Start Acting Like A Child (Mark 10:13-16)

It’s the time of year when college-bound high schooler seniors are getting serious about that next step into a new domain. For many it will mean packing up and moving onto a campus in another city, maybe another state. They’re going to become Bulldogs or Bruins or Banana slugs. In my case, I became a Sunbird – the most fearsome of all flying creatures.

For all of these schools you must qualify for acceptance. You’re ranked beside all other applicants and positioned in a line. The UC system requires a minimum 3.0 grade point average (3.4 if you’re out of state), with no grade below a C. Applications are judged on 13 different criteria.^[1]

On top of the academic, you’ll have to prove that you’ve received a particular list of vaccines and you’ll be required to take the flu vaccine every year, regardless of age.

And then there’s the matter of the fee. If you want into the club, it’ll cost you just shy of $50,000 a year. Unless you’re not a Californian, then it’s $86,000 a year.

Even if you meet all these standards, you still might be allowed into the UC of your choice, though if you rank in the top 9% of California high school students, they promise to find you a spot at another UC campus if space is available.

So, what do I have to do to get accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven? What are the prerequisites? Jesus gives a surprising list of requirements tonight – truths that proved to be naggingly difficult for the disciples to accept. They were constantly jockeying for position and frequently trying to point out to Jesus that they were, indeed, the top 1% of applicants. But once again Jesus stops them in their tracks to explain that God’s way is not man’s way. And what He’s looking for is not high achievement, but humble acceptance. And as He reveals this essential truth, the Lord does so with an affection and tenderness we don’t want to miss.

As we look at this scene, let’s notice how important Mark thinks it is. This story is told in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But Mark’s account is the longest. And he’s the Gospel writer with the shortest book! He’s constantly editing and moving quickly. But here he takes an extra breath to tell us about Jesus taking toddlers into His arms with grace, kindness, and generosity.

Mark 10:13 – ¹³ People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.

Let’s first talk about these parents. What they were doing is great. This wasn’t superstition. Matthew explains that they are also asking for prayer for their kids. This was a proper tradition for the Jewish people. We see times in the Old Testament where the patriarch would lay his hands on children to pronounce God’s blessing on their lives. How much more to have Jesus do so?

So often we see people coming to Jesus with emergency needs – they bring the blind, the lame, the leprous. But how sweet it is that they had the same desire for God’s grace for the futures of their kids as they would if they were dying or demon possessed. That every day of their lives mattered on the spiritual level and that God had grace and power for regular life, too. We need Jesus every day. Not only in the moments of crisis.

Now, in this time, children were much more vulnerable. In Egypt at this time, half of children died by the age of 12.^[2] These loved ones wanted the true best for their kids, and the hope they had for life and growth was anchored on Jesus.

But now to the disciples. They rebuked the people bringing their little ones to the Lord. We don’t know why. We are left to assume motives, but clearly they’re still stuck in this gate-keeping, posturing mentality. Who’s the greatest? Who’s important? Who is in line behind us. And they simply didn’t think little kids were important enough to take up Jesus’ valuable time.

The disciples were self-appointed bouncers, often restricting access to Jesus. Remember they tried to stop that other exorcist from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. In John, we see some Greeks who had traveled to Jerusalem and they want to see Jesus, but they get stopped by Philip, and then Philip goes to Andrew, and then those two guys go to Jesus.^[3] They put these layers of access between seekers and Jesus that Jesus never asked for.

Here’s what’s so frustrating: We only have to go back one chapter where we see Jesus saying specifically to the disciples, “Whoever welcomes a little child welcomes Me!” He told them, “Don’t forbid or exclude these other people who are on our side!” And yet, here they are, doing the exact opposite of what He told them.

It made me wonder: What am I slow to apply from God’s word? Undoubtedly, there are things, probably many things that God has said to me, commanded me again and again as I read His word, yet I just breeze past and do the opposite. May God help us to see where we are acting like these forgetful disciples.

Mark 10:14 – ¹⁴ When Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Indignant is a strong word – only occurring here in all the New Testament.^[4] It’s a term that speaks of pain.^[5] Of being much grieved. Jesus is very upset by what they were doing.

His response to the disciples was sharp and demanding – a double command. He said, “start allowing and stop preventing.”^[6] It wasn’t just, “Don’t do that again,” it was, “Go fix what you did.”

He said, “Don’t stop them.” That term for stop was what He told them specifically not to do up in Mark 9 when He talked to them about the exorcist. And so, He brands them as obstructionists.^[7] They’re doing the thing He commanded them to stop doing a short time ago.

It was not their job to be spiritual bouncers, putting obstacles between seekers and the Savior. We’ve seen how seriously God takes it when people put barriers or obstacles in the walk of faith.

David famously said, “I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness,”^[8] but Christians aren’t supposed to stand at the door and keep people out. We are there to show people the way in.

Think of the New Jerusalem described in Revelation 21. The gates never close! God is never trying to limit access to His Kingdom. There are requirements. There are demands, but the door is open.

Jesus needed to adjust the disciples’ thinking. He says, “You’re trying to keep these children out, or at least thinking they don’t matter, but the Kingdom belongs to them.” That doesn’t mean everyone’s a kid in the Kingdom. One commentator notes, “It indicates not so much exclusive ownership, but having a rightful share in.”^[9]

This was an extremely counter-cultural idea at the time. Children were not considered special or wonderful, especially in the Gentile culture. Infanticide was not outlawed until 375 AD! And even then, the law wasn’t very effective.^[10]

Jesus elevates children to equal standing in His Kingdom. And Jesus turns the tables on the disciples, demanding that they reshape their hearts and minds to be like children.

