Mark 9; From Mountain Top to the Valley Floor

[0:00] Good morning everyone and welcome to our morning service. A special welcome to any visitors who might be with us today. And we welcome this morning Mr. Jim Simm who will be leading worship and preaching God's word to us.

[0:15] Tea and coffee will be served here after the service as usual and everybody is welcome to stay for that. The Gaelic service at 6pm will be conducted by Mr. Hamish Taylor.

[0:26] The Youth Fellowship meets at 7.30pm and there will be an English Praise class at 8pm. The Ladies Bible Study meets at 8pm tomorrow night at 32 McQueen Street.

[0:38] The First Fruits Fellowship meets in the Church of Scotland Hall on Tuesday at 7.30pm. And the prayer meeting is here on Wednesday at 7.30pm. And there will be a psalmary class this Friday here in the Community Centre at 7.30pm.

[0:53] Reverend Andrew Corbillis Scalpe will be teaching all who wish to improve their singing a few new tunes and psalms. And we're hoping this will be carried on once a month for several months.

[1:07] The services next Sunday at 11 and 6 will both be conducted by the Minister. And following the service there will be an informal fellowship lunch for Cresce and Sunday School children and their families along with Sunday School leaders and helpers.

[1:21] Please come along and enjoy this time of fellowship if you're involved in that in any way. And volunteers for catering can sign up on a note on the table in the front hall.

[1:32] And finally there will be a meeting of the Deacons Court and of the Kirk Session at the Manse on Monday the 5th of October. That's a week tomorrow.

[1:43] These are all the intimations and we look forward to Jim reading us in work. Good morning everybody. It's lovely to be back in Tarbots and share fellowship with you again.

[1:58] It's been a wee while since we were here. Some things have changed. But our God is still on the throne. He's still the same God.

[2:08] And it's lovely to get together again and to worship him. We'll start the morning worship with hymn number 35.

[2:19] 3-5 Worship the King all glorious above. We'll gratefully sing his power and his love. Our shield and defender the ancient of days.

[2:30] Ravilioned in splendour and girted with praise. Hymn number 35 For the Lord in prayer. Let's pray.

[2:50] Our gracious and loving Heavenly Father. We come before thy holy throne this morning in the name of Jesus. We thank you Lord for this opportunity to worship you.

[3:05] We thank you Lord for all that you are to us. As we bow in your presence we acknowledge that you are creator of all things.

[3:17] You're the God who formed us. You're the God who loved us with such a love that you gave your only begotten Son.

[3:27] To die for such as we are. Lord we come before you recognizing our condition. We are pardoned rebels.

[3:43] We are undeserving Lord of any of your mercies. And yet Lord you rejoice. To hear us come to you in prayer.

[3:54] And bow before you. Thank you Lord for the way that you have led us and kept us and provided for us. Even in the past week. For the blessings that we have obtained.

[4:06] We thank you Lord for this day that you have set apart. And we rejoice Lord to know that this world this day is wakening up from the east to the west.

[4:18] And as the sun takes its journey. Your children have wakened and praised your name from the east.

[4:29] And we'll continue through this day to praise your name all the way to the west. And we rejoice our God to join in that great throng that will proclaim the name of Jesus.

[4:41] And say thank you for Calvary. Thank you for him who loved us with. A love that we cannot have any concept of. How great it was Lord that you took upon yourself our sin.

[4:55] And our shame. And you made a way whereby we could enter into your presence. And we thank you Lord not just for the blessings of this life. But we thank you that you have prepared a place for those that love thee.

[5:11] And we rejoice to know Lord that our future is secure because it's in your hands. We rejoice Lord to know that our eternity is already fixed.

[5:22] Because we have trusted in the name of Jesus. So Father come upon us now. Let us know your presence. We have come here Lord with different cares, different families, different things to worry and to concern us.

[5:40] But you are our God and we bow before you and we say Lord speak to us, teach us. Open our eyes that you might see Jesus. And we pray for your word as it's preached everywhere this morning.

[5:52] Remember David and cross the bus that you will give him liberty and that they might know a real time of blessing as they sit around your table. We thank you for all the places Lord around here where your word is preached.

[6:05] And we ask your blessing upon it as it goes forth today. We thank you for the liberty we have Lord to proclaim Christ. We thank you for the freedom to worship.

[6:17] We pray Lord that as your word goes forth today that there will be those that will see you as their saviour for the first time. Who will recognise you as the one who gave his life for them.

