15th Sunday after Pentecost
Text: Mark 9:14-29
I BELIEVE; KEEP HELPING MY UNBELIEVING!
Rev. Kenneth W. Wieting
Dear saints at Luther Memorial Chapel and University Student Center, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Satan is at work! Our culture is decaying! The church is in chaos! What are you doing about it? If you college students believed more strongly and prayed more sincerely, you wouldn’t be tempted by the pseudo-happiness and spiritual junk food all around you. You wouldn’t be lonely and confused and feel like you’re missing out on stuff that ultimately doesn’t matter. As Jesus said, “O faithless generation…how long am I to bear with you?” If you people in your senior years believed more strongly and prayed more sincerely, you wouldn’t worry so much about security and sickness and you’d be a lot healthier and happier. You would give a lot more leadership in casting Satan out of society in these troubled times. As Jesus said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” If all you people would believe more strongly and pray more sincerely, you could tame your tongues, stop gossiping and complaining, and be devoted to prayer and praise. After all, as Jesus said, “all things are possible for one who believes.” Satan is at work! Our culture is decaying! The church is in chaos! What are you doing about it?
Dear Christians, I’ve watched carefully as these first thoughts were expressed. If anyone would have left the sanctuary without hearing the rest of the story, I would be irresponsible in not personally talking to them later. For, the initial statements by which I’ve sought to get your attention are not true statements. Oh, there is some truth in them as there often is in Satan’s accusations. Our prayers often do falter. The exercise of our faith is not perfect. These statements also sound quite similar to those sometimes heard in contemporary preaching. But, listen again to what Jesus really said and what Jesus really did.
When Jesus heard that his disciples could not help the demon possessed boy He cried out, “O faithless (unbelieving) generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” Jesus’ cry was one of weariness and disappointment. Earlier He had sent His disciples out two by two with authority over evil spirits (Mk. 6:7). They had already cast out many demons (6:13). But the gift the disciples received from Jesus was not in their control. Jesus’ words about the need for prayer indicate that the disciples did not rely upon His presence and His promises and His help. When faith confronts Satan, only God’s strength will do – not ours! “O faithless (unbelieving) generation”. The disciples whom He had taught for three years were part of that unbelieving generation. Sent out by Jesus, trying to do the right thing, unbelief clung to them as it clung to the father of the boy, “I do believe”, he cried, “be helping my unbelief.”
Unbelief clings to you too and to me! In fact, it is the root out of which all other sins grow. In the university classroom, in your home, at the workplace this week, this is the heart of your problems. Dr. Martin Luther said, “Unbelief is not an idle thought or a dream…it is rather the poisonous spring at the bottom of the heart whence other sins come in great numbers (WLS – 1402). Such sins come daily in the form of anger and worry and pride and lust and not controlling our tongues. We all stumble in many ways. A salt pond cannot yield fresh water. But the root of these and all sins is our failure to believe God. At another time, Jesus asked the piercing question, “When the Son of man returns, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).
“O faithless (unbelieving) generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” These words don’t fit with a Jesus who is invented by man. These words of Jesus don’t fit with much of what is taught in generic religiosity and even in pop Christianity. After all, wouldn’t you rather have a Jesus who said, “just do the best you can” or “have a nice day” or “let Me tidy up your life a bit”? But these are the real words of the real Jesus! “O unbelieving generation!” The father’s self-effacing cry echoes this truth rightly. “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The truth is that in the heart of all Christians (all Christians), belief and unbelief do battle. The truth is that you will need God’s help with your unbelief until the day you die. This is so because with God seeing and feeling is one thing and believing is quite another. “I believe, be helping my unbelief.” Luther taught that unbelief always wants to see and feel where to go. On the other hand, faith says, “I know not where I am going…I see and feel nothing…but I will commend myself to God…He will not lie” (WLS – 1378). As Scripture says, faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). As Scripture also says, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him (I Peter 1:8). The office or work of faith is therefore to receive what God promises whether it is felt or not. Faith is a work performed in us rather than a work performed by us (WLS – 1412). It is the gift of God, not your doing (Eph. 2:8, 9).
