On Sunday, I had the opportunity to preach at our church (link to mp3). The story I was talking about is found in Matthew 17:14-18, Mark 9:14-27 and Luke 9:37-43. It is possible to look at the stories and say, “why are they different?” It’s also possible to tell the story by pulling all the pieces into one. Here’s the latter.

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Jesus and three of the disciples were up on the mountain.

Nine of the disciples were left near the base of a mountain. A crowd gathers, looking for Jesus. It includes scribes, people needing help, and fans.

A man asks the disciples to heal his son who is afflicted by an evil spirit.

The disciples cannot.

The scribes start discussing this failure with the disciples.

Jesus and the other three walk into view after being gone for at least overnight.

The crowd sees Jesus and moves toward him.

Jesus asks what the debate was about.

A dad comes and falls in front of Jesus.

The dad describes his son’s problem with seizures and silence. He says that the evil spirit is destroying his son’s life. He describes his request to the disciples and the disciples’ failure.

Jesus describes some or all of the crowd as “an unbelieving and perverse generation.”

He asks “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you.”

Jesus tells the dad to bring his son.

While they are coming, the son falls to the ground with the seizure. It happens as soon as Jesus comes into view.

Jesus asks the dad how long the problem has been going on.

The dad says, “since childhood.” The dad asks Jesus to help “if he can”

Jesus says, “If I can?”

Jesus says that everything is possible for one who believes.

The man says, “I believe. Help my unbelief.”

Jesus saw a bigger crowd coming.

He immediately and specifically rebuked the evil spirit.

The boy was left still.

Jesus took his hand and he stood up.

Jesus went inside somewhere.

The disciples came to him and asked him why they couldn’t drive out the evil spirit.

Jesus calls them “little faith.” He says that if they have faith like a mustard seed, they could tell a mountain to move. He says that nothing would be impossible to them. And then he says that this kind does not go out except with prayer.