This morning I am reflecting on a story that is found in all three of synoptic Gospel's, the demonized child that the disciples were unable to cure. I am going to start with the introduction of the situation by Mark and then look at the results from Luke's Gospel. In all three Gospels, this story follows immediately after the Transfiguration of Jesus on the Mountain.
Mark 9:14-18 NIV:
[14] "When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. [15] As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
[16] “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.
[17] A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. [18] Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.”
Following this explanation of the situation, Jesus has the boy brought to him - and we pick up the remainder of the story from Luke 9:42-43 NIV:
[42] "Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. [43] And they were all amazed at the greatness of God..."
My reflection on this story this morning, is that there was a disagreement that occurred when the disciples COULDN'T heal the boy! What is obviously unwritten is that everyone was expecting that they could, and that was the norm for their ministry. In fact in Mark's Gospel after the event was finished the disciples asked for understanding as seen here - Mark 9:28-29 NIV: "After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn't we drive it out?” [29] He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer (some manuscripts and - "and fasting"). ”
My point being that casting out demons, a type of healing, was considered a sure thing in the normal ministry of Jesus and His disciples! The only reason the man brought his son in the first place was that he had heard that Jesus could heal people like his son. The disagreement occurred when the disciples couldn't cure him. One can conjecture as to what the disagreement was about, and I would think that the people gathered around were doubting whether their ministry was really effective, calling into question their methods, all sorts of things that is normal fault finding when something doesn't go correctly.
We see this in today's ministries when we pray for people and they don't get healed. We have several different strategies to explain away our ineffectiveness. As Jesus demonstrated in this story, the issue wasn't the authority available in the Kingdom of God, it was the authority being wielded by the disciples that was insufficient. He had the authority, and immediately cast it out. In our ministries we blame lack of faith most often, sometimes its the technique used, or the prayers prayed, or sometimes we fall back on a theory that God wants us the afflicted person to suffer for some reason. I believe the truth is that we lack the authority in the Kingdom, which appears to come from faith and relationship with God. There are obviously other things like the timing of God which I don't want to get into here, but let me focus on the authority and relationship components.
If we go back to the original commissioning of the twelve Apostles to go minister we see Jesus sending them with the following directions - Matthew 10:1,5-8 NIV:
[1] "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."
[5] "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. [6] Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. [7] As you go, proclaim this message: 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' [8] Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
Jesus gave them authority. They had relationship with Him, and were given authority because of their relationship. I would imagine, although its not mentioned here directly, that their faith (Which is also a gift from the Lord) was greatly increased by this sending directions. They knew that it was within their authority to do all which Jesus told them in verse 8, or He wouldn't have said it.
I find it interesting that Jesus finished this particular set of directions with the statement, Freely you have received; freely give." What they had received was authority (see verse 1 above) and they were supposed to give out of that authority. What did they give? I think they were called to give healing, deliverance, cleansing and freedom - all of which are available in the Kingdom of God. They weren't proclaiming anything they could bring about, but as Jesus had already demonstrated to them, they were proclaiming the Kingdom and then giving away that which was proof that the Kingdom of God was present (healing, etc.), and that which came from God.
The Apostles clearly walked in this ministry so effectively that they were puzzled when then ran into a demon they couldn't drive out, ad seen in our original story. Not only were they surprised but so were the people that were following Jesus. Jesus came down and immediately dealt with the situation and corrected their perceptions about the Kingdom of God, and our authority. There wasn't a demon that could stand against the Kingdom of God, but there were demons that took greater levels of authority to drive out.
In summary, the ministry of the disciples and Jesus were highly effective in healing and delivering people, so much so that when the disciples couldn't drive out a demon they and the people that followed them were surprised. Their ministry flowed out of the authority they had been given through their relationship with Jesus.
It is the same for us today. Jesus directs us all to the same focus - healing, deliverance, cleansing and freedom, and we are to give freely. Let us be encouraged, for these things are not within us, but rather are the fruit of the Kingdom of God present in us. We have been given the same authority, and if we are walking in it, through our relationship with Jesus, we will see the proofs of the Kingdom of God present in our ministry. This should be our normal ministry experience, as it was for the disciples, so much so that when we run into a demon we can't dirve out that we are surprised!
Amen and Amen!
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