Jesus Solves the Problem: Mark 9:14-29

In today’s world we have experts that address almost all the problems that we have. The experts may or may not have the answers to the problem, but they are the ones that have the training, education, and experience that help them to hopefully discover a solution. The COVID-19 pandemic that we are experiencing at this time is an example. Dr. Fauci is recognized as the leading expert in the field of infectious disease. On the other hand the president of the United States disagrees with Dr. Fauci. It seems that Dr. Fauci is motivated by his desire as a health professional to save lives. On the other hand President Donald Trump, a business man, is motivated to save the economy of the United States. The Democrats are making the COVID-19 pandemic a political issue, thus they severely criticize the president’s policies. They hope to gain political capital by arousing people’s emotions by consistently pointing out the numbers of people that have contracted the virus and more importantly, the number of deaths caused by the virus. So, when we are honest, we have two problems. First is the health and life of people. How can health and life be preserved? Second is the decline and restoration of the economy. How can we maintain our lifestyle that depends upon the health and growth of the economy? How can we strike a balance between these two realities? Who can we look to? Who can solve this complex problem? The story that we have before us helps us to know that Jesus solves the problem when all of our efforts fail.

As we look at this story in Mark 9, we see that Jesus and three of His disciples, Peter, James, and John have had a mountaintop experience. Bible scholars call this experience the “transfiguration” of Jesus (Mk. 9:2). The word “transfigure” means that one is changed into another form. While transfigured Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. A cloud appears and a voice from heaven says, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him” (9:7, NASB)! Things return to normal and Jesus and the three disciples return to the valley. They see a crowd that includes scribes arguing with the other ten disciples. The crowd happily runs to Jesus because they can see that the disciples are not able to solve the problem that is before them. It seems that the crowd believes, and they are hoping that Jesus can solve the problem. Here is something that we should think about.

We cannot keep Jesus on a mountain. Yes, it is true that Jesus is the name above all other names. However, the gospels do not give us a picture of Jesus as a problem solver that lives on the mountain. Instead, the gospels and the story before us give us a picture of the Son of God come down from heaven to live among men. It is this earthbound Jesus that teaches people the will of God. It is this earthbound Jesus that works miracles, healing the sick and feeding the hungry. While we recognize Jesus as a Savior in heaven, we have the Holy Spirit with us. He takes from Jesus what is needed to solve our problems. “I will ask the Father; and He will send you another Helper; that He may be with you forever” (Jn. 14:16, NASB). “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” (v. 26). “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you” (Jn. 16:14, NASB). We must allow Jesus to be a presence in our lives in order that through His teaching and His power He may solve our problems. Now, let us return to the story.

Jesus returns from the mountain. He is met by an enthusiastic crowd. Jesus opens an investigation and discovers that there is a problem that His disciple cannot solve. A man tells Jesus about his son. “And He asked them, ‘What are you discussing with them?’ And one of the crowd answered Him, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute,” (Mk. 9:16-17). The father of the boy describes the behavior of his son whenever the spirit is active in the life of his son (v. 18). Jesus tells them to bring the boy (the problem) to Him. When they bring the boy to Jesus, He sees the problem (v.20). The problem is not a new one. It has been a problem since childhood (v. 21). We are dealing with problems that we see in adults that has been a problem in their lives since childhood. We often ignore the problem. We have our own ways of dealing with children with problems. Don’t get me started on the education of “special needs” children that helps to maintain them, but offers little to no hope of independent living as adults. Help us Jesus!

After the father tells Jesus everything about his son he makes a statement expressing hope that Jesus can do something that no one else can do. “But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us” (v. 22)! “And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, I do believe; help my unbelief” (vv. 22-24). The father brings his son to Jesus (v. 17), but he sees the disciples of Jesus. Jesus talks with the father wishing that Jesus can help him and his son. Now, Jesus responds to the father’s wish by speaking the Word of God. The man hears what Jesus says, and his wishes turn into faith. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17, NASB).

The crowd hears the commotion and comes to see what is taking place. What is Jesus saying? What will Jesus do? “When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ‘You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again’” (v. 25). The spirit leaves the boy fighting for its life. The boy lies lifeless on the ground. Jesus takes the boy by the hand and raises him from what appeared to be death to new life free of the spirit that had controlled him from childhood.

The disciples are filled with wonder and they have questions to ask Jesus. “When He came into the house, His disciples began questioning Him privately, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer’” (vv. 28-29, NASB). The disciples cannot drive out the spirit by their own power. They must pray so that they receive power from the Holy Spirit. The spirit in the boy is overcome by the power of Jesus. We have the power of Jesus ministered to us by the Holy Spirit.

Human beings are able to think, experiment, and test problems that we are faced with everyday. There are some problems that we cannot solve. The disciples in the story represent human experts, yet, their expertise offers no solution. The boy in the story represents humanity with all of its unsolved problems. The father represents those that are looking for solutions to their problems. The father hears about the man named Jesus. What is the message that the people of God saying about Jesus today? When we read the bible, preach sermons, and have bible studies what is our message? It is one thing to tell about the ministries in our churches, and it is another thing to tell about the work of Jesus in our churches.

The father in the story brings his son to Jesus. He is met by ten disciples that are not able to solve the problem. It is when Jesus comes that the man meets the One that can solve his problem. He must come to Jesus believing that all things are possible. He believes that Jesus can solve his problem even though human expertise and power has no effect on the problem that he lives with every day. If the father could talk to us today, he would say as Charles Hayes says in his song, “All in His hands, I put it all in His hands.” Jesus solves the problem.