"If You Can" Overcoming Life's Impossibilities

Story of Paul Miller’s daughter and her seventh-grade science project. Measuring bacteria levels along the bank of a local stream. They were both nervous about taking these samples and not screwing up the data so before they did the test they prayed. Then they took the samples. After the test Paul’s daughter Emily took out her log book to record the steps of the test and she asked, “What did we do first?” And her dad said, step 1 we prayed.

She said, “I can’t write that.”

“Why not? We prayed.”

“That sin’t how it works, Dad. THEY don’t want us to pray.”

Emily was raised in a Christian home, school, church, Dad in full time ministry, yet this mysterious “THEY” outranked all of this massive Christian influence.

Secularism is the “they” in this story. Secularism is at its most basic level a removal of God from the moments of every day life. Pastor I would never do that! I would never remove God from my life.

Maybe we would never do that theologically or doctrinally or on a Sunday morning at a worship service, but have we become practical secularists?

Well, how do I know if I have become a practical secularist?

One question: What is your prayer life like?

Young people if we were to put up on the projector a graph that contrasted the time you spend glued to a screen and the time you spend in prayer what kind of picture would we discover about your life?

Do we really believe in the power of prayer?

Do we really believe in the power of Jesus Christ to work in our lives?

Do we really believe in the power of Jesus to work even in the seemingly impossible situations of our lives?

This is the lesson that Jesus taught his disciples in Mark 9.

Jesus wanted the disciples to understand that “impossible” moments of life require prayer.

The “impossible” moments of your life require prayer.

Why?

Why do the impossible moments of life require prayer?

Jesus shows us three reasons why the impossible moments of life require prayer.

I. Setting up the disciples to fail (vv. 14-18)

In Mark 9 Jesus is teaching his disciples multiple different lessons. To do this Jesus splits his twelve disciples up into two groups. The first group, the inner three- Peter, James, and John, Jesus takes up to a high mountain by themselves. It is here that Jesus is transfigured before them. It is here that they see Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus.

Do you remember Peter, not knowing what to do at all, blurts out “Rabbi, let us make three tents, one fore you and one for Moses and Elijah.” Why did Peter want to make tents? Presumably for worship.

And then do you remember what happened? They were engulfed in a cloud and out of the midst of that cloud they heard the voice of the Father. Do you remember what God said to them?

“This is my beloved Son; listen to HIM!” And they suddenly every thing vanished except Jesus. Wow, did Jesus teach his inner three some important lessons.

Lessons about faith!

Jesus is the transcendent Son of God!

He is greater than Moses and Elijah.

When it comes to worshiping God we can’t worship anyway we think is best, instead we must LISTEN TO HIM! Jesus tells us how God wants to be worshiped.

So then they begin to descend the mountain and Jesus has another teaching moment where he pits himself and the teachings of Scripture against the scribes. Just all kinds of lessons that Jesus is teaching his inner three.

This sets the stage for the lesson he wants to show to the rest of the disciples, the other 9. This is where we pick up in v. 14.

Mark 9:14 ESV

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them.

Stop for a moment: Jesus intentionally put these poor 9 disciples in an impossible situation. He is the Son of God. He knew what would happen. He providentially takes the inner-three away and goes up into a mountain.

Meanwhile, the other 9 find themselves in an impossible situation. As Jesus and the three are descending the mountain they find these guys surrounded by a great crowd and they are in the midst of a theological debate with the scribes. Not a fun situation to be in.

Mark 9:15 ESV

15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him.

The crowd sees Jesus coming from a distance, they leave the poor disciples and the scribes to their own devices, and they ran over to where Jesus was and greeted him.

Mark 9:16 ESV

16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”

Jesus is a master at teaching. He is a master at asking the right question to lead people to a spiritual conversation. And he does exactly that here. “What are you arguing about with them?”

Mark 9:17 ESV

17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.

Before anyone else can carry on the argument, this father from the crowd explains the situation. He had brought his demon possessed son to the 9 disciples so they could heal him.

Mark 9:18 (ESV)

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.”

Word Study: the vb. ἰσχύω 28× (half of these in Luke-Acts)

At a basic level this word speaks of physical strength, but it can also speak to other kinds of strength as well. For instance it can speak about the power of influence or the strength of character.

It is a word that is used in a variety of different contexts and the particular nuances of the word depend upon the context of the passage.

Let me show you some of the nuances of this word.

Mark 14:37 (ESV)

37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?

