Mark 9:14-29 - Frail Faith & Strong Savior

Well, there should be one in front of you.

Go ahead and. Grab that.

We're going to be going deep into the word of the Lord.

This morning, so we need those Bibles open.

And we got a lot of ground to cover.

Because like Carlos said, it's. Been about 5.

Weeks, we took a break from the book of Mark to do a sermon

series on Advent. So it's been a while since we've

been in the book of Mark. So we got a lot of.

Work to do this morning. I'm just going to be upfront

about that. Got a lot of work.

I'm probably going to preach over the.

Speed limit and. Pray that I don't get any

speeding tickets. From you guys, so just.

Grab on and hold on to. To to what you?

Can and before I jump. In I will say this last Sunday

was. New Year's Eve.

And so we're just. A little bit low on volunteers

and so I found myself. In the The Roots Room last

Sunday, which was. Awesome.

On average I lead roots once. Every eight years.

So I'm. I'm not down there often, and I

was. I was hanging out with with

Kale. We had a classroom together and

Kale had to. He had to leave for just a

moment and I noticed that the kids were getting just a little

bit antsy. And I didn't really know what to

do next. So I was like, all right, we got

these pages to color. So let's let's color these pages

and. I can't remember.

Who it was I. Think maybe it.

Was it was Lyra? Maybe one of the van?

Gorp one, one of the kids, I go, all right, everybody, let's

let's get these coloring pages out and let's color these and

one of the kids goes. Hey, Pastor Cole now?

'S not the time that we color those.

I was. I was like.

That can't be. That can't be.

Is that, is that true? And I looked at it at another

kid. I can't remember who it was.

But they were like, yeah, you're wrong.

I was like. Alright, we're not in color

right now. But it struck me that I have.

The incredible privilege to be part of a local church where I

don't have to. Do.

Everything and I don't know. What's going on everywhere, all

the time? And the reason why is because we

have. Excellent.

Volunteer teams with amazing volunteers.

So if you're plugged in, thank you, cleaning team, get plugged

into that. Roots always needs.

Volunteers, as you can see. As you look around here SO.

Get plugged in, in whatever way you can it it makes.

Our church, a community project, that's.

Fun to be a part of. So I love you guys, and I love

being. Part of a church where I am

wrong in the in the kids ministries.

So yes, 5. Weeks away from the book of

Mark. And now we're back into.

It so holy moly, before we look at the text, I wouldn't.

And maybe you disagree with me. That's cool.

I wouldn't describe. Myself as an argumentative

person, now or anymore? But I went through a season my

last couple years of college, my first couple years of young

adulthood. When I was a young Christian.

I went through a season where I was passionately.

Always arguing about something. I was a stage cage.

Culvist I was arguing about everything all the time.

And as I look. Back at that season of my life.

This week, there was one argument that really stood out

to me. It was my senior year of

college. We were in the duplex.

That we called the duplex. Weedy, you know what I'm.

Talking about here. It was a duplex where 7-8,

sometimes 11 other guys. Lived it.

Depended on the week, and so it was like any college duplex.

You can imagine the piles of dirty clothes everywhere.

You can imagine the dishes. Piling up.

But once a week, I let a Bible study at that at that duplex,

and these guys would get together.

Bros would get together. We'd read the Bible.

Together, study the Bible. Together, and there was.

One week. Where I.

Found myself in the middle. Of a Bible study in a heated

argument. And sometimes when you're in an

argument, you lose yourself. You've you stop listening to the

other person. The other person stops listening

to you. You.

Stop formulating. Thoughts that are coherent to

the. Argument.

You stop pursuing the truth. You start to defend.

Yourself, rather than to actually discern the truth.

And so this argument lasted for. I don't know.

Minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes I don't.

Really know but the argument. Went.

On and on and on. Neither.

Person gaining ground? Neither.

Person giving ground and it. Probably would have went.

On and on forever. Besides, one of my buddies on

the outside stepped in. And he finally broke the ice.

And what he? Said was.

Cole, what are you yelling about?

And I heard that and it, like, sobered me up.

I was like, dude, I didn't even know I was.

Yelling and it struck me in the middle of this argument.

I was yelling. It's been a few years since my.

Senior year of college. Just a few.

A couple. And the crazy thing is when I

look. Back at that argument.

