Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• This story reminds us of the ever present power of evil in our world
• This boy is dominated by the evil spirit who tries to hurt him
• This story reminds us of the ever present power of Jesus in our world
• A total transformation in the life of the boy
• This passage occurs after the Transfiguration which reminds us of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
• However, the disciples come down from that mountain top experience to the reality of the present world
• There couldn't be a greater contrast
• They had come from harmony and fellowship
• They come into a situation of dispute and great evil
• On the mountain is was the heavenly Father but below was an earthly father
• On the mountain was a heavenly Son but below was an earthly son

A world of evil

• Current examples:
• The situation in Rotheram
• Northern Iraq
• Evil is a fact of life but we are never to become complacent with it
• We should pray about it
• Instead of offering compassion to the father people were disputing who was to blame
• The child was affected from childhood - the devil is no respecter of age
• This was not epilepsy
• There is a foaming of the mouth and one seizure but this was not a medical condition
• The demon had control of the man:
• It threw him into a fire
• It affected his speech
• It affected his hearing
• Imagine what this must have been like for the parents
• The devil wants to rob men of their humanity
• We must not underestimate his power
• He comes to steal, rob and destroy

Encountering Christ in a world of evil

• Jesus enters into conversation with the scribes but the father interjects directly to Christ
• Jesus opens His heart
• Jesus yearns for faith, trust and belief
• Unbelief hurts Jesus
• v19 - this comment seems aimed at all parties, both the disciples and the crowd
• The disciples in the past had gone out in the power of the Lord
• Now they had become self-reliant
• There was no prayer - Jesus had to remind them of the importance of prayer (v29)
• This was painful to the Lord Jesus
• Are you hurt when people don't believe or trust you?
• Example of the Brazilian pastor who is doing all he can to build trust
• Unbelief is an awful thing and pains the heart of God
• The disciples failure had caused unbelief in the father
• The father says to Jesus - "But if..." (v22b)
• Our lack of faith discourages others
• Our lack of belief, failure and defeats has an effect on others
• Jesus has compassion on and sympathises with the father when He asks 'how long this had been happening' (v21)
• We must trust and believe in the Lord Jesus
• All things are possible for him who believes
• The mans faith wasn't perfect or mature but is was real
• He cried out 'help my unbelief' (v24)
• He came as he was
• This signifies the struggle within but we do believe
• Will you not come to Jesus?
• The demon was cast out and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ was clearly displayed
• Example of Maureen Wise working in Moldova with those in institutions
• God is saving people in the most desperate of situations
• God saved this young child in the most desperate of situations
• We must bring those most desperate of situations to Jesus

Overcoming evil

• This is a work of God
• We must pray for this
• The disciples came privately to Jesus asking why they could not cast out the demon
• Great evil required great measures
• Without Christ we can do nothing
• What ever your situation - come as you are