Resisting Sin

Bible Passage: Mark 9:42-50

INTRO

“Soma Church exists to love the body of Christ and equip them to do the work of ministry here, near and far, all for the glory of God.”

Ya know, if I am being extremely honest with you, an area of my life in which I really struggle is walking into conversations, disagreements or learning opportunities having already decided in which areas I am right or which areas I am unwilling to change.

A recent example of this for me was when we were starting the church. My dad’s church is our sending church and He has been in ministry for 30+ years.

Throughout the process of planting he told me lots of thing to do and things not to do. And I remember walking into a lot of conversations hearing his thoughts on different things and pre-deciding that my opinion was more right.

I share that with you this morning because I think that many of us approach church in the same way.

We really enjoy talking about the stuff that makes us feel good or peaks our interest but when it comes time to study something that is uncomfortable or might cost us something we cross our arms, get defensive and decide that we aren’t gonna listen.

Do not let today be one of those days.

Jesus has a word for is today that is strong and direct but spoken out of His love and compassion for the people who are made to look like Him.

As Jesus deals with sin today, listen to His words and before you cross your arms, get defensive and disassociate, pray for humility and allow the Word of God to expose the areas of your life that need to be submitted to Him.

We are gonna talk this morning about Resisting Sin

BODY

When we last saw Jesus in our study through Mark, He was giving His disciples a thorough lesson on humility and their desperate need for it.

The reason He did this was because the 12 men following Jesus have gone from being lowly fisherman to popular figures as they followed Jesus of Nazareth.

This overnight fame and recognition has begun to creep into their mindset and they were arguing about which if them is the best.

Cue the sin of pride…

Jesus responded to them like this…

Mark 9:35–37 ESV

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

Jesus showed them that life in His kingdom looks a lot more like loving the lowly and small than occupying a throne.

Ya know, here is the funny thing about pride… it really seems to be the issue behind every issue or the sin behind every sin.

Pride says “I deserve, therefore, I take.” or “I am most important, therefore, What I say goes.”

Gluttony is overindulging in food often because you think you have earned or deserve it.

Infidelity is the pursuit of intimacy with someone else because you think you deserve better.

Slander is tearing down another person to elevate self.

Are yall tracking with me?

This attitude and sin of pride is something that Jesus is very clear doesn’t work when you cross the threshold of God’s Kingdom.

So continuing to use this child as an illustration, Jesus begins to go into depth even further on the danger of sin.

Mark 9:42 ESV

“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.

Right off the bat, Jesus has some pretty heavy and what might even be deemed harsh words.

Jesus takes very seriously the innocence and the faith of little children.

Jesus was constantly around children, talking with children, healing children and in community with them.

He even later on in Mark uses them as an example of what it means to have true faith…

Mark 10:15 ESV

Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Coming into God’s Kingdom is to believe your heavenly Father the way you believe your earthly father.

When I was a child there wasn’t much that my dad would tell me that I didn’t take to heart and believe 100%. Jesus says that’s the kind of faith He is interested in.

And so Jesus uses this child as an example to say that a person who is leading anyone children or adult who possesses true faith in me is better off to tie a rock to their neck and drown quickly than burn in Hell.

Now you might say “dang Jesus, that’s harsh” but if that was your kid, I think you’d say the same thing.

Why are you allowed to have standards but Jesus isn’t?

Then He goes on to talk about the personal dangers of living in sin in verse 45…

Mark 9:43–48 ESV

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. 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. 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, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

Jesus points out the very serious nature of sin. He makes it very clear that it is not something to play with or keep around.

Jesus says “You got a hand that takes from others, is brutal to those around you or takes what isn’t yours? Then cut it off because it better to have a nub in Heaven than two hands in Hell.”

“Or do your feet take you to places you shouldn’t be, run you away from God or stand over others? Then cut it off because its better to hobble your way into heaven then to run into Hell”

“Or do you have an eye that long for what isn’t yours, lust after your neighbors spouse or look for ways to be dishonest then gouge that thing out because reading brail in heaven is better than watching the flames burn high in Hell.

Now these different parts of the body are not the root causes of sin themselves, our sin nature is but Jesus is using an example here of how serious we should take our sin.

In short, Jesus gives His disciples a very bold and direct approach to resisting sin and that is don’t touch it don’t mess with it, just get rid of it.

I wonder how many of us who have claimed Christ as our savior still keep around a few things from the past.

Kinda like the pets that we put away when people come over.

At church, Soma Group, Bible study they are locked away in their cage but when no one is over we let it out.

And let me just say, there is a large difference between coming into the Kingdom and learning or wrestling with something but actively seeking to get rid of it and knowingly and willing allowing something to perpetuate.

And how often do we approach sin we like by just saying that we are “on a journey” when in reality we just don’t actually wanna deal with it?

CLOSING

Mark 9:49–50 ESV

For everyone will be salted with fire. 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.”

Jesus points us to here to the purification process that a christian goes through.

They will be preserved or purified with fire

But if salt isn’s salty anymore than it isn’t really all that useful.

How salty are you? Or what area of your life is rather spiritually bland or not all that beneficial to you or others?

If I am being totally honest, my big issue lately is my mouth.

Zoe Telling what I said

So here’s what I need to do… I need to tap into the power that enables me to live a life of resisting sin

Romans 8:11 ESV

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Jesus has given me His life and death to save me from my sin and to empower me to kill what remains of my flesh.

Jesus’ words in Mark 9 serve to show us that what we have been called into is only achievable through Him.

So this week, what if instead of ignoring the problem or explaining it away you took some time in a secret place and said “Spirit of God, I am struggling with _____, please help me.”

What if the whole church got serious about resisting sin and resisting all of it?

PRAY