Mark 10:15 – ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive, the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

So the disciples were in this pattern of saying, “this guy didn’t follow us, so we tried to kick him to the curb. These children aren’t important like us, so we sent them packing.” And now Jesus says, “Fellows, you need to become like them.”

First, let’s consider the gravity of this statement. If you don’t do this you won’t enter the Kingdom! And the term Christ uses for “never” is a strong one, meaning “never, no never.”^[11] So, the question is: What does it mean to receive the Kingdom like a child?

Children aren’t perfect. In fact, they do many things that they have to be trained not to do. Think about it – it’s not a good thing usually when someone has to be told, “You’re acting childish.” It means they’re being selfish or rude or throwing a fit or uncaring in some way. So what does Jesus mean?

We can examine the example of the children in this story and pair that with a direct command from Jesus in Matthew 18. In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus is talking about this same issue and says:

Matthew 18:3-4 – ³ “Truly I tell you,” he said, “unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Ok, so Jesus says humbling ourselves like these children is what He’s talking about. But humility can take a variety of forms. How is it happening in the scene?

Well first, the children are brought in total dependence. All they’re doing in the scene is receiving grace, presence, love, prayer from Jesus. But they were receptive. I mean, can you imagine that any of these kids were crying in fear like little ones do when they’re placed on the lap of the mall Santa?

One of the great things about kids is that they are content and excited to receive gifts – even when they’re small things. You can give a three year old a quarter and they’re gonna be excited. If I gave you a quarter, might not move the needle.

But the children in this scene are ready to receive from the Lord. They’re not worried about whether they have a better position in the Kingdom than the kid next to them. They’re receiving the love of God and the work of God and the presence of God as a gift to be enjoyed, not some sort of entitlement we think we’re owed, or one that we try to gatekeep others from tasting.

The disciples were trying to exert dominance. The children in the scene are fine with littleness. One commentator writes, “The disciples need to learn not only to minister to the little ones but also to adopt the attitude of littleness.”^[12]

As human beings, we always want to be “big,” don’t we? As children, we’re always wanting to get big. And that doesn’t go away once we are big. Then we tend to want to be “big” in other ways. But that mindset is what Jesus is talking about. And we know that because He says in Matthew, “Look, the key is childlike humility,” and because in the very next scene we’re going to see a guy coming to Jesus, talking about all the big time spiritual things he’s done and how he thinks he’s owed greatness in eternal life, and Jesus says, “You need to humble yourself,” and the man goes away sorrowful.

Instead, spiritual greatness is found in trusting the Lord like a little, little one would. As they entered the house, they’re not worried about pomp or decorum. There’s the door, we go through it. There’s Jesus, I go up to Him and climb into His arms. It’s about acceptance, not achievement.

Mark 10:16 – ¹⁶ After taking them in his arms, he laid his hands on them and blessed them.

Let’s note that Jesus did more than He was asked to do. And the term Mark used indicates that the Lord fervently blessed them.^[13] He didn’t just touch them, He embraced them. This wasn’t just a politician’s photo-op with a local baby in the stroller. He folded them up into His arms with real tenderness and affection. Not just one of them as a token, but each one of them.

Jesus Christ has tender, affectionate, attentive care for even the small things in your life. The small moments. The little concerns. The quiet questions and hopes. This is our King, taking you into His arms of love to hold you close and squeeze you tight.

Greek linguists note that the compound rendered “blessed” in this verse is only found here in all the New Testament.^[14] Isn’t it interesting that the word for indignant is only found here and the term for this blessing is only found here? Mark thinks this scene is incredibly important. We should, too.

If you apply to the University of California, if you have the grades, if you write a great essay, you take all the shots, there’s still a 1 in 4 chance that you won’t get in. The doors to Christ’s Kingdom are open to all who will humble themselves and receive the free gift of salvation, by grace, through faith. Faith requires doing things God’s way – obeying His commands, His directives, His directions for our lives. But to grow in spirituality and to be great in the Kingdom means joyfully embracing our loving Savior as a child in His arms. Not jockeying, not demanding, but receiving what God wants to say and do in our lives with ready hearts, little and humble and responsive, like a child full of trust and joy and wonder.

D. L. Moody once returned from a meeting and reported two and a half conversions. “Two adults and a child, I suppose?” asked his host. “No,” said Moody, “two children and an adult. The children gave their whole lives.”^[15]

When We Said, ‘I Glue’ (Mark 10:1-12)

Interviews are a minefield of tricky questions. “What is your greatest weakness?” “Where do you see yourself in five years?” “Would you ever bend the rules to get the job done?” In many cases, the panel is more interested in how you deal with the pressure of the question than they are the specifics of your answer.

Our text tonight is a discussion on divorce, but it’s not really about divorce. Those asking don’t actually care about Jesus’ theology. And Jesus’ response isn’t to give us a handbook on how to end our marriages. He wants to talk about our hearts and God’s high ideal.

Divorce is always a sensitive and controversial subject. That’s why the Pharisees brought it up. Undoubtedly, many lives in this room have been touched by divorce in one way or another.

There are several passages in the Bible that touch on divorce. Some are prescriptive, some are narrative. The context weighs heavily on those passages. In 1 Corinthians, Paul tells believers to not divorce their unbelieving spouses, if the unbeliever is willing to stay together. Page over to Ezra, and you’ll see God’s people commanded to send away their pagan wives.

