The Adventures of Jesus Christ
Episodes from the Life of Jesus for Young Readers
by Vincent Cheung
[ Contents ]
Chapter 24. Jesus Explained the Key
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES
Jesus had transformed on a mountain in front of his disciples. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became blinding white like the light itself. As special as it was, the disciples were not meant to build a memorial out of the experience. They were supposed to bring what they learned back down the mountain to preach Jesus and heal humanity. But at this time, all of them still had much to learn.
When they came down from the mountain, they saw that a large crowd had gathered around the other disciples. Some religious scholars were arguing with them. When the people saw Jesus, they turned their attention to him. He asked, “What is happening here? What are you arguing about?”
A man rushed forward and explained, “Teacher, I brought my son to you. He has an evil spirit that makes him unable to talk. Sometimes it takes him and throws him down. It causes him to foam at the mouth and grind his teeth. Sometimes he is even thrown into fire or water. It is very dangerous for him. I brought him here and asked your disciples to cast out that evil spirit, but they could not do it.”
The religious scholars probably argued with the disciples because the disciples failed to heal the boy. This is what happens today too. We are learning to follow the ministry of Jesus, and when we are unsuccessful, faithless religious people would pounce on it as an opportunity to mock and to argue. The boy was suffering, and the scholars should have joined the disciples to help him. But they did not care about the boy. They only wanted to defend their own opinions and traditions.
Jesus answered, “Oh, faithless generation! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” Did you expect him to react this way?
People assume that Jesus would be patient with those who have doubt. This is a lie. Jesus hated it! And he let everyone know it. Then some people insist that Jesus would rebuke only leaders and ministers, and we should not place blame or pressure on regular people. This is a lie too. Jesus blamed everybody. All of them! He said, “Oh, faithless generation!”
Jesus was annoyed with doubt and unbelief. He never said anything good about doubt and unbelief. If you have weak faith, do not give up. Continue to grow. But do not lie to yourself and say Jesus is fine with it. He is not fine with it.
He demands strong and consistent miracle faith, and he demands it from everyone. He requires it from every educated person, every uneducated person, every rich person, every poor person, every healthy person, every sick person, every minister, every man, every woman, and every child. If we do not live up to this, do not join together and say that Jesus never demanded it. Join together to repent and to grow in faith.
Jesus looks at us with true love. He does not look down on us and assume that we are foolish and useless. He knows that we are made in the image of God, and we are able to walk in this kind of faith by the grace of God. This is real love and respect.
There should have been no failure from the disciples. There should have been no hostility from the scholars. There should have been no worry and confusion from the father and son. Although Jesus had been teaching faith and working miracles for a few years by now, the people were still in deep unbelief and weakness.
This is why I am following the example of Jesus and continuing to talk to you about faith. And when God sends you to talk about Jesus, faith will be one of the most important lessons you teach the people.
So Jesus said, “Faithless generation! How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” They brought the boy to him. When the evil spirit in the boy saw Jesus, it took the boy and threw him down, causing him to foam at the mouth.
Jesus asked, “How long has this been happening to him?” The father answered, “Since he was a child. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Please have compassion and help us, if you can.”
But Jesus answered, “What do you mean ‘if you can’? All things are possible for someone who believes.” The man understood that Jesus was putting responsibility on him to have faith, and this faith is not just something that puts up with suffering, but it is a miracle faith that destroys suffering.
He answered, “I believe! Help me with my unbelief!” He said that he believed, but his faith was probably not strong. When you have a good attitude, and when you are willing to improve, Jesus will help you even when he must rebuke you.
When Jesus saw that even more people were beginning to gather, and probably wishing to avoid more trouble, he decided to end it. He turned to the boy and said to the spirit, “You spirit that makes this boy unable to talk and hear, I command you to come out of him and never enter him again!”
The spirit screamed and shook the boy, but it came out and left him. And the boy became very still. For a moment, the crowd thought he was dead. But Jesus took his hand and helped him stand up. The boy was healed.
Later, when Jesus was alone with his disciples, they asked him, “Why could we not cast out the spirit?” He answered them, “Because of your unbelief, your weak faith. I will tell you the truth, if you have faith even like a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Faith is the key to both receiving miracles and performing miracles. Remember what the angel said to Mary? The angel said, “For nothing is impossible with God.” And Jesus said to the boy’s father, “All things are possible for someone who believes.” Now he said to the disciples, “Nothing will be impossible for you.”
This means that whether it is to receive or to perform miracles, all of God’s power is available to people through faith. Anything is possible for God, and when you have faith in God, anything is possible for you.