[6:28] Come amongst us Lord and do us good. These things we ask in Jesus precious name. Amen. Well boys and girls.

[6:42] A wee story for you if you want to come round to you. Coming down here. You're all looking very smart today. Okay. Okay. Do you know what that is?

[6:59] Ah. What's that? It's a cup. Oh that's good. Do you feel it? Is it hot? Is it cold? Is it cold?

[7:10] It's cold. What's a cup for? Drinking. Yes. Drinking. And what do you do? What do you put inside?

[7:23] Huh? What? Tea? Coffee? Yeah? Does it keep it nice and warm?

[7:36] And you drink it. Do you know? We're a wee bit like this cup. A wee bit like the cup. Some of you are better looking.

[7:50] But a wee bit like the cup. We need something inside. Do you know? Who made us? Who made us best?

[8:02] God. God made us didn't he? And. God made us for a purpose. He made you. And he made me. And he made each one of us.

[8:14] And he knows your name. But God. Made you for a special purpose. And God says. That he wants to come along. And he wants to live with you.

[8:26] And he wants to live. In your life. And be with you. There's a wee verse. Going up there. In a minute. Yeah. In a minute. In a minute.

[8:39] And the wee verse. This is in Corinthians. And here's what the wee verse says. Do you not know. You are a temple of God.

[8:50] And that the spirit of God. Dwells in you. Do you not know that? Well. We're a wee bit like a cup. We can hold things.

[9:01] Inside us. We can take things. We can think things. Can't we? Yeah. We can think things. And we can. One thing. Can't we?

[9:12] And. I'm going to have a wee. I'm going to have a wee cup. Catherine told me. When I came up to her. I said I was going to take it easy. I thought. I'm going to have a wee. Tea break. Is that okay?

[9:24] Huh? I'm going to just put. Something in the cup. Well. We'll put it in the cup. It's a bit warm for you guys.

[9:35] But. You know. Actually. It's nothing in it. It's just water. Nobody would give me a tea bag this morning. Look. A cup is good to hold things.

[9:45] Isn't it? Yeah? Is that still cold? Don't hold it too tight. Is it still cold? No hot. No hot. That's good eh?

[9:57] So I've now. Got something. And the cup has become hot. Isn't it? When we put. The hot water in. The cup became hot.

[10:09] And you know something. That's what. God wants to do with your life. He wants to put. His Holy Spirit. Into your life. You'll change.

[10:21] When God does that. God will make you. Hot. God. And that's why. That's why. He made us. He made us.

[10:32] So that he could come into your life. And he could fill your life up. And that you wouldn't be cold person. You wouldn't be not a nice person. But he would come in.

[10:43] And when he does that. He heats the cup of. With the cup of. That's really warm. And you're. I get in the kitchen. Isn't that warm? That's right. And that's what God does for us.

[10:54] When he comes in. And he wants to come into your life. And his spirit. Like our verse said. His spirit. wants to come into you. And fill you.

[11:06] And he's prepared a special place. And it's just for him. And sometimes there's other things. That's what I want to come into your life. And Satan wants to come into your life.

[11:18] But he doesn't fit very, very well. And he won't do you good. But God fits perfectly. In our life. Because he made us. And he knows exactly.

[11:30] What we need. So if you let the Lord Jesus. Into your life. You won't just be a cold cup. You'll be warm. Because the Lord will be inside you.

[11:41] And he will work with you. And he will help you. Shall we say a little prayer then? Shall we? Together. Dear Lord Jesus. We thank you for. The things that you've taught us.

[11:52] We thank you Heavenly Father. For these children. And we just ask you Lord. That you indeed will fill their life. Take care of them. All the days that they walk. And be their guide.

[12:04] These things we ask in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you. So now we think we're going to have another singing. The children staying in for a singing here.

[12:22] We're going to sing in mission praise number 50. Mission praise 50.

[12:34] Be still. For the presence of the Lord the Holy One is here. Come now before him now with reverence and fear. In him no sin is found. We stand on holy ground.

[12:45] Be still. For the presence of the Lord the Holy One is here. Mission praise number 50. I'm not willing to sound anymore.

[12:56] I hope you can hear me. We're going to read in Mark's Gospel. Mark's Gospel at chapter 9.

[13:09] Mark's Gospel chapter 9.

[13:20] And we'll read. We'll start at verse 2. And we'll read to verse 29. There's two stories in this.

[13:31] There is the transfiguration of Jesus. At the beginning and end. There is the story of the boy who had the demoniac.