Don’t you have the strength or the power to stay awake to pray for even this significant request, Peter?

Mark 12:30 (ESV)

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

We are to love God with the totality of strength (heart, soul, mind, body) that we possibly can.

James 5:16 (ESV)

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

The righteous man’s prayers have great strength, they matter, they are full of power.

Luke 11:21–22 (ESV)

21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe;

22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil.

What is Jesus referring to here in Luke’s gospel? Do you remember the context off these verses. It is very important to our text in Mark 9.

In Luke 11 Jesus had just cast out a demon from the mute man. But some of Jesus’ opponents said “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons.”

The Bible says that Jesus knew their thoughts and said this to them…

Luke 11:17 (ESV)

17 “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls.

Then he uses the strong man illustration. And what is the point?

Clearly, that Jesus’ victory over the demons proves that Jesus is stronger than the strong. Jesus is stronger than any demon or demon-possessed person. Jesus, as the Son of God, acts with the power of God, and He is able to fully conquer, disarm, spoil, put his foot on the neck of, lead them in a victory parade, and defeat any and all spiritual authority or power.

Jesus is stronger, he is able, he has the power necessary to do this.

The disciples (the 9) did not.

Mark 9:18 (ESV)

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.”

The nine disciples that did not go with Jesus to the Mount of Transfiguration were not able, they did not have the strength, they did not have the power or ability to cast out this demon.

Jesus is teaching his disciples a valuable lesson. He is teaching us why the impossible moments of life require prayer. And the first reason we find in the text is:

Reason #1: Because God allows each of us to face “impossible” moments all the time

The first part of that lesson that Jesus is teaching is that God puts us into situations like this all the time. God puts us into situations in our lives where we are not able, we don’t have the strength, we don’t have the power or the ability.

Ever been placed into a situation like that in your life?

Examples:

I am not able to shepherd this church. Based on my own ability and power I am not able. Why not? Because the church is full of people. Needy people with needs that far exceed my own limited resources to provide for and handle. That includes me! I am one of those needy people, perhaps the chief needy person in the whole church. Yet, God has called me to do something that I (in and of myself) am not able to do.

Parents, God has given you children to raise and watch over. You are responsible for them. Are you fully able to handle that level of responsibility? You might be able to feed them, clothe them, provide for their education, but you are called to much great task than that. You are called to disciple your children and that means you have to parent or shepherd their hearts (love that book!) Parents, moms and dads, are you able, do you have the power, do you have the ability to shepherd someone’s heart?

There is one responsibility that God has given all of us that none of us are able to do. Make disciples! Many of you have been out in the community and you have been sharing the gospel with your friends and your neighbors or your coworkers, and maybe you have said something like this, “They will never get saved!” Or maybe you have thought this, “I could never win someone to Christ.” What are you saying? I am not able, I do not have the power, I do not have the ability to do this. Any yet God has called you to do exactly that. Then there is the matter of teaching them to observe all the things that Jesus has commanded us. How am I going to do that?

What about growing our church? Do you remember the 10 year vision that we came up with as a church? Do you remember the 5 key goals that we set for ourselves as a church?

Do any of these seem like impossible tasks? Do we feel able to do these things? Do we feel we have the strength or the power or the ability to accomplish these things?

What in your life do you feel unable to accomplish?

If we are placed into impossible situations all the time, that means that prayer is mandatory in our lives! Doesn’t it?

Friends, I don’t just face impossible moments once in a while in my life. I face impossible life challenges each and every day. My natural rhythms of life are filled to the brim with impossibilities. I regularly face challenges and opportunities that I am not able to accomplish. I do not have the power, I do not have the strength, I do not have the capability! I am just like these 9 disciples. Not able to accomplish this golden ministry opportunity, surrounded by expectant crowds, attacked by opponents. That is my daily reality. And that is why prayer is mandatory in our lives.

Do you pray? How often do you pray? How essential is prayer in your natural rhythms of life?

II. Securing the father’s faith (vv. 19-27)

The father has explained the situation to Jesus. He has lamented that the none of the nine disciples were able to heal his son and cast out this demon. Listen to Jesus’ response.

Mark 9:19 (ESV)

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.”

Here Jesus addresses the problem. He labels the crowd as “faithless generation” or “unbelieving generation.” He expresses his exasperation at the unbelief of the Jews: how long am I to be with you? The idea is how much longer must I be with you? And how much longer must I endure you? Why are you so stubborn, why are you so spiritually blind that you do not believe? And Jesus calls for the sick boy to be brought to him.

