God can do all things

Mark 9:13-15

Jesus returned from the mountain. He had prayed to God his father there.

The disciples were not ready for Jesus‘ return. They were arguing with other people.

The people were surprised to see Jesus. And they were afraid of him.

Verses 16-27

This boy had a bad spirit. The spirit was very cruel. The boy could not hear or speak because of it. And the spirit often tried to cause the boy‘s death.

The boy‘s father brought his son to the disciples. They tried to help the boy, but they failed.

God helps people who believe him. But during Jesus‘ life, most people did not believe God. This is still true today. People believe many things. But they do not often want to believe God.

The boy‘s father thought that, perhaps, God was not able to help.

Jesus replied that God can do anything. But people must believe him. When Jesus explained this, the boy‘s father replied immediately. He wanted to believe.

So Jesus told the spirit that it must leave the boy. Even then, the spirit was cruel to the boy. The people even thought that the boy was dead. But the boy was not dead, and the spirit had left him.

Verses 28-29

The disciples had told the spirit that it must leave the boy. But it would not go. And the disciples did not know why they had failed.

But Jesus had come from the mountain. There he was praying to God his father. He gave himself completely to God, so that he would do God‘s work. And it was God‘s work to help the boy.

The disciples needed to give themselves completely to God, too. Then they too would do his work.