CLEAN – podcast 16, Father & Son

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/clean-podcast-16-father-child/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>Introduction</strong></p><ul><li>Yesterday: mother/daughter; today: father/son.</li><li>New life -- not just for the boy, but for the dad</li><li>Children have the power to hurt us -- just as spouses do. In today's passage, the pain that is breaking the parent's heart is unwitting (beyond the control of the child).</li><li>Context: While Jesus and the Three were up on the Mount of Transfiguration, the other disciples failed to exorcise a demon who was destroying a family.</li></ul><p><strong>Scriptural study: Matt 17:14-20</strong></p><ul><li>Notice the man’s posture (v.14). Like so many who beg Jesus for release from leprosy or demons, he's on his knees. He deeply desires a miracle for his son’s sake.</li><li>The demonic attacks are beyond the control of the boy, harming him by exposing him to death by burning or drowning.</li><li>The Canaanite woman approaches Jesus first; the man in today’s account went first to Jesus' disciples (v.16). Not to his three most trusted, however, who were with him on the Mount of Transfiguration.</li><li>Even when we've been following Christ for a while--like the nine, who had been Jesus' disciples for nearly three years--we still have far to go.</li><li>I wonder how the 9 disciples felt when the man says these words to Jesus!</li><li>Lack of faith is a serious problem (v.17). It is unnatural. We <i>should</i> have faith, and failure to trust God is culpable.</li><li>Sometimes we need to bring our problems to the Lord, when those persons we had hoped could help fail to fix the problem.</li><li>The demon is rebuked (v.18); it ought <i>not</i> to be inhabiting a human being.</li><li>Instant healing—not in multiple stages, nor partial healing.</li><li>Faith is the issue (v.20).</li><li>The disciples were apparently not praying enough, or with sufficient faith.</li><li>Mustard seed = smallest seed kn