Yesterday I mused on the idea of "High Faith". The words faith and high don't necessarily ring a bell; but I wanted to think out loud about how we approach faith, or don't approach it on a daily basis. Most of us who believe in Christ struggle with the daily aspect of walking out faithfully the faith we affirm on Sunday. It's easy to be a Sunday Christian. I can say, act, do the right things in the company of my believing friends; it's Monday thru Saturday that my faith leaves me perplexed.
Think about these two accounts.
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
No matter what we experience that is good, we all have to come down the mountain. Life is not lived on the mountain, but down on the earth. What we'd like to do is build an altar on the mountain top and stay there...who doesn't want the "high"? Yet Jesus brought them down...to where life was not filled with dazzling white, and visions, and clouds that amaze; but rather to where "stuff" happens.
Later in that passage...just 5 verses later, and obviously as they re-enter the world from the mountain top:
Mark 9:14-24 (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."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Faith is essential, and at times quite elusive. Nine times in the gospels Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you." Not all were believing Jews. A Roman Centurion soldier, a Cannaanite woman are two of those he speaks these words to.
Peter, James, and John go "up" on the mountain and see the amazing. Then they go down and see the typical. What is in between?
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
In the midst of the high, coming down is a dose of reality. None of this glory is to be noted until after he has died and been risen.
There will be a crucifixion and then a resurrection, and then the other side...you can speak about it then. Not today. Today we enter the world without that glory.
They go down and meet frustrated people.
The disciples are frustrated.
Arguing, failing to solve the problem, no healing, unbelieving...that is normal.
"O Unbelieving generation, How long...?" Jesus says. You can sense his own exasperation. The disciples hang around Jesus all of the time.
They've seen him pray; and they've seen him heal.
Why can't we do it? They are looking down, humbled and feeling like failures.
The father is frustrated. He doesn't want an argument, he wants his son to get healed.
The boy is frustrated. He is the one who has the seizures.
There's nothing more frustrating than to be a parent and watch a child go through something like that.
Yet, this has demonic roots to it. That makes us feel uncomfortable. Who would diagnose a demon today? Jesus did.
He asks, "how long has this been going on?"
"A long time - from childhood - he's almost died -
"IF" you can do something.
IF faith is comfortable faith.
IF is not mountain top faith... it is everyday, normal life.
"IF?" Jesus says, "IF?"...
It's a challenge isn't it? What do you believe in? What are you counting on?
"Everything is possible to those who believe..."
He doesn't make a promise that everything will happen the way we want it to because of faith.
Hope is sometimes framed by "IF" faith.
Jesus, I believe, but I doubt; I hope, but I fear; I pray, and I waver; I ask, and I worry;
I believe...please help me with my unbelief.
I understand the IF prayers and faith.
Since most of us spend little time with the tiny book of Jude, let me quote from it to end this:
Jude 1:21-22 (NIV)
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt.
Peace
Think about these two accounts.
Mark 9:2-9 (NIV)
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.
4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)
7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"
8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
No matter what we experience that is good, we all have to come down the mountain. Life is not lived on the mountain, but down on the earth. What we'd like to do is build an altar on the mountain top and stay there...who doesn't want the "high"? Yet Jesus brought them down...to where life was not filled with dazzling white, and visions, and clouds that amaze; but rather to where "stuff" happens.
Later in that passage...just 5 verses later, and obviously as they re-enter the world from the mountain top:
Mark 9:14-24 (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."
19 "O unbelieving generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me."
20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
21 Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?" "From childhood," he answered.
22 "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
23 "'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."
24 Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
Faith is essential, and at times quite elusive. Nine times in the gospels Jesus says, "Your faith has healed you." Not all were believing Jews. A Roman Centurion soldier, a Cannaanite woman are two of those he speaks these words to.
Peter, James, and John go "up" on the mountain and see the amazing. Then they go down and see the typical. What is in between?
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
In the midst of the high, coming down is a dose of reality. None of this glory is to be noted until after he has died and been risen.
There will be a crucifixion and then a resurrection, and then the other side...you can speak about it then. Not today. Today we enter the world without that glory.
They go down and meet frustrated people.
The disciples are frustrated.
Arguing, failing to solve the problem, no healing, unbelieving...that is normal.
"O Unbelieving generation, How long...?" Jesus says. You can sense his own exasperation. The disciples hang around Jesus all of the time.
They've seen him pray; and they've seen him heal.
Why can't we do it? They are looking down, humbled and feeling like failures.
The father is frustrated. He doesn't want an argument, he wants his son to get healed.
The boy is frustrated. He is the one who has the seizures.
There's nothing more frustrating than to be a parent and watch a child go through something like that.
Yet, this has demonic roots to it. That makes us feel uncomfortable. Who would diagnose a demon today? Jesus did.
He asks, "how long has this been going on?"
"A long time - from childhood - he's almost died -
"IF" you can do something.
IF faith is comfortable faith.
IF is not mountain top faith... it is everyday, normal life.
"IF?" Jesus says, "IF?"...
It's a challenge isn't it? What do you believe in? What are you counting on?
"Everything is possible to those who believe..."
He doesn't make a promise that everything will happen the way we want it to because of faith.
Hope is sometimes framed by "IF" faith.
Jesus, I believe, but I doubt; I hope, but I fear; I pray, and I waver; I ask, and I worry;
I believe...please help me with my unbelief.
I understand the IF prayers and faith.
Since most of us spend little time with the tiny book of Jude, let me quote from it to end this:
Jude 1:21-22 (NIV)
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt.
Peace
Comments