Before we jump in, let me give a few disclaimers. First, there is a spectrum of doctrinal interpretation on the issues of divorce and remarriage.

Second, the Bible gives two grounds for Christians to divorce: Sexual immorality and abandonment. Theologians debate what falls into those two categories, but those are specifically listed. But it is not commanded that you divorce if, for example, your spouse is unfaithful.

Third, no one should ever be pressured to remain in an abusive situation, especially by the Church. If you or your children are being abused, we urge you to remove yourself and call the police. If you need help, we will help you. You do not need to submit to abuse or any sort of criminal activity.

Finally, divorce is not the unpardonable sin. In many cases it is sin, and a grievous one by God’s standard, He hates it. If it happens for unbiblical reasons, God considers it to be treason.^[1] But He is a God of grace, of forgiveness, a God Who cleanses us of our sins and makes us new. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. But, if you are pursuing an unbiblical divorce in your marriage right now, God commands you to follow Him, trust Him, and be transformed by Him by choosing His way in your life, including in your marriage.

Mark 10:1-2 – ¹ He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught them again.  ² Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

The Pharisees are not on a fact-finding mission. They are in full-blown attack mode. If we understand the setting, it helps us understand just how tricky this question is.

First, Jesus is no longer in Galilee, He is in Judea – in Herod’s territory.^[2]The reason John the Baptist was killed was because he spoke out Herod’s wife’s divorce. So Jesus could potential face a similar reaction depending on His answer.

Second, while there were two different schools of thought about divorce among Jews, “most Jews took for granted that a man had an inalienable right to divorce his wife.”^[3] Think about that for a minute. An inalienable right. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…Life, Liberty, the pursuit of Happiness…and for men to be able to divorce their wives!”

The two schools of thought divided not over whether divorce was allowed, but just how allowed it was. The liberal camp, represented by the Rabbi Hillel, said that a man could divorce his wife for almost any reason. And I mean any reason. He signed off on a man divorcing his wife because she overcooked his food.^[4] Another rabbi of this school of thought taught that a man could divorce his wife if he found another woman more beautiful.^[5]

The other school of thought was the more conservative, represented by Rabbi Shammai. It said a man can only divorce his wife for sexual misconduct. That didn’t only mean adultery, because after all, adultery was a capital crime. So in that situation, a divorce would not be necessary.

The Pharisees thought they had Jesus pinned. We see in Matthew that they specifically said, “Can a man divorce his wife for any reason?”^[6] They want to get Jesus in as much trouble as possible. Either with the people by being too conservative, or with Herod by being too vocal, or if He’s too liberal, they could try to build a case that Jesus denyied the Law of Moses. Lot of pressure!

Mark 10:3-4 – ³ He replied to them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”

Jesus is never concerned with popular or political opinion. He immediately brings them back to Scripture and to the heart of the issue and the high ideals of heaven.

This is how we should think about our life circumstances. We have a situation, we have something going on, we’re wondering what to do, the first question is not what we want or what we think is best, but what has God said. And, if God has not specifically addressed your problem, then what is His principle in the more general sense? How would His character react in your situation?

The Christian way of life is to follow God’s heart, not our hearts. We must concern ourselves with what God wills, not what we want.^[7]

Here’s what’s interesting: Jesus says, “What did Moses command you?” They answer, “Well, Moses permitted us…” We’ll find Jesus and the Pharisees are in totally different passages of Scripture. They quote Deuteronomy 24, but Jesus quotes Genesis 2. That’s where the command was.

In Deuteronomy 24, God provided a stipulation for the sake of women who were unloved and mistreated. Remember, in these ancient societies, women couldn’t just go and live on their own. If a wife was abandoned or thrown out, she would be left without help, without hope, and without prospects for a future marriage. So, God spoke through Moses to say, “Yeah, that’s not ok. You need to have a lever of mercy and compassion for ladies in this situation.”

To get the certificate of divorce, a man would have to get a Levite to write it and was probably required to pay back his wife’s dowry.^[8] So, rather than just kick a lady out, it would take time, it would cost something, and the man would have to go and say before God and the priests, “Yeah, I don’t want to provide for my wife anymore.” One commentator writes, “The law obviously was an attempt to promote some order and restraint in the society to which it was first given.”^[9] Moses didn’t invent divorce. This was a regulation of something that was already going on.^[10] Now, let’s hear Jesus’ side of the issue.

Mark 10:5-9 – ⁵ But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. ⁷ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother ⁸ and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Because human hearts are hard, because of their obstinacy, because of our willful defiance toward God,^[11] the Lord made this provision in the Law as a helpful right for women in a bad situation.^[12]

This is not the only time God made a provision to address the sinfulness and rebellion of human hearts. That’s why the guilt and trespass offerings exist. They’re given not because God wants you to sin, but because sinners must be governed. The ideal is that they would never have to do it!

God never intended for marriage to end in divorce. It is always the result of sin. Either people sinning by divorcing outside of God’s boundaries, or, when a spouse sins through abandonment or sexual immorality, which then clears the innocent spouse of the divorce in His eyes.

The command for marriage began in Genesis 2 and is then repeated multiple times throughout the Bible. Notice God’s involvement in marriage: God created them and God joined them.

It’s is God’s decision who you marry, not yours. Now listen – if you’re already married, whether you got married before you were a Christian or if you were a Christian, but married without God’s input, you’re married and God wants you to stay married. He wants to do a great, spiritual work in and through your marriage, and for you to grow together as a spiritually and physically joined entity.

