you reading that book… but also are you reading your own heart with that perceptiveness that sees why things go wrong and why the Healer is needed? How great my sins and miseries are? But then do not stay there, little one. Take that whole sorry mess… to Jesus! If you begin to take seriously what sin has done to the world, then take at least as seriously what the Saviour came to do IN that world! So when that father says to Jesus: “If You Can…?” Jesus almost explodes in anger: “If You Can?” As if He means to say: “Who do you think you’re talking to?” But when that father says honestly! – Lord. I believe, please help me even with my believing when I find that so hard…!” then that is enough for Jesus. That we cannot be Tarzans in our faith He knows only too well! He did not come only to help the super-believers like some cruel people try to make us think. They say: “You would have been healed of that cancer if only your faith had been big enough…!” So if you get no help even if you cry to Jesus, then that is your own fault, your faith is too small. But Jesus is not that cruel. When that stricken father says: “Lord I believe but I find it hard… help me also in my believing please!” Then Jesus helps. We live in a sighing creation full of suffering. Our own hearts groan too, and so does He Himself, “Father how long yet!?” He knows. He helps us in our unbelief… as long as it is to Him that we cry, and trust in Him, taking seriously that He is there, that He is in control, that He cares, and that He can do even more – how did Paul say it? – even more than we can pray or think! Fancy – if Jesus only could do according to our prayer! But He can and does do more. Satan has to step back. There is God’s word of power to the demon and the one struck by death is given new life. New life and new hope..!
“Lord, I believe… help my unbelief!” Jesus does not wait till our faith has full-grown. He waits until our cry goes to HIM! That is faith already. Even when my faith is a broken toy which I bring to Him with tears in my eyes. Do not pretend to be super-believers. Just go to Jesus as you are. Faith is the empty hand which the beggar stretches out to the rich Giver. Lord Jesus, here I am, with all my questions and my worries and at times my despair… Lord Jesus, here I am with my depression and my questions and my doubts… Lord I come to you with it all… where are You, Lord? I cannot always see you, and often it is because of my own stupid sin… but Lord, I cry to you and come to you because who else is there? Lord… help my unbelief…!” Oh, then the wonder of hearing Jesus say: “What took you so long, little one? I was here all the time!? Glad to have you; I love you and died for you.” Then the devil flees away and new life and hope comes instead.
Ah yes, that’s what happens when Jesus comes. But I am glad the text does not end there. Because Jesus went to heaven and we are here on this broken earth with all its illness and death, its violence and terrorism, its drugs and its crime, its misunderstandings and anger – even in the church. And so it is good to keep looking a bit and hear the disciples ask Jesus: “Lord, great that you healed that fellow… but how come we could not do that while you were away?” We looked at the powerless pawns we are when we try that silly so-called independence… and we say that even faltering faith is faith already, linking us to the powerful Christ. Now finally we hear of…
- Prevailing prayer.
“How come we could not do that?” the disciples ask. And then Jesus points them again to the foolishness of trying to live in a closed world. A world view that leaves God out. The world makes no sense if you try and look at it with God left out. And to get God in is not by talking about Him… but only by talking to Him. Only when you pray can you tackle the devil (who is real enough!). When you leave the Lord God out of your problems these problems will end up choking you.
You know, quite a few manuscripts of this text say: “These devils only go out by praying and fasting. They add that bit about fasting. Now fasting is a very useful exercise for Christians who should not trust any other gods and so they should not make a god of their belly either. Quite a few people are doing that these days. If those Israelites at Mt. Sinai had fasted a bit instead of wanting to feast so badly that golden calf thing would never have happened. Still, there must be a good reason why most good manuscripts of this text do not mention that “fasting”: Prayer alone is enough to fight Satan! Prayer, that is: to keep in live communication with God, to keep going the running conversation with your Father in heaven. Because then we do our work in dependence upon Him instead of trying to manage alone. And in that trust we can know: GOD Himself will win the battle…He just uses me..! To add “fasting” here brings in the kind of rigmarole of the Baal priests who in Elijah’s day! – tried to attract the attention of their absent-minded god by cutting themselves with knives and looking pitiful and going through motions of self-torture: “O Baal, answer us, look at us!” In the Middle Ages at the time of the Black Death you had the flagellants who tried to move God to compassion by walking from town to town naked in the frosty cold and hitting themselves with whips and cudgels.
Relax! Heaven is not closed above us! God is not absent-minded! This brood of devils will go out when all you do is pray – talk it over trustingly with God, and call down His power rather than desperately trusting in try your own power. Jesus prayed for us, the last night before His death on the cross: “Father, I do not pray that you take these people of ours out of this world.”
Here we are, here we have our task, here, down to earth! Here we have our struggle: “Father, I do not pray that you will take them out of this world, but I do pray that you will set them free from the evil one… Free from the evil one! More than conquerors.., little people like you and me… Yes, through Him who loves us… says Paul. Who loves us in spite of our small faith and in spite of our sinfulness… Who loved us as we are, that we might live under an open heaven. Take courage, little people of God! And keep praying, keep talking to your Lord even if all you can get over your lips is the cry of despair: “Help my unbelief…!” “So there you are,” says Jesus, what took you so long!?” Do not pretend before Him. He loves you as you are and gave Himself for you that in His strength you might resist the devil and find in amazement that he flees away. Your world and your work is not a closed system. It is under an open heaven from where we expect Jesus. Any day..!
Amen.