[13:46] The devil within him. And the healing of that child. So. John's. In Mark's Gospel chapter 9. Verse 2. Now after six days. Jesus took Peter, James and John.

[13:58] And led them up. Upon a high mountain. Apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining. Exceedingly white.

[14:10] Like snow. Such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses. And they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus.

[14:23] Rabbi it is good for us to be here. And let us make three tabernacles. One for you. One for Moses. And one for Elijah. Because he did not know what to say.

[14:35] For they were greatly afraid. And a cloud came and overshadowed them. And a voice came out of the cloud saying. This is my beloved son. Hear him. Suddenly when they had looked around.

[14:47] They saw no one anymore. But only Jesus with themselves. Now as they came down from the mountain. He commanded them. That they should tell no one of the things they had seen.

[14:58] Till the son of man had risen from the dead. So they kept this word to themselves. Questioning what the rising from the dead meant. And they asked him.

[15:11] Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first? Then he answered and told them. Indeed. Elijah is coming first. And restores all things. And how is it written concerning the son of man.

[15:23] That he must suffer many things. And be treated with contempt. But I say to you that Elijah has also come. And they did to him whatever they wished. As it is written of him.

[15:34] And when he came to the disciples. He saw a great multitude around them. And scribes were speaking with them. Immediately when they saw him.

[15:47] All the people were greatly amazed. And running to him greeted him. And he asked the scribes. What are you discussing with them? Then one of the crowd answered and said.

[15:57] Teacher. I brought you my son who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him. It throws him down. He foams at the mouth. And gnashes his teeth. And becomes rigid.

[16:09] So I spoke to your disciples. That they should cast it out. But they could not. He answered him and said. Oh faithless generation. How long shall I be with you?

[16:20] How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me. And they brought him to him. And when he saw him. Immediately the spirit convulsed him.

[16:32] And he fell on the ground. And walled foaming at the mouth. So he asked his father. How long has this been happening to him? And he said from childhood.

[16:44] And often he has thrown him both. Into the fire and into the water. To destroy him. But if you can do anything. Have compassion on us. And help us. Jesus said to him.

[16:56] If you can believe. All things are possible to him who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out. And said with tears.

[17:08] Lord I believe. Help my unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together. He rebuked the unclean spirit. And said. Death and dumb spirit.

[17:20] I command you come out of him. And enter him no more. Then the spirit cried out. Convulsed him greatly. And came out of him. And he became as one dead.

[17:33] So that many said he is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand. Lifted him up. And he arose. And when he had come into the house. His disciples asked him privately.

[17:46] Why could we not cast it out? So he said to them. This kind. Can come out by nothing but prayer. And fasting.

[17:57] Amen. Amen. And God will add a blessing unto the reading of his own holy work. We now have a singing in Gaelic.

[18:10] And Psalm 104. Psalm 104. Psalm 104. And we're going to three verses. Verses 1 and 2.

[18:23] Psalm 104. Bless God. O my soul. O Lord my God. Thou art exceeding great. With honour and with majesty. Thou clothed art in state.

[18:35] With light as with a robe thyself. Thou coverest about. And like unto a curtain. Thou the heavens stretchest out. These verses of Psalm 104. O my God.

[18:52] I'm feeling it. Push here. For here. To here. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O.

[19:02] O. O. O. O. O. O. O. O. The. O. O. O.

[19:28] O. O. O. O. O. O. Oh Oh Oh

[21:05] Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh

[22:07] Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh In Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh and we know our Heavenly Father that you're more eager to hear us than we have to pray to pray and we have to confess Lord as we bow before you that we do not pray enough that we come to you this morning because you are the fount of every blessing you are our only hope and our only strength there is no one else that we would turn to or trust and so we come this morning our Heavenly Father and we pray for your kingdom for your work we pray for the things that concern us and that as we are bowed together here as a fellowship Lord you can hear our hearts cry to you for the things that we can bring before you that concern us and upset us and trouble us things of your kingdom we pray for this fellowship Lord and we thank you for the stand for the gospel and we ask you Lord that you would guide them in the days that lie ahead we pray Heavenly Father for the needs that they have places to worship the right plans for the future and we ask you Lord that you would guide them in your great wisdom and that you would see souls added to the kingdom through the work and the fellowship here we pray for your work through this through this island Lord and through our land because we need you we confess Lord that we are more or less spiritually bankrupt as a nation we have turned aside to the things that can never satisfy we have disobeyed your word and we ask you Lord that you would look upon us in mercy and in grace and turn us again to you the giver of all good things

