Sermon No. 3334: Lovely, But Lacking
Exposition: MARK 9:2-21.
Verses 2-7. And after six days Jesus took with Him, Peter, and James, and John, and led them up into a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured before them and His raiment became shining, exceedingly white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. AndPeter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here andlet us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. For he knew not what to say; for they were sorely afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: anda Voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My belovedSon: hear Him. You and I have sometimes wished that we could see Christ in His earthly Glory. We need not, however, wish it, for if such a sight were permitted to us, in all probability we would be more full of fear than of joy. These three men, the elect out of the elect, the very choicest of the Apostles—had little delight in what they saw at the time, for the Glory was too bright for their overwhelmed natures—
"At the too transporting sight, Darkness rushes o'er my sight."
We had better wait awhile until these eyes shall have been cleansed and our whole fabric shall be fit for such a weight of Glory as the sight of our exalted Lord will be!
8. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man anymore, save Jesus only with themselves. Unhappy, indeed, would they have been if they had looked about and seen none but Moses, for poor comfort could Moses bring! Or if, looking around, they had seen none but Elijah, for the stern Prophet of Fire would have been but a poor consolation to them in their life struggles. But Moses may go and Elijah may go. Lawgiver and Prophet may vanish! As long as Jesus Christ remains, it is enough! Jesus only is enough for all our needs—for all our desires.
9, 10. And as they came down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of Man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean. For they did not understand the Master's words—not even these Apostles, for the Spirit of God was not yet fully given. Happy, indeed, is he upon whom the spirit of God rests—and in whom He dwells—for as John says, "You have an anointing from the Holy One, and know all things," and these men without that measure of anointing did not know at that time even such a simple word as this—that the Son of Man should rise again from the dead! Brothers, we must be taught of the Holy Spirit, or we shall never know anything profoundly. We might go to school to Christ, Himself—now, mark this word—we might go to school to Christ Himself and yet learn nothing until the Holy Spirit should come upon us to write the Truth of God upon our heart which Christ has spoken to the ear. Oh, if you lack wisdom, ask of God, and He will give you of His Spirit!
11-13. And they asked Him, saying, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must first come? And He answered and told them, Elijah verily comes first, and restores all things, and how it is written of the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at naught. But I say unto you, That Elijah is indeed come—he was John the Baptist.
13. And they have done unto him whatever they wished, as it is written of him. It is rather singular that the disciples should begin to ask about the scribes, for this was, as it were, a sort of warning note for a battle into which they were about to plunge. They talked about the scribes, but the scribes were down below in conflict with the rest of the Apostolic brotherhood, and now, while they are talking about them, they find themselves immediately in their presence.
14, 15. And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning them. And immediately all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him. The probability is that the face of Jesus Christ was shining like the face of Moses when he came down from the mount, and the people were amazed though not with that same amazement which seized upon Israel when they saw the face of Moses, for Moses had to cover his face with a veil. But they ran to Him and saluted Him. The Glory of Christ attracts, whereas the Glory of Moses repels. The Glory of the Law is terrible, but the Glory of the Gospel is cheering and attractive.
16, And He asked the scribes, What are you discussing with them?Like some great commander stepping into the field when his under followers are being beaten, he comes right to the front and charges the foe boldly. Christ said, "What are you discussing with them?"—as much as to say, "Why did you not wait a bit and ask me? I could have answered you if they cannot."
17, 18. And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto You my son, which has a dumb spirit, and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down: and he foams at the mouth and gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. A case of dreadful epilepsy accompanied with satanic possession.
18, 19. And I spoke to Your disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not. He answered him and said, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear you? Bring him to Me. That is a grand piece of advice, and a blessed word of permit—"Bring him to Me." There is no case so bad but if you bring it to Jesus, He can meet it. "Bring him to Me." Now, good Woman, bring your daughter's case to Christ tonight in prayer while you are sitting in the pew. Now, come, Brother, bring the case of your son who seems utterly to be abandoned to vice. Bring the case before Christ tonight! "Bring him to Me." Oh, who would not bring his friend—his wife? Who would not bring her husband or her child unto Jesus Christ? "Bring him to Me."
20. And they brought him unto Him. Some came to help the father, probably the bringing of the young man was too much an effort for one alone. "They brought him unto Him." Two or three of you with united prayer can do what, perhaps, one man's prayer would not. Come, help one another! "Bear you one another's burdens" in prayer. I would suggest that if one of you should have an ungodly son or daughter who causes you trouble, you should commune with some of Lovely, but Lacking Sermon #3334 your Brothers and Sisters in Christ and say, "Let us together make this case a matter of prayer till God hears us." And then you must take up a case of theirs, you know, turn and turn about, and see whether God does not in answer to prayer bless one after another that you thus bring to Christ! I know what the result will be—if it is honestly tried in simple confidence in the power of Jesus!
20, 21. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, how long is it since this came unto him? And he said, of a child. A terrible case.