Title: Let's not despair / Matthew 17:14-20
Contents Kanjo Uchimura, a leading theologian in Japan, defined our era as the 'era of despair'. In fact, looking at the surroundings in which we live, there are many more desperate than hopeful. We have met a dark and gloomy time in all areas such as politics, economy, education, society, culture, and national defense. No one wants to despair, but when you look around you, you are full of things that make you despair. Individual lives, families, societies, and countries are no different. Life was difficult, relationships were cracked, and there was no light in the dark night. How should we live in times like this?
First, let's look at the cause of the father's despair in today's text.
1. The father despaired of his children.
“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he suffers from epilepsy and keeps falling over fire and into water” (verse 15).
“One of the crowd cried out and said, “Please take care of my son, for he is my only son” (Luke 9:38).
He was the only son. We confess with our lips that children are a gift and an inheritance from God. That is why they say that children should be raised as timber that accomplishes God's will, not as a tool to satisfy one's own desires. However, the reality is that they have hope in their children and want to be compensated for their unhappy past. not two. Because of the problem of his only son, the father had no choice but to despair.
2. I was in despair over the problem of disease.
“O dumb and deaf spirit, I command you…” (Mark 9:25)
The son was possessed by a demon and could not speak or hear. Despite all the medications, it didn't get better. No treatment was given to any doctors.
3. I despaired of spiritual problems.
"One of the crowd answered, "Teacher, I have brought to you my son who is possessed by a dumb demon. If a demon seized him anywhere, he threw it down, foaming it, and grinding his teeth and flying away" (Mark 9:17-18).
Seeing his only son dying every day seemed to break his father's heart. The text shows the reason why the father of a child who is possessed by a demon and has epilepsy still has hope even though he cannot die in such a desperate situation and environment. In reality, there seems to be no hope at all. The problem that I couldn't help myself, I put all my hope on Jesus, but Jesus went to the mountain and there were nine disciples, so I asked him to fix it. At first they spoke confidently, and later they too were sweating hard, but they couldn't move. The demons were too strong, and the disciples were too powerless. Father's heart fell into despair again as even the last expectation was shattered. When Jesus came, we hung on our broken hopes again. What if this is my case?
What should I do with a son like this at a time like this? I wanted to be happy because of me, but when he is possessed by a demon and gets sick and takes away even my little happiness, if it were us, what if it was my case?
Evangelist Younghan Lee and the members of Jeosan Church visited Eumseong Kkottongnae last week. When I went there, there were all kinds of sick people. From newborn babies to the elderly today and tomorrow, everyone was sick without a healthy person. Even now, almost every day, children and elderly people with physical disabilities or mental disorders are abandoned in Kkottongnae Village. When you think that your happiness is getting in the way, you throw away both your children and your parents. How much more can they be happy after doing that? Giving up or giving up is never the solution. Let's see how we can solve our misery, our despair.
Who is the God we believe in?
1. He is the one who hears prayers.
“When they came to the crowd, a man came to Jesus and knelt down and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son I brought it to your disciples, but they could not heal him” (14-16).
“Bring him here.” Then Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out and the child was healed from that time on (17-18).
2. Jesus shows the solution to the problem.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus in silence and said, “Did we not be able to drive him out?” He said, “It is because of your little faith. and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (19-20).
3. Jesus Healing
“Then Jesus rebuked him, and the demon went out, and the child was healed from that time on” (verse 18).
“This kind cannot go out except by prayer” (Mark 9:20).
What should our prayers of faith be like?
1. We must pray for confessing the truth.
“Lord, have mercy on my son; he suffered greatly from epilepsy, and he often fell into fire and into water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” (15-16)
2. You must confess your wish.
“Have mercy on us” (Mark 9:20).
3. You must confess your shortcomings.
"If it is possible, heal my son." "If it is possible, what do you mean? Nothing is impossible for him who believes." "I believe. Help me with my unbelief."
Please remember that your hopes never fade. Please believe in the fact that no matter how low you are in your life or how difficult everything is, when Jesus comes to you, that despair will be transformed into hope. Lack of faith is not a sin. Not praying is a sin. We are ashamed of our little faith. However, if you have faith in prayer, even a small amount of faith will grow quickly. The power of prayer makes everything possible. We have Jesus whom the world does not have. The reason we still have hope is because Jesus is there. Come before Jesus. Let's put the problem out. He will heal and solve.