Do you want to know? What we were arguing about.

Because I'll tell you. At the end of the sermon, let's.

Go ahead and stand for the. Reading of the word of God.

What are you yelling about, Cole?

We. Pick up in Chapter 9.

Verse. 14 Jesus has just transfigured himself on top of a

mountain with a couple of his key.

Disciples and then verse 14 as he comes.

Down the morning picks up or down the mountain picks up right

here. And when they came.

To the disciples they saw a great.

Crowd around them and scribes arguing with them and.

Immediately all the crowd when they saw Jesus.

Were greatly amazed, and they ran up to him and.

Greeted him and he asked them. What are you yelling about?

Well, in Jesus words, what are you arguing?

About with them, and someone from the crowd interrupts,

Answers him Teacher, I brought my.

Son to. You.

Because he has a spirit. That makes him mute, and

whenever it seizes him, it throws him down and he foams.

And grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.

So I asked your disciples to cast it.

Out and they were not able. And so.

Jesus answered them. O faithless generation, how long

am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?

Bring him to me. And they brought him the boy.

And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the

boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the

mouth. And Jesus asked his father how.

Long has this been happening to him and the dad said from

childhood. And it is often cast him into.

Fire and into water to try to destroy him.

But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us if

you can. And Jesus said to him.

If you can, all things are possible for the one who

believes and immediately the father of the child.

Cried out and said I believe. Help.

My unbelief and when Jesus. Saw that the crowd came running

together, he rebuked. The unclean spirit saying to.

It you mute and deaf spirit, I command you come out of him and

never enter him again. And after crying out and

convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a

corpse, so that most. Of them said he is.

Dead but Jesus. Took him by the hand and lifted

it up. And he arose.

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him

privately, why could we not cast it out?

And he said to them, well, this kind cannot be driven out by

anything but prayer. Like I said.

We got some work to do. You can have a seat.

So if you're new. And.

Late to the ball game. Let me catch this up.

And also this would probably be a good time to say if you're

behind or you haven't listened to our other sermons on the Book

of Mark. We've got those on Spotify

iTunes, so it's really easy. All you got to do to catch up

with us is take a month off of. Work and go.

Listen to those 30 sermons. Tell them your pastor said it

was OK. All right.

A little doctors. No, no, don't do that.

But you can catch. Up.

But if you don't have time to catch up, let me just give it to

you in a nutshell at this. Point in the book of.

Mark Chapter 9 Jesus has. Launched his public ministry

Mark 9 · chapter mention

heal. The sick raise the dead cast

that out demons and Jesus has just revealed his divine.

Identity through his Transfiguration.

On top of a mountain. Huge mountaintop moment.

Jesus is on top of the mountain. In the midst.

Of a couple, three of his closest disciples.

Literally glowing and raiding with the glory of God.

And after this epic moment. They come down the mountain,

probably just floating. Because they're so excited and

they find the other. Disciples doing what?

Arguing. Verse 14.

And when they came. To the disciples.

They saw a great crowd around them.

And scribes arguing with them, and immediately all the crowd

when they saw Jesus were greatly.

Amazed. And they ran up to him and

greeted him. But Jesus wanted to know what

are you arguing about with them. Now we need to pause here for

for just a second. Because.

Already I know we're only a couple verses in, but.

Already we have some theological.

Work that we need to do as a church so.

What I want you to do is I want you to zoom in.

On the word in verse 14 arguing and let's.

Get a grip. On this one word together before

we move deeper into the story. What's What's going on with the?

Arguing thing right here. What are they arguing about?

Is this is this a? Is this a genuine dialogue in

pursuit of the truth? Or is.

This Is this something else? Is this an ego contest of

religious leaders defending their pre-existing biases

religious? Leaders don't do that though, do

they? I can't personally read the

Greek, but I read scholars who do, and one of the foremost,

Mark scholars draws out this point about the word arguing.

And it's an important textual point, he says.

Quote. The Greek word for arguing here

carries combative connotations. So why?

Why is that important? It's important.

Because it's important. Because I don't want us living

wrongly as Christians, and as we try to divide the word of God

rightly, it becomes clear biblically, that there's a

difference between arguing and fighting for truth.

Do you? Hear that?

There's a difference between arguing.

