The Teachings of Jesus

Introduction

This morning we are continuing our study in the book of Mark. Throughout our study, Mark has referred to Jesus teaching His disciples, but there have been only a few examples of what He actually said.

This morning, we are actually given a glimpse into Jesus’ private discussions with His disciples. If you have your Bibles I want to encourage you to turn with me to Mark chapter 9 and we’ll begin reading with verse 33.

Who’s the Greatest

Mark 9:33–34 NIV84

They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

Can you imagine? As Jesus and His disciples were walking to Capernaum, they were talking among themselves. They were arguing about which one of them the greatest. Apparently Jesus could hear them discussing something, but He either didn’t know what they were discussing, or simply didn’t want them to know He knew.

Mark 9:35 NIV84

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Jesus tells His disciples—those trusted 12 men that greatness comes from being a servant of all. Now, the word translated “servant” is the Greek word “diakonos,” it was used to describe a person who freely takes care of the needs of others—by choice. It is different from the world “doulous” which meant “slave.” So being a diakonos means that the person doesn’t aim for position, but rather cares about others—a genuine concern that has nothing to do with increasing one’s position or status. It is the same word from which we get our position of deacon in the church.

This was counter cultural in Jesus’ day. Caring for others was nearly always used to advance one’s position and status. Why else would you help someone. Today, the idea of diakonos today is still counter cultural today. Despite the fact that we hear a lot of talk about being a servant today, Servanthood is something that doesn’t come natural for most people. Because just like it was in Jesus’ day, people help others for what they could get.

So many struggle with this idea—being great means being a servant of ALL. Jesus turns His culture upside down. And today He turns our culture upside down.

Welcoming Jesus

Mark 9:36–37 NIV84

He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Jesus has been talking about being a diakonos or a server of those who cannot help to elevate your position. In the culture, there was no one who had less influence than a child. Many people of His day saw no use for children. Oh, they were raising the next generation, but until they were grown, they really didn’t care much about them, other than what they could do for the adult.

Jesus takes a child, and puts the kid in front of His disciples, and says,

Mark 9:37 NIV84

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Jesus tells His disciples, that they when they welcome a child in Jesus’ name, they not only welcomes Jesus, but the also welcomes God the Father. So if we are going to truly love God the Father we must love those who cannot help us in any way—like a little child.

I wonder if this thought bothered the disciples. I say this because it looks like they want to change the topic. Look at verse 38.

Whoever is For Us is NOT Against Us

Mark 9:38–41 NIV84

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

The problem—the disciples saw a man driving out demons in the name of Jesus, but he was NOT one of Jesus’ followers and he certainly was not one of the disciples. So the disciples took it upon themselves to tell the man to stop!

Jesus response—(1) Don’t stop the person! (2) Whoever is for us is not against us! (3) A person can’t do a miracle in the name of Jesus one minute and curse Him the next. (4) The principle: Whoever gives you a cup of water in the name of Jesus will certainly not lose his reward.

So Jesus answers their question, and takes their diversion. But he brings them right back to the children. Look at verse 42.

Back to the Children

Mark 9:42 NIV84

“And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.

Jesus takes them back to the children, telling them that leading a child into sin is both actual and figurative. the phrase “cause to sin” is the Greek word “skandalisē” from which we get our English “scandal”or “scandalize.” When we cause someone to sin, we are creating a scandal! The figurative meaning could be thought of this way—Anyone who leads someone away from the Gospel by weakening their faith and causing them to sin, Jesus says it would be better if a millstone—a large stone usually turned by a donkey to grind grain. These stones were heavy and would have no trouble pulling a person to the bottom of the sea.

Drowning in this manner was a horrible way to die, and the disciples would have been very familiar with this kind of suffering. Jesus says it would better for person to suffer in this manner than the suffering the person will experience after this life is over.

Jesus then goes on and gets even tougher on sin—in fact, it almost sounds too harsh!

Extreme Ways to End Sin

Mark 9:43 NIV84

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.

Jesus gets pretty extreme! If you hand causes you scandal, Jesus says to cut it off. That’s better than ending up in “hell.” The word translated “hell,” is the Greek word “gehenna.” It is a compound word that means valley of Hinnom. It was the name of the place south of Jerusalem where children sacrifices were made to the god Molech.

