The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 17:17-20,
"'You unbelieving and perverse generation,' Jesus replied, 'how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.' Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"
When Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured into his full glory, a man approached Jesus on behalf of his demon-possessed son. He told Jesus that his disciples were unable to help him in his absence.
Jesus' healed the boy and his disciples privately asked him why they could not. Jesus had already sent them out to heal and cast out demons (see chapter 10), but now they were incapable.
Jesus response included a rebuke of his disciples. calling them an "unbelieving and perverse generation" and questioning how long he would have to tolerate them, "How long shall I put up with you?" He then answered their question: lack of faith was the answer.
In answering, Jesus did not say it was because they belonged to the wrong church. He did not say it was because they drank beer and smoked cigarettes. He did not say their inability to help the boy was because they failed to keep themselves from sin. He did not say it was because they were not "spiritual" enough. It was due to the paucity of their faith.
In contradiction to much of the theology bandied about today, faith is something every human being is capable of expressing. Placing our confidence in God, being assured he can fulfill all he promises is the heart of the gospel message we are to take to the world. We don't get saved to find faith. It works the other way around, and Jesus' disciples had a short supply when this event took place.
We learn from Paul that God gives us faith as believers to equip us, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Romans 12:3.
"'You unbelieving and perverse generation,' Jesus replied, 'how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.' Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'"
When Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the mountain where Jesus was transfigured into his full glory, a man approached Jesus on behalf of his demon-possessed son. He told Jesus that his disciples were unable to help him in his absence.
Jesus' healed the boy and his disciples privately asked him why they could not. Jesus had already sent them out to heal and cast out demons (see chapter 10), but now they were incapable.
Jesus response included a rebuke of his disciples. calling them an "unbelieving and perverse generation" and questioning how long he would have to tolerate them, "How long shall I put up with you?" He then answered their question: lack of faith was the answer.
In answering, Jesus did not say it was because they belonged to the wrong church. He did not say it was because they drank beer and smoked cigarettes. He did not say their inability to help the boy was because they failed to keep themselves from sin. He did not say it was because they were not "spiritual" enough. It was due to the paucity of their faith.
In contradiction to much of the theology bandied about today, faith is something every human being is capable of expressing. Placing our confidence in God, being assured he can fulfill all he promises is the heart of the gospel message we are to take to the world. We don't get saved to find faith. It works the other way around, and Jesus' disciples had a short supply when this event took place.
We learn from Paul that God gives us faith as believers to equip us, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." Romans 12:3.
However, our capacity to place our faith in things has been given us as a part of how God designed us. We would not get close to the faith Paul speaks of God providing (as he mentions in Romans 12) if we do not express faith in God initially for our salvation and to receive all that God gifts us with. "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." Romans 10:17.
Faith unlocks the door for eternal life. Faith also brings God to bear on what we desire to see happen. I note it is not faith in ourselves that does the miraculous, it is faith in God - he is the One capable of delivering us, not just from the infirmities of this life, but also from his own judgment of us and thereby providing us eternal life.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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