Hope is Here / 15. Hope is Here // 2 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 17:14-20
15. Hope is Here // 2 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 17:14-20
In the passage this week, we read the story of Jesus healing a boy with a demon. Firstly, we see the contrast between the transfiguration in the previous verses, with the chaos of fallen humanity that Jesus is faced with when he comes down the mountain. He laments for the humanity that he spoke into being and the way that things were intended to be. Although He is concerned for the boy, he is more occupied with the ‘faithless and twisted generation’.
Jesus chooses this moment of chaos to bring some teaching to the father and the disciples, rebuking them for their lack of faith. At the time the boy’s healing would have felt much more pressing but for Jesus, healing people under dark oppression is easy. He was much more concerned by the doubt that persisted in the hearts of the disciples.
The father of the boy came to Jesus in desperation and Jesus delayed the healing and rebuked him. This seems cruel until we understand that, in his kindness, he was teaching the man how to be more effective in bringing his request, before attending to his prayer. He teaches us how to ask in faith because he wants us to receive.
We see later that Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. A mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds, yet when it grows it becomes a large tree. He is talking about faith that grows and so when the man came to him with a little faith for his son’s healing he was not afraid to use the crisis to stretch and grow him.
In situations where it feels like God is delaying and rebuking, instead of answering our prayers, we can know that he is growing our faith so that we can ask for what we need more effectively. His heart is to give us what we want but if we aren’t patient and humble we miss out on the blessing.
Another issue that is raised in this passage is the demon. Jesus is confronted by a medical issue - a seizure. He determines that the root cause is spiritual and so he casts out the demon. Not all medical issues have a spiritual root but some do. We see Jesus both heal and deliver people in the bible and bring restoration in both cases.
Praying for the sick is important, but it is not a substitute for healthcare. Even Paul took Luke, a doctor, with him to provide medical assistance. Luke believed in miracles but he also believed he could give the gift of god through medicine and science. Therefore, it’s appropriate to bring our requests for healing to god but it is also appropriate to seek advice and care from physicians.
When we look at this story, different ones of us can relate to different people. Some may feel like the father who was rebuked for his faith amid a crisis. Some may feel like the disciples who were praying and seeing nothing happen. Some may feel like the crowd, just looking in to see what’s going on. The reality is, the person who you are most like is the little boy. We all need Jesus to come and deliver us from our sins.
Jesus went through hell to save us. Just like the father in the passage, he would stand up for his children and be humbled and punished on the cross. He became our representative, defeating death and sin and securing our forgiveness. Because of this, we can bring all of our cares to him with the confidence that we have his attention.
Applications
1. Have faith to come to Jesus and ask for what you want. The father had enough faith to be persistent and make his request known to Jesus and this meant that his son was healed.
2. Have humility when there is delay and rebuke. Jesus wants you to receive and so he is growing your faith and teaching you how to ask. If the father had walked away when his son’s healing was not immediate he would have missed out.
3. Trust Jesus because he knows what is most important. His priorities don’t always match up with our own but we have to know that he is in total control and he knows what is best for us.
Jesus chooses this moment of chaos to bring some teaching to the father and the disciples, rebuking them for their lack of faith. At the time the boy’s healing would have felt much more pressing but for Jesus, healing people under dark oppression is easy. He was much more concerned by the doubt that persisted in the hearts of the disciples.
The father of the boy came to Jesus in desperation and Jesus delayed the healing and rebuked him. This seems cruel until we understand that, in his kindness, he was teaching the man how to be more effective in bringing his request, before attending to his prayer. He teaches us how to ask in faith because he wants us to receive.
We see later that Jesus says that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. A mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds, yet when it grows it becomes a large tree. He is talking about faith that grows and so when the man came to him with a little faith for his son’s healing he was not afraid to use the crisis to stretch and grow him.
In situations where it feels like God is delaying and rebuking, instead of answering our prayers, we can know that he is growing our faith so that we can ask for what we need more effectively. His heart is to give us what we want but if we aren’t patient and humble we miss out on the blessing.
Another issue that is raised in this passage is the demon. Jesus is confronted by a medical issue - a seizure. He determines that the root cause is spiritual and so he casts out the demon. Not all medical issues have a spiritual root but some do. We see Jesus both heal and deliver people in the bible and bring restoration in both cases.
Praying for the sick is important, but it is not a substitute for healthcare. Even Paul took Luke, a doctor, with him to provide medical assistance. Luke believed in miracles but he also believed he could give the gift of god through medicine and science. Therefore, it’s appropriate to bring our requests for healing to god but it is also appropriate to seek advice and care from physicians.
When we look at this story, different ones of us can relate to different people. Some may feel like the father who was rebuked for his faith amid a crisis. Some may feel like the disciples who were praying and seeing nothing happen. Some may feel like the crowd, just looking in to see what’s going on. The reality is, the person who you are most like is the little boy. We all need Jesus to come and deliver us from our sins.
