by Henry Knapp
I’m a Christmas guy. I like everything about it. I would keep my Christmas tree up through March. Kelly and I had to go to the mat recently over how long the outdoor lights were going to stay up (and the other little Christmas embellishments in our home). She finally stripped me of the tree mid-January – and so, presently as I write, I am fully without the Christmas shimmer and glimmer once again as we move toward St. Patty’s Day. It’s very sad for me.
Have you ever seen the large, red “Believe” signs around during Christmas time? They appear on commercials and in front-lawn décor. Belief, much like our English word for “love,” is undervalued and misunderstood. It is devoid of meaning, and often, proves to be impotent. The world says “Just Believe!” It doesn’t matter in what, or in whom you believe. Just believe (i.e. “feel”) it with all your heart. World peace? Believe. A good outcome on things? Believe. A restored relationship? Believe. A better Steelers ’24/’25 season? Believe.
Our passage this week is found in Mark 9:14-29. We see that when a father asked Jesus’ disciples to heal his son, they failed in their ministry. This “failure” is not a lack of power or of ability, but in a problem of dependency upon the Lord Jesus. It was a failure of faith.
The passage begins by noting that Jesus is not with His disciples. While He was away on the Mountain, nine disciples were left on the plain. Yet, followers of Jesus are powerless when Christ is absent. Have you ever been around something seemingly “Christian” but the more you discern things and discover things it has a certain “Christ-less Christianity” flavor to it? It’s a lot of nice morality, but no Jesus. But, followers of Jesus will be powerless when Christ is absent! I know it to be true, I hope you do as well.
One of the more convicting things to me in my walk with the Lord is how much I try to go about it on my own strength, my own thinking on matters, my own ability, resourcefulness and intelligence. And, when I’m not counting on myself, I’m leaning in on Jerry, Dan, Kelly, my excellent staff, friends or other solid people. This is not the pastor I desire to be; this is not the type of congregation I want you to be. I want us to be a collective people who know how to pray, who lean into the Lord in all things, who uphold Him as preeminent, central, trustworthy and reliable!
Prayer is dependency on the Lord. Christian prayer banks everything on Christ, the One at the center of all things! And so I ask you, as we prepare for this week’s sermon and text together: Is your dependency upon the power of Christ or something else? Is it on other people? Is it in money? Education? Or, is your dependency upon the power of Christ, and do you express that dependency in prayer?
Holy Spirit, teach us to pray! Fill us, fill Hebron, with an utter dependency upon You as we seek to do ministry in and outside of these walls. May we BELIEVE in the power of the person and work of Christ, our only Savior and Lord. We believe in You—help us in our unbelief!
- Verse 14 connects this passage with the Transfiguration in the previous text. How does the one naturally follow the other?
- Verse 15 tells us the crowd was “greatly amazed” when they saw Jesus. Why do you think they were amazed?
- What is behind Jesus’ response in verse 19? Who is the “faithless generation”?
- Reflect on the father’s response in verse 24. What is admirable about it? What is challenging?
- Jesus says some spirits cannot be driven out except by prayer. What spirits are those that need prayer?