But for those of you who are not married, please listen to what Jesus is saying. It is God’s decision who you marry. There are some people He calls to a life of singleness, and if that’s His will for your life, that’s great. It’s not more spiritual to be married, it’s not more spiritual to be single. It’s spiritual for you to follow His will for your life. And following God’s will in the only way to real fulfillment.

But, for most of us, God’s plan is marriage. And in that case you need to know He created you for someone and created someone for you. Joined here literally means “yoked together.”^[13]

Not only does God have a tailor-made individual for you, but that relationship is designed to be the closet human relationship, the most significant, the most stand-apart of your life. It’s beyond the child-parent relationship. It’s beyond the brother relationship. Beyond friendship. Beyond partner. Beyond any other bond or connection with any other human being on the planet. That’s what God intends marriage to be. That’s heaven’s ideal. Two custom-made people, intended for each other by God Himself, cleaving to one another. Literally glued together.^[14]

If we, as Christians, constantly focus on, “What are the allowable ways out of marriage,” then I think we’re failing to honor what God has designed and revealed for us.

If a person says, “Well, I married the wrong person, I’m not happy, so I’m going to get a divorce.” Ok, but they’re admitting that they rebelled against God’s plan and leading for their lives before and now they’re going to rebel again to get into a new situation.

The question is always a heart issue. Are we Christians or are we not? Do we believe God or don’t we? Do we trust Him or do we want to go our own way? Do we understand God’s design?

Mark 10:10 – ¹⁰ When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter.

Matthew explains that Jesus’ answer was controversial, even to the disciples. They actually say to Jesus, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.”^[15] What??

That attitude reveals how prone we are to withhold some part of life, some piece of our hearts from the Lord, even when His intention is to bless us with something as wonderful as Christian marriage. “Lord, You knit me together in my mother’s womb, You loved me enough to send Your own Son to die in my place, You’ve created a spouse just for me, but Lord, I want to be able to reserve the right to reject Your ideas, reject your plan, because my emotions are that important to me.”

Mark 10:11-12 – ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. ¹² Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Jesus blows their attitude out of the water even more here. In the rabbinical system, a woman could commit adultery against her husband, but a man could not commit adultery against his wife.^[16] It was a one-way issue. So here, Jesus elevates women to equal standing and responsibility.

Now remember: adultery was a capital offense under the Law. The term Jesus used for “adultery” is a general term for sexual sin – porneia. Let’s use two examples that are absolutely pervasive in our culture and, frankly, often in the Church: Pornography and premarital sex. If you engage in these activities, you are in sin. You are sinning against your spouse and your own body. Your body is not meant for that sexual immorality, but for the Lord. You must flee it and there should not be a hint of it among God’s people.^[17] It’s not “too hard” to obey, unless your heart is hard.

God’s design and ideal for marriage is hard-coded into His creation, His will, and His providence, since the Garden of Eden. If you want to know how to have a happy marriage that brings you and your spouse (and your family by extension) fulfillment and joy and growth, the answer is never in what you want, but on what God’s will is. If you want marital happiness, it’s not found in someone else. It’s found in each of you becoming who God created you to be.

“Oh how happy is the person who delights in the Lord’s instruction and walks the road of righteousness.”^[18] “Happy is the person who fears the Lord and takes delight in His commands.”^[19]

The softer my heart is, the happier my marriage is – even if my spouse doesn’t cooperate. That’s the teaching of 1 Corinthians 7. Undoubtedly some of you have had to endure or are currently enduring a lot of very difficult days in a broken marriage relationship. Even the best Christian marriages have times of extreme stress and hurt. That’s because we are imperfect people who don’t always follow the Lord. And there are times when you need to get together in a room with someone and talk through issues and maybe offer rebuke or correction to one spouse or another.

But Jesus says, “Come to Me, I’ll give you rest. My yoke is easy.” And He says here, “For those of you who are called to marriage, part of that yoke is to be yoked with this person God made for you.” That is a wonderful thing. We want to be people who have a growing regard for the wonder of Christian marriage as designed by God. If there is sin, there are times when a divorce is permitted. If there is danger or harm or abuse, call the police, reach out to us so we can help you.

But in the meantime, in regular Christian circumstances, let us never work to unglue what God created to be cemented. Let’s not focus on the technicalities of what God permits, but instead on the power of what He desires. And if we are doing things to pour solvent onto the marriage bond, we need to die to ourselves, trust the Lord, obey Him, and allow Him to do His incredible work of growth, blessing, and fulfillment in us and for us in this unique human relationship, by softening our hearts and serving our spouses, and functioning in this unique gift given to us by our loving Lord.

Laying Off Of Hands (Mark 9:42-50)

In the early 400’s, there was a Christian monk named Ammonius who lived in the Egyptian wilderness. They said he “reached the perfection of the love of God.”^[1]

Ancient writers venerated him for several factors. They recorded that he could recite the entire Old and New Testament, as well as 6,000,000 lines from the church fathers. But the main reason he’s remembered is for his extreme asceticism which even included self-mutilation.

Ammonius did not want to be ordained as a bishop. He did not want to receive that “promotion.” The problem is, he lived during a time when people were sometimes ordained by force.

The people of a nearby city really wanted him to be their bishop. So the bishop of Alexandria said, “If you get him here, I’ll ordain him and he’ll have to be your bishop.” The townsfolk found Ammonius and started taking him by force. Ammonius took out a pair of scissors and cut off his own ear. He said, “Leviticus 21 forbids a mutilated person from serving as a priest.” The people went back to Alexandria, and the bishop said, “We’re Christians and the Law doesn’t apply to us.” So, the people went back to Ammonius, who then told them if they tried to take him, he would cut out his own tongue. At which point, they left him alone.

