The Vineyard
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:5
Mark 9:14-29
- Jesus disciples failed in their attempt to do the very thing he had commissioned them to do, to cast out demons. This failure by Jesus’ disciples caused the boy’s father to doubt whether Jesus’ Himself could cast out the demon. How does your behavior as a Christian reflect Christ? If people know you are a follower of Christ, would that make them more or less likely to want to learn more about Jesus?
- Jesus reveals to His disciples that their mistake was in their self-reliance. By failing to pray, they have cut themselves off from the very power needed to fulfill their calling. How is your prayer life? Are you plugged into the source of power that enables us to walk as Christians?
Faith vs. Doubt
- Faith and doubt coexist, because neither would exist without the other. Just as we know light only because we have experienced darkness, we know faith, only in relation to the doubt that we have experienced, and continue to experience.
- The boy’s father expresses something that we all can relate to, that inside each one of us is a strange and awkward mixture of faith and doubt. He expresses a desire to move farther away from doubt, and closer to faith. What has your journey in faith been like? Do you feel you have more faith now than when you first began?
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