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The Transfiguration and Faith 0:10 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Alright. Is it okay to ask for more faith? We're gonna find the answer as our journey takes us today to Mark chapter 90:22 verse 24. Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said with tears, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Okay. Verse 1 of chapter 8 is0:33 kind of a carry or verse 1 of chapter 9 is a carryover from chapter 8. Then we go to the transfiguration. Now this occurs approximately 4 months prior to to the crucifixion of Jesus. He and his disciples are0:45 still in the northern part of Israel. So scholars believe that the high mountain was probably Mount Hermon, which is presently in modern day Syria. The southern slopes of Mount Hermon0:57 are under Israeli control. That's the Golan Heights. Verse 2. Now after 6 days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves, and he was transfigured before them.1:09 His clothes became shining exceedingly white like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Kinda reminds me of that slogan from Tide a many a number of years ago, Tide gets out the dirt,1:21 you get into. Well, nothing nothing comes close to the holiness of God. In fact, it is the righteousness of Jesus that gets the sin out of us, and we're sanctified by the1:33 word and the Holy Spirit. Verse 4, and Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. So what was this about? Alright. From a practical standpoint, it served to1:45 confirm the faith of his apostles. Although, as we'll see, they fully they they still still didn't fully understand what they were witnessing. Post resurrection, it all made1:57 sense to them. They were seeing the divine nature of Jesus Christ. Now this revealed to them that Jesus was the 1 who all the old testament prophecies,2:09 had, he was he fulfilled all of those old testament prophecies. Now from a theological standpoint, it was the law, that is Moses, Moses represented the law, and the2:21 prophets represented by Elijah, finding their fulfillment in the grace of God, Jesus Christ. Now remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5 verse 17, do not think that I came to destroy2:33 the law of the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Moses and Elijah were handing the baton to Jesus who was going to finish the race.2:45 Verse 5. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, Rabbi, it is good for us to be here, and let us make 3 tabernacles, 1 for you, 1 for Moses, and 1 for Elijah. You know, Peter Peter thought they were gonna be there for a2:57 while, but I I I love Peter. He's a man of action. Doesn't always think about it, but he takes action. Verse 6, But because he did not know what to say, he he just spoke without thinking, for they were greatly3:08 afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud saying, this is my beloved son. Hear him. Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no 1 anymore, but only Jesus with3:20 themselves. Now as they came down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no 1 these things that they had seen till the son of man had risen from the dead. So they kept his word to themselves,3:30 questioning what the rising from the dead meant. So they get back to the rest of the disciples, and this is what they find. Now we've read this before, this next3:41 account in both Matthew and Luke, but we have greater detail in Mark's account that gives us kind of a fuller understanding of this encounter that Jesus had with his father. Verse 14. And when he came3:53 to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, scribes disputing with them. Immediately when he's they saw him, all the people were greatly amazed and running to him greeted him. And4:05 he asked the scribes, what are you discussing with them? Then 1 of the crowd answered and said, teacher, I brought you my son who has a mute spirit. And whatever4:17 whatever whenever wherever, rather, it seizes him, it throws him down. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to your disciples that4:29 they should cast it out, but they could not. He answered and said to them, oh faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.4:41 So who was Jesus talking to here? Some say it was the scribes, you know, the religious crowd, others, the disciples. I believe it was the latter. He had been with these guys4:53 for nearly 3 years. He was going to entrust them with the advancement of the kingdom, but they still didn't get it. They didn't understand. Now later in the chapter, I think we see some of,5:05 Jesus' why he was frustrated because they were arguing over who was going to be the greatest. I think that was again, I I think this was that was part of Jesus' chastisement here. Their focus was on the5:17 celebration, not the sacrifice. As we will see in just a moment, Mark's gospel includes the reason that they could not cast this demon out, the need for prayer and5:29 fasting. Fasting is a form of humbling ourselves. Fasting is a sacrifice, not a celebration. Verse 20, then they brought him to him, that is they brought the the5:41 boy, to Jesus. And when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him. He fell on the ground and wallowed wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So he he5:52 asked his father how long has this been happening to him, and he said from childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and to the water to destroy him. The the demon has tried to kill him.6:05 But if you can't do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Well, that's the right thing because Jesus has compassion. Now, I I just wanna pause here for just a moment and and I've talked about6:16 this before, but it bears repeating, and that is the demonic activity. It's here. Right? It's in the word of God. Now many say, well, it's it's no longer here. That was that was when Jesus came, and he was on the earth6:27 in the