And fighting for truth. And there has to be because

watch. What I'm going to do is I want.

I want to put up two. Thought patterns in the.

Bible side by side. And I want to show you what the

rub. Is when I say that.

OK, so watch these two. Different thought patterns work

themselves out in the Bible. We'll start with biblical

thought. Pattern #1.

Do. Not be.

Argumentative beginning of the Bible.

Middle of the Bible. End of the Bible.

It's all over the Bible. Don't be an argumentative

person. Textual support?

Lots. I'll give you 2 second, Timothy.

Chapter 2 verse 23 quote. As a servant of the Lord.

You must not argue. Pretty clear.

Titus, Chapter 3, verse nine. Avoid foolish controversies.

Titus 3 · chapter mention

Dissensions. And quarrels.

Why should I avoid them? Four, because they are

unprofitable and worthless. Seems pretty clear.

Avoid being argumentative. Right.

And that's that's not. Hipster skinny jeans ELE

Everybody love everybody Young millennial pastor Cole.

That's God don't be argumentative.

And yet. Alongside.

Of that thought pattern, and apparently perfectly compatible

with the Bible's expectations To not argue is biblical thought

pattern number two, fight for the truth supporting.

Texts. Lots.

Here's two. First Peter 3.

Always be prepared to make. A defense to anyone who asks you

for a reason for the hope that is in you Always be.

Prepared to defend the truth. Or how about Galatians?

Paul gets into a theological. Fight with people who are

undermining the Gospel with heresy.

And he says quote. We did not give in to them for

a. Moment so that the.

Truth. Of the gospel.

Might remain with you. Didn't give in to it for a

moment. Don't give in to heresy for a

moment. Don't give it an inch.

Fight for truth, right? If you're.

In a community. Group in this church, a small

group. I hope there are very few weeks

that go by where. Your group doesn't fight for the

truth. Disagreement going back and

forth. A mutual searching for the truth

together. Pointing to the Bible.

Listening. Looking at each other.

In the eyes, God forbid, our church just becomes an echo

chamber. Right disagree or away this is

this is a safe. Place for you to disagree in

this church. Fight for the truth.

But you see the rub, right? Fight for the truth.

But don't argue and that. Brings about an obvious

question. Well, how do you?

Fight for the truth without being argumentative or to.

Phrase it the other way. How do you avoid arguments?

Without being a Sissy. About the truth.

And so we have to. Reconcile these two biblical

thought. Patterns that apparently in

God's mind, go together by asking ourselves the question.

OK then, what's the difference between arguing?

And fighting for the truth. And there's a lot of ways that

we could answer this question biblically.

That would be helpful. Like tone, temperament, the

presence or absence of love. Those are all good answers.

I'm going to give one this morning.

No. What's the difference between?

Being argumentative and fighting for truth.

You know. You feel it.

It's your motive. It's your motive, for example,

if the chief motive you have in engaging in an argument.

Is just to win the argument without regards to what's true

or false. You're argumentative.

You are. If the chief motive.

You have in engaging in argument is embarrassing the other person

or. Slaying them right, Shaming

them. You're argumentative and BI.

Don't need to tell you this. Being argumentative is it's

poison everywhere. Church, of course, your

friendships. Of course.

Your marriage? Absolutely.

It's poison everywhere, period. That's why God in His word says.

Quote. Avoid such people.

The Bible doesn't talk that way about very many types of people,

but argumentative people. Make sure your motive is right.

On the other hand, I do want to say this though, if the chief

motive you have in engaging in an argument.

Is to mutually pursue the truth with another person.

Then you're doing a good thing and you're fighting for the

truth, and that relationship is going to hold fast and by the

spirit of God, you guys are going to find the truth and.

That's good. We need.

People to disagree. We need people to stand up for

the truth. We need people to not just

parrot what the people in the community are saying.

People who don't backpedal in the face of lies and people who.

Say no, that's not. True.

Look at God's. Word thus.

Far and and no further. You do need to fight for the

truth. That's just not what's happening

at the bottom. Of the mountain.

In this story, Jesus comes down from the mountain and he asked

what are you yelling about? What are you arguing about?

And you want to know what they're arguing about?

Well, before anybody can answer, there's actually an

interruption. Look at verse. 17 and someone.

