Mark 9 Part 2

Verses 30-50

Good evening everyone, I hope you all are doing well today, it is very nice to see you all.

You know I get up in the mornings and I have to be reminded that we are still in February. We’ve had nice warmer temps one week and then back to the colder temperatures.

So we are up and down, but spring will be here before we know it.

Until then, we can be thankful for the day He has given us.

So now, we come back to the gospel of Mark, and we are looking at verses 30-50. This is the second part of that chapter.

Now last week we started off with one of the most spectacular events of His public ministry, the transfiguration of Jesus.

And there on the mountain with Peter, James and John we see not only Jesus but Moses and Elijah appear and speak to the Savior.

Wow...

Remember, Jesus is moving toward the cross, His death as a sacrifice for sin is the whole agenda of His ministry.

And as such, he is trying his best to prepare those disciples for that day and the victory coming after it.

So lets see where Jesus is at today as we finish chapter 9.

Lets begin with Jesus in verses 30-32 Mark 9: 30-32

Mark 9:30–32 ESV

30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Now leaving there, we are not sure if it refers to a home or just a region, but either way we find Jesus leaving there and passing through the area of Galilee.

He is moving away from that area that he might escape the crowds at times and also to continue to carry out his ministry of teaching and preparing before the cross.

And look at verse 31, Jesus is teaching his disciples, “...The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men and they will Kill him, and when he is killed after three days he will rise.”

The word betrayed in some texts and like I have read it as delivered is just that… He will be handed over to or given over too..

God is giving His Son, as the offering without spot of blemish that will satisfy the requirements of the law.

Jesus was to die for humanity’s sin, this is the truth as Paul tells us in Eph 5:2

Ephesians 5:2 ESV

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Yet the truth of all these things, as Jesus taught this to His disciples, they did not understand what he meant, How would all of this take place..

Why? we might ask… why did they not understand? I think there are a couple of thoughts...1.) There is the idea of Messiah that most thought would happen for Israel. 2.) There are times, like us we just do not get it.

Now lets look at verses 33-37 as we consider the idea of greatness in the kingdom of God.

Mark 9:33–37 ESV

33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

So with the beginning of verse 33 we see that the come to Capernaum after traveling through the are of Galilee.

And upon coming into the house, most likely Peter’s home, as it appears they were there often.

Jesus will point blank as the disciples.. What were you arguing about along the way?

But the Scriptures say they remained quiet because they has been discussing who would be greatest in the Kingdom of God.

Now that is interesting… The Essenes at Qumran were concerned about their individual rank within their community ..

But what has captured their mind this day is something that is not compatible for the kingdom of God. Pride and ambition are temptations that are common to man, and the most difficult aspects of the Christian like, being a disciple of the Lord Jesus is simply not compatible.

As a child of God we must be willing to put self away. We are called to die to self, remember Jesus talked about this if any person would seek to come after him, let him take up his cross and follow me...

But we struggle with the whole nature of dying to self. It is something that is not natural, we must place ourselves in the position to submit to Him in all things.

But verse 35 gives us the truth that the Lord knew their conversation, he knew their words and He tells them..

English Standard Version Chapter 9

Verse 35b...If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” ″

Jesus calls their attention to him and He tells them what it really means to be first. Someone once said the paradox of the gospel is that the way of service-the way of Jesus himself - is the way to true greatness.

You must be a servant first, the role of a servant was a lowely position. Where everyone else wants to be served, the path to following him is to be willing to lay your life aside and serve others in the way Jesus would serve.

Now, look at verses 36-37 again, Mark 9:36-37

Mark 9:36–37 ESV

36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

This is one of the most profound and remembered teaching that Jesus does during his public ministry.

He taught not only with words, but by the actions, the symbolism He used to convey the message, the meaning of His words.

So here the children of the world around them, they occupied the most lowly of places, often not cared for by the world around them.

And in the Bible, children are a symbol of innocence, helplessness and vulnerability.

The child here isn’t just receiving the child, but it is any helpless person, especially a fellow beleiver. We are to welcome them, receive them and do to them as we would have them do to us.

To accept the outcasts and oppressed is a way of accepting, God.

Greatness in the kingdom of God consists not of position but of ministry.

Now lets move on to verses 38-41 Mark 9:38-41

Mark 9:38–41 ESV

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

So what is happening here. John says Lord, we saw others, who are not with us, they were using your name to cast out evil spirits.. and we tried to stop him.

Now the first thing I want you to see is how the different groups of people within the Jewish world were not very tolerant of each other.

John says they were not allowing those who didn’t follow Jesus to use his name, … interesting, here is what we know.. we know there were Jewish exorcists that invoked the name of Jesus in casting out demons

But Jesus says do not stop them, why? if they do anything with sincerity in my name were allies and not enemies,

There are other groups who are Christian who we may not agree on 100%, but yet we work together for a common cause, to make heaven crowded

A cup of cold water, ...verse 41 which can be looked at literally or referring to any act of kindness.

Here is a note from my Study Bible… God notices the smallest deeds my friends, and taking care of those who proclaim the gospel will not go unrewarded.

Extend kindness I think to anyone and everyone, and remmeber when you bless those his servants, when you care for them, when you shelter them, feed them or even given them a cup of water, God sees that and will reward you.

Now the last passage verses 42

This section is oftren called a warning against offenses...

Mark 9:42 ESV

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

The little ones represent the same ones as the child does int he verses just before this passage of course, but it could also speak to weak, immarute and or new beleivers.

to cause these to sin or stumble will bring judgment upon you, ..honetly you would be better being drowned int eh sea

Seems harsh, but God values his and especially those new or one who are vulnerable.

Verses 43-48 Mark 9:43-48

Mark 9:43–48 ESV

43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

Jesus is really overstating things here in order to show just how serious sin really is...

Do you know that sin is terrible, difficult..

Well, think of it like this, the things we would not rather live without, a hand, eye or foot,

Well better to live without those things that the sin they cause you to stumble into too..

That hand might act, your eye might entertain, the foot make take you there, better to get rid of it than face just consequences related to the sin.

That is just how bad sin is.. but we do not often think of sin like that do we.

What does sin lead us toward death, and with death hell… well the word for hell here is gehenna, a place of unquenchable fire.

Now we are not saying pluck out or cut off, but it is a reminder that sin is bad and it has consequences…

Things at times we cannot recover from...

Verse 49 Mark 9:49

Mark 9:49 ESV

49 For everyone will be salted with fire.

That is a unique phrase… this occurs only here.

The cost of discipleship, at times even rain and suffering will come to everyone’s life. Salt and fire will purify and cleanse, we walk through some struggles as or like gold being purified and thus it is made better but also pure, more costly.

The ancient sacrifices were powdered with salt and then consumed by the fire, this way they were acceptable to God.

Do not expect life to be easy or without turmoil, pain or even death

Verse 50 Mark 9:50

Mark 9:50 ESV

50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Here the allusion is to salt used in domestic life. “Salt is good” in that it is a necessity for life and a preservative.

Christians are likewise a source of spiritual life for the world. They restrain evil and thus preserve the moral order.

Christians, however, can and sometimes do cease to function as the “salt” of the world, and it is against this that Jesus warned. Pure salt cannot lose it saltiness.

Mark 11. A Warning against Offenses (9:42–50)

Have salt in yourselves” has been variously interpreted to refer to being willing to be sacrificed, common sense (cf.

Be the salt that changes and purifys this world with the message of the gospel while there is still time.