I Am Jesus: Week 5 (Mark 9)

I AM JESUS
Gospel of Mark
Mark 9:14-29

“This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” —Mark 9:7

14When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.
16“What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.
17One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” —Mark 9:14-18

19Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
20So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
21“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” —Mark 9:19-22

WE FORGET

12“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! —John 14:12-14

23“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
24The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” —Mark 9:23-24

“JESUS, HELP ME TO OVERCOME MY UNBELIEF”

25When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”
26Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.”

27But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. —Mark 9:25-27

“JESUS HELP ME TO ENDURE IN FAITH”

28Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”
29Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.” —Mark 9:28-29

“JESUS, HELP US TO NOT FORGET TO PRAY.”