But that wasn’t all. It’s also recorded that whenever Ammonius felt desire, he would heat an iron and burn himself, so that he “became a mass of ulcers.”

Is that what it means to love God? Do we look back on those choices and think that Ammonius was doing God’s will? I, for one, look on his story with sadness and pity. We understand that God has not called us to a life of self-inflicted pain and isolation, but of life more abundantly. We agree with C.S. Lewis who wrote, “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”^[2]

How then do we square our perspective with the serious words of Jesus in this text? Remember: Jesus is in a formal teaching session with His disciples. He’s explaining what it means to be great in the Kingdom, how disciples should conduct themselves, and what God requires of His servants.

So, we want to try to understand what Jesus is saying, why it matters, and know why we don’t need to leave our homes, move to the desert, taking only a hot iron and a pair of scissors with us.

Mark 9:42 – ⁴² “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Let’s remember the lead up to these verses: The 12 had been arguing on the road about which one of them was the greatest. And, John admitted to Jesus they tried to forbid this other Christian exorcist from casting out demons in Jesus’ name because that guy didn’t follow after them.

Jesus is totally reshaping and rehabilitating their understanding about what it means to serve in His Kingdom. The  major point in these verses is that, rather than be worried about who they’re greater than, or being worried about outsiders, they should be worried about the evil within their own hearts that can cause eternal damage to themselves and others.^[3]

The Lord has been talking about how disciples should include not exclude others. Now He warns them not only about whether they include others, but how they influence them.

If a person causes a child, or someone young in the Lord to stumble – if they put an obstacle in the faith of one of these little ones,^[4] it would be better if they died this grisly death. This imagery of being drowned by millstone is vivid enough for us, but for the Galilean disciples, it would’ve been all the more graphic. The Roman government had taken some early Zealot insurrectionists and drowned them in the Sea of Galilee as punishment.^[5]

We’d expect that from the ruthless Romans, but from the mouth of Jesus? Add to that the fact that Jews considered death without burial to be the worst kind of death.^[6] But Jesus says, “No, that – all of that would be better than stumbling one who believes in Me.”

Now understand, Jesus is not talking about simply offending someone, or saying something you shouldn’t. Falling away here means to cause the shipwreck of someone’s faith.^[7] The term is used of a baited animal trap.^[8]

But, this is a serious warning. We must reckon with the reality that our choices and behaviors have an impact on the spiritual lives of those around us. If we live lives of hypocrisy and duplicity and selfishness while saying we love Jesus and represent Jesus, that will push people away from the Lord. And God does not take that lightly. He sees it as one of the greatest sins.

In response to John’s story about trying to shut down the other exorcist because he wasn’t underneath the disciples’ authority, Jesus is saying, “Listen, that kind of arrogant behavior leads to abuse and neglect of the lowly.”^[9] And God does not overlook it. Remember: He is a God of vengeance. He takes these eternal matters more seriously than we could possibly imagine.

Jesus challenges His disciples to think both about how they invite others and how their conduct influences them, especially those who are young in the faith.

In verses 43 through 48, the Lord pivots. In verse 42 He warned that ungodliness has grievous eternal consequences in the lives of others. Now He warns us about watching out for our own lives.

He uses the same idea three times, so we’re going to take these as a set.

Mark 9:43-48 – ⁴³ “And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire. ⁴⁵ And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ⁴⁷ And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge 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, ⁴⁸ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

If you have the New King James version, verse 48 was repeated two times earlier, in verses 44 and 46. There is manuscript disagreement. Some have those verses, some don’t. Either way, the words are definitely in verse 48 in all the manuscripts, so no harm done.^[10]

The point here is that you and I – even apostles – could be led astray into sin with disastrous consequences. Jesus is not saying that it would be good for us to mutilate ourselves, but that we should radically avoid sin. Jesus used hyperbole at times. This is one of those times.

The Lord wasn’t telling us to be like Ammonius. I can say that with confidence for several reasons. First, self-mutilation was prohibited in the Law. Though we are not under the Law, Jesus fulfilled it. And Paul told Timothy to watch out for people who tell you you have to abstain from certain foods or forbid marriage.^[11] He said God provides us richly with all things to enjoy.^[12]

Second, when people came to Jesus with blind eyes, crippled feet, shriveled hands, He didn’t say, “Actually, that’s better for you so you won’t sin.” He healed them.

Third, let’s be honest: Your hand doesn’t cause you to sin. Neither does your foot. Neither does your eye. Those are members of your body controlled and directed by your heart and mind. A quadriplegic is still capable of sin despite their bodily limitations. A blind man can still lust.

Christ’s point is the serious danger that sin poses in a life. We should not think of it as just bugs on the windshield. He wants us to think of sin like gangrene. If we find our lives infected with sin in some area, we should do what any surgeon would do if we brought to him a necrotic hand, whose infection was spreading up the arm.^[13] He would amputate.

So in my life – the things I do, the places I go, the things I give my attention to, if those things are leading me into sin, I should die to myself and remove those elements for the sake of my spiritual life. I should sacrifice all of that because sin is not a paltry thing. It separates me from God.

