Join us on the International Gospel Hour as we delve into the complexities of faith through the account of a desperate father in Mark 9. Together, we explore the depths of belief and the challenges of faith as we witness a father’s heartfelt plea for help. This episode offers rich spiritual insights and practical applications for addressing your doubts and strengthening your conviction.
Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Have you ever been there, friend? Questioning your faith? Let’s look at these matters of faith today right here from the International Gospel Hour. We’ll be right back.
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s time for our broadcast from the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jay Webb, and welcome to our study today as we embrace God’s Word to help us meet the challenges of today. Let’s open our Bibles and open our heart for this time of Bible study with our speaker Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you to our J-Web, and greetings to all of you. It’s great having you with us today, and we’re so thankful that you take time to join us for our studies here from the International Gospel Hour. Before we begin our study today, I’d love to share material with you that’s absolutely free, material that may be of interest to you in your studies as well as your studies with us here, another tool that you can use, and I’d like to mention our friends at truth.fm. That’s truth.fm. Check out their number of listening options and download their app. And also feel free to download beautiful congregational singing of some of the most blessed long-time hymns. Again, that’s truth.fm. That’s truth.fm. Let’s begin our study today with our reading of Mark 9, verses 14 through 27. And when he came to his disciples, or when he came to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them and scribes disputing with them. Immediately when they saw him, all the people were greatly amazed and running to him, greeted him. And he asked the scribes, What are you discussing with them? Then one of the crowd answered and said, Teacher, I brought you my son who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to your disciples that they should cast it out, but they could not. He answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me. Then they brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So he asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more. Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, He is dead, but… Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. My, what a beautiful account. And you know, concerning the dear father of this boy, as we say where I am from, bless his heart. Think of what all this father had witnessed of his son. I mean, he saw this demon, this spirit seize him. Literally throw him down. foaming at the mouth, gnashing his teeth, becomes rigid. He would throw him into the fire and into the water to destroy him, and no doubt the father had to go both places possibly to get him out. I mean, it’s like this father had to watch this young lad. I mean, again, being thrown into the fire, rescuing him, healing him, possibly while being healed. He’s thrown into the water, water that could affect the healing, considering its cleanliness, Friends, we just cannot imagine what this father was going through. And I think it would be fair to assess whether he was wearing down or whether he was worn out. Friends, this man believed. I mean, notice the reply from Mark 9, 24. But, oh, he was struggling. There were areas that he needed strength, more strength to get him through. So we want to launch our thinking out just a little more as we question where we are with our faith. And as this man did, let us seek the Lord through his word for help and direction. Our subject, Questioning Our Faith, is just ahead. But first, a few words about our friends at GospelGazette.com.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you, Jeff. GospelGazette.com is another free online tool from International Gospel Hour. Our friends at GospelGazette.com have an awesome website, and among the options available is their current monthly issue, 25 years of archive material, free PDF copies to the Voice of Truth International publication, and a digital library with an enormous amount of material. Please check them out at GospelGazette.com. That’s GospelGazette.com.
SPEAKER 02 :
Questioning our faith. Let’s ask the first question. Is our faith dead? You know, James chapter 2, beginning with verse 14, says, What does it profit to my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Now in James chapter 2, verses 14 and going to the end of the chapter, we note at the end of the chapter in verse 26, you see then how by works a man is justified and not by faith only. James is discussing a faith that is an active faith, a faith that is shown by the works that it does. For James even asks in that context, You say you have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I’ll show you my faith by my works. That we respond in action, and we respond, and our faith is a working faith. Let us not be confused. Works are not what a man does in order to be saved. Works are what a saved man does expressing his faith. So is our faith dead? Do we say we believe, but that’s as far as we go? Well, questioning our faith. Here’s a second one. Is our faith selective? Now get this. John 12, 42 and 43 says, Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they love the praise of men more than the praise of God. So, here are individuals that say that they believed in Him. Now, if you take John 3.16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Well, that’s what John 3.16 says to believe in Him. Here are those that believed in Him, but they failed to confess Him. Remember John 3.16. Whosoever may believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Will faith move an individual to respond or move an individual to be obedient? And this faith did not do so. It was a selective faith. I’ll believe in Jesus, but I’m not going to confess him. I believe in him, but I’m not going to do this. I believe in him, but I’m going to stay right here in this church, although this church may not be teaching what the Bible has to say. You see what I mean? So is our faith selective? Let’s question our faith. Is our faith misplaced? You know, in the Garden of Eden, in Genesis chapter 3, when Satan told Eve, you shall not surely die, he put one little word in there that misplaced the faith of Adam and Eve. Is our faith misplaced? Is our plan of salvation not accurate? Is it missing confession, as we saw earlier? What about repentance? Is it missing baptism into water for the remission of sins? As we note from Acts 2.38 and Acts 8.35-39 and in Acts 22.16, are we looking for something else? Well, in 2 John 9-11, we are warned that whosoever transgresses and abides not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God. We understand that if there be any that bring you a different doctrine, don’t receive him into your house, neither bid him Godspeed. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived with the teaching of individuals and misplace our faith, although it may look religious, but deep down it’s not biblical, wherein that is where our faith is to rely. There are not minis of churches. There are not minis of spirits. There are not many gods but one. That’s Ephesians 4, 4-6. And within that it speaks of the one body. So is our faith misplaced in a church that we cannot find in the New Testament? Let’s question our faith and ask ourselves another question coming up. But first… Maybe we have prompted you to question your faith. You believe, but you’ve got some areas of unbelief, like that father. We’d like to help you with our Bible study course that’s available by mail. Here is our J-Web with those details, and I’ll come back with a final thought.
SPEAKER 01 :
Our long-time free Bible study course by mail is always available. Have you tried it yet? just call us toll-free at 855-444-6988 and leave your name, address, and just say Home Study. That’s it. You may also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the Contact tab, and leave us the same information, name, address, and type Home Study in the message box. Study the Bible at your own pace. Again, it’s free from your friends here at International Gospel Hour.
SPEAKER 02 :
Is our faith placed in Christ and in His Word, friends? Let’s question our faith. You know, if Jesus is not in charge of every matter, He is not in charge of every matter. We think about that in our lives. For it is Jesus that did teach the necessity of faith in John 3.16 and John 8.24, the necessity of repentance in Luke 13, verses 3 and 5, and John 24, or rather Luke 24, 44-47. of confession of Matthew 10, 32 and 33, and baptism based upon one’s faith, Mark 16 and verse 16, to be added to his church that he promised to build. Let’s think on these things, friends, and thank you for joining me for A Sermon I Heard. And let’s study together at another time. Thanks for joining me today on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie, and friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you for listening today. To God be the glory. And we hope that our study today will draw you closer to His Word to walk in His way. Feel free to listen to our other programs at our website at internationalgospelhour.com And join us next time.