From the crowd, answered him. Teacher, I brought my son to

you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute, and whenever it

seizes him, it throws him down and he.

Foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.

So I asked your. Disciples to cast it out.

And they were not able. And he answered them.

Oh, faithless generation, how long am I to be with you?

How long am I to bear with you? Bring the boy to me.

And they brought the boy to him. And when the Spirit saw him,

immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground

and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.

And Jesus asked his Father, how long has this been happening to

him? Isn't that interesting?

Jesus rolls up. He finds his disciples.

Arguing. Hey, what are you guys?

Arguing about and then in place of the argument, a person stands

forth, there's an interruption, and rather than treating the

person like an interruption. Jesus, like Jesus, always does

in the. Book of Mark treats him like a

person. Man steps forward, he says.

My child's possessed by a demon. And your disciples can't.

Heal him. And here's the kicker.

It's been happening to this boy for his entire life, since

childhood. Since.

Childhood Wait, let me let me plead with you for just a.

Moment, I know that. This is just this.

Character is just ink on a page to us, but try to.

Humanize this. Dad for just a second, being a

parent's Hard Super. Rewarding.

Super hard being a. Parent is hard when your kids

won't share their. Toys being a parent's hard.

When bedtime goes 25 minutes late.

That's. Legitimately hard and.

Here this boy probably has. Burn marks on him.

He's been seized by a. Demon that makes his mouth foam

and. Grind his teeth, and his father

has had to watch this. Happen forever, helplessly.

And so I want you to see this, Dad, because I want you to see

that this is not just. A college student with parents

paying for his tuition, Who's on fire for Jesus and.

Faith just comes easily. For him, because he's just

surrounded by roommates who love.

Jesus this is. A dad who is tired, exhausted

and burnt out. And what does faith?

What does Faith even look like for a tired, exhausted, burnt

out dad? Here's what it doesn't.

Look like verse 21. Jesus asked the Father how long

has this been happening to him? And, he said from childhood it

has often cast him into the fire and water to destroy.

Him. But if you can do anything.

If you're like. The other healing magicians who

are pagans and work with mysteries if you can do anything

have. Compassion on us and help us and

Jesus said if you. Can all things are possible for

the one who believes? Are you guys in this story with

me still? So the reason why I say this is

not what faith? Looks like for an exhausted,

burnt out dad is because apparently the phrase.

If you can, gets underneath. Jesus's skin, which is rare.

There's not a lot of things that get underneath.

Jesus. 'S skin, but this phrase does.

I think there's probably some historical reasons for why this

is. I can't prove this, but I do

think this dad is treating Jesus as just.

Another Pagan, Healer, or Mystic.

So I think maybe. That might be going on, but for

sure in the text. Here's here's what we do.

See. This is not somebody with.

Authentic belief who just happens to be struggling with on

belief, because as we'll. See, in just a nano moment,

Jesus has boundless. Compassion towards those of us

who have belief but are struggling with unbelief.

And so that's not what this is. At verse 22.

This is unbelief. And this is not a.

Criticism of this dad. I I get it right.

I I almost have a breakdown when my kids don't eat their food.

I I get it How hard it is to be a dad, right?

This isn't a criticism. I'm just calling a spade a

spade. Right.

And no, no matter what the circumstances are, what we're

looking at right here is on belief.

And we know this because of the word can.

He doesn't trust that Jesus. Can heal his son.

Which is to say, he doesn't know who Jesus is, which at the most

fundamental level is what faith is, a knowledge of who.

Jesus is and a trust in Him. He's the one through whom?

All things are possible, and yet Jesus in his boundless kindness.

Rather than leaving him, draws him deeper by filling him with

the truth. If you can.

Brother, all things are possible for the one who believes.

In me and apparently this. Truth does it.

Just does it, bro. Because here's.

A dad who's got you know, this jabroni has some.

Dark circles under his eyes. You know he's got some wrinkles

on his forehead. You know he's.

Looking haggard right now it's. Been a long time since he's felt

some hope, but apparently this truth lights a spark in this

dad's eyes. It lights a fire under his rear

end. It ignites something deep within

him. Because here's a man for his

child's whole life has seen his. Beloved child tormented by

demons. I mean can.

You imagine how heavy gravity feels to.

This dad every time he. Wakes up in the middle.

Of the night. And his son is gripped.

