At Peace With One Another

Opening Prayer (Adoration and Petition)

Read Mark 9:49-10:1

Imagine preparing a meal and forgetting one ingredient—salt. The presentation may be beautiful, the ingredients fresh, and the preparation flawless, yet something is noticeably missing. The food lacks the very quality that brings out its flavor.

Salt is a small ingredient, but it makes a profound difference.

Jesus used that familiar truth to describe His followers. Disciples are called to be distinct in a world that is increasingly bland with sin and moral compromise. But that distinctiveness does not come naturally. Like precious metals refined in a furnace, believers are shaped through God's refining work until their lives reflect His holiness.

In Mark 9, Jesus reminds us that faithful disciples are both refined by God and useful to God. They preserve what is good, point others to Christ, and live in peace with one another.

The question before us is simple: Has the preserving influence of Christ remained evident in our lives, or have we begun to lose our saltiness?

I. Called to be Salty…Like Jesus. (v. 49)

Jesus concludes this private teaching session with a call to an intentional lifestyle and behavior. This does not mean we are only called to rehabilitate our outward actions, which is a misguided way of understanding the power of the Christian faith. Jesus calls for a saltiness that flows from the richness of a new heart implanted by the power of the Holy Spirit—the new life we have received. (See Matthew 5:13.)

Now, we might think that Jesus means all his disciples will be subjected to pain and suffering, and to some extent that is true. Yet the verse points back to the Old Testament, calling on the hearers and readers to remember what the covenant God made with Abraham calls us to do—to live by faith (as living sacrifices) and not by sight (the means of the world around us). (See Leviticus 2:13.)

We must remember how salt was seen and used in the Ancient Near East (Middle East). Salt was used to preserve food, as a seasoning, to purify commonly used items, as a commodity for trade and financial transactions, as a symbol and means of showing hospitality to strangers, and to cure leather and other products, as well as to extend food’s shelf life. Salt was, and continues to be, an important resource for everyday life. (See Colossians 4:6.)

You and I are called to be such a presence that when we show up anywhere, we add flavor to the world around us, leaving a lingering taste of God’s goodness rather than anything else around us. We must retain the source of our saltiness—Jesus Christ, our Lord, at the core of our being.

Has the preserving influence of Christ remained evident in our lives, or have we begun to lose our saltiness?

II. Called to Remain Grounded. (v. 50)

Now, Jesus drives the point home as he shifts from the sacrificial system to the home, making sure that the disciples (and us) understand that salt without its savor and other qualities renders us useless and worthless—this is not the intended calling for Jesus’ disciples. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18.)

Jesus uses language that crystallizes the truth about our calling, salvation, and purpose in life. If we do not live out our “saltiness” and lose our influence on the world around us as disciples, how can we be salty once more? This resonates with hearers because salt was not as refined as it is today; it was often sifted to remove sand, dirt, and other debris. Hence, salt was not always as salty as it should be. (See 2 Corinthians 13:9-11.)

In true teacher fashion, Jesus now closes his lesson with a masterful move that brings us back to the start. While Jesus began teaching in the middle of the argument about greatness in the Kingdom, he now closes the lesson with a call to the fullest extent of spiritual life—We must live at peace with one another by the power of the Holy Spirit, who leads us to see the image of God in everyone else around us. (See Romans 12:17-19.)

Has the preserving influence of Christ remained evident in our lives, or have we begun to lose our saltiness?

III. Called to Laser-Focused Mission. (v. 1)

Verse one serves as a transition, setting the stage for further confrontations with those who oppose Jesus and his teachings. Jesus now leads the Disciples from Capernaum toward Jerusalem, crossing the Jordan into Perea. This deliberate move brings them closer to the Last Supper and the cross. (See Ezekiel 43:22-24.)

As the plan of salvation continues to develop, Jesus broadens his focus to the general scope of his mission. Remember, from Mount Hermon until this point, Jesus has been teaching the disciples in private; now he sees the crowds gathering and teaches them at once. Here we see the heart of the Master and the core of his mission—teaching people, making them disciples, and redeeming sinners by the power of the Word and the Spirit. (See 1 Peter 5:8-11.)

We must take our lead from Jesus in discipleship, daily life, and mission focus. The text makes it clear what leads people to eternal life and what brings a thriving community to life in the name of Jesus Christ. Our focus must always be on making much of Jesus Christ by studying, praying, and living out his Word as faithfully taught, read, and understood. (See Acts 2:41-43.)

Has the preserving influence of Christ remained evident in our lives, or have we begun to lose our saltiness?

Discipleship Is...

A Life-long process and journey.

A total surrender in worship.

Mission-centered, Not Trial-driven.

Closing Prayer (Thanksgiving and Intercession)