[25:06] Lord we think of a world that's torn this morning a world that cries in every continent for those who have been torn from home for our brethren in Christ Lord who suffer we think of them in Pakistan and Syria the Middle East Lord where they are so persecuted and we ask you Lord to remember your people we think of them in China and the persecution that they have there and we ask you Lord that amongst that persecution for those that sow in tears that you again will bring them rejoicing that you will add Lord to your church and you will build your church Lord there are nations that in the past have tried to defy you and to close the gospel completely Lord that has never been done because you will take the gospel where you wish it to go and you will multiply it and you will bless it and we ask you Lord we remember those who this morning are walking, trespassing, climbing fences trying to seek an escape Lord we pray that you would help them we pray Lord that you would bless them we pray Lord that they trust mighty in you we pray for the fellowship here for those who have been sick this week to those who have undergone surgery and medical treatments we ask you Lord to restore them to their health and strength we ask you Lord that you would give the doctors the guidance and the understanding that success may be achieved we ask you Lord to bless each heart that's bowed before you now

[27:00] Lord we sit in the quietness and we bring to you our cares and our petitions and our needs we pray for our little ones who have left us Lord for the world that they are growing up in for the standards that have been taught to them we ask you Lord that you would keep them under the shadow of your wing and protect them that you would help them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the time the little time that they spend here under Sunday in a Sunday under Sunday school and taught that that will be blessed to them Lord that their hearts will take it in that they will drink in the message of the gospel under your work so Lord hear us as we sit in the quietness for a moment before you hear our prayers Lord seek Lord we pray to bless us and guide us in these days now Lord as we come to your word we pray that you would make the book live we pray that we might see Jesus in Jesus only that we might have understanding of the things you are trying to teach us and apply them to our life and may the name of Jesus be exalted in all things in Jesus name

[28:33] Amen Amen Amen Amen Amen You turn with me now to the chapter we read Mark chapter 9 and we start at verse 2 There is a sign there used to be a sign on the road I don't know if it's still there, down in Ayrshire there's a country road down there and there's a sign on that road it's a black sign and the writing on the sign is in white letters and there's a little bit of reflective material put on the white letters and the sign says what think ye of Christ a young man many many years ago a young man was passing that sign and he saw it and he read it, what think ye of Christ he was not from a Christian home he didn't understand the things of the gospel or the scriptures, he had no knowledge of these things, but he saw that sign and it stuck in his mind and the Lord began to speak teach him through different ways and that person became a Christian a young man he became a Christian but he had a problem he worked with his father in his father's business and his father was a bookie his father run a betting business and the young man decided that he had to sort things out in his life because he now wanted to follow Christ and working in this business was not going to help him any so he went home and he told his father that he had become a Christian now his father was not a Christian man his father had no knowledge of Christ his father had nothing of a religious influence on him whatsoever and his father turned to him and said to him well that's what you do you leave the business and you be a Christian but he says be a good one be a good one the chapter we read was two stories here you know we live in a world that's seen and a world that's unseen we live we sit here today we can see we can hear we can feel we can touch the world that we see the world that we know but there's an unseen world there is a spirit world and in the verses we read there are two different two different worlds the first story that we read takes us to a heavenly world takes us to a spiritual world and we meet Peter and James and John on a mountaintop of blessing a mountaintop where the glory of God is shown to them in a degree and then as we read on and we come to the sad story of the child we come to the valley and we come to the valley that Satan owns we come to Satan's domain and there there we find man's hopelessness we find Satan's world that brings men and women down to the gutter and as we sit here this morning and as we are going to look through this chapter there are two things going on here

[32:37] there is a contest going on in a spirit world here God is here and Satan is here make no doubt about it Satan is here and Ephesians as you know the verse Ephesians 6 and 12 says for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places that battle will go on while we are here God will want to speak to you God will want to teach me and you Satan is here and Satan's efforts are to take your mind somewhere else and to take your direction somewhere else Isaiah said God had put a spirit within him as we were talking to the children God putting his spirit within us

[33:37] Isaiah said by my spirit I will seek you early God put a spirit within us without the spirit we could not have communion with God we could not pray we could not listen to God we could not communicate with each other as Christians if we did not have that spirit within us the spirit that God gave us is the command center of our life it's a communication center it's a focal point it's how God through the Holy Spirit talks to us and the Holy Spirit teaches us Isaiah said in chapter 30 he says thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it when you turn to the right hand and you turn to the left hand the story of Elijah in 1st Kings chapter 19 Elijah was hiding in a cage in Mount Horeb and God came to him to rescue him and God said to him