Paul said it this way in Romans 8:

Romans 8:13 – ¹³ if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

In the book of Job, Job talks about how he was determined to follow the way of the Lord.^[14] He talks about walking the path of righteousness and not going astray. And he references his hands, his feet, his eyes. Job said, “I’m going to walk the path of Godliness.” Because he knew a life of sin is a life astray. And a life astray, Jesus says, ends in hell.

Culturally, it’s easy to think there’s just heaven and hell. But in the Bible you have heaven – the place God dwells. Then there’s a place called Hades, or sometimes the Old Testament would use the term Sheol. It can be used in a generic sense as the place of the dead – the grave. But in the New Testament we see it is also a real location. It seems to have two areas: One called Abraham’s Bosom, a place of comfort where Old Testament believers waited before being led to heaven. The other side of Hades is a place of conscious torment. We learn this in Luke 16.

Today, Abraham’s Bosom is empty. The Lord Jesus led those believers to heaven where they await their glorified bodies, received at the resurrection. The torment side of Hades is still populated by unbelievers. They are awaiting the Great White Throne Judgment, at which point they will be cast forever and ever into the Lake of Fire, which is a different location, that we commonly call hell.

When Jesus references hell in these verses, He doesn’t use the term Hades, He uses the term Gehenna. That term is used 12 times in the New Testament and 11 of those times are by Jesus.

Gehenna is Jesus’ term for the lake of fire and it has a Biblical and a geographical reference point to help us understand. The Biblical reference used by Jesus here is Isaiah 66:24. There we see those who rebel against the Lord burning forever and ever. And here, Jesus says, “If you live a life of sin, you’ll end up there.” Revelation calls it the Lake of Fire. Here, Jesus calls it Gehenna.

Gehenna was also the name of a literal place  south of Jerusalem. It had once been the site where God’s people burned their children alive in sacrifice to Molech. But Josiah put a stop to that and defiled the valley. From that point, and in the time of Jesus, Gehenna was a garbage dump. A place they brought refuse and sewage and animal carcasses to burn. And the fires burned continually.^[15]

To give us a tiny glimpse into hell, Jesus pointed to literal Gehenna. And He referenced how those suffering in the Lake of Fire will not be rewarded with crowns, but with worms. They face both gnawing, internal torment and burning external torment.^[16] It is truly horrible, but altogether real. Hell is as much a Biblical reality as heaven.^[17] A person should do everything necessary to avoid it. The good news of the Gospel is that God has freely given you everything you need for life and Godliness. But God’s way demands you take up a cross, die to self, and live as a sacrifice to Him.

Mark 9:49 – ⁴⁹ For everyone will be salted with fire.

Wait, what? Do all of us have to take a dip in the lake of fire? Scholars admit this is one of the most difficult verses in the entire book.^[18] There are at least 15 explanations of what Jesus meant.^[19]

Here’s what I find helpful: Jesus is talking about the binary choice: Heaven or hell. Life or death. Either way, you’re choosing fire. Either the fires of hell or the fire of a life lived on the altar. Romans 12 tells us, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” John the Baptist said that Jesus came to baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire.^[20]

So, I can willingly submit to His cleansing fire, or if I choose to reject Him and go my own way, and then have the unquenchable fires of hell. Which reward do I want? Which eternity do I want?

Mark 9:50 – ⁵⁰ Salt is good, but if the salt should lose its flavor, how can you season it? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

The salt of that time was often sourced from the Dead Sea region, but they would also collect deposits of minerals that looked like salt but weren’t salt at all.^[21] And so, Jesus encourages us to evaluate our spiritual lives. Are we Christians? Are we part of the salty crew? It’s one thing to look the part, it’s another to be serving the Christian function of salting the earth with Godly flavor, preservative, purifying the world around us by the power of God working through our lives.

“Have salt among yourselves.” So again, He brings us back to our interaction with others. That we concern ourselves with our internal lives, but also with our interactions and influence on others. That together in the church we’re serving one another, salting one another, which leads to peace and growth and God’s glory. These are the things we should be focused on, not which of us is the greatest. Not exclusivity or jockeying for position. Saltiness, not self-aggrandizement.

Now listen: Jesus is not saying a genuine Christian can lose their salvation. The focus of His words here is that sin is a big, big deal to God. And a life of sin ends in Gehenna. And, remember: there was a counterfeit believer among the 12! Judas looked like salt, but he didn’t taste like salt.

Meanwhile, all disciples should set our own notions and concerns aside and allow the Lord to shape our perspective. That’s what He was trying to do with the disciples here, who had totally off-base ideas about the Kingdom and spiritual greatness and how they should conduct themselves.

The mental road they were on would lead to seriously bad consequences. And so Jesus took the time to help them recalculate the route. And He used the extreme and severe words so they could understand how serious He was about it.

The Lord isn’t telling us to scissor our ears off. He is telling us to radically avoid sin. And to choose carefully the lives we’re living. To consider what it really means to be a Christian – to go the way of the cross. It demands we embrace the fire of the altar. But if we do that, the result is a salted life. When a person doesn’t, the result is the unquenchable fire of eternal death.

And so, as we seek to follow the Lord and go His way, we’ll remind ourselves of another verse from Isaiah:

Isaiah 30:20-21 – Your eyes will see your Teacher, ²¹ and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”

Water Works (Mark 9:38-41)

What a thrill it must be to win a gold medal. After so much dedication, study, training, expense, and effort, to receive that glorious award. Olympic events can be incredibly demanding. Consider the biathlon, where athletes must first cross-country ski with “all-out intensity,” then suddenly pivot to calm, “steady aim” as they shoot rifles both prone and standing at targets 50 meters away.^[1]

To bring home the gold in this event is quite a feat. In fact, the United States has never medaled in the biathlon. It’s the only winter Olympic event we’ve been shut out of.

