Mark 9:30-37 The first shall be last

Joel and Mary Nadel, Covenant Church

From J.C. Ryle’s “Expository Comments on the Gospels - Mark”

House Rules: Phones, Respect, Stay on the Text

Jesus’ Ministry Travels

Pray

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Romans 10:9 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Review

Mark is one of the Gospels - it tells us how we can be reconciled to God and gain eternal life

Preceded by John, Jesus came from Galilee

Signs and wonders demonstrated His lessons

Jesus was alienating Israel’s religious and political leadership - they were plotting to kill Him

Knew He was going to the cross to finish His work - prepared His disciiples

Recently: A turning point in Jesus mission -

Peter confesses Jesus as Christ

Jesus focuses on His mission to Jerusalem

Jesus teaches on the cost of following Him

Jesus gives His disciples a foretaste of Heaven

Things are starting to intensify, as Jesus heads to Jerusalem

Conflict and Satan

Jesus prepares His apostles for His death

Pray

Mark 9:30–37 ESV

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 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.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 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 again announces His coming death and resurrection

Mark 9:31 “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.””

The ignorance of the disciples in spiritual matters shows once again

Good news and sad news, sweet and bitter, the resurrection as well as the cross

The twelve didnt understand and they were afraid to ask

They had mistaken ideas about Jesus reign on earth - thought His earthly kingdom would appear

We are all slow to understand, when our minds are clouded by prejudice and pre-conceived opinions

Jesus announcement emphasizes how important His death and resurrection would be

He reminds us again that He must die for a reason

He wants us to know that His death, was the great end for which He came into this world

He would remind us that by that death, the great problem of sin was to be solved - God could be both just, and yet justify sinners

He didn’t just come to teach, preach and work miracles

He came to be punished for our sins, by His own blood and suffering on the cross - we can never forget this

Jesus life on earth (the incarnation), His example, and His words are most important

The most important thing though, which we need to understand from His earthly ministry, is His death at Calvary

The ambition and love of recognition of the apostles

Mark 9:34 “But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest.”

This is strange - fishermen and tax collectors seeking to be the most famous?

Who would have expected that poor men, who had given up all for Christ’s sake, would have been in conflict about who would be the most famous or powerful?

This fact is written in the Bible for our learning

The Holy Spirit got it written down for the continual use of Christ’s church - we need to take note of it

An awful fact - pride is one of the most common sins we have

We are born Pharisees - think better of ourselves than we ought

Think we deserve better than we have - an old sin

Began in Eden, with Adam and Eve

It rules in many of us, without being detected - can even look like humility

It is a terrible sin - it can ruin us

Keeps us from repenting

keeps us from Christ

cuts off brotherly love

Must watch for it - be on guard

Let us seek true humility - it is truly graceful. It is truly rare though

The true standard of greatness

Mark 9:35 “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.””

This is a very important lesson for all Christians

Shows us that the wisdom of the world is completely different from the mind of Christ

For the world, greatness comes from ruling - for the Christian, it comes from serving

World wants honor and attention - Christians should want to give rather than receive, to serve others than to be served

The woman or man that sets out to serve his fellow men and women, and be useful, is the greatest in the eyes of Christ

We need to work hard to practice this heart searching statement

Do good to our fellow men

mortify our desire to please ourselves

What kindness can we do for others - to help them and make them happy? Let’s do it now

It would be good for all Christians, if we were less focused on church and self-righteousness and more focused on serving one another

Those who are willing to stand in the back, but do the work for Christ, are always few - but these are the ones who really do good, break down the prejudice, convince the lost that Christianity is real, and shake the world

Jesus encourages us to show kindness to the least and lowest, who believe in Him

Mark 9:36-37 “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.””

This is a continuation of Jesus last point

This is foolishness to the natural man

Worldly people see no other way to greatness than political power, money, rank, high position

The Son of God says the way lies in devoting ourselves to the care of the weakest and lowest of His flock

Mark 9:37 ““Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.””

Bringing it home

This is encouraging to all who devote themselves to doing good for neglected souls

This should be all of us

This is encouraging to everyone who works to help restore the outcast to the community

to raise the fallen

to gather together the children no one cares for

to help the worst of sinners recover from their life of sin

to help the lost and wandering to come home

We can take comfort, this work is often hard and discouraging

May be mocked, ridiculed, held up to scorn

But, the Son of God notes all they do, and is well pleased

No matter what the world says, these are the ones whom Jesus will be happy to honor at the last day

Prayers

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