introduction of the kingdom. Well, I believe based on scripture that as we saw in the introduction of the kingdom, a a rise in this demonic activity when we come to the fulfillment of the6:39 kingdom and its physical manifestation. The scripture says the antichrist is coming, the lawless 1, so I think you're gonna see, and I think this is why we're seeing an increase in demonic activity in our6:51 day. You know, there there are over a dozen occasions in the gospel where Jesus delivers someone from demonic possession. Now, this activity is not restricted just to the ministry of Jesus Before his7:03 crucifixion and resurrection, the apostles after the ascension of Jesus were casting out demons. We are spiritual beings. And when we7:14 begin to see the world without understanding, all this begins to make sense. I mean, I saw it as a police officer. I saw it. I I've I've I've been a part of of of seeing people7:27 set free from demonic possession. I I've I've experienced this. And, and I have adult children who are in the the the field of law enforcement and in the medical field. A lot of what7:39 we see in our hospitals today, is related to demonic activity. There is a rise in demonic activity. I know that may that may some people may not wanna believe7:51 it. Well, I'm just telling you, it's real. When you consider a lot of what is happening in our culture today beginning with abortion, gender confusion, climate change, it makes little sense politically. But8:03 you but when you begin to look at this from a spiritual perspective and the demonic powers, not just that are controlling individuals, but are influencing as Paul talks about in Ephesians8:14 6, the the the the the the spiritual warfare that we're engaging. It's its powers, principalities against the rulers of the darkness of this age. It's happening. It's real. It's in the scripture. Jesus dealt with it.8:27 The apostles dealt with it. And I believe we have to deal with it as well. Alright. Verse 23, Jesus said to him, if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes. Immediately, the father of the child cried8:38 out and said with tears, Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Now here's where we can see that this account is coming through the eyes of Peter, a man who understood8:50 the frailty of our faith. Lord, I think this to be true. I trust you, but help my lack of faith. Notice that the Lord9:02 doesn't criticize the father for admitting that he is struggling. For what Jesus does, it is clear that he answered the father's request and gave him the9:14 boost in his faith that he needed. And this would be consistent with what Jesus did for the disciples as well. In Luke chapter 17, Jesus was teaching the apostles about their need to forgive. Even if someone,9:26 you know, offended you 7 times in 1 day and they came back and repented, you needed to forgive them. And the apostles responded in verse 5 of chapter 17 in the book of Luke said, increase our faith. We9:38 can't do that on our own. Increase our faith. Help us to believe. It is the will of God that our faith be strong. In in Mark 149:49 38, watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. In John, first John chapter 5 verse 14, now this is the10:01 confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we10:13 have asked of him. You need more faith to believe in the promises of God and to believe in his word and stand on his word? Guess what? Ask him.10:25 He will answer. That is God's will for us that we believe, that we have the faith to trust him and take him at his word. Alright. Verse 25, when Jesus saw that the people came running together,10:37 he rebuked the unclean spirit saying to it, deaf and dumb spirit, I command you come out of him and enter him no more. Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him, and he became as 1 dead. So10:49 many said he is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when and this is a little bit like in verse 28. And when he had come into the house, the11:01 disciples asked him privately after the crowd had kinda gone away. They said, Lord, why could we not cast it out? Verse 29. So he said to them, this kind can come11:12 out by nothing but prayer and fasting. Father, we thank you for your word. And and, Lord, we know that this is preserved and written in the gospels for us. Your word is11:24 truth. And, Lord, we are set free by by your truth. Lord, by an understanding of this world in which we live, that there is a spiritual dimension. We're spiritual beings11:36 in this physical world. But lord, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in heavenly places as11:47 Paul wrote. Lord, help give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and may we be fully equipped with the full armor of God that we could withstand the11:59 devices of the devil, and we could see others set free because of our stand for your truth. Guide us, Lord, on this journey. We thank you for your word. We thank you for the Holy Spirit. We thank you for12:11 Jesus and your grace and mercy that was displayed through him and manifested, Lord, through the cross and the defeat of the grave as he was resurrected.12:23 And now as he sits at your right hand making intercession for us, may you increase our faith in this hour. In Jesus' name, amen. Alright. Thanks for joining this morning. And let me just remind you, coming up, this12:35 weekend, if you're in the Baton Rouge area, we have our stand on the word monthly meeting at our FRC facility. If you'd like to find out more about joining us, just email me, tony at tony12:46 bergins dot com, or you can watch on the app. It'll be on the Stand Firm app, Saturday evening. So until then actually, until tomorrow, keep standing on the word.12:59 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day,13:11 you can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at FRC dot org slash Bible.In this video 0:00 The Transfiguration and Faith
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