But if you’re looking for something a little…simpler…you could consider being the third man in the bobsled. Effectively all you need to do is sprint for 50 to 100 feet. Jason Hartman, the strength and conditioning coordinator for the U.S. Olympic bobsled team, once said, “Honestly, after those five seconds, they’re kind of trying to stay as relaxed as possible while leaning into the turns.”^[2]

Whether you’re a biathlete, a downhill skier traveling at 95 miles per hour, a hockey team playing seven grueling, hour-long matches, or the third man in a bobsled just trying to be as relaxed as possible – the medals are the same: 500 grams of silver covered by 6 grams of gold, with a melt value of about $2,500.^[3]

There are two very different yet connected parts to our text tonight. It’s sort of like a biathlon’s skiing and shooting. On the one hand, this passage is about Christ adjusting the attitude of the disciples, which is dysfunctional at the moment. He’s still teaching them how to have servants’ hearts rather than trying to exclude others or lord over them.

But alongside that lesson, He formally discloses a remarkable truth. He takes the simplest act of care and hospitality and elevates it to be on par with a miraculous healing. He says, “These things, done in My name, will be rewarded.” Not just in a “that’s a nice thing to do” sense, but in the eschatological sense. When we are brought into eternity and ushered into Christ’s forever Kingdom, those who hand out cups of water are rewarded alongside those who exorcise demons.

Mark 9:38 – ³⁸ John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”

There is a lot going on in this verse. From the words, to the actions, to the context, and the apparent attitudes – we want to break it all down. But this is one of those times where we’re not sure how this was said or the exact motivation behind it. I know I automatically come to this scene assuming some things about how and why John said what he did.

Did he say this because he was ashamed by what Jesus had just said in verses 35 through 37?^[4] Jesus said, “if you want to be first you must be last and the servant of all.” And, “Whoever welcomes a little child in My name welcomes Me.” So maybe John is convicted and confessing here.

Or, could it be that John is trying to change the subject? That perhaps, as was so often the case, the disciples really weren’t hearing what Jesus said and now John brings this up expecting praise?^[5]

Or maybe John just didn’t know what to think. That Jesus gave them the teaching of 35 through 37 and was saying, “Well, now that You mention it, did we do right or wrong when we did this…?”^[6]

We can’t be sure. And we don’t actually know when this interaction with the unknown exorcist took place. I always think they just came from confronting this guy, but they’re still in a house in Capernaum in a teaching session with Jesus. So this happened at some point in the past.

But let’s consider what John said. First, it wasn’t only John. He says “we,” speaking of all the 12.^[7] At some point, they witnessed this other fellow casting out demons in Jesus’ name. He didn’t come to them and try to join the 12. He didn’t come and tell them they should support him. He didn’t come and try to buy power like Simon the Sorcerer did in Acts 8. He’s doing his thing and they engage.

This was a guy who clearly believed in Jesus and was being used by God. I say that because he was successful at casting out demons. The supernatural power of God was at work in him.

There’s a story in Acts 19 where some Jewish exorcists try to use Jesus’ name to cast out demons and the demon says, “Yeah, it doesn’t work that way.” And proceeds to mess them up. They didn’t have real belief, so throwing the name of Jesus around like an incantation didn’t do anything.

But, the 12 saw this guy doing his thing, and then they go over and say, “Stop it. You’re not allowed to do this because you don’t follow us.” Did you notice that detail? It wasn’t even, “Jesus didn’t personally call you to be a disciple.” It was, “You’re not in our group and you’re not under us.”

The 12 were still very worried about which one of them was the greatest in the group. They argued about it openly. But at the time they also assumed they had a special place above everyone else.

So they told him to stop. There are two ironies here: First, they had the audacity to try to forbid him from successfully exorcising demons when just a few verses ago they had been unable to cast out a demon! And second, they say, “We tried to stop him.” Meaning, they were unsuccessful at that! So, they think they have the authority to lord over people, but they couldn’t even convince this guy to comply with their demands!

This was all flowing from a faulty mentality. You can see it even in John’s words. He calls Jesus “Teacher.” Not Christ. Not Lord. Not Son of Man. Instead, he used a term that was usually only used by outsiders in the book of Mark.^[8] Why? I don’t know. But it exposes a skewed attitude.

Now, a wrong attitude can happen to the best of believers. In the book of Numbers there’s a scene where the Holy Spirit falls on seventy elders of Israel. Two guys who had not come when Moses called also received the Spirit and began to prophesy. When it happened, Joshua says, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” And Moses says, “Are you jealous on my account? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets and all of them had the Spirit!”^[9] But in the moment, Joshua wasn’t sure if what they were doing was appropriate.

Were the disciples of Jesus jealous for Him or for themselves? The latter seems to be the case. Because their attention was not that some tormented soul be freed from demonic possession, but that this unknown exorcist must follow after them. In the interaction, they were acting more like Pharisees than like Jesus.

Mark 9:39-40 – ³⁹ “Don’t stop him,” said Jesus, “because there is no one who will perform a miracle in my name who can soon afterward speak evil of me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us.