Later, King Josiah made it the city dump for Jerusalem.

2 Kings 23:10 NIV84

He desecrated Topheth, which was in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, so no one could use it to sacrifice his son or daughter in the fire to Molech.

By Jesus’ day, Gehenna burned all the time. It was also infested with worms—maggots. And by Jesus’ day, it had come to mean a place of torment.

You’ll notice the NIV, ESV, NET and others don’t have verses 44 and 46—which say “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” This phrase is identical to verse 48 and is not included in the oldest manuscripts, so it is not included here.

So it would be better to cut your hand off rather than enter into Gehenna where the fire never goes out.

Mark 9:45 NIV84

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Likewise it would be better to be crippled in life than to have two feet in hell.

Mark 9:47–48 NIV84

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where “ ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’

And the same is true of our eyes. Better to live life with one eye—than to have two eyes in hell where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Jesus doesn’t menace words about sin. It is serious business! Sin is worse than the disabilities of only having one arm, or one leg, or one eye. If a person could stop sinning by losing an arm, leg, or eye that would be better than ending up losing one’s soul in hell.

QUESTION: How do you view sin?

The truth is many of us do not see our sin as much of a problem. Oh, we know we shouldn’t sin, but after all, if we do—it can be forgiven—so it’s no big deal! I hear all the time, “It doesn’t hurt anyone but me.” or “It’s my business! Everyone should stay out of my business.” or “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with what I’m doing!” Worse yet, I’ve heard people say that no one can tell them what to do including the Bible—after all it is an outdated, antiquated book of rules that have nothing to do with today.

Let me tell you what Jesus said—He said sin is serious business. In fact, it was so serious that He went to the cross to die so that we could be forgiven of those sins! Now that’s pretty serious!

Salted by Fire

Mark 9:49 NIV84

Everyone will be salted with fire.

Jesus now tells us that EVERYONE will be salted by fire. Scholars believe that there are three different ways to interpret this passage.

(1) It could refer to every unbeliever who enters hell (i.e. they are preserved for eternal judgment).

(2) It could refer to every believer living in this fallen world (c.f. Lev. 2:13; Ezek. 43:24).

(3) It could refer to every person—for non-believers it ultimately be the fire of judgment. For believes it is the refiner’s fire of present trials and sufferings.

I believe the third view is the best view. Into everyone life a little rain must fall. In John 16:33 Jesus told His disciples:

John 16:33 NIV84

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

You and I WILL have trouble in this life! Sinner and Saint alike will face trials in this world!

Now look at verse 50.

Mark 9:50 NIV84

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”

Continuing the salt idea, Jesus says: salt is good. Salt does several things. First, it preserves food. Secondly, it prevents decay. And thirdly, it enhances flavor.

In our lives trials cause us to persevere. Trials prevent decay of our lives. Finally, it enhances our life. Most of us say we don’t want anything to do with trials, problems, or pain. Yet what we don’t realize is that we cannot grow without these things in our lives.

The next phrase is interesting. If salt loses its saltiness two things happen. First, it is useless. Secondly it cannot be made salty again! Likewise, if God’s trials lose their bite in our lives—if we become insensible and unresponsive to the self-discipline that God is seeking to teach us because we harden our hearts—these trials can cease to benefit us. For many in our world today that is exactly what has happened. The trials that God has sent into their lives has not been recognized as good for growth. Thus, they stop growing in the grace of Jesus.

Finally, Jesus says “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” Enduring the trials that God send into our lives to help us grow is having salt. But it doesn’t stop there. Jesus tells His disciples (and us) that we must live peacefully with one another. Remember, Jesus began this section by telling us that we need to live lives that care for people rather than lives of self-promotion!

SO WHAT?

To be the greatest in God’s Kingdom we must be the servant of all.

When we help those who cannot help us, we are welcoming Jesus and ultimately God the Father.

Always remember when someone is for Jesus—we’re on the same side!

Our job is to lead people to Jesus and make sure we are not hindering them from following Him.

God takes sin seriously!

Hell is real, and it is no laughing matter—Jesus used a real place Gehenna to describe it.

God brings trials into our lives to help us grow! Hate trails, hate growth!

We need to accept God’s trials, and learn to live at peace with people.