Do you see what blessed freedom that gives you this week? Do you see the beautiful, bountiful grace of God towards you in Jesus Christ? Faith is not to be equated with your feelings – so it’s alright if you feel down from time to time. Faith is not your self confidence – so even in times of uncertainty you can have the utmost confidence in God who gives you faith! Faith is not sustained by your reason – so rejoice in its unreasonableness. It is foolish – humanly speaking – to those who are perishing. You don’t deserve it! You didn’t decide to have it! You don’t determine its strength! Faith is rather the pure and holy gift of God that receives His pure and holy gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation through His Son.
“I believe, help my unbelief”. The cry of the boy’s father pictures well the cry of your new man with your old man hanging around his neck, trying to drag you away from Jesus and His words. “I do believe, help my unbelief.” Or as Luther said it, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith…” When you’re feeling low, when your confidence has crashed, in fact in everyday life with all of its questions and struggles do you see the treasure you have been given in learning this truth by heart? “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe…”
But don’t stop there. Remember what you pastor and parents taught you to learn by heart regarding this question: What does such baptizing with water indicate? “It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Dear Christians, these truths are not child’s play! They are treasures! They are profound Scriptural truths fundamentally related to the cry, “I believe, be helping my unbelief.”
But then, what did Jesus mean when He said, “All things are possible to the believing one.”? Did he mean that if you believed more strongly and prayed more fervently you could cast Satan out of society, and be immune to his temptations? Did Jesus mean that if you believed more strongly and prayed more fervently you could command physical healing, financial success and even victory over your tongue? With that errant approach, which is around some today, we would be forced to ask, who is telling the truth, Jesus or His Apostle James? For Jesus said, “All things are possible to the believing one.” But James said, “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
The answer of course lies in the tongue of the One who rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” He is the believing One! In today’s Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah records the believing One, the suffering servant as speaking in this way; “God has given me the tongue…to sustain the weary…The Lord has opened My ear and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike…I did not hide my face from disgrace and spitting…the Lord God helps me…therefore I have set my face like a flint…”
Beloved, Jesus was the one pure believer in this world of sin. He is the Man of faith, the Second Adam. He was tempted in everyway as we are, also with unbelief, yet He sinned not! His faith held strong! He set His face like flint toward Jerusalem and His sacrificial death! The suffering was heavy as His back received the stripes and His face received the spit. But He was not rebellious nor did He turn back. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, including the festering, root sin of unbelief. He could not see nor feel the victory ahead for in Gethsemane He pleaded for the cup of God’s wrath to pass from Him. Yet in faith He prayed, “Not My will but Your will be done.” “All things are possible for the believing One”, even the redemption of the world by the shedding of His blood.
I do believe; help my unbelief.” Beloved, Our Lutheran Confessions use this verse only once and there it addresses our worthiness to receive the Lord’s Supper. It states, “The true and worthy guests, for whom this precious sacrament above all was …established, are the Christians who are weak in faith, fragile and troubled, who are terrified in their hearts by the immensity and number of their sins and think that they are not worthy of this precious treasure…who feel the weakness of their faith and deplore it…Moreover this worthiness consists not in a greater or lesser weakness or strength of faith, but rather in the merit of Christ, which the troubled father with his weak faith (Mark 9:24) possessed. (FOC – SD – Art. VII – Holy Supper – Kolb – 605, 606).
“I believe; help my unbelief.” I believe that my scarlet sins are as white as snow – help my unbelief. I believe that you have baptized me into the death of Christ and clothed me in Him – help my unbelief. I believe that prayer is Your precious gift and that with all boldness and confidence you would have me ask God as dear children ask their dear Father – help my unbelief. I believe that faith comes by hearing; that sending Gospel preachers and bearing witness to the hope I have is Your holy will – help my unbelief. I believe that to die is gain, that to depart and be with Christ is better by far – help my unbelief.
“All things are possible to the believing One.” The one perfect man of faith comes into your midst today to teach you and to feed you and to forgive you. The destructive, binding power of Satan must give way to the healing power of His word and His touch. He is the ascended Christ, God the Son, with all authority in heaven and earth. Though you do not see Him, you love Him.
Do you feel the tug of unbelief? Welcome to the Christian faith. Do you sometimes feel like the boy whom they thought was a corpse? Jesus comes today to take you by the hand and lift you up in life. His love for you is stronger than death. His loving kindness endures forever. The battle is long, but the victory is certain. Be strong and let your heart take courage. The good work God has begun in you He will bring to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:5). In the Name of Jesus, AMEN.
