The Disciples Dilemma -Mark 9 | Overflow Church Grand Prairie, Tx | Notes
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The Disciples Dilemma -Mark 9

The Disciples Dilemma -Mark 9
Mark 9:14–10 (ESV) 14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.”
The environment….
1. Drama
2. Demons
3. Disappointment

Other things going on with the Disciples in Mark 9
The Disciples Dilemma
1. They were powerless
Mark 9:28-29 (ESV) His disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
They were powerless because the were prayerless
“You are only as powerful as your prayer life.”

2. They were promotion conscious 
Mark 9:31–32 (ESV) 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and we’re afraid to ask him.

The main mission was death and resurrection.

Mark 9:33–35 (ESV) 33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
“If serving is below you, then leading is above you.”
“It’s God’s job to promote; it’s our job to give ourselves fully to whatever He places in our hands.”
James 4:10 (ESV) Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
“Sadly, for most being great in God's eyes is simply not enough.”

3. They were partial/ tribal
Mark 9:38–40 (ESV) 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us.

4. They lacked pruning 
Mark 9:43–48 (ESV) 43  if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

...
Mark 9:20–29 (ESV)
20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anythinghave compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

Encountering Interventions
1. Ask.
2. Believe the impossible.
“Yes must become our default when mentioning the impossible.”
3. Position your trust.
Vulnerable trust is bold faith
4. Pray Again.

Ministry:

Additional Reading:
The Transfiguration Lk 9:28–36 Mt 17:1–13
Jesus Heals a Boy Possessed by an Impure Spirit: Mt 17:14–19; 22,23; Lk 9:37–45
Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time: Mt 18:1–5; Lk 9:46–48
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is for Us Lk 9:49,50