In The Word
Read Mark 9:30-50
Death and Resurrection Foretold
30 From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest.35 Sitting down, He called the twelve and *said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”
Dire Warnings
38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46 [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] 47 If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast 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 becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
I once heard a news report about a man who took literally Jesus’ command, “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out (9:47).” The man apparently felt his eye was causing him to sin so he plucked it out! Is this what Jesus is saying to us in verses 43-47?
We have in our world items that provide us with convenient, helpful information and entertainment such as TV, Internet, smart phones, apps, etc. But the world has taken those things meant to benefit us and turned them into an easy, convenient, and private way to sin. Those same items, if used properly, are good for us, but if they are used to satisfy the lusts of the flesh, then they become evil.
What Jesus is saying to us in these verses is to remove those things that cause us to sin, even if removing them causes us pain, just as losing a body part would be painful. We have become so accustomed, and even dependent upon, items that if they were to be taken away from us it would make life inconvenient, difficult, and even painful. But are they worth keeping if they take us away from God? Absolutely not!
Have you discovered easy access to sin by using the convenient things? Though it may be painful, it is better to remove them from your life than to cause grief to God and risk the pain of being away from Him.