Mark 9:20 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.

Immediately, when this young man is brought before Jesus the condition that the father had described became a reality for Jesus to behold.

Mark 9:21 ESV

21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

What is Jesus doing here? Why is Jesus asking these questions? How long has this been happening. Does Jesus need to diagnose the symptoms? Is Jesus like a doctor who must ascertain what the problem really is? Why does Jesus ask this question? He is leading the father to faith. What is the problem already addressed by Jesus concerning the crowd? Faithless, unbelieving generation. Jesus is leading this man to recognize the need for faith.

The Gospel according to Mark Frail Faith in a Strong Savior (9:14–29)

The father’s tremulous pilgrimage to faith begins in a simple dialogue that is triggered by Jesus’ question

The question is for the sake of the father. The question allows the father to tell his story. The question gives the father the opportunity to declare his heart.

Mark 9:22 (ESV)

22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

You can hear the hopelessness in the father’s story. You can feel the emotion as the father desperately cries out, “have compassion on US and help US.” Why does he say us? You have children and they have ever been desperately ill you know exactly why the father says US. How many parents have stood at the bedside of a sick child wishing they could take the sickness for them. When you child suffers you suffer. And here the father cries out to Jesus to help both of them.

But remember the words “If you can.” They are very important words.

Mark 9:23 (ESV)

23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

Here Jesus repeats the words of the father back to him.

What are the three possible interpretations for v. 23?

There are three possible interpretations of this verse.

Some translations have the word “believe” inserted in this verse.

Mark 9:23 (NKJV)

23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

There is a textual variant here. Most early manuscripts do not include the word “believe.” Some early manuscripts and related later witnesses have “if you are able to believe” or “if you can believe.” These seems to be a latter addition for scribes who did not understand Jesus words. The problem is that, “the various alterations make for a burdensome moralism, requiring of the father what he confesses he lacks—greater belief.”

In other words- the father barely has the beginning seeds of faith at this point. How does requiring more faith help the situation. How does casting the burden of healing upon the man’s faith help anything. The object of hope is not the man’s faith. Faith is mere a bridge between frail humanity and the all-sufficient of God. So it does not make sense for Jesus to stress the faith of the father as the object of hope.

2. Some translations include an exclamation mark in v. 23.

Mark 9:23 (ESV)

23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”

This would put stress on the word YOU. If YOU can! All things are possible for one who believes. This interpretation once again throws the burden of responsibility back upon the father. If YOU can believe, if you can believe hard enough, then all things are possible. Again, it does not make sense for Jesus to highlight the ability of the father’s faith in this impossible situation.

3. Some translations include a question mark in v. 23.

Mark 9:23 (NASB95)

23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

Here Jesus is repeating the words of the father in v. 22. Remember the father’s statement?

Mark 9:22 ESV

22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Now Jesus is responding in astonishment. “If you can?” What do you mean, “If you can?” Of course Jesus can! All things are possible for one who believes.

Look at the difference in the faith of the leper in Matt. 8.

Matthew 8:1–3 (ESV)

1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.

2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

This leper already had the necessary faith in Jesus. The father of the demon possessed boy did not. So Jesus wisely leads this man to have faith even as small as a mustard seed.

Mark 9:23 (NASB95)

23 And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

Notice the father’s response to this admonish for faith!

Mark 9:24 (ESV)

24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

How many of us have cried this very phrase the depth of our hearts? How many of us identify with the heart cry of the father.

Here we have an example of true faith! True faith is always aware of just how small and inadequate it is. This man does not have faith in his faith. Exactly the opposite!

The father becomes a believer not by going home and cleaning himself up and bolstering his faith to an acceptable level so that God will accept him. He immediately responds with such faith as he has. At the same moment he cries out to God for help. He yields his insufficiency to the true sufficiency of Jesus. This is a vivid picture of someone truly crying out to God in faith. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

True faith takes no confidence in itself, it does not look upon the failure of others. True faith looks to the One who has ALL Power, and ALL Authority.

Friends here is the point! Jesus CAN. We are not able. We don’t have the power, we don’t have the ability, we don’t have the strength. But Jesus does! He can command demons at a whim. He can bind Satan at a word. Jesus can overcome sin, and death, and a tomb. Jesus can!

Examples:

I am not able to shepherd this church. Jesus Can!

I am not able to shepherd the hearts of my children. Jesus can!

