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Everything Is Possible

Pastor Jeremy Schultz
September 13, 2009

Today's message is about a word that I would like to describe to all of you, but will not plan to use. Not even once. It's not because the word frightens me or that I'm suddenly on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list for all of you Football fans. No, it's just that I desire to speak about the topic so convincingly that you will have no problem naming the subject and by the end of this message I hope that you will long for it more and more in your life. It's the kind of thing that, according to the Bible, is so powerful that if you have even just a small amount of it like that of a mustard seed then you will literally be able to move mountains. And it will make you declare right along with Jesus that, "Everything is Possible." So let's go.

Our reading through Mark's Gospel has skipped a couple of chapters since last week's message. We're now in Chapter 9, where we last left off with 7. And in that time, Jesus has performed more miracles, elicited a strong statement of conviction from Simon Peter and has taken three of His disciples up on the Mount of Transfiguration. There they saw His glory. And as they now come down from that mountain, they find the other nine disciples defending themselves against the teachers of the law. A big crowd is watching as these teachers needle the helpless disciples who are trying in vain to defend themselves.

Quickly Jesus gets to the bottom of what's been going on. A man – rather, a father of a single son (according to Luke) tells the pitiful plight about his boy that is possessed by a spirit. It has made him deaf and mute and whenever it seizes him, he is thrown to the ground. He foams at the mouth and gnashes his teeth. I just can't imagine how desperate this man was! How many sleepless nights had he endured wondering whether he would ever find a cure? How many whispers and sneers from hostile neighbors had he endured? God only knows. But with tears, the man tells Jesus that from the time his son was just a little boy the demon has repeatedly thrown him into the fire or water and tried to kill him. And nobody has been able to do anything about it – now, not even the disciples of Jesus!

One thing is clear from the scene – the disciples were in way over their heads! They had tried and they had failed miserably. Upon hearing about His disciples' failure, Jesus' sighs wring out like a wet washcloth. "O unbelieving generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?" The Lord had every right to expect so much more from these men that had journeyed with Him for the past three years!

Yes, the disciples were in way over their heads! And quite honestly, I think that I might have been too. But their real problem is not that they were in over their heads. Their real problem seems to be that they did not believe in the power of God to heal this boy. Or at least, not like they should. If they did, they would have commanded the spirit in Jesus' name to leave. And if he did not, then they might have threatened, "You just wait till Jesus arrives!" They would have prayed. They would have requested His divine assistance. But they didn't. They just stood there – defeated.

So Jesus says, "Bring the boy to Me." And next Jesus inquires about the boy's condition, not because He did not know, but so that the father could understand that what he was asking was something that only the power of God could perform. As the father tells Jesus about his son's terrible affliction, he chokes back tears and says, "But if you can do anything take pity on us and help us." "If you can?" says Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." And immediately the boy's father said, "I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief." To this, Jesus does not say a word. He simply does what the man asks! To the utter amazement of us all, Jesus heals the boy and He helps the man overcome His unbelief.

The story is soothing to me because at my core I too believe. That is to say, I find myself believing like the disciples. Sometimes I believe like I'm on top of the mountain with Jesus so high and close to Him that I could say to one mountain move over there and it would obey. But other times, I believe about as miserably as the other nine did down in the valley below. Deep down inside of me, I believe in God. There's no doubt and I claim His power over sin and every evil. Like the father, I believe. But I also find that sometimes, perhaps many times, my knees get shaky. Something gets a hold of me sometimes and that certainty starts to slip away. I believe...but not like I should. And I'm guessing that it's the same with you.

Do you believe that everything is possible? I am sure that there are certainly times when you have no trouble believing that. But I am also sure that there are times when that statement is put to the test. You may be a father or a mother who has been tormented by the affliction of your child. I have a good friend whose little boy two years ago suddenly and inexplicably went limp. He went from being a normal, healthy active six year old to a near comatose state almost overnight. And there was no explanation for it. You may want to witness to your friend who is an atheist, but you never feel like you can speak as well as she can. In your personal struggle with sin you may feel like you're taking on a whole team all by yourself and you just keep getting pushed further and further back. And you may wonder, "Is everything really possible to him who believes?" Because these problems are big. And so is that doubt. It starts off so small that it can barely be noticed. But then it grows into something really big. It's not that you don't believe. Perhaps you just need some help with your unbelief!

Well, Jesus can do that! In fact, He already has. 2,000 years ago He came to fulfill the words of promise that had been spoken to God's people through the ages. He died on the cross to forgive you all of your sins and He rose up from the dead so that you could be with Him forever. Now I know that it might be hard to understand what that has to do with your confusion over His power and His ability to make everything work out. But let me explain by saying – everything! Let there be no doubt that Jesus died to free you from Satan's grasp. Let there be no doubt that He rose on the third day and has restored you (just like the boy) to you Father. And let this knowledge fill your heart to confess along with Christ, "Everything is possible to Him who believes."

Undoubtedly, you've figured out what that word is by now. So I'll simply tell you – it's faith. Faith is that gift that Christ wants to build in your heart. Faith in Christ and His power will pick you up every time you fall. It will forgive you every time you fail. It will sustain you in every trial and cause you to confess that with Christ, "Everything is Possible." Everything is possible to him who believes. Lord, I do believe...help me overcome my unbelief! Amen.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."