Yesterday morning, my wife, daughter and I attended the 9-11 observance at Remembrance Park here in Closter.
Those gathered at the Park in front of the Closter memorial paused for a moment of silence at the time when each of the two planes had hit the twin towers.
We remembered the two residents of Closter who died in the attack: Dominick Mircovich and Ronald Carl Fazio.
We remember many other people, firemen, policemen and first responders who rushed into the two buildings lost their lives that day.
Others died when a third plane crashed into the Pentagon, and still others when a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.
It’s helpful for us to remember such a day.
But it sure isn’t easy.
Remembering sometimes stirs up the fear, shock, and helplessness we may have felt on September 11, 2001 and the days which followed.
The man Jesus met in today’s story was a man who may have shared similar feelings.
This man didn’t experience our 9/11.
But there was brokenness in the life of his own son which would not quit or go away.
Jesus, Peter, James and John had just come down from the Mount of Transfiguration.
At the top of this mountain, these three disciples had seen Jesus revealed in glory.
Moses and Elijah appeared in glory also, and talked with Jesus about His exodus, which Jesus would accomplish at Jerusalem.
Peter, James and John had just heard God the Father speak out loud from a cloud of glory which surrounded them.
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.”
It probably felt like a bit of a hard landing when Jesus and his three disciples came back down the mountain.
They found the other nine disciples in a crowd arguing with the teachers of the law.
“What are you arguing with them about?” Jesus asked.
The man Jesus met shared his story.
“Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit who has robbed him of speech.
Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.
He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” (Mark 9:17-18)
“O unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”
Mark’s Gospel gives us more details about this incident than Matthew or Luke.
I’ll read some more:
“So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.”
Now remember: Jesus’ disciples, who had cast out other demons on their missionary journeys, had no success in dealing with this one.
Even in the presence of Jesus, this man experienced a mixture of faith, fear, and doubt.
He wasn’t sure what Jesus could accomplish.
“But if you can do anything,” the father said to Jesus, “take pity on us and help us.”
“’If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”
I love the father’s response.
“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief!”
You and I are also at times a mixture of faith, fear, and doubt.
“We do believe, Lord.”
But we long for greater faith.
“Help our unbelief.”
One of Isaiah’s prophecies of the Messiah said that “A dimly burning wick, he will not quench.”
Jesus himself said, “Whoever comes to me, I will never turn away.”
Jesus had compassion and took action to help this man and his son.
When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the evil spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again.”
The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy look so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up.
I love when Jesus takes people by the hand.
At times Jesus literally lifted people up as He brought healing into their lives.
Early on in Jesus’ ministry, Simon Peter’s mother-in-law had lain sick with a fever.
They told Jesus about her.
Jesus rebuked the fever.
Then Jesus took Simon’s mother-in-law by the hand, and helped her up.
She felt so much better she got up and made supper for Jesus and his disciples.
When Jairus’ twelve year old daughter died, people had gathered at the home to weep, wail and mourn.
Jesus said, “Stop wailing. This child is not dead, but asleep.”
They laughed at Jesus.
But Jesus came, took Jairus’ daughter by the hand, and said, “My child, get up.”
Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.
Jesus told her parents to keep the miracle quiet, and to give her something to eat.
In regard to today’s story Luke’s Gospel tells us, “Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.” Luke 9:42 b.
Jesus restored this man’s son, and brought help and healing into his life as well.
But Jesus did something even greater to deal with Satan, his fallen angels, and the brokenness of this world.
Jesus went to Jerusalem, and laid down His life on the cross, as His Father directed Him.
Through His sacrifice, Jesus paid the debt we owed to God for all our sins.
Through His resurrection three days later, Jesus gives us the sure hope of everlasting life.
It would sure would be nice if Jesus could literally take each one of us by the hand and raise us up in each of our struggles.
But Jesus touched our lives forever with His own death and life as God called us by name in our baptism.
Jesus feeds each one of us His body and blood, given and shed for each one of us in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
Jesus speaks His Word of forgiveness to each one of us in the Absolution after our Confession at the beginning of our worship service.
Jesus’ work for each one of us is sure.
God’s Holy Spirit works through Word and Sacrament to help us as we struggle with the brokenness and unbelief in our lives and in our times.
I love the fact that another name for the Holy Spirit is paraclete.
In Greek, that means a defense attorney.
One who stands by your side and helps you to be brave.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t just stand by our side.
By the faith God’s Holy Spirit works, that same Spirit dwells in our hearts.
That same Holy Spirit calls us back to faith, time and time again.
We ask God, as challenging times continue, to help us to believe and trust all His promises in Jesus.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior. Amen.
