Greatness and Sin



Mark 9:30–50
30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 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.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 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.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

As Jesus approaches the end of His ministry here on earth, He intensifies His education of the Disciples. Time is drawing short and they still have much to learn, as is clearly indicated by this passage. He again prophesies His death and resurrection, but they did not understand. As we stand on this side of that incredibly event, we must cut them a break. How could they possible have any inkling as to what He was trying to tell them?

Then we come to a rather shameful discussion that the Disciples were having privately, away from Jesus’ hearing. Insert chuckle here. Even though Jesus gives them the opportunity to come clean about this conversation, they kept silent. Time to chuckle again. Then Jesus demonstrates that He knew absolutely that they had been discussing their relative “greatness” in His Kingdom. Jesus brings forth a child and uses childlike simplicity to extol what true greatness looks like. The person who embraces and nurtures that simplicity is the one who serves God; this is where true greatness is found.

[Here’s a complete aside for you that demonstrates just how crazy it is inside of my mind. When I read this passage where the disciples argue about greatness, I almost always hear a jingle for dog food in my mind because this argument is so trivial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E9H_DvwOVc. If nothing else, it will take you back to the 60s.]

As the disciples are pondering their position in the kingdom of God, Jesus continues to instruct them. John tried to silence a person who was not a part of their little group but was “casting out demons”, to knock it off. But Jesus is fine with someone speaking His name in an effort to bring about deliverance. The Twelve will not have the corner on that market, at which point Jesus discusses that which makes us unfit to be in His Kingdom using hyperbole to illustrate the lesson. Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation here. He is advocating intentional living. If there is a part of your life that is dragging you into sin, eliminate it. This is easier said than done. But it is an important part of a life that is lived inside of God’s Kingdom. And if we hearken back to the passage immediately previous to this one, we will remember that it is God’s power that enables this work. I don’t have the power to cast off sin, but the Holy Spirit does and so I press into Him and ask for His help to make this happen. Sounds easy – it’s not.

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