[34:44] I'm going to pass by Elijah and you will know me he says I'm going to pass by and there will be an earthquake and there will be fire and the verse and the verse there in chapter 19 says after the earthquake there was a fire but the Lord was not in the fire and after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper the Spirit of God speaking to us the Spirit of God directing us God does not want any of his children to be spiritually hard of hearing he doesn't want to have to shout at us God's normal way of communicating and communing with you is in gentle whispers and with me too God is here this morning he will seek to work in your heart and mine but Satan is also here and he will speak to you trying to take you to the place that has been prepared for him so let's start on the mountain top let's go up to this mountain with Jesus and he takes Simon

[35:54] Simon Peter and he takes James and he takes John why did he take these three why did he take three disciples at all well it tells us later in the chapter that the Lord started to tell them again about his death and his resurrection and he started to speak to them about the things that were going to happen and I think that what he was trying to do with Peter, James and John was he took them up the mountain he showed them the glory and what he was saying to them was remember this when the dark days come and you are back in the house after Calvary and you're hiding and you're fearful and you're wondering why Christ had been taken and put in a tomb when you're remembering these things remember the glory that you're seeing now remember who I am it's important and it did make an impact particularly in Peter I think because if you turn to 2 Peter chapter 2 Peter chapter 1

[36:55] Peter wrote these things for we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus but were eyewitnesses of his majesty for he received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and this is the voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mountain so he made an impression on his disciples and he showed them the glory and it remained with him you note that the verse says after 6 days Jesus took Peter James and John Jesus took them up the mountain now I don't know what you guys did when you were wee boys when I used to go there I tried to get into the football when I was a wee boy we used to go down to the football and we would stand outside the small stadium and we would ask a man to lift us over the turnstile any man it didn't matter anybody who was dafty enough to lift us over the turnstile because if you get lifted over the turnstile you didn't pay and you get into the football and you are in free but we would stand there as little boys and we would say to the man would you lift me over the turnstile mister when you are going in some of them would tell us to go away some of them thankfully would lift us and help us over the turnstile and we would get into the football free this verse says

[38:30] Jesus took them up the mountain Jesus took them and it tells us that there is only one way into God's kingdom he is the only person that can take us there he is the only person who can take us up the mountain he is the only person who can take us into glory it is his kingdom he owns it and he will take us and him alone he is the only one that can take us there we cannot put their salvation we cannot trust anybody else with it the scripture tells us neither is their salvation in any other I don't know if you saw the young man in the papers last week and I must say my heart went out to him the young Muslim boy who was in a vehicle of some sort going going on a suicide mission and he was crying and I thought how evil the devil is teaches the boy a lie and the boy sacrifices himself crying as he was going that is not the way our lord does things he took them up the mountain he took them the plan of god for redemption of creation was unfolding here in this mountain he meets he meets with moses and he meets with elijah why why these two why these two people from the past well moses moses was given the law moses was given the ten commandments on the mountain he was given all the laws that pertain to the tabernacle and all the sacrifices and we can read it in the old testament there that moses instructed the people and he got it from god elijah elijah who did not die the prophet of fire he was the prophet who was taken up in chariots of fire with horses of fire he never died but here at this particular time a change was taking place the old was being done away with all the sacrifices that moses had put in place christ was going to be the sacrifice and a little while christ was going to be laid on the altar and the covenant with moses was passed and here was moses and elijah speaking with them and actually when you go back if you read the story in luke's gospel luke tells us that this is what they were talking about and they were speaking about these things the plan of god of redemption was changing god was moving and they spoke with him they stood there and they spoke with him not to teach him but to testify to christ and be taught by him it shows us that there's a discussion glorified saints can stand and talk together glorified saints can commune and talk about these things so there is something for us to look forward to but luke said his decease which he should accomplish at jerusalem that's what they spoke about to moses and elijah this was a massive change they had trusted in this death of christ before it even happened way back in their time that was what they were trusting in that was what their salvation was accounting for and now it was about to happen and they came with christ and met christ on the mountain and there they spoke together the disciples were taken into a heavenly presence and you know