By another seizure man. What does faith even look?

Like for a tired, exhausted burnout dad.

Verse 24. Here's what it looks like

immediately when the father of the child.

Hears Jesus say this, he cries out and said.

I, I believe, help my unbelief. That's what it looks like.

Unbeliever no more, he says. Five of the most beautiful words

in Scripture, I believe help my unbelief.

So it's radically. Different.

This is authentic belief that is now just.

Struggling with some unbelief and we know.

This because of how Jesus. Responds to this confession.

He doesn't respond by saying sorry, it's got to be uncut.

Sorry, it's got to be. 100% pure.

With No struggle mixed again. Shake the magic 8 ball again.

No. How's Jesus respond?

Look at the text. He heals.

His son, verse 25. And when Jesus saw that, the

crowd. Came running together.

He rebuked the unclean spirit and said, Get out, you mutant.

Deaf spirit, I command you. Come out of him and never enter

him again and it works. After crying out and convulsing

him terribly, the spirit came out and the boy was like a

corpse. So that most of them said he's

dead, but Jesus. Took him by the hand, lifted him

up. And he arose.

And when he entered the house, his disciples asked him

privately, why couldn't we do it?

Why couldn't we do that? Why could we not cast it out

and? Jesus said to them this.

Kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.

And then the story ends. And to be frank with you, I

don't know what to make of that final verse.

Not because I didn't study it, I did.

There's just a lot of thoughts about what people think with

that final verse. This kind cannot be driven out

by anything but prayer. And I'm not positive what it

means. But I don't think it means and

I'm open to being wrong about this.

But I don't think it means that there's like different types of.

Demons that require different strategies.

Right, because I don't think there's any kinds.

Of demons that can be driven out without prayer.

And So what? I think Jesus is saying this

kind of. Thing, as in all demon

possessions, cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.

So I think what Jesus is saying, it looks confusing on the

surface. I actually think he's just

saying. Something that's super simple,

right? He's saying you can't do the

work of God. Without the power of God and.

Apparently, that's why the disciples.

Couldn't drive out this. Demon they were attempting.

It in their own strength, which you never do right apart from

the power of God. But you can't do the.

Work of God without the power of God without prayer, which raises

an interesting textual question though.

I don't know if you saw this in the story.

But the demon came out. Right, but Jesus said this

demon. Cannot be driven out.

With anything besides. Prayer.

So where's the prayer? The the.

Disciples didn't lift up their gaze and say a prayer.

Nobody bows. Their head folds.

Their hands and says. Our Father who art in heaven.

We now exorcise this demon. So where's the prayer?

It's there. We just passed over it too

quickly. The prayer was verse 24, I

believe help my unbelief. That's the prayer that was.

Necessary for the exorcism. And let's take it out of its.

Context a little bit here. That's the prayer that's

necessary for every square inch of your life to, I believe, help

my on belief. Again, that's different than

verse 22 when he says if you can.

And here's how doubt in whether or not Jesus can do this or can

do that. Is ultimately a doubt.

In the divine identity of. Jesus.

It's a doubt that questions his work, whether his work on the

cross was sufficient for the forgiveness of sins.

It's a doubt that questions. His sufficiency.

Whether or not he. Really has the.

Power to accomplish his will. And it's a doubt.

That ultimately questions Jesus himself.

And that's. What the Bible would call

unbelief, but when? The dad says 2 verses.

Later, I believe help my own belief He's no longer doubting

Jesus. So like however you interpret

these 5 words, don't confuse these 5 words with this man

saying I mean I. Kind of believe in Jesus as my

savior. Hedging my bets, I'm 5050 on it,

right? I kind of believe Jesus is my

savior, but I also kind of. Sort of.

Believe it might be personal enlightenment or my own.

Works. Based righteousness or or or

whatever. It is.

That's not what he's doing this, Dad, is.

No longer. He's no longer the man.

He was in verse 22. He's a new creation.

He's a different. Man in verse 24.

So when he says I. Believe what he believes in.

Is Jesus Christ and when he says help my own belief what he means

is he's struggling. With believing that Jesus will

do the thing that he. Asked.

Not that Jesus can. Do the thing that he asked.

But that Jesus will he. He has saving faith, right?

I believe in you, Jesus. But that's mixed with like this

circumstantial, everyday sort of unbelief.