Jesus went through hell to save us. Just like the father in the passage, he would stand up for his children and be humbled and punished on the cross. He became our representative, defeating death and sin and securing our forgiveness. Because of this, we can bring all of our cares to him with the confidence that we have his attention.
Applications
1. Have faith to come to Jesus and ask for what you want. The father had enough faith to be persistent and make his request known to Jesus and this meant that his son was healed.
2. Have humility when there is delay and rebuke. Jesus wants you to receive and so he is growing your faith and teaching you how to ask. If the father had walked away when his son’s healing was not immediate he would have missed out.
3. Trust Jesus because he knows what is most important. His priorities don’t always match up with our own but we have to know that he is in total control and he knows what is best for us.
More Episodes
-
17.Easter Sunday // Starting Again - Joel Virgo // Matthew 28:1-15
In the final passage of our Hope Is Here Series, we look at how Jesus’ resurrection makes a difference to us in our lives today.
The guards at Jesus’ tomb had an extraordinary encounter with an...Show episode 34:44
-
16.Hope is Here // 12 The Cross - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 27:27-50
Summary:
The cross represents different things to different people, to some it symbolises Christianity, to others, crucifixion, and others Jesus Himself. While the cross displays many things,...Show episode 39:47
-
15.Hope is Here // 11 Gethsemane - Matt Carvel // Matthew 26:30-56
The word ‘Gethsemane’ is derived from two Hebrew words: gat, which means "a place for pressing oil (or wine)" and shemanim, which means "oils." During Jesus' time, heavy...Show episode 34:32
-
14.Hope is Here // 10 The Lord's Supper - Joel Virgo // Matthew 26:17-35
In the passage this week, we read about the last night before the crucifixion. This is the crisis point that the story has been building up to. The disciples have been repeatedly told that Jesus is...Show episode 35:24
-
13.Hope is Here 9 // Jesus Curses The Fig Tree - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 21:12-14, 18-22
Summary:
In this week’s passage, after throwing the people out of the temple Jesus came across a fig tree with no fruit on it and cursed it so that it withered. It would be easy to get the...Show episode 38:42
-
12.Hope is Here // 7 The Cleansing of the Temple - Joel Virgo // Matthew 21:12-17
Throughout the bible, we see God’s people taking the gifts that God has given then and using them to be a means of privilege. For example, the sabbath was intended to be a gift of rest but it was...Show episode 35:08
-
11.Hope Is Here // 6 The Triumphant Entry - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 21:1-11
Summary
This week’s passage tells the story of Palm Sunday and Jesus’ return to Jerusalem. We know that it is an important story because it is written about in all four gospels.
In...Show episode 38:21
-
10.Hope is Here // 5 What do you want? // Application
Application of the sermon: https://youtu.be/16w9LYvEhckShow episode 05:04
-
09.Hope is Here // 5 What do you want? - Joel Virgo // Matthew 20:17-34
Recap:
In Matthew 17 we read about the transfiguration where the voice of God says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” After witnessing this, it would be fair...Show episode 34:11
-
08.Application // The Temple Tax // Matthew 17:24-27
From the sermon:
https://youtu.be/3mDd4eKrdLUShow episode 04:31
-
07.Hope is Here // 4 The Temple Tax - Matt Carvel // Matthew 17:24-27
In this week’s passage, Peter is asked if Jesus pays taxes. As laid out in Exodus 30, the Israelites paid tax for the upkeep of the tabernacle and this seems to have been carried over and applied to...Show episode 33:10
-
06.Hope is Here // 3 Jesus and the Children - Matt Carvel // Matthew 19:13-15
In the passage this week we hear a story of children being brought to Jesus so that He could lay His hands on them. Firstly what we can see is how the people wanted to bring their children to Jesus,...Show episode 32:23
-
05.Hope is Here // Jesus heals a Boy with a Demon Q and A Live
Following the evening service, Tobi Ford-Western and Joel Virgo engaged in a live Q and A around the Sunday passage from the Matthew teaching seriesShow episode 24:05
-
04.Application // Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon // Matthew 17:14-20
Summary and discussion questions from the talk:
https://youtu.be/udhX9wJDs9YShow episode 04:53
-
03.Hope is Here // 2 Jesus Heals a Boy with a Demon - Tobi Ford-Western // Matthew 17:14-20
In the passage this week, we read the story of Jesus healing a boy with a demon. Firstly, we see the contrast between the transfiguration in the previous verses, with the chaos of fallen humanity...Show episode 37:11
-
02.Application // The Transfiguration // Matthew 17:1-9
Summary and discussion questions from the talk:
https://youtu.be/bu3wCl9gxrsShow episode 06:01
-
01.Hope is Here // 1 The Transfiguration - Joel Virgo // Matthew 17:1-9
This Sunday we began our new spring term series ‘Hope Is Here’. We will be looking at the book of Matthew from where we previously left off as a church, launching into chapter 17.
Often in our...Show episode 40:46