[42:31] we have times in our life when god comes very close to us like the two men in the emmaus road who said did not our hearts burn within us there are times in our life when god comes to us and speaks to us and we have good times of fellowship and reviving times of fellowship with the lord but you note the changes his garments changed they were whiter than anything on earth could ever be white his garments were probably faded by the sun they may have been dark or whatever but they shone his face shone you remember you remember that moses when he went up the mountain and he was there 40 days i think he was there for and god spoke to him and he came down and it says that his face was shining such that the children of israel couldn't look upon him he was so bright that is what is before us in heaven the brightness and god does that to us and i believe that as moses had come down from the mountain and his face was still shining we remember stephen when stephen was being stoned they looked at him and the scripture says his face was like the face of an angel god's presence was with him and you know that's the same with us when we have been with christ when we have spent time in prayer alone with him he changes us and we become more like him just like we were telling the children the spirit of god within us it changes us peter was always peter was always talking wasn't he he was always the one who was going to be first or make an outburst and peter says it's good to be here let's make three tabernacles it's good to be here let's make three tabernacles and he interrupts he hears the conversation and he jumps in and christ doesn't say go away peter you're not big enough for this peter you sit there he doesn't say that he talks to peter and he communes with peter and tells peter but peter is in with his idea it's as if people were talking about things and suddenly peter jumps in and says wait a minute

[44:52] I've got an idea let's build three tabernacles but christ did not rebuke him and christ in his glory before god doesn't rebuke you and i when you go to him he's not too busy he's not involved with other things that are too big for you and me he will talk to you and i and he took peter and he spoke to peter christ is always waiting for us to call he's always wanting to speak to us luke tells us that the disciples slept we're assuming that this particular part of the story was during the night the disciples slept and awoke to this wonderful sight they were amazed they had never seen anything like it and the scripture does say to us that peter didn't know what to say so he just said something and he says let's build three tabernacles and what peter was wanting to do was to take some tree branches make them join them together put a covering over them and they would sit there like booths he wanted to stay there he wanted to enjoy the moment he wanted to be there and stay there but god takes us to the mountain top for a reason the other nine disciples were in the valley they were down the mountain and they were having a hard time of it and christ knew that christ was saying to peter yes you come up here i've showed you these things but you're not here to rest you're not here to have a holiday and enjoy yourself peter this is for a reason we've gone back to work there are nine other disciples down there who need us so they did not build the tabernacles the cloud came over them and covered them and god's voice came out of the cloud this is my beloved son hear him and then he left he came down the mountain so they came from the mountain top to the valley just as we do very often don't we we come from the place where god meets with us and then all of a sudden we go back to work on a monday morning and we're back in the valley and it tells us that they descend from the mountain top and christ's care is now to his other disciples he doesn't forget them he knows their needs and he knows they're having difficulty and remember this that christ even in all his glory even as he sits at this moment in time at the right hand of god he still knows you and he still knows me and he still knows our troubles and he knows our hearts knows our cares and he does care for us he does care for us so they came down the mountain and it tells us that the people were greatly amazed why were they greatly amazed well the scholars seem to think that when christ came down the mountain some of the glory was still in his face it had not all just dissipated some of it was still there and they were amazed at seeing him like this and they looked on him and there were mixed reactions when he came down his disciples were very glad to see him why?

[48:35] because they were in trouble they had tried to take the demon out of this boy the father had come and said here's my son heal him and they couldn't do it they had done it before today they couldn't do it so they were glad to see christ coming back because they needed him the scribes weren't very happy because they were giving the disciples a half time and they were winning but christ came and they never won an argument with christ so they knew that when he came everything was finished they could not continue to to continue to argue with the disciples and christ comes down and he says to them what what are you disputing now what are you arguing about now the religious types always have something to debate and discuss and go on at long length about and here christ says to them speak to me tell me the disciples don't answer them because well the disciples are saying well you're the boss you sort it all out we've got into a bit of bother here we can't do anything you need to sort it out the scribes won't answer them because they always get told off and they never win people speak a very troubled father steps forward he came seeking christ and he ended up with the disciples he came looking for the master and he got something else there is no substitute for christ and you and i can trust in all sorts of things but we can never trust we can never trust in anything that is equal to christ it must be christ alone and the father comes and he tells the story of this poor child possessed possessed by an evil spirit which brings on fits it renders some speeches that throws him into the fire that throws the child into the water and when the fit leaves him the child is helpless and hopeless can't eat properly and the child is gradually becoming like a skeleton and obviously the poor child's life is ebbing away the father has reached a stage of desperation everything else has failed he must find christ this is the world of satan this is what satan takes his servants to this is the way satan reduces his servants satan will take us to a world of hopelessness a world of ruin and a world of death satan's aim today is to take you and i to the same place that he's going to he has no good thing for us sometimes we think that it doesn't matter it's ok we don't need to we don't need to trust christ because life is ok i can live as a good citizen i can do my best i can pay my taxes and all the rest of it and i can do well but i'm afraid that's not the end because without christ without christ the scripture tells us that there is a place prepared for satan and his angels and for all his servants if you don't belong to christ you belong to satan there is nothing else there's nothing in between jesus