That pops up like I believe in Jesus.

But I don't know if I'm praying for the right thing.

Right now. So I I don't know if you will do

this thing. He's praying.

I. Believe you can, but help my own

belief. That you?

Will. Does that make sense?

Good because. If you're awake, then there's

rarely a day that goes by where you don't feel those 5 words in

your heart. I I believe Help.

My own belief. Rarely a day where you don't

feel that. And not only does.

Rarely a day go by where you don't feel that it's pretty much

in every domain of your life, right?

Like, for example, I started writing out how this prayer

works itself out through my life and my domains of life.

It turns out we don't have time for me to go through all those.

But I'll give you 3, OK? Here's how these 5 words.

Impact a couple key domains of my life.

As a dad, Jesus I. Believe that you can save my

kids and regenerate their hearts and make them into.

Lovers of Jesus. But help my own.

Belief When I? Look at the failures in my own

parenting and wonder what's going to become of it.

I believe help my own belief. As a leader, I believe you.

Can grow our church and move our mission forward, but help my own

belief. When I read all the literature

about America trending away from Christianity and churches

closing their doors, I believe help my own belief.

It's everywhere in my life. As a preacher.

I believe that you. Use your words to save.

People and convict people and transform people, but help my

own belief. Because sometimes it just sounds

like it just. Feels like I'm shouting into a

void up here and I can never find the right words to

encourage people in Jesus, so I believe that you.

Can use this Lord, but help my own.

Belief that you will. Use it I mean.

It's just impossible to walk away from this verse without

saying wow belief in. Jesus is compatible with doubt

in some circumstances, right? Like, let me just.

Vent for a minute. About breakfast food I.

Can't be the only one here who wrestles with this, but it's so

hard. Sometimes.

To get all the butter in all the little squares in the waffle.

Right. I mean, I can't be the only one

who. Struggles with this.

I don't know how it works with the.

I take out a. Gob of butter that's sufficient

for like 4 waffles and I spread it on and I look at.

It and I'm like that hit 4. Pockets and the other 40 squares

are barren. I feel like and I feel like.

This personal confession. Unless I fill every square with

butter, I'm a failure, right? And too often, guys, we.

Think of our hearts like a pancake.

Right. With a pancake, you pour syrup

on that sucker it effortless. Spreads across every square inch

of the pancake momentarily. That's not.

What your heart is like Your heart's not like a pancake.

Your heart is like a waffle. Pour syrup into a waffle and

there are still. All these.

Pockets that need what syrup? But you got the syrup.

It's genuine syrup. It's saving syrup.

There's just pockets. That you need to push it into

getting syrup into all the pockets of the waffle.

Is a lifetime project. And getting the gospel into all

the pockets of your heart? It's a lifetime project.

It's. Just going to be these.

Pockets you need to. Press them into parenting and

singleness and. Relationships.

And work and vocation and. It's not that you don't got the

syrup, you got the syrup. It's just through these pockets.

Man, you need. The church and people and

preaching and singing and. The Bible.

And with the Spirit of God, you can really believe in Jesus.

Like, really? And after you've endured your

child's entire childhood, watching him being tormented by

demons, you can still struggle to believe that.

I believe in you, Jesus. But I'm not sure anything's ever

going to change but the beautiful.

Thing is that even though. This dad experiences unbelief.

He ultimately acts on his faith. Not as doubt.

Doubt is. So natural.

But when doubt and faith are at war in your heart, act on your

faith. Because this I think.

This is a word that we need to hear.

Because no one else is going to tell us this.

The culture always tells us to doubt our faith, and certainly

there are times where we need to question what we believe and

whether or not it's biblical. But you know what?

The world, the culture, is never going to tell us to doubt or

doubt. So you need to learn the.

Skill of doubting your doubt. Especially in the brave new

world that we live in, we need to learn the skill of doubting

our doubt, like when you experience.

Doubt it's a. Totally natural thing, but do

this. Do this.

Oh wow, that was a weird thought.

I've lived most of my life. As a Christian and did I just

doubt the existence of God in my head?

That's a new thought. What if rather than acting out

on that right now? Doing a big Facebook post.

Rather than just doubting my faith, what if I applied the

same intellectual vigor that I applied to my?