Jesus uses the same verb that is used in the LXX when Joshua said, “Moses, forbid them!” Jesus says, “Don’t do that.” He acknowledges that this man really believes in Jesus. He calls this exorcism a “mighty work” – the same terminology that Mark uses of Jesus’ own miracles.^[10]

But now let’s pause and consider the implications of what Jesus says here for our own day and age, our own interaction with other Christians – particularly those with whom we’re not in fellowship. Other groups, other ministries, other churches, other believers who you may interact with but aren’t closely connected with.

Some say that it’s wrong that we have different churches and different denominations – that all Christians should just unite and agree. It gets said from time to time, because it’s easy to say.

But notice what Jesus did and didn’t command here: He said that they should not make themselves enemies of this man. Don’t try to stop him. But Jesus did not say, “Go join him.” He didn’t say, “Have him come join us.” He didn’t say they needed to get together and make an exorcism program.

As Christians, we are to be welcoming to one another, kind to one another, not combatants against one another – as far as in the church universal. But there is a difference between an ally and a partner. We can be allies with brothers and sisters who do things differently or have differences of opinion on non-essential issues. But that doesn’t mean we’re failing if we don’t partner together.

The important issue is not whether we’re plowing together in the same direction. The important issue is whether we are for or against Jesus. There’s no middle ground there. We are either for Jesus or we are against Him. And elsewhere in the Gospel, Jesus would say it in reverse: “If you are not for Me, then you ARE against Me.”^[11]

There are those who try to say they will come to Jesus before they die. There are some who believe it doesn’t matter whether they consider the issue here and now. But this is the principal concern of a human life: Are you in Christ? Do you belong to Him?

After we can answer yes to that question, then we can learn to serve Him, understand our calling, welcome others, interact with brothers and sisters, even if they’re not part of our tribe, and be in alliance or partnership according to God’s leading. As we grow in Christ, we should be growing in knowledge of what He wants us to be doing, but also growing in grace toward others who are called to other things. I shouldn’t become more narrow-minded when it comes to Christian brotherhood, but more willing to give what Paul calls the “right hand of fellowship” to other, genuine believers.^[12]

Mark 9:41 – ⁴¹ And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you belong to Christ—truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.

There’s a sudden pivot from skiing to shooting. Jesus was not only talking about who is allowed to do the work of God, but He expands what gold-medal events are available in His Kingdom. He says, “Truly I tell you.” This is official heavenly policy! And notice how John had said, “Well, this guy was casting out demons in Your name.” Now Jesus talks about a cup of water in His name. He elevates the most basic act of kindness and provision to be, in some sense, in the same category as a miracle. That in the Kingdom, both are events for which you can receive a great reward.

Let’s marvel again at just how generous God is. This is the smallest service we could do for someone.^[13] The Lord is so excited to reward us in eternity. He so lavishly repays what we do for Him. In some cases, even when we didn’t even realize we’re doing it for Him!^[14]

But a couple of thoughts about this closing verse are important. First, notice that, in the image Jesus is painting for them, it is the 12 who are the thirsty ones. They receive the cup. This assumes that there will be times when Christians – even apostles – will face difficulty, need, even desperation.^[15] In those times, one of the great provisions God has given us is the Church to meet needs. Christians are called to love our enemies and reach out to the world – that everyone around us is our neighbor. But we are specifically commanded to give care and attention and compassion and support to our brothers and sisters, near and far.^[16] To do the one another commands for each other. That we learn to live as a connected body where each part has its own functions, but all parts are conscious of the health or hurt, strength or weakness of the other parts.

Here the image is of a Christian helping another Christian with a cup of water. And the Lord says this is a wonderful thing to do. It assumes that one person is thirsty. If you came up and handed me a bottle of water right now, it’s not necessary because I’m not thirsty. Really, it would be more distracting than a blessing.

It’s exciting to know that even small acts of kindness or provision or hospitality are counted as rewardable in Christ’s Kingdom, but we need to pay attention to who is thirsty. Or earlier, while Jesus was talking about the kind of gracious, welcoming attitude a Christian should have toward others, Jesus picked a kid out of the group that was there in the room.

In the book of Acts and the epistles, we don’t just see Christians doing acts of kindness to check a box. That’s the Pharisee mentality. Do certain acts to earn points with God. But that’s not how it works. In Acts we see the Church doing things like this: Certain widows were underserved, so they make a specific effort to serve them. The Jerusalem church was suffering with material needs and the Gentile churches sent relief money to them.^[17] Dorcas saw that widows needed clothes, so she made them.^[18]

In the biathlon, when it’s time to shoot, you shoot at a target. You need your own eyes to hit center. Rather than look for people to exclude, which is what the 12 did in verse 38, Jesus was encouraging them to look around at who they could serve. Who they could welcome. Who they could support. Some fellow Christians will be out there doing what they do and we don’t necessarily partner with them. But we want to be people who are looking around to serve in the name of Jesus. Who might be thirsty? I mean that figuratively or literally. Who might be struggling in a way we could help if we only knew it?

Jesus is compassionately observant. And He invites us to live with that mentality. And He throws in the wonderful revelation that, “Oh, when you do that for someone else, you’re also doing it to Me.”

The disciples were worried about their prestige compared to this exorcist. Instead, they should’ve been worried about the demon-possessed person. Better that they look for thirsty people. And, ironically, when we become the servant of all, that’s what puts us on the podium in the Kingdom. As we follow Jesus and live for Him, He leads us to people we can love and serve and bring to Him. It’s a cup given in His name. It’s welcoming someone in His name. It’s all empowered by and attached to the Gospel. It’s not about our greatness, it’s about His glory and His goodness. And, as we go, we can celebrate the other brothers and sisters running their races both near and far.