[52:38] recognizes this world of satan he shows his disapproval of them in verse 19 where he says oh faithless generation how long shall i be with you how long shall i bear with you who was he speaking to here well he was speaking to the father it seemed he was speaking to the father because the father was shall we say faithless he may have been speaking to the scribes he may have been speaking to the disciples having come down the mountain from where he was in communion with moses and with elijah and all the glory it was there he comes to this and he finds a faithless father he finds his disciples who cannot do what they had been taught to do and shown to do and he finds the religious people who are completely against it and criticise him and i wonder was christ really angry at these people or was he seeing what sin had done to his creation when he comes in glory and he sees his creation the creation that he made and that he said was good on the days that he made it he said it was a good thing and then he comes to it and he sees how sin has torn it and wasted it and we look at the world today and we remember god created a good thing and what have we turned it into we have turned this world into a terrible place having come down from the glory he meets this and it seems that there is anger in him and he says faithless generation how long oh faithless generation but in all this sorrow and despair in satan's world there is three lovely words here which come at the end when he says faithless generation he says bring him to me bring him to me that's the message we have for the world today come to christ bring this world that's broken sick bring it to christ our neighbours without christ living a christless life bound for a christless eternity christ says bring him to me come to christ isaiah said look unto me all ye ends of the earth be ye saved the boy is brought to jesus it says they brought him i think it maybe took two or three of them to bring the boy to christ such was his condition but they brought him to christ like so many others that they had brought we think as we go through the life of christ and we read of those the woman with the israel blood she came to christ in a desperate condition we think of jeres his daughter who was dead and raised to life we think of the centurion who came and said healed my servant and his servant was healed before he got home we think of leprous men we think of lame people we think of blind people christ touched them and healed them and christ is a christ who says bring them to me and they bring this boy and it seems that when they brought him to christ that the evil spirit within him recognises christ and throws this boy on the ground into a state of convulsion and it seems that the devil is raging against christ he has no mind to obey christ or be near him and the devil wants left alone and the devil wants to control this boy and eventually take him to the grave

[56:38] and that's what satan does and satan if you are considering being a christian here today satan will attack you he will not leave you he will attack you and he attacks this boy at the moment the boy comes face to face with jesus it seems here that when we start to read the verses that jesus takes his time if a child in a state of convulsion had been brought to a doctor the doctor would immediately tend to the child but jesus starts to ask questions here and as the child is on the ground in front of him convulsing and foaming gnashing his teeth christ comes to the father and he speaks to the father and he says to the father how long has this been happening to him how long and you and i would be wondering well never mind the father what about the child the child is in need go to the child but he comes to the father and he says to the father how long and the father then begins to explain from the earliest he says this child has been like this all the child's life has been like this and luke tells us that luke tells us that it was an only child it was the only child they had how that couple how that couple must have suffered over these years trying to protect this child trying to keep the child alive and the agony of it all and the power that satan has over this child and the father in desperation asks christ for the second time pleading with christ help us help us and christ does not go to the child again he talks again to the father and it seems as if he's having a discussion with the father while this poor child is in agony and he turns to the father and he says he says to the father he says jesus says to him if you can believe all things are possible to him who believes but if you notice what in verse if you look at verse 22 the father says to christ but if you can do anything have compassion on us if you can do anything and jesus is saying to him it's not if i can do anything it's not if i can do anything having you heard that i have raised the dead i feel the sick i've made the blind to see my power is not in doubt my power is unquestionable the question is if you can believe the question he's put to the father he says don't doubt me don't doubt me i can do all things can you believe can you believe and immediately the father of a child cried out the father is made to see that he needs salvation he needs to believe and it's the same with you and i we need to turn to christ and believe in christ head knowledge is not going to save us obedience to rules and regulations and all the rest of that is not going to save us we need to be with the father we need to be with christ he needs to be our savior and he turns to the father and he says to the father can you believe and i believe christ was doing