I am not able to save that one person who, humanly speaking, will never in a million years trust Christ. Jesus can!

We are not able to accomplish these things in 10 years. Jesus can!

Why do the impossible moments of life require prayer?

Reason #2: Because Jesus is able to accomplish what is impossible!

Look at the impossible things Jesus can do!

Mark 9:25 (ESV)

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.”

ἐγὼ ἐπιτάσσω σοι- adding emphasis, Jesus says I command you...

Impossible things in life seem insurmountable until Jesus acts.

Mark 9:26–27 ESV

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.

Friends do you really believe that Jesus can do the impossible? Do you really believe that when Jesus acts He can solve even the most dire circumstances in your life?

Then why don’t you pray? Friends, the “impossible” moments of your life require prayer.

You say, “I do pray.” That’s great! What are the content of your prayers like? Are you like the father of this little boy when you pray?

“Jesus, if you can, work in the hearts of my children.”

“Jesus, if you can, save my neighbor that I have been witnessing to for the last 15 years.”

“Jesus, if you can, bring forgiveness and restoration to that hardhearted person.”

“Jesus, if you can, provide the necessary work to come in to help me support my family.”

“Jesus, if you can, grow the disciple-making culture of our church. If you can, help us plant a church in 10 years time.”

“If you can...”

Friends, “If Jesus CAN?” Of course He can! He is the sovereign master of all creation. He is the master and Lord of the universe.

Do you pray this way? “Jesus if you will, YOU CAN, work in the impossible circumstance of my life today.”

III. Teaching the disciples an important lesson (vv. 28-29)

Mark 9:28 (ESV)

28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

This is the same word the father uses of Jesus in v. 22. It is the same word Jesus repeats in v. 23. Now the disciples use it here. Jesus WHY? Why could we not cast out this demon? Why were we not able? Why were we not sufficient to meet this task?

Mark 9:29 (ESV)

29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

How are faith, prayer, and spiritual power related to each other?

This is an important lesson that Jesus taught his disciples. Jesus introduces us to prayer that works in conjunction with faith that connects us with Jesus’ own spiritual power.

One commentator said it this way, “prayer is faith turned to God.”

Another commentator said this, “Prayer is the focusing and directing of faith in specific requests to God.”

When you pray you are expressing your faith that the spiritual power necessary to accomplish life’s impossible tasks is not in yourself but in God alone.

Friends I don’t know if you realize this or not, but you and I are inadequate to fulfill the ministries that God has given us. We are! We are inadequate for the task of ministering to others.

But the fact of life is this that Jesus calls us to accomplish tasks that are beyond our abilities. The fact that these task are beyond our abilities and that we are inadequate to accomplish them should not however discourage us.

Do you know what these truths should do instead? Our own inadequacy ought to drive us to prayer!

Why do the impossible moments of life require prayer?

Reason #3: Because spiritual ministry demands prayer.

I am inadequate. I have been called to accomplish spiritual ministry that is beyond my ability.

But, here is the good news! I can’t. Jesus can! That is where my faith must be settled. Jesus can. And if my faith is really settled there, that Jesus can, through me, accomplish the impossible spiritual ministries that He has called me to, then the only logical expression of that kind of faith is prayer.

Prayer is the vehicle that moves my faith to depend upon the power of God in my life.

Friends do you pray?

Let’s go back to our initial question: If we were to put up on the projector a graph that contrasted the time you spend glued to a screen and the time you spend in prayer what kind of picture would we discover about your life?

Maybe you don’t pray because you don’t see the impossible situations in your life. They are there!

Maybe you don’t pray because you don’t yet have the mustard-seed-like faith in the power of Jesus. Jesus CAN!

Maybe you don’t pray because you feel you can handle the spiritual ministries God has placed you in. You CAN’T!

But, when you pray, and by faith you submit to and depend upon the mighty power of Jesus, and you wait on Jesus by faith and in prayer, He will accomplish mighty things in your life.

So PRAY! Will you commit to doing that this week? Turn off the screens. Turn off the news. Step away from the business of life and take time pray.

Pray with faith! Go to Jesus and cry out to him and say I believe, help my unbelief. Go to Jesus and cry out and tell Him I can’t, but YOU CAN! Jesus you can save my friend, transform my kids, provide for my family, grow my church. Jesus CAN!

Would you be willing to devote one hour of your week this week to prayer? Get the prayer app from church. Come to prayer meeting on Wednesday. Find a prayer partner this week and ask them, can we pray?