READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l The question we are asking ourselves during Lent is where we are in our intentional discipleship journey and what our next step is. Today’s passage gives us valuable lessons on faith, healing and spiritual warfare.
1. Contrast of our Discipleship in Faith between our mountaintop and valley experiences
The disciples must have felt very confused, ashamed and disappointed as they came down from the mountain having witnessed the Transfiguration. From being in the very presence of God, they now encounter crowds, arguments, a demon-possessed boy and abject failure as they cannot cast out the demon and face rebuke from Jesus. The contrast between the mountain and the valley experience shows us the tension between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’ of God’s Kingdom, the paradox of Jesus’ glory and suffering and the challenge of following Him in a broken world. This is a familiar experience for us as we too have our highs and lows in Christian life. The way of discipleship and experiencing resurrection power in our lives is through the Cross. We are to trust in Jesus in every circumstance even as our faith will be tested in the darkness of the valley. Are we relying on our own strength or tapping into the power available to us through Jesus Christ?
2. Crisis of Faith in Discipleship
The father pleads that if he can, would Jesus heal his son. Jesus says that all things are possible for those who believe. The father utters one of the most honest heartfelt prayers in the Bible! “I believe; help my unbelief”. The disciples do not know why they cannot heal and this exposes the need we all have to be in a dependent relationship with Jesus. A crisis of faith is not a sign of failure but an opportunity for growth. It is a call to lean not on our understanding but to seek Jesus anew, to deepen our trust in His power and presence. We too have times where prayers are unanswered and our spiritual practices seem insufficient. Jesus Himself came before his Father in vulnerability and fear in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking for a way out of the suffering and death on the Cross. By confronting our crisis of faith head-on with honesty and vulnerability, we open ourselves to the transformative work of God who takes our imperfect faith and shapes it into a testament of His grace and power.
Let us be open to being prayed for and prayed over, thus capturing every opportunity for the transforming power of God to be at work in our lives.
3. Communing with God through Prayer
Jesus’ statement, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer,” reveals that prayer is not just a religious duty. It is in our communing with God through prayer that connects us to the source of all power and authority. In prayer we acknowledge our dependency on God particularly when we face demons within and without. In prayer we seek not only answers but to align our will with God’s will. Our imperfect faith is not an obstacle to His grace but an opportunity for His power to be manifested and our hearts transformed. The of the demon-possessed boy was a testimony to the boundless power and compassion of Christ.
Jesus does not look for perfection, but humble vulnerable hearts, honestly desiring intimacy with Himself. Our time of prayer must move away from being merely a perfunctory ritual or duty. We are invited once again during this Lent season to be in deeper communion with Him through prayer where our imperfect faith meets His perfect strength.
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- Recall a time when you experienced the contrast between the mountain and the valley in your Christian walk.
• How did you feel and how did you respond? - Reflect on the father’s prayer, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
• How does this prayer resonate with your own faith journey?
• What doubts and fears do you need to bring to Jesus? - Consider the disciplines that draw you closer to God, such as prayer, fasting, silence, meditation and worship.
• Which ones are you practicing regularly and which ones do you need to grow in? - Commit to one step in faith that you will take this week to apply the message in your life.
• Share it with your small group, ministry team, family or loved ones who can hold you accountable and pray with you.