Faith to my doubt. What if I doubted my doubt?

Maybe what if I? That thought that crossed my.

Head that doubt. What if that was not because I

spontaneously? Just became the first human

being to intellectually disprove the Trinity.

What if it's just because I missed lunch and I'm hangry?

Or maybe it the? The doubt stays longer.

Right. It's not just a passing thing,

but it starts to. Rent from the apartment, right.

And so maybe you need to drill in a little bit deeper.

Maybe I experienced that doubt because I'm wounded.

Or I'm hurt, or I didn't get something I wanted.

And when I don't feel like I get things I want, I lash.

Out. And whenever a person lashes

out, they always lash out at those closest.

To them, and in my case that's God, and so maybe this is less

an. Intellectual doubt.

And maybe I'm just lashing out at God right now and I just need

to be with. Jesus, and let this doubt.

Pass. Examine your doubt.

Is it? Is it just a selfish?

Impulse manifesting itself through you.

Could it be a? Tool in the hand.

Of God that just jolt you into deeper relationship.

With it, with him. Whatever it is, learn to doubt

your doubt. Jesus, I believe help my

unbelief. That's how you do it.

I believe help my unbelief that's how you doubt your doubt

with. Jesus.

Not without. Jesus, that's what this man.

Does and it works, and then the story ends.

And strangely enough. When we come to the.

End of our text this morning. I find this odd.

The story ends, and we never know what the disciples were

arguing about with the religious leaders.

It's how the story starts, you would think.

That that argument. Would come to a conclusion.

Maybe they were arguing. About the law of God.

Maybe they were arguing about the identity of.

Jesus, it could be about why the disciples.

Couldn't cast out the demons, but ultimately the text doesn't

tell us. We don't know what they were

arguing about. So we can have some guesses, but

those are just guesses, and so I think it's.

Strange that Mark ends the story without telling us what the

argument was even about. Why do you think that is?

I'll take a crack at it. There I am.

My senior year. Of college, Dirty dishes all

around me. Piles of dirty clothes in a

duplex in the midst of a Bible study.

And I find myself in the midst of an.

Argument. And that argument continues to

go on and on and on and on and on.

Neither person. Gaining ground neither person

listening to the other and it spirals to the point where the

only way I snap out of the hypnosis is in the middle.

Of the conversation, my friend says.

What are you yelling about, Cole?

And it strikes me in that moment I'm.

Yelling. And granted, it's been a few

years since that argument. Apparently whatever I was

arguing about seemed important enough for me at the time to be

yelling about. And here's the the weird thing,

I remember the person I was arguing with.

I remember him really well. Tyler just a sweetheart of a

bro. Solid.

Dude passionate, passionate advocate for disability

awareness. He had cerebral palsy.

He was funny as heck. Fun to spend time with and he

tragically died a few years ago crossing the road on his

wheelchair in Cedar Falls. I loved Tyler and he rolled.

His eyes at me and said Oh. Cole more than anybody, which is

saying a lot. So I love my relationship with

him, so I remember the person. Really.

Well, in fact, when I was prepping the sermon, I went back

to his Facebook and. Looked at our messages and back

and forths that we had before he passed away, and there he.

Was in my inbox. Just being Tyler and just being

super encouraging. Like, dude, I always knew you'd

be a church. Planner We didn't always agree

on things like you always had a way.

Just. Being super encouraging.

So I remember the person really well, but do you want to know

what we were arguing about that night?

Because I can't even remember. I don't even.

Remember I remember the person though, and so maybe.

That's a lesson for us this morning.

Don't be argumentative. Be like Jesus because in the

middle. Of a world arguing about who

knows what, There's often an exhausted, stressed out, burnt

out person with dark circles under their eyes who needs you

to fight for their faith rather than just?

Arguing so be like Jesus. And win the person.

Sound good. Heavenly Father, thank you for

the. Goodness of your word, I pray

that you would use it to. Bring us to faith in Jesus to

equip us. To encourage us.

If we need rebuke, I pray that we would receive that as a gift

from the loving hand of God. And I pray that you would make

us tender. People who fight for the truth

but are not argumentative, who care about deep doctrine about

Jesus. But we're not just people who

want to win arguments. We're people who want to win

people to Jesus. So we believe.

But Lord, help our unbelief. Amen.