Sermon Tone Analysis
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The Way of Greatness
The Cross is in the foreground the transfiguration in the background and a journey of teachings along the way to prepare the disciples with some valuable tools about kingdom living they would need.
Tools like:
The way of greatness is not with some tribulations (Mk9:33-34)
Don’t dispute over who is the greatest, serve and you are serving the greatest in the kingdom of God.
Greatness is not easy and is not without tribulation for it is different than how the world looks at greatness.
The way to greatness is servitude (Mk9:35)
Greatness in the kingdom of God is different than that of the kingdom of men.
True greatness is displayed in servitude and displays the heart of the servant.
The way of greatness is by humility (Mk9:36-37)
Humility is a quality of a kingdom dweller
Know yourself, accept yourself, be yourself, be the best of yourself you can be, and give yourself to others.
Servants to all
In a society today where status oftentimes means people serve you, in the kingdom a kingdom dweller is to be a servant of all.
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Some interpreters believe that this section all the way to (v.50) is a collection of thoughts, teachings of the Lord and not in chronological order.
The reason is the placement here in Mark and compared the parallels in Luke and Matthew.
The point Mark is trying to make is about the heart of the servant and true greatness and he is driving home the point, placement does not matter, content matters.
From the mountain top to the valley of arguing, Jesus still does not embarrass the disciples he takes them privately and teaches them about the heart of the servant and true greatness.
The heart of the servant serves others first
Jesus uses the child as an illustration.
Children in that society were considered possessions not people and thought of very lowly
(Jesus takes child in arms picture)
Jesus takes the child into His arms; Greek word is enagkalisamenos and that means to hold in the crook of the arm.
What a beautiful picture of reliance, affection, repose and shock, ok it would be shocking to the disciples because of how society looks at a child.
The true servant, the heart of a servant serves others like Jesus did.
Sick and the outcast
Women and now children.
those in need were served by the Lord.
The one who serves will serve even the least of these.
The heart of the servant serves regardless of persons position or possessions
Where the world may look at possessions the Lord looks at heart.
You cannot buy your way, earn your way into heaven, and you cannot serve your way in either, it is a matter of heart and the heart of the matter is that if you know what you have in Christ you will serve.
The heart of the servant receives others as if receiving Jesus; Jesus set the example (Mk2:15-22; Jn4)
Jesus has already shown that he receives all
Sinners and Tax collectors
I had to put that all in so you get it in context and see that Jesus never misses a good teaching moment either.
Women
In John4 you see the story of the woman at the well, someone a devout Jew would not be talking to, but Jesus did.
May we be willing to talk, to serve the undesirable too.
And children in our passage today.
When we receive someone in Jesus name; that is to welcome, to care for, to have concern for, and for His sake and glory.
Servants instructions
Don’t we all need instructions?
If we are honest, and if we want to grow, we do.
The disciples needed some instructions because they had the wrong thoughts going on.
Mk9:38
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Peter is often seen as the mouthpiece of the disciples, but in this case it is John.
Speaking on who is in, who is out of the kingdom here.
So, maybe they got it because of the word of Jesus that the children are in, but surely this man, who does not follow Jesus can’t be in, can he?
So, how about some questions?
What was the man doing (v.38)?
Casting out demons, so he was doing what the disciples were doing before, how was he doing it?
Under Jesus name, which means Jesus authority, Jesus power.
They did not have any room to talk do they, look back at (Mk9:18)
What did they, disciples do (v.38)?
Why?
They tried to prevent him from casting out demons
Do we, can we try to stop people because they are not with us?
What do you think we should do?
Not hate, but love them and lead them to the truth.
I know that sounds like I’m saying accept people that are doing the right things with wrong information.
That leads us to the next questions.
What did Jesus tell them (v.39) and why (v.39)?
Don’t hinder, don’t stop them
Hey sure cannot go out badmouthing Jesus after doing good things in His name can they?
Jesus is telling them they since he is doing it in His name he might be a friend, might be a brother.
What did Jesus say (v.40)?
What does that mean?
This is a lynch pin tying the previous verses and the following verses (vv.41-42) together.
For the comment Jesus makes in (Mk9:40) is about don’t hinder those doing things in Jesus name for they may be a brother and you don’t want to stumble anyone, especially a little one (baby Christian).
Let the Word tell the truth and leave the sorting out to God (Mt7:22-23)
Let Jesus sort them out, that is left up to Him not us, we are to teach and share the word.
(expand) - if someone says they love Jesus and are serving Him, are they not a seeker?
They are, which means they want to know more, may we be willing to help them and allow them to help us to grow closer to the Lord.
Remember Saul who was zealous before and even more zealous after his conversion.
The heart of the servant is willing to serve in any way (Mk9:41) - little ways can make a big difference
Servants dire warnings
From the positive before, now some warnings, looking at things in a the negative sense, some great warnings about service and sin.
Mk9:46-47
Mk9:48
What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?
Don’t be a stumbling block, it could be detrimental to your spiritual health (Mk9:42; 9:37; Mt25:40)
human values do not equate always to kingdom value
So who are the little ones?
Is it the children referenced before?
Or maybe it is those who are the humble, the meek, the weak, the outcasts whom Jesus ministered to often and those we should minister to too.
A small act of kindness brings rewards; a stumbling block brings judgment upon himself
A small act of kindness brings rewards; a stumbling block brings judgment upon himself
Our actions and our words carry significant weight.
We do not want to be people who cause those who have weaker faith, smaller faith to have their faith come into doubt because of our words or actions.
Deal with sin drastically for it hell if not dealt with (Mk9:43-47)
It was pretty common in the early days of Christianity there were those who took these verses serious and literal and they maimed themselves thinking that will help them attain heaven
Jesus is really speaking in a hyperbole, which is an exaggeration of something to make point.
The point being that sin must be drastically dealt with.
Now having said that, let’s look at this passage and see the items and what can we learn and apply
What is the stumbling block in (v.43)?
Hand; correlating to the things that we touch
The hand, meaning the things that we touch
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