[60:39] this for a purpose because the crowd was round about the scribes were listening everybody was there and he was explaining to these people it's not about my strength it's about your faith it's your faith that needs to increase you need to believe in me the crowd and the disciples and the scribes they have this conversation and we hear it this morning can christ do something for you it's not his power that's in question it's your faith trust him this story we have here it's as much about how christ gently brings the father to salvation as it is about the healing of the child he brings the father to see his desperate need telling of his years of pain and abject misery his helplessness and then christ slowly leads him to faith he opens the door a little at a time and he leads this poor man to find faith and he says to him if you can believe in the next verse 24 immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears the condition this poor man must have been in he says with tears and you can tell at this point that the angels are getting the hymn sheets out the angels are getting ready to sing because christ is leading another one into the kingdom christ has brought this man to a place of faith and that he says these words lord i believe i believe and then he says help thou my unbelief but the spark was lit the little spark in the man's heart was lit he turned and he says i believe and he says i'm going to jump in but you have to lead me on from there and that's what it is with christ you can come to christ this morning you don't need to know it all you don't need to know the bible from genesis to revelations you don't need to know understand everything but if you believe in the lord jesus christ this morning then he will take you and he will teach you it's a bit like the birth of a child the mother struggles the baby is gone and the mother says i've done it but that's only the start she has to learn to feed that baby watch that baby heal it keep it and make that baby live step in this morning if you are here and you're outside of christ he's speaking to you and he's saying trust me have faith in me and then christ turned to the spirit he turned to the spirit and he said to the spirit enter him no more come out of him and enter him no more the death and dumb spirit came out it came out with a struggle it tore the boy it threw him again on the ground but it obeyed christ and christ said to it enter him no more that was for the father that was for the father because the father had probably there had been relapses he probably had i don't know many hundred maybe false dons with this child that the child was going to get better and they thought they had a cure from all sorts of people maybe spent lots of money trying to get this child better and christ was saying to the father that's it i have done it it's for eternity enter him no more it's finished he is

[64:39] pure and the father need not doubt his faith he need not doubt the fact that he had believed and trusted in christ he could go on from there knowing that he was sealed and it's the same with you and i when i put my life in christ's hands he sealed it it's done no man can pluck us out of christ's hand enter him no more to the crowd it seemed the child was dead but the child wasn't dead the giver of all life was standing there the friend of the sinner the healer of all else was standing there the creator was there the child wasn't dead he put his hand out and he lifted the child we've come from the mountain top to the valley in this story but in each place christ was loved when they left the mountain top jesus didn't stay there jesus came with the three disciples down into the valley christ is here he is here now the disciples needed to learn that some challenges take a little bit more prayer take a little bit of fasting things that are difficult take more time that's why they were saying the child had been like that from birth what he was saying to them was it takes time it takes prayer if there's something you're praying for here today and it's been on your half a long time keep going keep going the story

[66:27] I told you at the beginning about the man who saw the sign and got saved he was a man called Willie Docherty I don't know if you've ever heard of or met him but Willie Docherty worked for the open air mission in this country for years and years and years he led many people to christ from one end of the country to the other his father had said to him be a good one Willie and Willie was a good one he was on and he served christ two worlds here the seen and the unseen christ knows christ is here satan is also here satan wants you to go out that door if you're not saved he wants you to go out that door unsaved he has no desire to see you enter christ kingdom christ is here the medical watch up is here lord i believe can you say that this morning lord i believe let's pray our heavenly father we just ask you to bless our thoughts this morning lord and visit each of us in the need that we have we pray our heavenly father if there's anyone here that is bound for a christ of eternity that you will by your grace and your love bring them into your kingdom this day go before us continue with us in jesus name amen we close our worship with psalm number 99 psalm 99 we'll start singing at verse 5 to the end of the psalm the lord our god exalt on high and reverently do ye before his fruits to worship him the holy one is he psalm 99 the lord our god exalt on high and reverently do ye before the lord is good to worship him the holy one is he moses

[69:30] This and there on the list is Samuel with them that call.

[69:46] Upon his name he trod on God, and he then answered all.

[70:04] Within the pillar of the cloud, he unto them did speak.

[70:22] The testimony she then crossed, and lost they did not pay.

[70:40] Though answers them, O Lord, O Lord, thou wast a God, a King.

[70:59] Pardon to them, though on their knees the foolish vengeance hound.

[71:17] Do ye exalt the Lord our God, and at his holy hand.

[71:35] To lead in worship for the Lord, our God is holy still.

[71:54] Now unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and is able to present us faultless before his presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Saviour, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.