I BELIEVE; KEEP HELPING MY UNBELIEVING!
Rev. Kenneth W. Wieting
Dear saints at Luther Memorial Chapel and University Student Center, grace and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Satan is at work! Our culture is decaying! The church is in chaos! What are you doing about it? If you college students believed more strongly and prayed more sincerely, you wouldn’t be tempted by the pseudo-happiness and spiritual junk food all around you. You wouldn’t be lonely and confused and feel like you’re missing out on stuff that ultimately doesn’t matter. As Jesus said, “O faithless generation…how long am I to bear with you?” If you people in your senior years believed more strongly and prayed more sincerely, you wouldn’t worry so much about security and sickness and you’d be a lot healthier and happier. You would give a lot more leadership in casting Satan out of society in these troubled times. As Jesus said, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” If all you people would believe more strongly and pray more sincerely, you could tame your tongues, stop gossiping and complaining, and be devoted to prayer and praise. After all, as Jesus said, “all things are possible for one who believes.” Satan is at work! Our culture is decaying! The church is in chaos! What are you doing about it?
Dear Christians, I’ve watched carefully as these first thoughts were expressed. If anyone would have left the sanctuary without hearing the rest of the story, I would be irresponsible in not personally talking to them later. For, the initial statements by which I’ve sought to get your attention are not true statements. Oh, there is some truth in them as there often is in Satan’s accusations. Our prayers often do falter. The exercise of our faith is not perfect. These statements also sound quite similar to those sometimes heard in contemporary preaching. But, listen again to what Jesus really said and what Jesus really did.
When Jesus heard that his disciples could not help the demon possessed boy He cried out, “O faithless (unbelieving) generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” Jesus’ cry was one of weariness and disappointment. Earlier He had sent His disciples out two by two with authority over evil spirits (Mk. 6:7). They had already cast out many demons (6:13). But the gift the disciples received from Jesus was not in their control. Jesus’ words about the need for prayer indicate that the disciples did not rely upon His presence and His promises and His help. When faith confronts Satan, only God’s strength will do – not ours! “O faithless (unbelieving) generation”. The disciples whom He had taught for three years were part of that unbelieving generation. Sent out by Jesus, trying to do the right thing, unbelief clung to them as it clung to the father of the boy, “I do believe”, he cried, “be helping my unbelief.”
Unbelief clings to you too and to me! In fact, it is the root out of which all other sins grow. In the university classroom, in your home, at the workplace this week, this is the heart of your problems. Dr. Martin Luther said, “Unbelief is not an idle thought or a dream…it is rather the poisonous spring at the bottom of the heart whence other sins come in great numbers (WLS – 1402). Such sins come daily in the form of anger and worry and pride and lust and not controlling our tongues. We all stumble in many ways. A salt pond cannot yield fresh water. But the root of these and all sins is our failure to believe God. At another time, Jesus asked the piercing question, “When the Son of man returns, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).
“O faithless (unbelieving) generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” These words don’t fit with a Jesus who is invented by man. These words of Jesus don’t fit with much of what is taught in generic religiosity and even in pop Christianity. After all, wouldn’t you rather have a Jesus who said, “just do the best you can” or “have a nice day” or “let Me tidy up your life a bit”? But these are the real words of the real Jesus! “O unbelieving generation!” The father’s self-effacing cry echoes this truth rightly. “I believe; help my unbelief!”
The truth is that in the heart of all Christians (all Christians), belief and unbelief do battle. The truth is that you will need God’s help with your unbelief until the day you die. This is so because with God seeing and feeling is one thing and believing is quite another. “I believe, be helping my unbelief.” Luther taught that unbelief always wants to see and feel where to go. On the other hand, faith says, “I know not where I am going…I see and feel nothing…but I will commend myself to God…He will not lie” (WLS – 1378). As Scripture says, faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1). As Scripture also says, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him (I Peter 1:8). The office or work of faith is therefore to receive what God promises whether it is felt or not. Faith is a work performed in us rather than a work performed by us (WLS – 1412). It is the gift of God, not your doing (Eph. 2:8, 9).
