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MUSTARD SEED FAITH
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Mark 9:14-33

Matthew 17:14-23

 

“…If ye have faith as
a grain of mustard seed

…nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

 

MUSTARD SEED FAITH
 
When Jesus came down from the mount of transfiguration, He was confronted by a crowd who had gathered to see whether His disciples could heal an epileptic boy who was obviously demon possessed. But the nine were powerless. The scribes were no doubt scoffing at them. The boy’s father himself confessed his unbelief. Jesus was angered and grieved by such spiritual degeneracy among the people. He had been ministering to them for about three years, and yet they were still unbelieving. Jesus’ indictment of them as a “faithless and perverse generation” was fully justified.
 
Jesus showed mercy on the boy and his father who tearfully pleaded, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” He cast out the demon and prohibited it from entering the boy ever again. When the disciples asked the Lord why they were powerless to cast out the demon, Jesus replied that spiritual power lies in faith. If only they had a mustard seed kind of faith (cf. Matt 13:31-32), they could have moved even “this mountain” (Hermon?). Faith, like the mustard seed, needs to be cultivated through much prayer and fasting, and nourished by the Word of God.
 
As Jesus approached the last stretch of His redemptive ministry on earth, Jesus wanted His disciples to know for certain that He would be betrayed and killed by men, and on the third day be raised from the dead by God. They were very sad to hear this. Up till this point, they still thought of Jesus as the One who would put to death His enemies, and raise up Israel to its former glory. But Jesus, on the contrary, predicted His own death, and spoke of His own resurrection. They just could not figure out what it all meant. God had also concealed it from them until the appointed time (cf. John 14:16, 17, 26).
 
THOUGHT: Faith is the victory.

PRAYER: “Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

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