Mark 9:38-50 NIV
38 “Teacher,” said John, “we
saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he
was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus
said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next
moment say anything bad about me, 40 for
whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I
tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to
the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.
42 “If anyone causes one of
these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better
for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown
into the sea. 43 If your
hand causes you to stumble, 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. [44] 45 And if
your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter
life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. [46] 47 And if
your eye causes you to stumble, 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, 48 where
“‘the worms that eat them do
not die,
and the
fire is not quenched.’
49 Everyone
will be salted with fire.
50 “Salt is good, but if it
loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among
yourselves, and be at peace with each other.”
Little Ones and Spooky Stuff
This passage of scripture, at first, to me, sounded harsh, creepy and
spooky. But as the week sped along, I began to hear a message of charity and
attitude towards others. Others like my
friends, neighbors, and fellow disciples of Jesus.
At first, I wanted to dwell on hell, and cutting things off and all the
typical seasonal Halloween stuff you see in the neighbor’s yards. But that
really isn’t what this passage came to finally speak to me. Let me explain…
The thought of the day, during this time with Jesus, was that the proof
of discipleship could only be claimed if the disciple exorcised an evil spirit.
Some of that spooky, evil, Exorcism
movie stuff, I guess. But that really missed the point.
This wasn’t about belonging to a club and having the correct handshake or
wearing a funny furry hat or something. No, discipleship that competes for positions
of power, like we heard and read about last week, causes people, that is the “Little
Ones” to turn and run away from God. As disciples we need to put this “Who is
the Greatest” stuff behind us. Stop it! Disciples who fight about power, or
greatness; lose their “salt.” If you, as a disciple of Jesus are fighting for
power, prestige and greatness, the “salt” of the message of the Grace of God is
lost to your own selfish needs.
Even in this passage, we see how Jesus points away from Himself and
towards His Father in heaven. As a disciple of Jesus; we too must point away from
ourself and to God. As a disciple of Jesus, we don’t want to cause another to
sin also, by pointing to our own inward pride of self.
Now, let’s consider, in this passage of Scripture, “Little Ones.” Little
ones now here are those who believe in Jesus. And how we act and move and love
has an impact on “Little Ones,” or others.
“Little Ones” are the humble, poor, the lowly and the uneducated. The “Little
Ones,” here, have the Spirit of faith planted by God within them.
Jesus loves “Little Ones.”
Matthew 11:25 NIV
25 At that time Jesus
said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed
them to little children.
A disciple’s view of faith must be a view taken with a wide lens. We don’t
want to see just some small detail. The Kingdom of God has infinite measurement.
Refrain from trying to label or title something too fine. Don’t make the
Kingdom of God too exclusive out of our own arrogance and pride. Look at how
Jesus accepts “Little Ones” into His presence and gifts these “Little Ones”
with grace, love, faith, forgiveness and salvation. So, don’t fall into the evil
trap of excluding “Little Ones,” so that you, yourself can be more exclusive.
Remember, “Point to Jesus” --- NOT yourself! Don’t set fake goals or limits on
others, while following God’s love.
Little Ones are special to Jesus. If I see something often, like green grass,
I need to be aware and understand that even the green grass is special. A lot
goes into the “green” of the grass that is amazing. Likewise, a lot goes into a
cup of water. For now, just keep this in mind.
The gift of the cup of water of service, love and kindness is a BIG thing
to the one who is thirsty. The gift of a cup of water meets physical needs with
the spiritual power of the love of God.
Matthew 25:35-36, 40 NIV
35 For I was hungry and you
gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was
in prison and you came to visit me.’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever
you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for
me.’
Don’t lose sight of the
point, for something less. Whatever gets in the way of entry into the Kingdom
of God… well, get rid of it! Cut it out! Toss it away!
And finally, with this
passage, many get hung up with the whole “Hell” thing. So, let me deal with
this now.
Gehenna or some refer to
as Eternal Hell or the Lake of Fire…
Revelation 19:20 NIV
20 But the beast was
captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the
signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who
had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two
of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Revelation 20:10 NIV
10 And the devil, who
deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the
beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented
day and night for ever and ever.
The
second death stuff…
John 8:24 NIV
24 I told you that you would
die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die
in your sins.”
Revelation 21:8 NIV
8 But the cowardly, the
unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice
magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery
lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
All this
eternal separation from God. Don’t get confused
or hung up here on this and miss Jesus’ point. We can get stuck on this stuff
and miss the Gospel message.
Gehenna
was a place in the valley of Hinnom, southwest of Jerusalem, where human
sacrifices were offered.
2 Chronicles 33:6 NIV
6 He sacrificed his
children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and
witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He
did much evil in the eyes of the Lord,
arousing his anger.
Jeremiah 7:31 NIV
31 They have built the high
places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and
daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my
mind.
Later,
Gehenna became a dump where the worm never died and the fire never went out.
Sound familiar? Look back at Mark 9:48. This is a real place, in the time of
Jesus, that no one wanted to go to, after all, it was the dump with a wicked
history. But this was NOT Hades, or the place of the wicked before the judgment.
So, don’t get confused or hung up on the idea of eternal punishment or torment.
This is kind of like getting hung up on Halloween, and then, we miss All Saints
Day. Well… sorta… kinda….
No,
here, in this passage, Jesus is teaching his disciples. Part of the teaching is
how we deal with “Little Ones,” and another part is how we deal with ourselves…
also “Little Ones.”
We deal
with other “Little Ones” with charity, kindness, service and love.
We deal
with ourselves as “Little Ones” with discipline, to follow Jesus. We can be
strict on ourselves. We can look at the things that impact ourselves. If, in
action or word, I spoil the message of God’s Grace and Love; I need some salt.
I’ve lost my way as a disciple and am no longer, “Pointing to Jesus.”
So, to
be salty once again, I repent of my selfishness, my exclusiveness, my need for
power and greatness, and turn to God for forgiveness. And as I turn… God freely
and willingly and lovingly salts me with His Grace and Love and wraps me in His
arms and claims me as His “Little One.”
So,
enough of the Spooky Stuff --- enjoy this season of life. Listen and “Point to
Jesus.”
Yes, I
too am God’s “Little One” … today, tomorrow, and forever. Thanks be to God!
Enjoy
this fun YouTube music for the week…
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