Do you see what blessed freedom that gives you this week? Do you see the beautiful, bountiful grace of God towards you in Jesus Christ? Faith is not to be equated with your feelings – so it’s alright if you feel down from time to time. Faith is not your self confidence – so even in times of uncertainty you can have the utmost confidence in God who gives you faith! Faith is not sustained by your reason – so rejoice in its unreasonableness. It is foolish – humanly speaking – to those who are perishing. You don’t deserve it! You didn’t decide to have it! You don’t determine its strength! Faith is rather the pure and holy gift of God that receives His pure and holy gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation through His Son.
“I believe, help my unbelief”. The cry of the boy’s father pictures well the cry of your new man with your old man hanging around his neck, trying to drag you away from Jesus and His words. “I do believe, help my unbelief.” Or as Luther said it, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith…” When you’re feeling low, when your confidence has crashed, in fact in everyday life with all of its questions and struggles do you see the treasure you have been given in learning this truth by heart? “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe…”
But don’t stop there. Remember what you pastor and parents taught you to learn by heart regarding this question: What does such baptizing with water indicate? “It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Dear Christians, these truths are not child’s play! They are treasures! They are profound Scriptural truths fundamentally related to the cry, “I believe, be helping my unbelief.”
But then, what did Jesus mean when He said, “All things are possible to the believing one.”? Did he mean that if you believed more strongly and prayed more fervently you could cast Satan out of society, and be immune to his temptations? Did Jesus mean that if you believed more strongly and prayed more fervently you could command physical healing, financial success and even victory over your tongue? With that errant approach, which is around some today, we would be forced to ask, who is telling the truth, Jesus or His Apostle James? For Jesus said, “All things are possible to the believing one.” But James said, “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”
The answer of course lies in the tongue of the One who rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” He is the believing One! In today’s Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah records the believing One, the suffering servant as speaking in this way; “God has given me the tongue…to sustain the weary…The Lord has opened My ear and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike…I did not hide my face from disgrace and spitting…the Lord God helps me…therefore I have set my face like a flint…”
Beloved, Jesus was the one pure believer in this world of sin. He is the Man of faith, the Second Adam. He was tempted in everyway as we are, also with unbelief, yet He sinned not! His faith held strong! He set His face like flint toward Jerusalem and His sacrificial death! The suffering was heavy as His back received the stripes and His face received the spit. But He was not rebellious nor did He turn back. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, including the festering, root sin of unbelief. He could not see nor feel the victory ahead for in Gethsemane He pleaded for the cup of God’s wrath to pass from Him. Yet in faith He prayed, “Not My will but Your will be done.” “All things are possible for the believing One”, even the redemption of the world by the shedding of His blood.
I do believe; help my unbelief.” Beloved, Our Lutheran Confessions use this verse only once and there it addresses our worthiness to receive the Lord’s Supper. It states, “The true and worthy guests, for whom this precious sacrament above all was …established, are the Christians who are weak in faith, fragile and troubled, who are terrified in their hearts by the immensity and number of their sins and think that they are not worthy of this precious treasure…who feel the weakness of their faith and deplore it…Moreover this worthiness consists not in a greater or lesser weakness or strength of faith, but rather in the merit of Christ, which the troubled father with his weak faith (Mark 9:24) possessed. (FOC – SD – Art. VII – Holy Supper – Kolb – 605, 606).
“I believe; help my unbelief.” I believe that my scarlet sins are as white as snow – help my unbelief. I believe that you have baptized me into the death of Christ and clothed me in Him – help my unbelief. I believe that prayer is Your precious gift and that with all boldness and confidence you would have me ask God as dear children ask their dear Father – help my unbelief. I believe that faith comes by hearing; that sending Gospel preachers and bearing witness to the hope I have is Your holy will – help my unbelief. I believe that to die is gain, that to depart and be with Christ is better by far – help my unbelief.
“All things are possible to the believing One.” The one perfect man of faith comes into your midst today to teach you and to feed you and to forgive you. The destructive, binding power of Satan must give way to the healing power of His word and His touch. He is the ascended Christ, God the Son, with all authority in heaven and earth. Though you do not see Him, you love Him.
Do you feel the tug of unbelief? Welcome to the Christian faith. Do you sometimes feel like the boy whom they thought was a corpse? Jesus comes today to take you by the hand and lift you up in life. His love for you is stronger than death. His loving kindness endures forever. The battle is long, but the victory is certain. Be strong and let your heart take courage. The good work God has begun in you He will bring to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:5). In the Name of Jesus, AMEN.
posted by Luther Memorial Chapel at
9/21/2006
