Tonight we are going to attempt to have a discussion about something that troubled the disciples and often seems to trouble us as well: why we sometimes appear to be powerless. Just as a quick reminder of the context of our short text, Jesus had taken Peter, James and John with Him to a high mountain and left the other nine apostles, along with the other disciples that regularly followed Jesus to wait for them to return. After the transfiguration, Jesus, Peter, James and John returned to find an argument, or dispute happening between the nine apostles and the scribes. The source of the argument, really, probably even better stated, the source of the tension was that a man had brought his son to Jesus. The boy was demon-possessed; he was deaf and mute and was prone to terrible seizures that had even, at times thrown him both into fire and water but the boy had survived each time. Naturally, the father brought the boy in hope that Jesus would heal him. When Jesus was not there, the father asked the disciples to heal the boy and they had tried but could not cast the demon out from him. We don’t know what the actual argument was that was taking place but we know that it must have centered on the disciples inability to help this boy in Jesus’ absence. Once Jesus heard these details, he spoke His frustration with what was going on as He said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you?” and then He asked for the boy to be brought to Him. Jesus healed the boy completely. That brings us to our text, I’m sure the disciples were joyful that the boy was healed, they were once again awed by Jesus’ power and strength but they were also troubled as to why they had not been able to do what Jesus had done. I believe that they were able to see in this particular situation that something had been lacking and they were no longer content to remain in that place of lack.