We're looking at Mark 9, where a child's father pleads for help: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" How does Jesus respond to people with doubts? How about weak faith? Can we be this honest? Is weak faith enough? Even as Jesus encourages those with 'weak' faith, he challenges those with 'strong' faith. This entire event occurs precisely because his 'strong' disciples have failed. So what should a maturing faith look like? Doubtful, weak, or strong... Regardless of which way you'd describe yourself, let's consider how Jesus is "Restoring Belief."
Discussion Questions
Weak faith
To what lengths has this child’s father gone to seek the child’s healing (v.17-18)? Why might he be reserved in his expectations for what Jesus can do for his son (v.22)? How does Jesus respond (v.23)? What do you think Jesus means by everything is possible for the one who believes (v.23)? How might this statement be misunderstood? Is this a question about the quantity or quality of our belief? Why does that matter?
The man confesses, Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! What is he saying? How would you put that in your own words? Is this man presenting the quality of his faith as a basis for Jesus to act? If not, what is the basis? This is a raw, honest statement of his own weakness. What does that imply he thinks about Jesus’ character? In your job or relationships, why might you be hesitant to make such a bald statement about your weaknesses or failures?
In the sermon, Russ said: when we come to Jesus, “the only thing you need is need.” What does that mean? How can that be good news? By contrast, what would it mean if our faith required FUAGNEM (i.e., “Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute”). Why is that sort of approach unsustainable? Where is all that energy supposed to come from? How is that source directly opposite from the Gospel?
Consider the bear story. What is the difference between the friend on the rope bridge and the one who jumps to the ledge? What does that reveal about faith? In this passage, which type of faith is this man confessing? How is good news for us? What is so dangerous about ‘rope bridge’ faith?
Read Ephesians 2:8-9. How is faith described here? Who is the source of our faith? Where do you see that in this father’s plea to Jesus? Tim Keller has said: “helplessness, not holiness, is the first step to accessing God’s presence.” What do you think he means? How is this father demonstrating that? Is his weak faith enough? How could what feels like weakness actually be our strength?
Maturing faith
Aside from Jesus, who in this passage should represent a more mature faith? How is this a moment of failure for them (v.18-19)?
Jesus says “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you?” (v.19) To whom is he speaking? Considering what he does next, is our faithfulness required for God to act on our behalf? How does that encourage you?
Jesus has just come down off the mountain of Transfiguration, where some of the disciples saw a glimpse of his glory. They are coming off of a spiritual high and immediately fall into a low place of failure. Can you think of a time that has happened in your life? How did you respond? How do the disciples respond here (v.28)?
As soon as this man confesses his weak faith to Jesus, Christ calls for the boy. What happens here (v.20)? Notice how the father describes his son’s suffering (v.17-18,21-22). What happens when Jesus intervenes? Do things get better or worse initially? Put yourself in his shoes. What must the father be thinking and feeling when they tell him the boy is dead (v.26)? How might that make you fearful to bring your most precious things to Jesus?
If God messes with our most precious things – by design – when he comes into our life, how might that lead us doubt his goodness? Is that a lack of faith or a greater trust in something else? Why do people think doubt is the opposite of faith? How might doubt actually be faith in something other than God? Is “confident skeptic” an oxymoron? Why should healthy skepticism lead us to “doubt our doubts”?
Doubts are not prohibited in the Scriptures (Ps.73; John 20; Jude 1:22; etc.), but often are a necessary step to embracing God. If doubts were ‘prohibited’, would that stop us from having them? What would we likely do with our doubts if we weren’t allowed to express them? What does it say about God’s character that he welcomes us to bring our doubts to him? Who are the sort of people with whom you gladly share your weaknesses? Do you believe God to be so compassionate toward you? Why might that be a struggle? How does Jesus demonstrate his compassion in this passage?
When Jesus finally instructs the disciples in private, why couldn’t they heal this boy (v.29). What had they forgotten to do? As ‘mature’ believers, sent directly by Jesus, how might this failure encourage you? Would you share these sorts of spiritual failures in your life with others? They did! How does that both bolster our faith and challenge it? Their ‘mature’ version of this father’s plea might be: “Lord, I forgot to pray! Help me remember… and even want to!” What would your version be?
If helplessness is the first step of the faith, how is holiness a deepening of that first step? What would it mean for us to embrace our helplessness more deeply? Does that paralyze or liberate us? Relate that to the Golden Gate bridge story.
GOSPEL: weak faith is still saving faith. Maturing faith is a faith that leads us deeper into daily dependence on him. How can we cultivate that? Look deeply at the One who was thrown down for us, who was cast into darkness, who did not fail and yet was treated as the ultimate failure, so that we never would be. The ‘faugnem’ faith we could never sustain, he carries with calculating maturity as he goes to the cross on our behalf. Once we see the depth of his love, it sets us free to live a life of joyful confession, honest with God about our failures as he cultivates greater love and humility in us. Lord, we believe! Help our unbelief!
