Are You All In? Mark 9:14-29
I’ve read these verses many times and I guess I just didn’t give them a whole lot of thought. I read them again not too long ago and then I read a commentary about them by Rev Brad Henry, he wrote that these lines were dealing with spiritual doubt. He wrote that many non-believers as well as many believers think that a Christian with strong faith doesn’t doubt God. It is my firm belief that even those with deep faith can have questions or doubts as events in their lives unfold. Since Rev Henry related these verses to doubt, it brought me to another area where Jesus addresses his followers doubt; John 20 verses 24-29, when Jesus appears to Thomas.
We’ve looked at Thomas awhile ago and just to refresh our memories; Thomas was absent the first time Jesus appeared to the disciples after his resurrection. Thomas lived with Jesus, talked with Jesus, and was taught by Jesus. He knew what was going to happen and yet when it did; he doubted its truth. Then when Jesus appears again and he is present, Jesus doesn’t dismiss him, Jesus doesn’t reprimand him; Jesus walks past the others and gives Thomas what he needs to reaffirm and strengthen his faith. This shows us that we all can doubt and Jesus knows this about us. This shows us that even with our doubt Jesus comes to us. He is sympathetic to our frailties and he is still there for us.
When I compare this scene of the locked room with the one today at the foot of the mountain they don’t seem to be saying the same thing. With Thomas it’s all about love and inclusion but here it seems like a different message.
When Jesus comes down the mountain he comes upon a crowd in an apparent upheaval and at least a few of his disciples are involved. Jesus goes and addresses them directly; verse 16, “What are you arguing with them about?” Notice how it’s not any of his disciples who answer him. Verse 17, “A man in the crowd answered.” He goes on to tell Jesus that he brought his son who is possessed by a spirit to the disciples for help “but they could not.” (Mark 9:18)
If these verses are about the disciples doubt then Jesus doesn’t react to this incident with the same caring he did with Thomas; in fact, in verse 19 he reprimands them saying, “You unbelieving generation.” Why the difference? With Thomas it really is about our doubt, but in this case I find I disagree with Rev Henry. I don’t see this as being about doubt as much as it’s dealing with us being “all in.”
As our story unfolds I can imagine this man came across the disciples and asked for Jesus. The disciples probably looked at each other and said, “He’s not here but we are his followers, he’s been teaching us, we can help you.”
First thing we need to think about is, what is their motivation? They’re men, just like the rest of the world. They’ve been looked up to, heralded simply because they were associated with Jesus. Do you think they could have listened to all the adoration and thought more of their importance than they should have? Did they think, “We help this man and the crowd will be all over us with cheers and praise.” Maybe a little of both? Could they have whispered among themselves, “We’ve seen Jesus work miracles, we can copy what he does and do it too,” Maybe? I can also see that after their egos come into play they see this man’s son and just what is expected of them, and fear and uncertainty set in.
Whether they’re looking for personal accolades, whether they thought more of their abilities than what was warranted, whether they let fear of an unfamiliar situation or fear of a difficult task interfere; whatever the reason, they weren’t “all in.” Is it hard to picture them going, “Ok, here we go,” and then timidly saying, “God, can you please help, not sure what we should do but could you maybe, kind of help?”
How do we pray for God’s help? When Jen was in the hospital getting morphine every four hours my prayers were like that; “God, can you please help. God I know you can help if you want to.” But then I talked with a minister friend who told me “You’ve got some pretty weak prayers, you’re not ‘all in,’ get bold.” He reminded me of Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy and find grace in time of need.” And just as important Mark 11:24, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe you have received it and it will be yours.” We prayed together a different prayer. “God, we come to your feet in the name of our Lord Jesus. You are bigger than this issue with Jen’s back. You tell us we will prosper and be healed, we pray with expectation for healing, healing now and healing complete. Amen.”
Some may think that’s too bold or even disrespectful, but Jesus tells us to be bold in our prayers. The harder part is the “believe you have received it” part. We can expect a supernatural and instant response and when this doesn’t happen we can go back to weak prayers. When those feelings of doubt came I made concentrated efforts to push them down and to keep God as my focus and within 48 hours Jen’s pain was greatly reduced. And even though it wasn’t instantaneous, the right doctors have been put in front of us and her complete treatment and subsequent recovery is right around the corner.
The hardest part is pushing the doubt away and being able to see the small changes that God gives that add up to an answered prayer. In other words, the hardest part is being “all in.” Verse 23, “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
So now the question is, “How do we get ‘all in’?” Well the great thing is God doesn’t just sit back and wait for us to get there on our own. Look at this boy’s father; verse 24, “Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed ‘I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” God, I believe, but I still doubt. God, I believe, well maybe, I’m not sure. God, I believe, well, maybe not as much as I should.
This man started from a point of doubt and uncertainty, from a weak prayer; verse 22, “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” I can hear me in there, “God, could you please maybe take Jen’s pain away?”
I’ve said before that we need to use the Bible in order to interpret the Bible so I went looking for other accounts that may show us the same thing and I think I’ve found one. Exodus 12:32, Pharaoh tells Moses “Leave…you and the Israelites, take your flocks and herds…and go.”
In verse 36, “The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people and they gave them what they asked for, so they plundered the Egyptians.” Not only did the Israelites leave behind slavery, they took gold, silver, cloths, food and flocks that were not theirs. With all that they should be “all in.”
At the sea they came up against their first test of faith. As the Egyptians approached they said to Moses in Exodus 14:10, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” As we all know God saved them and destroyed their enemies. “OK God, we trust you, we get it, and we’ll do your bidding. We’re ‘all in’.” Exodus 15:24, “So the people grumbled…saying what are we to drink?” Exodus 16:2-3, “(In Egypt we) ate all the food we wanted but you have brought us into this desert to starve…” They were rescued from slavery, left with riches that weren’t theirs, saved from their enemies, given sweet water, manna and quail. Wouldn’t you think people so blessed would say, “God, look what you’ve done for us, we’re all in.” Nope, they made a Golden Calf to praise rather than God and so none of that generation except two made it into the Promised Land.
To be all in we need to be aware, we need to see God’s work in our lives, we need to see God’s work around us. And we need to be active participants in God’s work in the world.
At the end of our reading the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn’t drive out the evil spirit. Jesus replies in verse 29, “That kind can come out only by prayer.” Jesus is telling us that there is no hope of success against our trouble except through believing, being “all in” with God.
Today’s interaction between Jesus, his disciples, a father and a possessed boy tells us several things. One, what are you trying to do for God? Be specific and bring it to Jesus. Jesus asked his disciples what was happening because they didn’t bring it to him. We can and should be the originators of the conversation with Jesus.
Two, our lack of honest work for God, or our lack of an honest heart in our work for God will come out and be known by those around us. This father let Jesus know of his disciple’s failure. Jesus knows what’s in our heart but this extends beyond this fact; if we’re hypocritical in our work for God, believe me others will find out about it and they will judge you for it. When we reach out in Christ’s name we must be honest with ourselves about our motivation; if it’s to promote ourselves instead of Christ then its misplaced.
When we work for Christ we must be honest with ourselves as to our abilities. Are we doing the best we can? Are we getting beyond our abilities? And when we face an unfamiliar situation, don’t let fear immobilize you.
And finally, when things seem not to be working out, trust God. And when doubt and unbelief happen, look to and ask Jesus for the grace to overcome it. When life is hard turn to God and stay “all in.”
Amen.